As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2018
Securities Act Registration No. 033-24962
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-05186
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 158 (X)
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT
COMPANY ACT OF 1940
AMENDMENT NO. 160 (X)
Check appropriate box or boxes
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
Exact name of registrant as specified in charter
655 Broad Street, 17th Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Address of Principal Executive Offices including Zip Code
(973) 367-7521
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code
Deborah
A. Docs
655 Broad Street, 17
th
Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Name and Address of Agent for Service
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
__ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
X
on April 30, 2018 pursuant to paragraph (b)
__ 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
__ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
__ 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
__ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
__ this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
ADVANCED SERIES
TRUST
PROSPECTUS
• April 30, 2018
The Advanced Series Trust (the Trust) is an
investment vehicle for life insurance companies (the Participating Insurance Companies) writing variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (each, a Contract and together, the Contracts). Shares of
the Trust may also be sold directly to certain tax-deferred retirement plans. Each Contract involves fees and expenses not described in this prospectus (the Prospectus). Please read the prospectus of your
Contract for information regarding the Contract, including its fees and expenses. The portfolios offered in this Prospectus are set forth on this cover (each, a Portfolio and together, the Portfolios).
These securities have not been
approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission or the SEC) or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) nor has the Commission or the CFTC passed upon the accuracy or
adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prudential, the Prudential logo,
and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.
AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio
Allocation Portfolio
AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio
AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio
AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio
AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio
AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio
AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio
AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio
AST Bond
Portfolio 2018
AST Bond Portfolio 2019
AST Bond Portfolio 2020
AST Bond Portfolio 2021
AST Bond Portfolio 2022
AST Bond Portfolio 2023
AST Bond Portfolio 2024
AST Bond Portfolio 2025
AST Bond Portfolio 2026
AST Bond Portfolio 2027
AST Bond Portfolio 2028
AST Bond
Portfolio 2029
AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation
Portfolio
AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio
AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio
AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio
AST Global Real Estate Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Government Money Market Portfolio
AST High Yield Portfolio
AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value
Portfolio
AST International Growth Portfolio
AST International Value Portfolio
AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio
AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio
AST J.P. Morgan International Equity
Portfolio
AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities
Portfolio
AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio
AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio
AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio
AST MFS Growth Portfolio
AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap
Value Portfolio
Value Portfolio
AST New Discovery Asset Allocation
Portfolio
AST Parametric Emerging Markets
Equity Portfolio
Equity Portfolio
AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio
AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio
AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio
AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio
AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio
AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio
AST RCM World Trends Portfolio
AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio
AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities
Portfolio
AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation
Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities
Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources
Portfolio
AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio
AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Wellington Management Hedged
Equity Portfolio
Equity Portfolio
AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio
AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio
Table of Contents
SUMMARY: AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.007% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation | $145 | $451 | $781 | $1,712 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 140% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a multi-asset class fund. Under normal circumstances, approximately 60% of the Portfolio's assets are allocated to traditional asset classes and investment strategies, and
approximately 40% of the Portfolio's assets are allocated to non-traditional asset classes and investment strategies. The traditional asset classes include US and foreign equity and fixed income securities. The
non-traditional asset classes include real estate, commodities-related, and global infrastructure. The non-traditional investment strategies may from time to time include long/short market neutral, global macro, hedge
fund replication, and global tactical asset allocation strategies.
1
The Portfolio gains exposure to
these traditional and non-traditional asset classes and investment strategies by investing in varying combinations of: (i) other pooled investment vehicles, including, other portfolios of the Trust, other open-end or
closed-end investment companies, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), unit investment trusts, and domestic or foreign private investment pools (collectively referred to as Underlying Portfolios); (ii) securities such as
common stocks, preferred stocks, bonds, bond and interest rate futures, options on bonds, options on bond and interest rate futures, interest rate options, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps (on individual
securities and/or baskets of securities), commodity and commodity index futures, options (including options on credit default swaps), other futures, swaps and options (including on equities and equity indices),
forwards, options on swaps, options on forwards and mortgage-backed securities; and (iii) certain financial and derivative instruments. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio will invest greater than 50% of its
assets in Underlying Portfolios and the remainder of the Portfolio's assets will be directly managed by subadvisers to the Portfolio.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
2
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Exchange-Traded Notes Risk.
Because exchange-traded notes (ETNs) are unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities, an investment in an ETN exposes the Portfolio to the risk that an ETN’s issuer may be unable to
pay. In addition, the Portfolio will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the ETN, which may cause the Portfolio’s operating expenses to be higher and its performance to be lower.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
3
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Restricted Securities Risk.
The Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on resale. Restricted securities are not traded on established
markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Portfolio.
4
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also
demonstrates how the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (20%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index
(GD) (20%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (28%), Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return (8%), ICE BofAML Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index (15%) and Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index (9%). PGIM
Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
Note: The Academic Strategies
Asset Allocation Portfolio added and removed subadvisers and changed certain investment strategies, effective January 23, 2017. The performance figures prior to January 23, 2017 for the Portfolio reflect the
investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of former subadvisers, and it is not representative of the Portfolio’s current subadvisers and the Portfolio’s
predicted performance.
In addition, prior to January 23,
2017, the Portfolio’s custom blended index consisted of Russell 3000 Index (20%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (20%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (25%), Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return (10%),
Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index (15%) and Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index (10%).
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 14.94% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -16.24% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
5
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 12.58% | 5.75% | 3.24% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 10.61% | 5.64% | 4.03% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | July 2008 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| AlphaSimplex Group, LLC | Alexander D. Healy | Vice President, Portfolio Manager | March 2014 | |
| Peter A. Lee | Vice President, Portfolio Manager | March 2014 | ||
| Philippe P. Lüdi | Vice President, Portfolio Manager | March 2014 | ||
| David E. Kuenzi | Portfolio Manager | October 2017 | ||
| AQR Capital Management, LLC | Andrea Frazzini, PhD, MS | Principal | January 2017 | |
| Jacques A. Friedman, MS | Principal | May 2016 | ||
| Ronen Israel, MA | Principal | July 2010 | ||
| Michael Katz, PhD, AM | Principal | January 2017 | ||
| CoreCommodity Management, LLC | Adam De Chiara | Co-President, Portfolio Manager | October 2011 | |
| First Quadrant, L.P. | Dori Levanoni | Partner, Portfolio Manager | November 2008 | |
| Jeppe Ladekarl | Partner, Portfolio Manager | April 2012 | ||
| Jennison Associates LLC | Shaun Hong, CFA | Managing Director | July 2008 | |
| Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka | Managing Director | July 2008 | ||
| Brannon P. Cook | Managing Director | July 2014 | ||
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. | Cyril Moullé-Berteaux | Managing Director | January 2017 | |
| Mark Bavoso | Managing Director | January 2017 | ||
| Sergei Parmenov | Managing Director | January 2017 | ||
| Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC | Mihir Worah | Chief Investment Officer – Asset Allocation and Real Return, Managing Director | July 2008 | |
| Jeremie Banet | Executive Vice President, Portfolio Manager | May 2017 | ||
| Andrew Balls | Chief Investment Officer – Global Fixed Income | May 2017 |
6
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Sachin Gupta | Managing Director, Global Portfolio Manager | May 2017 | ||
| Lorenzo Pagani, PhD | Managing Director, Portfolio Manager | May 2017 | ||
|
Western Asset Management Company
Western Asset Management Company, Limited |
S. Kenneth Leech | Chief Investment Officer | March 2014 | |
| Chia-Liang Lian | Head of Emerging Market Debt | April 2015 | ||
| Gordon S. Brown | Portfolio Manager | March 2014 | ||
| Prashant Chandran | Portfolio Manager | July 2014 | ||
| Kevin Ritter | Portfolio Manager | April 2015 | ||
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus M. Perl | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | July 2008 | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | July 2008 | ||
| Edward F. Keon, Jr. | Portfolio Manager, Chief Investment Strategist | July 2008 | ||
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | July 2008 | ||
| Devang Gambhirwala | Portfolio Manager, Principal | July 2008 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
SUMMARY: AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek a high level of absolute return by using traditional and non-traditional investment strategies and by investing in domestic and foreign equity and fixed income securities, derivative instruments
and other investment companies.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.63% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.24% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.04% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.94% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.02)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.92% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.018% of its investment management fees through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June
30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Advanced Strategies | $94 | $298 | $518 | $1,153 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 232% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio's asset allocation generally provides for an allotment of approximately 60% of Portfolio assets to a combination of domestic and international equity strategies and an
allotment of approximately 40% of Portfolio assets to a combination of US fixed income, hedged international bond, real return, and exchange-traded fund (ETF) investment strategies. The Portfolio is subadvised by
Quantitative Management
8
Associates LLC (QMA), which allocates the
Portfolio's net assets across different investment categories and different subadvisers. QMA also directly manages a portion of the Portfolio's assets. Certain investment categories contain sub-categories. The
subadviser for a category or sub-category employs a specific investment strategy for that category or sub-category.
QMA employs a two-tiered approach
to allocating Portfolio assets across the various investment categories, sub-categories, and the subadvisers. First, QMA analyzes the macro-economic landscape, the capital markets, and the related implications for
investment strategy. Second, QMA draws on its understanding of the strategies used by the other subadvisers to determine which subadvisers are expected to perform best under the prevailing macro-economic landscape.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
9
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Exchange-Traded
Funds (ETF) Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Exchange-Traded Notes Risk.
Because exchange-traded notes (ETNs) are unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities, an investment in an ETN exposes the Portfolio to the risk that an ETN’s issuer may be unable to
pay. In addition, the Portfolio will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the ETN, which may cause the Portfolio’s operating expenses to be higher and its performance to be lower.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
10
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Past
Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5,
and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (40%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (20%),
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index (30%) and the Custom Extended Markets Index (10%). The Custom Extended Markets Index is comprised of equal weightings of the Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS
Index, Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return, and Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index. PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
11
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 15.41% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -16.47% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 16.92% | 9.32% | 5.99% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.44% | 8.89% | 5.72% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | July 2006 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| LSV Asset Management | Josef Lakonishok | CEO, CIO, Partner and Portfolio Manager | July 2006 | |
| Menno Vermeulen, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2006 | ||
| Puneet Mansharamani, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2006 | ||
| Greg Sleight | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2014 | ||
| Guy Lakonishok, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2014 | ||
| Brown Advisory, LLC | Kenneth M. Stuzin, CFA | Partner | June 2013 | |
| Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | Aziz Hamzaogullari, CFA | Vice President | June 2013 | |
| Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC | Mihir Worah | Chief Investment Officer – Asset Allocation and Real Return, Managing Director | July 2006 | |
| Jeremie Banet | Executive Vice President, Portfolio Manager | May 2017 | ||
| Andrew Balls | Chief Investment Officer – Global Fixed Income | May 2017 |
12
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Sachin Gupta | Managing Director, Global Portfolio Manager | May 2017 | ||
| Lorenzo Pagani, PhD | Managing Director, Portfolio Manager | May 2017 | ||
| PGIM Fixed Income* | Michael J. Collins, CFA | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio | January 2015 | |
| Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2015 | ||
| Gregory Peters | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio | January 2015 | ||
| Robert Tipp, CFA | Managing Director, Chief Investment Strategist, and Head of Global Bonds | January 2015 | ||
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | Vice President, Portfolio Manager | July 2006 | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | July 2006 | ||
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | Vice President, Portfolio Manager | July 2006 | ||
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | Heather K. McPherson | Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager | January 2015 | |
| John D. Linehan, CFA | Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager | July 2006 | ||
| Mark S. Finn, CFA, CPA | Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager | February 2010 | ||
| William Blair Investment Management, LLC | Simon Fennell | Partner & Portfolio Manager | January 2014 | |
| Kenneth J. McAtamney | Partner & Portfolio Manager | January 2014 |
*PGIM Limited, an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, Inc., serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
13
SUMMARY: AST AQR EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity | $142 | $440 | $761 | $1,669 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 114% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by both overweighting and underweighting securities, industries, countries, and currencies relative to the MSCI Emerging Markets
Index, using proprietary quantitative return forecasting models and systematic risk-control methods developed by AQR Capital Management, LLC (AQR), the subadviser to the Portfolio. The Portfolio invests in companies
within a range of market capitalizations, possibly including small-cap companies.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, securities
convertible into stocks, and depositary receipts for those securities, of issuers: (i) located in emerging market countries or (ii) included as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices.
AQR employs a disciplined approach
emphasizing both top-down country/currency allocation and bottom-up security selection decisions that include selection of individual stocks within industries as well as explicit industry/sector selection. This
approach is carried out through a systematic and quantitative investment process, and utilizes a set of value, momentum, and other economic factors to generate an investment portfolio based on AQR's global asset
allocation models and stock selection models. AQR intends to use some or all of the following instruments, at all times, in order to implement its investment strategy: depositary receipts, options, warrants,
country
14
index futures, equity swaps, index swaps, foreign
currency forwards, and other types of derivative instruments. AQR's use of derivative instruments in the Portfolio is intended to result in a more efficient means of gaining market exposure, expressing investment
views, and managing risk exposures. AQR will not use derivative instruments to leverage the Portfolio's net exposure to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign
15
exchanges are often less liquid than US markets;
political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Selection Risk
. The subadviser will actively manage the Portfolio by applying investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions. There can be no guarantee that these investment
decisions will produce the desired results and the Portfolio may underperform the market, the relevant indices, or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies as a result of such investment
decisions.
16
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 12.74% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -16.91% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(02/25/13) |
|
| Portfolio | 34.95% | 5.26% |
| Index | ||
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 37.75% | 4.87% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | AQR Capital Management, LLC | Clifford S. Asness, PhD, MBA | Managing and Founding Principal | February 2013 |
| John M. Liew, PhD, MBA | Founding Principal | February 2013 | ||
| Jacques A. Friedman, MS | Principal | February 2013 | ||
| Michael Katz, PhD, AM | Principal | May 2016 | ||
| Oktay Kurbanov, MBA | Principal | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
17
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
18
SUMMARY: AST AQR LARGE-CAP PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.56% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| =Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.82% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | None |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.82% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST AQR Large-Cap | $84 | $262 | $455 | $1,014 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 76% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related
securities of large-capitalization companies. Equity and equity-related securities include common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common
stock characteristics, futures contracts, and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants, American Depositary Receipts or options to purchase common stock. For purposes
of the Portfolio, a large-capitalization company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $2.56 billion and $914.52 million as of February 28,
2018).
The Portfolio’s subadviser,
AQR Capital Management, LLC (AQR), utilizes a quantitative investment process. A quantitative investment process is a systematic method of evaluating securities and other assets by analyzing a variety of data through
the use of models—or systematic processes—to generate an investment opinion. The models
19
consider a wide range of
indicators—including traditional valuation and momentum indicators. These diverse sets of inputs (
i.e.
, the various data points analyzed through the models as well as the indicators considered by the models, including traditional valuation and momentum indicators), combined with a
proprietary portfolio construction methodology, optimization process, and trading technology, are important elements in the investment process. Portfolio construction is motivated by fundamental economic insights and
systematic implementation of those ideas leads to a better long-term investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
20
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
21
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.58% | 4 th Quarter 2017 | -5.88% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/29/13) |
|
| Portfolio | 22.13% | 13.83% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 14.03% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | AQR Capital Management, LLC | Clifford S. Asness, PhD, MBA | Managing and Founding Principal | April 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | John M. Liew, PhD, MBA | Founding Principal | April 2013 | |
| Jacques A. Friedman, MS | Principal | April 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
22
SUMMARY: AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to obtain the highest potential total return consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation | $96 | $300 | $520 | $1,155 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund of funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests primarily in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. The other
mutual funds in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, other mutual funds may
from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests are other
portfolios of the Trust and certain money market funds or short-term bond funds advised by PGIM Investments LLC, AST Investment Services, Inc. (collectively, the Manager) or one of their affiliates.
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by the Manager and Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA), the subadviser to the Portfolio. As a general matter, QMA begins by constructing a neutral allocation for the Portfolio. Each neutral
allocation initially divides the assets for the Portfolio across three broad-based securities benchmark
23
indexes. These three benchmark indexes are the
Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index, and the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index. The neutral allocation will emphasize investments in the equity asset class. The
selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally will be determined by the Manager. The Manager will employ various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish
weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the neutral allocation for the Portfolio. QMA will then perform its own forward-looking assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security
valuation, and other factors. As a result of this assessment, QMA will further adjust the neutral allocation and the preliminary Underlying Portfolio weights for the Portfolio based upon its views on certain
factors.
Approximately 60% of the
Portfolio’s assets are allocated to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity securities and approximately 40% of the Portfolio’s assets to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in debt
securities and money market instruments.
The Portfolio allocates
approximately 10% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures
contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and
short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in
ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the
Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in
24
high turnover, low asset levels and high operating
expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could
adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
25
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (48%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%) and MSCI Europe,
Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (12%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
Note: Prior to July 21, 2008 the
Portfolio was known as the AST Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio. Effective July 21, 2008, the Portfolio added new subadvisers and changed its investment objective, policies, strategy, and expense structure. The
performance history furnished below prior to July 21, 2008 reflects the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies and investment strategies of the former AST Conservative Asset Allocation
Portfolio and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the current Portfolio.
26
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 13.21% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -14.63% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 14.90% | 8.99% | 5.37% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.32% | 9.32% | 6.36% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2005 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | July 2006 | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | July 2006 | ||
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | March 2011 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
27
SUMMARY: AST BLACKROCK GLOBAL STRATEGIES
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek a high total return consistent with a moderate level of risk.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.81% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.13% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense reimbursement | (0.02)% |
| =Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.11% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.022% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies | $113 | $357 | $620 | $1,373 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 250% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio is a global, multi asset-class fund that invests directly in, among other things, equity and equity-related securities, investment grade debt securities (including, without
limitation, US Treasuries and US government securities), junk bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and derivative instruments, including commodity-linked derivative
instruments. In seeking to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective, the Portfolio’s subadviser,
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., will cause the Portfolio’s assets to be allocated across several investment strategies. The strategies will invest primarily in equity
securities, fixed income securities, and a global tactical asset allocation strategy (the GTAA strategy) that, under normal circumstances, provides exposure to the equity and fixed income asset classes along with real
estate-related and commodity-related investments. The GTAA strategy is used: (i) as a completion strategy to access and adjust
28
exposures to various asset classes and underlying
strategy allocations and (ii) an overlay strategy to enhance the total return and manage portfolio risk at the aggregate level. Derivatives, ETFs, and cash securities may be used within the GTAA strategy.
The Portfolio allocates its assets among various regions and countries, including the US (but in no less than three countries). The Portfolio’s minimum, neutral, and maximum exposure to each asset class is set
forth below.
+
Fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality are commonly referred to as “junk” bonds. Junk bonds are
considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments.
* Notwithstanding the individual
minimum exposures for the US Equity (i.e., 5%) and Non-US Equity (i.e., 5%) asset classes, the minimum combined exposure to equity investments is 30% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
** Notwithstanding the individual
maximum exposures for the US Equity (i.e., 35%) and Non-US Equity (i.e., 30%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to equity investments is 50% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
*** Notwithstanding the individual maximum
exposures for the Investment Grade Bond (i.e., 40%) and High Yield Bond (i.e., 25%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to fixed income investments is 55% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
**** Notwithstanding the individual
maximum exposures for the REITs (i.e., 20%) and Commodities (i.e., 15%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to the alternative investments is 30% of the Portfolio’s net assets
The Portfolio’s expected
minimum, neutral, and maximum exposures to the GTAA strategy is set forth below.
| Investment Strategy | Minimum Exposure | Neutral Exposure | Maximum Exposure |
| GTAA* | 10% | 30% | 50% |
*As set forth above, the
GTAA investment strategy is used to provide exposure to the equity and fixed income asset classes as well as providing exposure to REITs and Commodities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
29
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest
30
rates in the US
are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest
rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
31
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) (GD) (40%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%),
Bloomberg Barclays US High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index (15%), Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index (10%) and the Bloomberg Commodity Total Return Index (5%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc.
determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.66% | 1 st Quarter 2012 | -5.38% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(4/29/11) |
|
| Portfolio | 12.61% | 6.32% | 5.27% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 13.00% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 12.18% | 6.64% | 5.87% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., BlackRock International Limited | Philip Green | Managing Director | May 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
32
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
33
SUMMARY: AST BLACKROCK/LOOMIS SAYLES BOND
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.46% | |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% | |
|
+ Other Expenses
Broker Fees and Expense on Short Sales Remainder of Other Expenses |
0.10%
0.03% |
0.13%
|
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.84% | |
| - Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement | (0.04)% | |
| = Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.80% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.035% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond | $82 | $264 | $462 | $1,033 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 350% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income investments
which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements.
In selecting fixed income
securities, the subadvisers, BlackRock Financial Management and Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P., use economic forecasting, interest rate anticipation, credit and call risk analysis, foreign currency exchange rate
forecasting, and other securities selection techniques. The proportion of the Portfolio’s assets committed to investment in securities with particular characteristics (such as maturity, type and coupon rate)
will vary
34
based on the subadvisers’ outlook for the US
and foreign economies, the financial markets, and other factors. The management of duration (a measure of a fixed income security’s expected life that incorporates its yield, coupon interest payments, final
maturity and call features into one measure) is one of the tools used by the subadvisers.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
35
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
36
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Restricted Securities Risk.
The Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on resale. Restricted securities are not traded on established
markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Portfolio.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
Note: The AST BlackRock/Loomis
Sayles Bond Portfolio, formerly the AST PIMCO Total Return Bond Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment policies and strategies effective January 5, 2015. The annual returns prior to January 5, 2015
for the Portfolio reflect investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of the former subadviser, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the
Portfolio or its current subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 8.30% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -3.58% | 3 rd Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 4.36% | 1.73% | 4.19% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.54% | 2.10% | 4.01% |
37
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC |
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.; BlackRock International Limited;
BlackRock (Singapore) Limited |
Bob Miller | Managing Director | January 2015 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Rick Rieder | Managing Director | January 2015 | |
| David Rogal | Director | May 2017 | ||
| Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | Peter Palfrey | Vice President | January 2015 | |
| Rick Raczkowski | Vice President | January 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
38
SUMMARY: AST BLACKROCK LOW DURATION BOND
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.48% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.05% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.78% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.06)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.72% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.057% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond | $74 | $243 | $427 | $960 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 306% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in debt securities.
The Portfolio invests primarily in
investment grade bonds and maintains an average portfolio duration that is between zero and three years. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in non-investment grade bonds (commonly called “high
yield” or “junk bonds”). The Portfolio may also invest up to 25% of its assets in assets of foreign issuers, of which 10% (as a percentage of the Portfolio’s assets) may be invested in emerging
markets issuers. Up to 10% of the Portfolio’s assets may be exposed to non-US currency risk. A bond of a foreign issuer, including an emerging market issuer, will not count toward the 10% limit on non-US
currency exposure if the bond is either (i) US dollar-denominated or (ii) non-US dollar denominated, but hedged back to US dollars.
39
The subadviser,
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., evaluates sectors of the bond market and individual securities within these sectors. The subadviser selects bonds from several sectors including: US Treasuries and agency
securities, commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), asset-backed securities and corporate bonds. The Portfolio may buy or sell options or
futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The Portfolio may
use derivative instruments to hedge its investments or to seek to enhance returns.
The Portfolio may seek to obtain
market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls).
The Portfolio may also engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
40
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield
Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
41
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
Note: The AST BlackRock Low
Duration Bond Portfolio, formerly the AST PIMCO Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment policies and strategy effective July 13, 2015. The annual returns prior to July 13, 2015
for the Portfolio reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of the former subadviser, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the
Portfolio or its current subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.54% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -1.79% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
42
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 1.70% | 0.30% | 2.33% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Year US Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.84% | 0.84% | 1.85% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. | Thomas Musmanno, CFA | Managing Director | July 2015 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Scott MacLellan, CFA | Director | July 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
43
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2018
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.12% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.84% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | $86 | $268 | $466 | $1,037 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 83% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
44
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
45
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
46
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the duration of which the Portfolio is managed to by the subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 8.64% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 | -6.11% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/28/08) |
|
| Portfolio | 0.71% | 0.51% | 4.68% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% | 3.91% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2018) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.03% | 0.91% | 4.79% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2008 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2008 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
47
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
48
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2019
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.29% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.01% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.08)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.93% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019.
This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager
within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | $95 | $314 | $550 | $1,229 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 78% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
49
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In
the top-down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook
is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the
50
Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by
requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense
ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is
strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
51
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the duration of which the Portfolio is managed to by the subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 10.75% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 | -6.87% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/28/08) |
|
| Portfolio | 0.76% | 0.50% | 4.80% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% | 3.91% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2019) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.90% | 0.99% | 5.14% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2008 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2008 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
52
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
53
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2020
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.19% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.91% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | $93 | $290 | $504 | $1,120 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 57% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
54
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
55
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
56
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the duration of which the Portfolio is managed to by the subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 12.60% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 | -7.40% | 4 th Quarter 2010 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/2/09) |
|
| Portfolio | 0.88% | 0.72% | 3.04% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% | 3.90% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2020) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.89% | 1.11% | 3.00% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2009 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2009 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
57
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
58
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2021
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.12% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.84% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | $86 | $268 | $466 | $1,037 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 62% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
59
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
60
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
61
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the duration of which the Portfolio is managed to by the subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 14.69% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 | -5.26% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/4/10) |
|
| Portfolio | 1.58% | 1.10% | 5.39% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% | 3.82% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2021) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.01% | 1.28% | 5.52% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2010 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2010 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
62
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
63
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2022
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.16% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.88% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | $90 | $281 | $488 | $1,084 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 54% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
64
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
65
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
66
Past
Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year,
5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in
the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the duration of which the Portfolio is managed to by the subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 6.73% | 2 nd Quarter 2012 | -6.58% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/3/11) |
|
| Portfolio | 1.57% | 1.02% | 4.53% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% | 3.43% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2022) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.23% | 1.48% | 5.00% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2011 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
67
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
68
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2023
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.35% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.07% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.14)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.93% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019.
This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager
within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | $95 | $326 | $577 | $1,293 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 54% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
69
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In
the top-down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook
is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the
70
Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by
requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense
ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is
strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
71
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past
Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year,
5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in
the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the duration of which the Portfolio is managed to by the subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.09% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -6.62% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/3/12) |
|
| Portfolio | 1.69% | 1.49% | 2.21% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% | 2.57% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2023) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.45% | 1.71% | 2.32 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2012 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2012 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 |
72
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
73
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2024
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.46% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.18% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.25)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expenses Reimbursement (1) | 0.93% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019.
This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager
within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | $95 | $350 | $625 | $1,410 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 113% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
74
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In
the top-down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook
is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the
75
Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by
requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense
ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is
strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
76
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.62% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -6.39% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(01/02/13) |
|
| Portfolio | 1.68% | 1.70% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.13% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2024) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.68% | 1.95% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2013 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
77
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
78
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2025
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.92% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.64% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.71)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.93% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019.
This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager
within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | $95 | $448 | $825 | $1,884 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 97% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
79
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In
the top-down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook
is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of
purchase. In the event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the
80
Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by
requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense
ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is
strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
81
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 6.47% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -7.18% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(01/02/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 1.83% | 5.21% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 3.28% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2025) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.90% | 5.96% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2014 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | January 2014 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2014 |
82
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
83
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2026
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.09% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.81% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | $83 | $259 | $450 | $1,002 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 67% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
84
Contract owners
cannot select the Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in
accordance with a mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance
Corporation and Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income currently
intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of purchase. In the
event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
85
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
86
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.02% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -8.01% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(01/02/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 2.42% | 1.90% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 2.38% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2026) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 2.10% | 2.68% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2015 |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2015 | ||
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | January 2015 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
87
influencing the broker-dealer or other
intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Contract over another investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit
your financial intermediary's website for more information.
88
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2027
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | $82 | $255 | $444 | $990 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 65% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
89
Contract owners
cannot select the Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in
accordance with a mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance
Corporation and Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income currently
intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of purchase. In the
event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
90
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
91
Past
Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 2.08% | 2 nd Quarter 2017 | -0.39% | 4 th Quarter 2017 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(01/04/16) |
|
| Portfolio | 2.68% | 1.64% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.00% | 3.52% |
| Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2027) Zero Coupon Swaps Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 2.30% | 2.07% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2016 |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2016 | ||
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | January 2016 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
92
influencing the broker-dealer or other
intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Contract over another investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit
your financial intermediary's website for more information.
93
SUMMARY: AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2028
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
(1)
The Portfolio commenced operations on January 3, 2017.
(2)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes
(such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio
expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not
exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior
approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment
can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal
year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | $95 | $612 | $1,155 | $2,643 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal period ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 140% of the average value of its
portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income
securities.
94
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In
the top-down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook
is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income currently
intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of purchase. In the
event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the
95
Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by
requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense
ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is
strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
96
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
No performance history is presented for this Portfolio, because it does not yet have a full calendar year of performance.
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2017 |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2017 | ||
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | January 2017 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2017 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
97
SUMMARY: AST BOND
PORTFOLIO 2029
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek the highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
(1)
The Portfolio commenced operations on January 2, 2018.
(2)
Other expenses (which include expenses for accounting and valuation services, custodian fees, audit fees, legal fees, transfer agency fees, fees paid to Independent Trustees,
and certain other miscellaneous items) are estimated. Estimate based in part on assumed average daily net assets of $200 million for the Portfolio for the fiscal period ending December 31, 2018.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | $82 | $255 | $444 | $990 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. No portfolio turnover rate is presented for the Portfolio
because it is new.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of
this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and
synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also
98
consider investment factors such as expected total
return, yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such
security.
Contract owners cannot select the
Portfolio for investment. Instead, if a Contract owner selected certain benefits under their Contract, the Contract owner’s account value may be allocated to and from the Portfolio in accordance with a
mathematical formula under the Contract. The Contracts using the Portfolio are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and
Allstate Life Insurance Company. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant participating insurance company or their financial professional.
The Portfolio is managed to mature
in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. In addition, the Portfolio’s duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the
maturity date approaches. To that end, the Portfolio’s subadviser expects to maintain the duration of the Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for the Portfolio. On or about the
Portfolio’s maturity date, all of the securities held by the Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will
be reallocated in accordance with the procedures applicable to the Contract owner’s Contract.
PGIM Fixed Income currently
intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A- or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of purchase. In the
event the overall credit quality drops below A- due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and circumstances.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. The formulas may result in transfers between your selected portfolios and this
Portfolio and/or transfers between this Portfolio and a bond portfolio with a different maturity date. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect
the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by
otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than
it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of
the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
99
Derivatives
Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with
unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market Events
Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC.
Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact
the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
100
US Government
Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
No performance history is presented for this Portfolio, because it does not yet have a full calendar year of performance.
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2018 |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2018 | ||
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | January 2018 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2018 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
101
SUMMARY: AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to obtain the highest potential total return consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation | $96 | $300 | $520 | $1,155 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 17% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund of funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests primarily in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. The other
mutual funds in which in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, other mutual
funds may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests
are other portfolios of the Trust and certain money market funds or short-term bond funds advised by PGIM Investments LLC, AST Investment Services, Inc. (collectively, the Manager) or one of their
affiliates.
102
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by the Manager and Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA). As a general matter, the Manager and QMA begin by constructing a neutral allocation for the Portfolio. Each neutral allocation initially
divides the assets for the Portfolio across three broad-based securities benchmark indexes: the Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index, and the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate
Bond Index. The neutral allocation will emphasize investments in the equity asset class. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally will be determined by the Manager.
The Manager will employ various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the neutral allocation for the Portfolio. QMA will
then perform its own forward-looking assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security valuation, and other factors. As a result of this assessment, QMA will further adjust the neutral allocation and the
preliminary Underlying Portfolio weights for the Portfolio based upon its views on certain factors.
Approximately 75% of the
Portfolio’s assets are allocated to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity securities and approximately 25% of the Portfolio’s assets to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in debt
securities and money market instruments.
The Portfolio allocates
approximately 12% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is be invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures
contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and
short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in
ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the
Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely
103
affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to
purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger
portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient
operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
104
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (60%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (15%) and
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (25%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
105
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 14.82% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -18.12% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 17.89% | 10.69% | 5.48% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 17.17% | 11.13% | 6.80% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2005 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | July 2006 | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | July 2006 | ||
| Joel L. Kallman, CFA | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | March 2011 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
106
SUMMARY: AST CLEARBRIDGE DIVIDEND GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek income, capital preservation, and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.66% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.94% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.93% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.012% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth | $95 | $299 | $519 | $1,154 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity or equity-related
securities, which ClearBridge Investments, LLC (ClearBridge), the subadviser to the Portfolio, believes have the ability to increase dividends over the longer term. ClearBridge manages the Portfolio to provide
exposure to companies that either pay an existing dividend or have the potential to pay and/or significantly grow their dividends. To do so, ClearBridge conducts fundamental research to screen for companies that have
attractive dividend yields, a history and potential for positive dividend growth, strong balance sheets, and reasonable valuations.
107
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
108
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Selection Risk
. The subadviser will actively manage the Portfolio by applying investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions. There can be no guarantee that these investment
decisions will produce the desired results and the Portfolio may underperform the market, the relevant indices, or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies as a result of such investment
decisions.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.97% | 4 th Quarter 2015 | -6.50% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(02/25/13) |
|
| Portfolio | 18.40% | 12.41% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 14.83% |
109
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | ClearBridge Investments, LLC | Michael Clarfeld | Managing Director, Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
| AST Investment Services Inc. | Peter Vanderlee | Managing Director, Portfolio Manager | February 2013 | |
| Scott Glasser | Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, Co-Chief Investment Officer | December 2017 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
110
SUMMARY: AST COHEN & STEERS REALTY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return through investment in real estate securities.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty | $112 | $350 | $606 | $1,340 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 79% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities of real estate
related issuers.
The Portfolio pursues its
investment objective of maximizing total return by seeking, with approximately equal emphasis, capital growth and current income. Generally, the equity securities of real estate related issuers will consist of common
stocks (including shares in real estate investment trusts), rights or warrants to purchase common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks where the conversion feature represents, in the Portfolio’s
subadviser's view, a significant element of the securities' value, and preferred stocks. Real estate related issuers include companies that derive at least 50% of revenues from the ownership, construction, financing,
management or sale of real estate or that have at least 50% of assets in real estate. The Portfolio will concentrate its investments (i.e., invest at least 25% of its assets under normal circumstances) in securities
of companies engaged in the real estate business.
111
The Portfolio is non-diversified,
which means that it can invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of fewer companies.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
112
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
113
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 36.62% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -35.78% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 6.24% | 9.53% | 7.89% |
| Index | |||
| Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 4.18% | 9.35% | 7.28% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
114
SUMMARY: AST
FIDELITY INSTITUTIONAL AM
SM
QUANTITATIVE PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital growth balanced by current income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.65% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.04% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.94% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.02)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.92% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a contractual management fee waiver implemented after the end of the most recent
fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.020% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative | $94 | $298 | $518 | $1,153 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 152% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio normally invests approximately 65% of its assets in equity securities and approximately 35% of its assets in fixed income securities. Depending on market conditions, the
equity portion may range between 55-75% of the Portfolio's assets, and the fixed income portion may range between 25-45% of the Portfolio's assets. The Portfolio's subadviser allocates the Portfolio's assets across
uniquely specialized investment strategies (collectively, the Investment Strategies). The Portfolio has Investment Strategies that invest in equity securities, Investment Strategies that invest in fixed income
securities and an investment strategy designed to provide liquidity (i.e., the Liquidity Sleeve). The asset allocation at the Portfolio level as well as the security selection at the Investment Strategy level rely on
a diverse set of quantitative models combined with fundamental bottom-up research.
115
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
116
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
License Risk
. The termination of a license used by the Portfolio, the Manager or a subadviser may have a significant effect on the operation of the Portfolio.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Loan Risk
. Investments in loans rated below investment grade, or unrated securities of similar quality, not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or listed on a securities exchange
may be less liquid and more difficult to value than investments in instruments for which a trading market exists. Such investments are also subject to interest rate risk. Additionally, established settlement standards
or remedies do not exist for portfolio transactions in loans.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
117
Quantitative Model
Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable,
may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or
from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework,
the weights placed on each factor, and changing sources of market
returns.
There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce
the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its
objective.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Small and Medium Sized Company
Risk
. The shares of small and medium sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price and liquidity
of these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than investments in larger
companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (27%), Russell 2000 Index (5.5%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and
the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (32.5%), and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (35%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
Note: Effective
on or about April 30, 2018, the AST FI Pyramis® Quantitative Portfolio was re-named as AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio
.
The AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio, formerly the AST First Trust Balanced Target Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its
investment policies and strategy effective February 10, 2014. The annual returns prior to February 10, 2014 for the Portfolio reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and
investment strategies of the former subadviser, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the Portfolio or its current subadviser.
118
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 16.80% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -16.99% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10-Year | |
| Portfolio | 16.47% | 7.74% | 3.91% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 15.94% | 8.57% | 5.35% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | FIAM LLC | Ognjen Sosa, CAIA | Portfolio Manager | February 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Edward Heilbron | Portfolio Manager | February 2014 | |
| Catherine Pena, CFA | Portfolio Manager | April 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
119
SUMMARY: AST GLOBAL REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital appreciation and income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.83% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.14% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Global Real Estate | $116 | $362 | $628 | $1,386 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 68% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity-related securities
of real estate companies. This means that the Portfolio concentrates its investments (i.e., invests at least 25% of its assets under normal circumstances) in companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from
the ownership, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate or companies that have at least 50% of their assets in these types of real estate-related
areas.
The Portfolio invests in
equity-related securities of real estate companies on a global basis, which means that the companies may be US companies or foreign companies. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in ownership
interests in commercial real estate through investments in private real estate.
The Portfolio is non-diversified,
which means that it can invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of fewer issuers.
120
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose
121
of determining the Portfolio’s net asset
value. In such cases, investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices
accurately reflect the value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
122
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 32.06% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -20.27% | 1 st Quarter 2009 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(5/1/08) |
|
| Portfolio | 10.88% | 5.85% | 3.22% |
| Index | |||
| FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Real Estate Net Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 10.36% | 6.32% | 3.39% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Real Estate | Marc Halle | Managing Director and Head of Global Real Estate Securities | April 2008 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Rick J. Romano | Managing Director & Portfolio Manager: North American Real Estate Securities | April 2008 | |
| Michael Gallagher | Executive Director & Portfolio Manager: European Real Estate Securities | June 2013 | ||
| Kwok Wing Cheong | Executive Director & Portfolio Manager: Asian Real Estate Securities | June 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
123
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS LARGE-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term growth of capital.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.56% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.82% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.81% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.013% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value | $83 | $261 | $454 | $1,013 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 153% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by large
capitalization companies. For these purposes, large capitalization companies are those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index. As of February 28, 2018, the median market capitalization of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index was approximately $9.51 billion and the largest company by capitalization was approximately $511.4 billion.
The size of the companies in the Russell 1000
®
Value Index will change with market conditions. If the market capitalization of a company held by the Portfolio moves
outside the range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index, the Portfolio may, but is not required to, sell the
securities.
124
Although the
Portfolio invests primarily in publicly traded US securities, it may invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, including securities of issuers in countries with emerging markets or economies, emerging
country securities and securities quoted in foreign currencies. The Portfolio may also invest in companies with public stock market capitalizations outside the range of companies constituting the Russell 1000
®
Value Index at the time of investment and in fixed income securities, such as government, corporate and bank debt
obligations.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objective by investing in value opportunities that the Portfolio's subadviser, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., defines as companies with identifiable competitive advantages whose intrinsic value is
not reflected in the stock price.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
125
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
Note: The AST Goldman Sachs
Large-Cap Value Portfolio, formerly the AST AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment objective, policies, and strategy effective April 29, 2011. The performance
figures prior to April 29, 2011 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of the former subadviser, and does not represent the actual or predicted
performance of the Portfolio or its current subadviser.
126
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 14.07% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -20.31% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 9.75% | 12.02% | 4.76% |
| Index | |||
| Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 13.66% | 14.04% | 7.10% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Sean Gallagher | Co-Chief Investment Officer of the US Equity Team and Portfolio Manager | April 2011 |
| AST Investment Services Inc. |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
127
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS MID-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term growth of capital.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.81% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.08% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.10)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.98% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.100% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth | $100 | $334 | $586 | $1,308 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 57% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by medium
capitalization companies.
The Portfolio pursues its
objective by investing primarily in equity securities selected by the subadviser, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., for their growth potential. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants
and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common or preferred stocks. Medium capitalization companies are those whose market capitalizations (measured at the time of investment) fall within the range of
companies in the Russell Midcap
®
Growth Index. Although the Portfolio invests primarily in publicly traded US securities, it may invest up to 25% of its
total assets in foreign securities, including securities of issuers in countries with emerging markets or economies (emerging countries) and securities quoted in foreign currencies.
128
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
129
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 22.49% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -29.85% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 27.09% | 12.43% | 8.80% |
| Index | |||
| S&P MidCap 400 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 16.24% | 15.01% | 9.97% |
| Russell Midcap Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 25.27% | 15.30% | 9.10% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Steven M. Barry | Managing Director | May 2002 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Ashley Woodruff, CFA | Managing Director | July 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to
130
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax
purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for
federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
131
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS MULTI-ASSET
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to obtain a high level of total return consistent with its level of risk tolerance.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.76% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.08% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.12)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.96% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.120% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement
may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The Manager has also contractually agreed to waive a portion of its
investment management fee equal to the management fee of any acquired fund managed or subadvised by Goldman Sachs Asset Management,
L.P.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset | $98 | $332 | $584 | $1,306 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 191% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. The Portfolio is a global asset allocation fund that pursues domestic and foreign equity and fixed income strategies emphasizing growth and emerging markets. Under normal circumstances,
approximately 50% of the Portfolio’s total assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 50% of its total assets are invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities. Such
exposures may be obtained through (i) the purchase of “physical” securities (such as common stocks and bonds), (ii) the use of derivatives (such as futures contracts, currency forwards, and equity index
options), and (iii) investments in affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Derivative instruments of the Portfolio, underlying funds and ETFs may include futures,
foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return
132
swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate
swaps. The specific allocation of assets among equity and fixed income asset classes will vary from time to time, as determined by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (the Subadviser), based on a variety of factors
such as the relative attractiveness of various securities based on market valuations, growth and inflation prospects.
The Subadviser
utilizes a variety of different investment strategies in allocating the Portfolio’s assets across equity and fixed income investments. The Subadviser may change the strategies it uses for gaining exposure to
these asset classes and may reallocate the Portfolio’s assets among them from time to time in its sole discretion.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
133
Emerging
Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s performance.
Investment Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
134
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past
Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5,
and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (50%) and MSCI World Index (GD) (50%). PGIM Investments
LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
Note: Prior to April 29, 2013 the
Portfolio was known as the AST Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio. Effective April 29, 2013 the Portfolio replaced the existing subadviser with a new subadviser, changed its investment objective, policies,
strategies, and expense structure. The performance figures furnished below prior to April 29, 2013 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, investment strategies, and expense
structure of the former AST Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio and do not affect the Portfolio's current subadviser, investment objective, policies, strategies, and expense structure.
135
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 12.83% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -12.17% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 12.28% | 6.00% | 4.35% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 12.94% | 7.21% | 5.18% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
136
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS SMALL-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.77% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.05% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.04% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.013% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value | $106 | $333 | $578 | $1,282 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 56% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of
equity investments issued by small capitalization companies.
The Portfolio seeks its objective,
under normal circumstances, through investments primarily in equity securities of small capitalization companies that are believed to be undervalued in the marketplace. Typically, in choosing stocks, the
Portfolio’s subadviser, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., looks for companies using the subadviser's value investment philosophy. The subadviser seeks to identify well-positioned businesses that have
attractive returns on capital, sustainable earnings and cash flow, and strong company management focused on long-term returns to shareholders as well as attractive valuation opportunities where the intrinsic value is
not reflected in the stock price. Small capitalization companies are defined as companies within the market capitalization range of the Russell 2000
®
137
Value Index (measured at the time of investment).
Although the Portfolio will invest primarily in publicly traded US securities, including real estate investment trusts (REITs), it may also invest in foreign securities, including securities of issuers in countries
with emerging markets or economies (emerging countries) and securities quoted in foreign currencies.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose
138
of determining the Portfolio’s net asset
value. In such cases, investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices
accurately reflect the value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
139
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 19.91% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -25.03% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 12.19% | 14.42% | 10.49% |
| Index % | |||
| Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.65% | 14.12% | 8.71% |
| Russell 2000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.84% | 13.01% | 8.17% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Robert Crystal | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | March 2006 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Sally Pope Davis | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | January 2006 | |
| Sean A. Butkus, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | February 2012 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
140
SUMMARY: AST GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek high current income and maintain high levels of liquidity.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Government Money Market | $60 | $189 | $329 | $738 |
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized with cash or government securities.
Government securities include US Treasury bills, notes, and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the US government or its agencies or instrumentalities. The Portfolio has a policy to
invest under normal conditions at least 80% of its net assets in government securities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized by government securities.
The Portfolio invests only in
securities that have remaining maturities of 397 days or less, or securities otherwise permitted to be purchased because of maturity shortening provisions under applicable regulations. The Portfolio seeks to invest in
securities that present minimal credit risk. The Portfolio may invest significantly in securities with floating or variable rates of interest.
The Portfolio seeks to maintain a
stable net asset value of $1.00 per share. In other words, the Portfolio attempts to operate so that shareholders do not lose any of the principal amount they invest in the Portfolio. Of course, there can be no
assurance that the Portfolio will achieve its goal of a stable net asset value, and shares of the Portfolio are neither insured nor guaranteed by the US government or any other entity. For instance, the issuer or
guarantor of a
141
portfolio security or the other party to a
contract could default on its obligation, and this could cause the Portfolio's net asset value per share to fall below $1.00. In addition, the income earned by the Portfolio will fluctuate based on market conditions,
interest rates and other factors.
In a low interest rate
environment, the yield for the Portfolio, after deduction of operating expenses, may be negative even though the yield before deducting such expenses is positive. A negative yield may also cause the Portfolio's net
asset value per share to fall below $1.00. PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. may decide to reimburse certain of these expenses to the Portfolio in order to maintain a positive yield, however they
are under no obligation to do so and may cease doing so at any time without prior notice.
The Board of
Trustees has determined that the Portfolio, as a “government money market fund”, is not subject to liquidity fees and/or redemption gates on redemptions. The Board has reserved its ability to change this
determination with respect to liquidity fees and/or redemption gates, but such change would become effective only after providing appropriate prior notice to shareholders.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio
. The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. You could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. Although the Portfolio seeks to preserve the value of
your investment at $1 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Portfolio is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Portfolio’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Portfolio, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Portfolio at any time.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
142
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
Prior to September 12, 2016, the
Portfolio operated under the name “AST Money Market Portfolio” as a prime money market fund and invested in certain types of securities that, as a government money market fund, the Portfolio is no longer
permitted to hold. Consequently, the performance information below may have been different if the current investment limitations had been in effect during the period prior to the Portfolio’s conversion to a
government money market fund.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 0.88% | 1 st Quarter 2008 | 0.00% | 1 st Quarter 2017 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 0.34% | 0.07% | 0.31% |
143
| Index | |||
| Lipper US Government Money Market Funds Average (reflects no deduction for taxes) | 0.36% | 0.08% | 0.24% |
| 7-Day Yield (as of 12/31/17) | |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | 0.01% |
| iMoneyNet's Government & Agency Retail Average | 0.95% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
144
SUMMARY: AST HIGH YIELD PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.57% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.85% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST High Yield | $87 | $271 | $471 | $1,049 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 52% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in non-investment grade
high-yield fixed income investments, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. Non-investment grade securities are commonly known as “junk
bonds” and include securities rated Ba or lower by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. or equivalently rated by S&P Global Ratings or Fitch, or, if unrated, determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser to be
of comparable quality.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down economic analysis, the
subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based on a complete
review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality,
maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
145
The Portfolio may
invest up to 30% of its total assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies and may invest beyond this limit in US dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its
total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market countries. The Portfolio may also purchase the securities of issuers that are in default, engage in short sales, and invest in
common stocks, warrants, rights, and other equity securities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies of such
146
countries can be
subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by
foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their money at will.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
147
Restricted
Securities Risk.
The Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on resale. Restricted securities are not traded on established
markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Portfolio.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a secondary index, the components of which are similar to the Portfolio’s holdings.
Note: The AST High Yield Portfolio
changed subadvisers effective September 13, 2010. The performance prior to September 13, 2010 for the Portfolio reflect the investment performance, investment operations, and investment strategies of the former
subadviser, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the Portfolio or its current subadvisers.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 14.03% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -15.87% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 7.47% | 5.62% | 5.87% |
148
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.50% | 5.78% | 8.09% |
| ICE BofAML US High Yield Master II Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.48% | 5.80% | 7.89% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. | William J. Morgan | Managing Director | September 2010 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | James P. Shanahan | Managing Director | September 2010 | |
| PGIM Fixed Income* | Robert Cignarella, CFA | Managing Director | May 2014 | |
| Terence Wheat, CFA | Principal | September 2010 | ||
| Robert Spano, CFA, CPA | Principal | September 2010 | ||
| Ryan Kelly, CFA | Principal | February 2012 | ||
| Brian Clapp, CFA | Principal | May 2013 | ||
| Daniel Thorogood, CFA | Vice President | May 2014 |
*PGIM Limited, an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, Inc., serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
149
SUMMARY: AST HOTCHKIS & WILEY LARGE-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek current income and long-term growth of income, as well as capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.56% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.83% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value | $85 | $265 | $460 | $1,025 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 33% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities of large
capitalization companies. Large capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index. The Portfolio invests primarily in stock and other equity securities and normally focuses on stocks that
have a high cash dividend or payout yield relative to the market. The Portfolio may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in foreign securities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the
150
Portfolio. These formulas may result in
large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by
requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the
Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the
Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
151
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 16.24% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -22.39% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 19.19% | 15.94% | 6.38% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 13.66% | 14.04% | 7.10% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, LLC | George Davis | Principal, Portfolio Manager and Chief Executive Officer | April 2004 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Judd Peters | Portfolio Manager | April 2004 | |
| Scott McBride | President and Portfolio Manager | April 2004 |
152
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Patricia McKenna | Principal and Portfolio Manager | April 2004 | ||
| Sheldon Lieberman | Principal and Portfolio Manager | April 2004 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
153
SUMMARY: AST INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term growth of capital.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.81% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.09% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.08% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.011% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST International Growth | $110 | $346 | $600 | $1,328 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 48% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related
securities of issuers that are economically tied to countries other than the United States. Equity and equity-related securities include, but are not limited to, common stocks, securities convertible or exchangeable
for common stock or the cash value of common stock, preferred stocks, warrants and rights that can be exercised to obtain stock, investments in various types of business ventures including partnerships and business
development companies, investments in other mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and income and royalty trusts, structured securities including participation
notes (P-Notes), structured notes (S-Notes) and low exercise price warrants (LEPWs) or other similar securities and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and other similar receipts or shares, in both listed and
unlisted
form.
154
The Portfolio has
the flexibility to invest on a worldwide basis in companies and organizations of any size, regardless of country of organization or place of principal business activity. The Portfolio normally invests primarily in
securities of issuers from at least five different countries, which may include countries with emerging markets, excluding the United States. Although the Portfolio intends to invest at least 80% of its assets in the
securities of issuers located outside the United States, it may at times invest in US issuers and it may at times invest all of its assets in fewer than five countries or even a single country.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Emerging
Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
155
Exchange-Traded
Funds (ETF) Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s performance.
Investment Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Participation Notes
(P-Notes) Risk
. The Portfolio may gain exposure to securities traded in foreign markets through P-notes.
In addition to risks
similar to those associated with a direct investment in the underlying security,
such as
foreign investment risk, the holder of a P-note is not entitled to the same rights as
an underlying security’s direct owner and P-notes are considered general
unsecured contractual obligations and are subject to counterparty credit
risks.
156
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 23.46% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -25.19% | 3 rd Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 35.42% | 8.62% | 2.02% |
| Index | |||
| MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 25.62% | 8.39% | 2.42% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | William Blair Investment Management, LLC | Simon Fennell | Partner and Portfolio Manager | January 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Kenneth J. McAtamney | Partner and Portfolio Manager | January 2014 | |
| Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | Benjamin Segal, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | June 2013 | |
| Elias Cohen, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | January 2017 | ||
| Jennison Associates LLC | Mark Baribeau, CFA | Managing Director & Head of Global Equity | May 2012 |
157
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Thomas Davis | Managing Director | May 2012 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
158
SUMMARY: AST INTERNATIONAL VALUE PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.81% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.04% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.10% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST International Value | $112 | $350 | $606 | $1,340 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 21% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities. Equity
securities include common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks and securities having common characteristics or other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stocks such as rights, warrants
or options to purchase common stock, preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds, convertible debentures, convertible notes, depository receipts, futures contracts and swaps.
To achieve the Portfolio’s
investment objective, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its net assets in the equity securities of foreign companies in at least three different countries, without limit as to the amount of Portfolio assets that
may be invested in any single country.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
159
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
160
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
161
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 24.55% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -21.31% | 4th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 22.81% | 6.78% | 1.40% |
| Index | |||
| MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 25.62% | 8.39% | 2.42% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | LSV Asset Management | Josef Lakonishok | CEO, CIO, Partner and Portfolio Manager | November 2004 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Menno Vermeulen, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | November 2004 | |
| Puneet Mansharamani, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | January 2006 | ||
| Greg Sleight | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2014 | ||
| Guy Lakonishok, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2014 | ||
| Lazard Asset Management LLC | Michael G. Fry | Managing Director & Portfolio Manager/Analyst | November 2014 | |
| Michael A. Bennett | Managing Director & Portfolio Manager/Analyst | November 2014 | ||
| Kevin J. Matthews | Managing Director & Portfolio Manager/Analyst | November 2014 | ||
| Michael Powers | Managing Director & Portfolio Manager/Analyst | November 2014 | ||
| John R. Reinsberg | Deputy Chairman, International and Global Strategies | November 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
162
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
163
SUMMARY: AST INVESTMENT GRADE BOND PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.74% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.04)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.70% |
(1)
The distributor has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its distribution and service (12b-1) fee. The waiver provides for a reduction in the distribution and service fee
based on the average daily net assets of the Portfolio. This contractual waiver does not have an expiration or termination date, and may not be modified or discontinued.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Investment Grade Bond | $72 | $233 | $408 | $915 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 96% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in investment grade bonds. For
purposes of this 80% policy, investment grade bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers and rated BBB- or
higher by S&P Global Ratings, or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc, or the equivalent by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or if unrated, are considered by
the Portfolio's subadviser,
PGIM Fixed Income, to be of comparable quality; and (ii) all derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt securities and such
fixed income securities.
164
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
PGIM Fixed Income currently
intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A– or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of purchase.
In the event the overall credit quality drops below A– due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the Portfolio's subadviser will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and
circumstances.
Although the Portfolio may invest
in individual bonds of any maturity, PGIM Fixed Income expects to maintain the Portfolio's duration within +/- 0.50 years of its primary benchmark index (i.e., the Bloomberg Barclays Government/Credit 5-10 Year
Index). As of March 31, 2018, the duration of the Bloomberg Barclays Government/Credit 5-10 Year Index was approximately 6.4 years.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be
165
difficult to terminate or otherwise offset;
derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt
securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
166
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.42% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -4.24% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(1/28/08) |
|
| Portfolio | 4.31% | 2.59% | 6.56% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays 5-10 Year US Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.81% | 2.29% | 4.79% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | January 2008 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Malcolm Dalrymple | Principal and Portfolio Manager | January 2008 | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 | ||
| David Del Vecchio | Principal and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
167
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
168
SUMMARY: AST J.P. MORGAN GLOBAL THEMATIC
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital appreciation consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.76% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.04% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.05% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic | $107 | $334 | $579 | $1,283 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 58% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a multi-asset class fund that invests directly in, among other things, equity and equity-related securities, investment grade debt securities, high yield or
“junk” bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), convertibles, underlying portfolios, and various types of derivative instruments. The Portfolio allocates its assets among various regions and countries
throughout the world, including the United States. The Portfolio utilizes various investment strategies and a global tactical asset allocation strategy.
Under normal
circumstances, approximately 65% of the Portfolio's net assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 35% of its net assets are invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities.
Depending on market conditions, such equity exposure may range between 55-75% of the Portfolio's net assets and such fixed income exposure may range between 25-45% of its net assets. Such exposures may be obtained
through: (i) the purchase of “physical” securities (e.g., common stocks, bonds, etc.); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., option and futures contracts on indices, securities, and commodities, currency
forwards, etc.); and (iii) the purchase of underlying exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In implementing its asset allocation strategy, the Portfolio allocates assets to various underlying investment sleeves or
implementation vehicles. In the case of core fixed income, all cash and
169
securities that
are held in a core fixed income sleeve or vehicle are considered a part of that sleeve’s or vehicle’s assigned asset class. Depending on the allocation of assets, the Portfolio may at times temporarily
underperform more optimistic peers during a strong equity rally.
The Portfolio also allocates
approximately 10% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures
contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and
short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in
ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the
Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be
170
difficult to terminate or otherwise offset;
derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt
securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s performance.
171
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Participation Notes (P-Notes)
Risk
. The Portfolio may gain exposure to securities traded in foreign markets through P-notes. In addition to risks similar to those associated with a direct investment in the underlying
security, such as foreign investment risk, the holder of a P-note is not entitled to the same rights as an underlying security’s direct owner and P-notes are considered general unsecured contractual obligations
and are subject to counterparty credit risks.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5,
and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the MSCI World Index (GD) (65%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (35%). PGIM Investments
LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
172
Note: Prior to September 12, 2016,
the Portfolio’s custom blended index was the Russell 3000 Index (38.5%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (14%), MSCI Emerging Markets Free Index (GD) (8%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%), Bloomberg
Barclays High Yield 2% Constrained Index (3%), FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Index (Total Return Net) (4.5%) and the J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Index (2%).
Note: Prior to August 20, 2012 the
Portfolio was known as the AST Horizon Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio. Effective August 20, 2012 the Portfolio replaced the existing subadviser with a new subadviser, changed its investment objective, policies,
strategy, and expense structure. The performance figures furnished below prior to August 20, 2012 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, investment strategies, and expense
structure of the former AST Horizon Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio and do not represent the Portfolio's current subadviser, investment objective, policies, strategy, and expense structure.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 15.34% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -15.73% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 16.95% | 8.53% | 5.44% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 15.90% | 8.73% | 5.39% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. | Jeffrey Geller, CFA | Managing Director | February 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Patrik Jakobson | Managing Director | August 2012 | |
| Nicole Goldberger, CFA | Managing Director | August 2012 | ||
| Michael Feser, CFA | Managing Director | April 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
173
influencing the broker-dealer or other
intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Contract over another investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit
your financial intermediary's website for more information.
174
SUMMARY: AST J.P. MORGAN INTERNATIONAL EQUITY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.71% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.05% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.01% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity | $103 | $322 | $558 | $1,236 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 18% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities. Equity
securities include common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks and securities having common stock characteristics or other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stocks, such as rights,
warrants or options to purchase common stock, preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds, convertible debentures, convertible notes, depository receipts, futures contracts and swaps
investments.
The Portfolio seeks to meet its
investment objective by normally investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities of companies located or operating in developed non-US countries and emerging markets of the world. The equity
securities are ordinarily traded on a recognized foreign securities exchange or traded in a foreign over-the-counter market in the country where the issuer is principally based, but may also be traded in other
countries including the United States. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets in securities of issuers located and operating primarily in emerging market countries.
175
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign
176
exchanges are often less liquid than US markets;
political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
177
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 24.58% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -20.65% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 29.63% | 6.77% | 2.75% |
| Index | |||
|
MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD)
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
25.62% | 8.39% | 2.42% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (JPMIM) | Tom Murray | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | May 2017 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Shane Duffy | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | May 2017 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
178
SUMMARY: AST J.P. MORGAN STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize return compared to the benchmark through security selection and tactical asset allocation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.81% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.12% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.11% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.011% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities | $113 | $355 | $616 | $1,362 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 70% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio utilizes a variety of diversifying asset classes and investment styles, including a significant allocation to alternative investment strategies such as market neutral,
130/30, and absolute return.
The Portfolio may
invest in a wide range of asset classes, including US and non-US equities, emerging markets equities, real estate investment trusts (REITs) domiciled in and outside of the United States, US and non-US fixed income,
high yield bonds, convertible bonds, and emerging markets bonds. The allocation to these asset classes will vary depending on the tactical views of the Portfolio’s subadviser, J.P. Morgan Investment Management,
Inc. Market neutral strategies seek to produce a positive return regardless of the direction of the equity markets. 130/30 strategies
179
follow a particular index, for example the S&P
500, but allow J.P. Morgan to sell short securities that are deemed likely to decline in value. Absolute return strategies seek to generate a return in excess of prevailing yields on US Treasuries or the London
Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR).
The Portfolio typically maintains
an allocation of between 30% - 50% of its assets in equity investments, with US equities ranging from 19% - 35% and foreign equities ranging from 5% - 21%. Such exposures may be obtained through (i) the purchase of
“physical securities” (e.g. common stocks, bonds, etc.); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., option and futures contracts on indices, securities, etc.); and (iii) the purchase of underlying ETFs. In
implementing its asset allocation strategy, the Portfolio allocates assets to various underlying investment sleeves or implementation vehicles. In the case of fixed income, all cash and securities that are held in a
fixed income sleeve or vehicle are considered a part of that sleeve’s or vehicle’s assigned asset class.
The Portfolio allocates
approximately 5% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures
contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and
short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in
ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the
Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to
180
honor its financial obligation; leverage created
by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or
otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional
equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
181
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (27%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (50%), MSCI Europe, Australasia
and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (13%) and Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index (10%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising each of the custom
blended index.
182
Note: The AST J.P. Morgan
Strategic Opportunities Portfolio, formerly the AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment objective, policies, and strategy effective March 15, 2010. Performance prior to March
15, 2010 for the Portfolio reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of the former AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio, and does not represent the actual or
predicted performance of the AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 15.24% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -14.96% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 12.14% | 6.36% | 5.00% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 10.55% | 6.38% | 5.01% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. | Patrik Jakobson | Managing Director | March 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Jeffrey Geller, CFA | Managing Director | May 2010 | |
| Nicole Goldberger, CFA | Managing Director | January 2012 | ||
| Michael Feser, CFA | Managing Director | April 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
183
SUMMARY: AST JENNISON LARGE-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term growth of capital.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.99% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth | $101 | $315 | $547 | $1,213 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 61% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the equity and
equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies under normal market conditions. Large capitalization companies are defined as those companies with market capitalizations (measured at the time of purchase)
within the market capitalization of the Russell 1000
®
Index. The Russell 1000
®
Index had a median market capitalization of approximately $10.66 billion as of February 28, 2018, and the largest
company by market capitalization was approximately $914.52 billion as of that date. The size of the companies in the Russell 1000
®
Index will change with market
conditions.
In deciding which equity
securities to buy for the Portfolio, the Portfolio’s subadviser, Jennison Associates LLC, uses what is known as a growth investment style. This means that the subadviser focuses on common stocks that it believes
could experience superior sales or earnings growth, or high returns on equity and assets. The companies in which the subadviser invests generally tend to have a unique market niche, a strong new product profile or
superior management. Given the subadviser’s selection criteria and proclivity for fast growing companies, the Portfolio may at times have a more aggressive risk profile than peer funds, depending on market
conditions.
184
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
185
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
186
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 18.80% | 1 st Quarter 2012 | -13.50% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(9/25/09) |
|
| Portfolio | 35.83% | 17.22% | 14.69% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 14.27% |
| Russell 1000 Growth Index | 30.21% | 17.33% | 15.63% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Jennison Associates LLC | Michael A. Del Balso | Managing Director & Director of Research for Growth Equity | September 2009 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Mark D. Shattan, CFA | Managing Director | September 2009 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
187
SUMMARY: AST LOOMIS SAYLES LARGE-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth. Income is not an investment objective and any income realized on the Portfolio's investments, therefore, will be incidental to the Portfolio's objective.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.71% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.97% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.06)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.91% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.060% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June
30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth | $93 | $303 | $530 | $1,184 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the common stocks of large
companies that are selected for their growth potential. Large companies are defined as those companies within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Growth Index.
The Portfolio will normally hold a
core position of between 30 and 40 common stocks. The Portfolio may hold a limited number of additional common stocks at times when the portfolio manager is accumulating new positions, phasing out and replacing
existing positions, or responding to exceptional market conditions. The Portfolio employs a growth style of equity management that emphasizes companies with sustainable competitive advantages, long-term
188
structural growth drivers, attractive cash flow
returns on invested capital, and management teams focused on creating long-term value for shareholders. The portfolio manager aims to invest in companies when they trade at a significant discount to the estimate of
intrinsic value.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
189
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
Note: The AST Loomis Sayles
Large-Cap Growth Portfolio, formerly the AST Marsico Capital Growth Portfolio, changed subadvisers effective July 15, 2013. The performance history furnished below prior to July 15, 2013 reflects the investment
performance, investment operations, and investment strategies of the former subadviser, and does not
190
represent the actual or predicted performance of
the Portfolio or its current subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 16.06% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -25.02% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 32.99% | 18.48% | 8.56% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Russell 1000 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 30.21% | 17.33% | 10.00% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | Aziz Hamzaogullari, CFA | Vice President | July 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
191
SUMMARY: AST LORD ABBETT CORE FIXED INCOME
PORTFOLIO
The Board of
Trustees of the Trust recently approved the reorganization of the Portfolio into the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio. The completion of the reorganization transaction is subject to approval by the
shareholders of the Portfolio and the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. It is anticipated that a proxy statement/prospectus relating to this transaction will be mailed to Portfolio shareholders on
or about June 2018 and that a special meeting of Portfolio shareholders will be held on or about August 2018. Assuming receipt of the required shareholder approval and satisfaction of the relevant closing conditions
for the reorganization transaction, it is expected that the reorganization transaction would be completed on or about third quarter of 2018. If approved by shareholders, shareholders of the Portfolio will become
shareholders of the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek income and capital appreciation to produce a high total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.48% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.75% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio's Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most recently
completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income | $77 | $240 | $417 | $930 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 459% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities of
various types.
192
The Portfolio
buys and sells securities using a relative value-oriented investment process. The Portfolio combines top-down and bottom-up analysis to construct its portfolio, using a blend of quantitative and fundamental research.
Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests primarily in (i) securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities ; (ii) investment grade debt securities of US issuers;
(iii) investment grade debt securities of non-US issuers that are denominated in US dollars; (iv) mortgage-backed, mortgage related, and other asset-backed securities; (v) inflation-linked investments; (vi) senior
loans, including bridge loans, novations, assignments, and participations; and (vii) derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts, forward contracts and swap agreements. The Portfolio may invest in
corporate debt securities. The Portfolio also may invest in mortgage-backed, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, which directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable
from, mortgage loans, real property, or other assets.
The Portfolio expects to maintain
its average duration range within two years of the bond market's duration as measured by the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (which was approximately 6.08 years as of March 31, 2018).
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
193
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
194
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Senior Loan Risk
. The Portfolio’s investments in certain senior loans have many of the risk characteristics of fixed income securities, and may be subject to increased credit, interest rate and
liquidity risks. The value of senior loans also may be adversely affected by supply-demand imbalances caused by conditions in related markets.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
Note: Prior to May 2, 2011 the
Portfolio was known as the AST Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio. Effective May 2, 2011, the Portfolio changed its investment objective, policies, strategy, and expense structure. The performance history of the
Portfolio prior to May 2, 2011 reflects the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies and investment strategies of the former AST Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio, and does not represent
the actual or predicted performance of the current Portfolio.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 12.39% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -14.82% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 3.35% | 1.91% | 4.16% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.54% | 2.10% | 4.01% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC | Kewjin Yuoh | Partner and Portfolio Manager | April 2012 |
195
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Robert A. Lee | Partner and Chief Investment Officer | May 2011 | |
| Andrew H. O'Brien, CFA | Partner and Portfolio Manager | May 2011 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
196
SUMMARY: AST MFS GLOBAL EQUITY PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.82% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.04% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.11% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST MFS Global Equity | $113 | $353 | $612 | $1,352 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 10% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities. Equity
securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, securities convertible into stocks, and depositary receipts for those securities. The Portfolio may invest its assets in US and foreign securities, including
emerging market securities.
The Portfolio normally invests its
assets across different industries, sectors, countries and regions, but the Portfolio may at times invest a large percentage of its assets in issuers in a single industry, sector, country or region. While the
Portfolio may invest its assets in securities of companies of any size, it primarily invests in securities of companies with large capitalizations.
In selecting investments for the
Portfolio, the subadviser, Massachusetts Financial Services Company, is not constrained by any particular investment style. The Portfolio invests its assets in the stocks of companies the subadviser believes to have
above average earnings growth potential compared to other companies (growth companies), in the stocks of companies it believes are undervalued compared to their perceived worth (value companies), or in a combination
of growth and value companies. The Portfolio uses an active bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling its investments. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers
and their potential in light of their financial condition, and market, economic, political, and
197
regulatory conditions. Factors considered may
include analysis of an issuer's earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. Quantitative models that systematically evaluate an issuer's valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings
quality, and other factors, may also be considered.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
198
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
199
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 18.43% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -18.10% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 23.84% | 11.57% | 7.20% |
| Index | |||
| MSCI World Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 23.07% | 12.26% | 5.63% |
| MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 25.62% | 8.39% | 2.42% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Massachusetts Financial Services Company | Roger Morley | Investment Officer | October 2009 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Ryan McAllister | Investment Officer | September 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
200
SUMMARY: AST MFS GROWTH PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term growth of capital and future, rather than current, income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.99% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.98% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a contractual management fee waiver implemented after the end of the most recent
fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.014% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST MFS Growth | $100 | $314 | $546 | $1,212 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 29% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in common stocks and related
securities, such as preferred stocks, convertible securities and depositary receipts.
The Portfolio focuses on investing
its assets in the stocks of companies the Portfolio’s subadviser, Massachusetts Financial Services Company, believes to have above average earnings growth potential compared to other companies (growth
companies). While the Portfolio may invest its assets in securities of companies of any size, it primarily invests in securities of companies with large capitalizations. The Portfolio normally invest its assets across
different industries and sectors, but the Portfolio may at times invest a large percentage of the Portfolio’s assets in issuers in a single industry or sector. The Portfolio may also invest up to 35% of its net
assets in foreign securities.
201
The Portfolio
uses an active bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling its investments. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light of their
financial condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer's earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. Quantitative
models that systematically evaluate an issuer's valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors, may also be considered.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
202
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
203
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 15.20% | 1 st Quarter 2012 | -23.45% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 30.71% | 16.25% | 8.23% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Russell 1000 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 30.21% | 17.33% | 10.00% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Massachusetts Financial Services Company | Eric Fischman | Investment Officer | January 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Matthew Sabel* | Investment Officer | April 2014 | |
| Paul Gordon | Investment Officer | July 2017 |
*As of September
1, 2018, Matthew Sabel will no longer be a portfolio manager of the Portfolio.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
204
SUMMARY: AST MFS LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.66% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.93% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value | $95 | $296 | $515 | $1,143 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by
issuers with large market capitalizations.
Large market capitalization
issuers are issuers with market capitalizations of at least $5 billion at the time of purchase. The Portfolio normally invests primarily in equity securities, and it may also invest in foreign securities. The
Portfolio’s subadviser, Massachusetts Financial Services Company, normally invests in assets across different industries and sectors, but the Portfolio may at times invest a large percentage of the
Portfolio’s assets in issuers in a single industry or sector. The Portfolio focuses on investing in the securities of companies the subadviser believes are undervalued compared to their perceived worth (value
companies), and utilizes an active bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light
of their financial condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer’s earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management
ability. Quantitative models that systematically evaluate an issuer’s valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors, may also be considered.
205
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose
206
of determining the Portfolio’s net asset
value. In such cases, investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices
accurately reflect the value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year,
5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in
the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 12.18% | 1 st Quarter 2013 | -7.02% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
207
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(8/20/12) |
|
| Portfolio | 17.34% | 14.40% | 13.90% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 15.19% |
| Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 13.66% | 14.04% | 14.09% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Massachusetts Financial Services Company | Nevin Chitkara | Investment Officer | August 2012 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Steven Gorham | Investment Officer | August 2012 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
208
SUMMARY: AST NEUBERGER BERMAN/LSV MID-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.99% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Neuberger Berman / LSV Mid-Cap Value | $101 | $315 | $547 | $1,213 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 27% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by medium
capitalization companies. Generally, companies with equity market capitalizations that fall within the market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap
®
Value Index at the time of investment are considered mid-cap companies. The Portfolio seeks to reduce risk by
diversifying among many companies and
industries.
The assets of the Portfolio are
independently managed by two subadvisers under a multi-manager structure. The subadvisers use a bottom-up, fundamental research approach to identify high quality companies that are trading at a substantial discount to
their intrinsic value and an active investment strategy utilizing a quantitative investment model to evaluate and recommend investment decisions in a bottom-up, contrarian value approach for their respective portions
of the Portfolio’s assets.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
209
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
210
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 24.49% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -27.32% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 13.79% | 15.55% | 8.96% |
| Index | |||
| Russell Midcap Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 13.34% | 14.68% | 9.10% |
| Russell Midcap Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 16.24% | 15.01% | 9.97% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | Michael Greene | Portfolio Manager | December 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | LSV Asset Management | Josef Lakonishok | CEO, CIO, Partner and Portfolio Manager | July 2008 |
| Menno Vermeulen, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2008 | ||
| Puneet Mansharamani, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2008 | ||
| Greg Sleight | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2014 | ||
| Guy Lakonishok, CFA | Partner, Portfolio Manager | July 2014 |
211
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
212
SUMMARY: AST NEW DISCOVERY ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.67% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.98% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.97% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.013% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation | $99 | $311 | $541 | $1,200 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 58% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Manager allocates the Portfolio’s assets to a variety of strategies to provide exposure to a mix of domestic and international equity and fixed income markets. Under normal
circumstances, approximately 70% of the Portfolio’s assets are allocated to equity market exposures and approximately 30% of the Portfolio’s assets are allocated to fixed income market exposures. The
Portfolio is designed to provide access to institutional investment strategies managed by boutique investment firms.
The Portfolio
normally allocates approximately 90% of its total assets among eight boutique subadvisers, each of which provides a distinct investment strategy. The Manager allocates the assets among these subadvisers. The Portfolio
has three strategies that invest primarily in domestic equity securities (large cap core, large cap value and large cap growth), two strategies that invest in primarily in international equities, two strategies that
invest primarily in fixed income securities (core and core plus), and one strategy that invests in the Prudential Core Ultra Short Bond Fund (referred to below as the Liquidity Strategy).
213
In selecting subadvisers for the Portfolio, the
Manager focuses on smaller or mid-size subadvisers, but does not apply any quantitative limits on a subadviser’s total assets under management or on the subadviser’s assets under management within a
specific investment strategy. In determining whether to retain a subadviser after the subadviser’s assets under management have increased, either generally or within a specific investment strategy, the Manager
considers a variety of factors, including transition costs and available options. The Manager may recommend replacement of a subadviser due to an increase in assets under management, but is not required to do so.
The Portfolio
normally allocates approximately 10% of its total assets to the liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is managed by an additional subadviser selected specifically to manage the liquidity strategy. The liquidity
strategy is primarily invested in: (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable
equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the
futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy is
designed to provide exposures to the equity and fixed income markets similar to the exposures of the overall Portfolio (70% equity and 30% fixed income under normal circumstances). The liquidity strategy may
temporarily deviate from the allocations indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
In connection with a subadviser
transition, the Manager may temporarily allocate assets away from the outgoing subadviser, but still maintain market exposure, such as through ETFs and other pooled investment vehicles. The Manager may make such
allocations either within or outside of the Portfolio’s liquidity strategy.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting
214
the subadviser’s ability to fully implement
the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high
turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not
operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
215
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year,
5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in
the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (50%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%) and MSCI Europe,
Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (20%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
216
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.82% | 1st Quarter 2013 | -6.27% | 3rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(4/30/12) |
|
| Portfolio | 16.49% | 8.45% | 8.24% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 14.53% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 16.47% | 10.11% | 9.73% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC | Gregory R. Lai, CFA | Principal and Lead Portfolio Manager | February 2016 | |
| Pushkar V. Murthy | Senior Portfolio Manager | April 2018 | ||
| Boston Advisors, LLC | Douglas A Riley, CFA | Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager | February 2016 | |
| Michael J. Vogelzang, CFA | President and Chief Investment Officer | February 2016 | ||
| David Hanna | Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager | February 2016 | ||
| C.S. McKee, LP | Greg Melvin | Chief Investment Officer | April 2012 | |
| Bryan Johanson | Portfolio Manager | April 2012 | ||
| Brian Allen | Portfolio Manager | April 2012 | ||
| Jack White | Portfolio Manager | April 2012 | ||
| Andrew Faderewski | Portfolio Manager | April 2012 | ||
| EARNEST Partners, LLC | Paul E. Viera | Chief Executive Officer | April 2012 | |
| Epoch Investment Partners, Inc. | David N. Pearl | Executive Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager | April 2012 |
217
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Michael A. Welhoelter, CFA | Managing Director, Co-Chief Investment Officer, Portfolio Manager & Head of Quantitative Research & Risk Management | April 2012 | ||
| John P. Reddan, CFA | Portfolio Manager & Senior Research Analyst | April 2017 | ||
| Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC | Barbara J. McKenna, CFA | Managing Principal and Portfolio Manager | November 2014 | |
| David C. Stuehr, CFA | Principal and Portfolio Manager | November 2014 | ||
| Parametric Portfolio Associates ® LLC | Justin Henne, CFA | Managing Director – Centralized Portfolio Management | February 2014 | |
| Daniel Wamre, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | February 2014 | ||
| Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC | Brandon Harrell, CFA | International Portfolio Manager | April 2012 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
218
SUMMARY: AST PARAMETRIC EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.93% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.21% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.39% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity | $142 | $440 | $761 | $1,669 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities of
issuers: (i) located in emerging market countries or (ii) included (or considered for inclusion) as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices.
A company will be considered to be
located in an emerging market country if it is domiciled in, or derives more than 50% of its revenues or profits from, emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are generally countries not considered to be
developed market countries, and therefore not included in the MSCI World Index. Emerging market countries include countries in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and the
region comprising the former Soviet Union. The Portfolio may invest without limit in foreign securities. The Portfolio may engage in derivative transactions as a substitute for the purchase or sale of securities or
currencies or to attempt to mitigate the adverse effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Such transactions may include foreign currency exchange contracts, options and equity-linked securities (such as participation
notes, equity swaps and zero strike calls and warrants).
219
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
220
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Participation Notes (P-Notes)
Risk
. The Portfolio may gain exposure to securities traded in foreign markets through P-notes. In addition to risks similar to those associated with a direct investment in the underlying
security, such as foreign investment risk, the holder of a P-note is not entitled to the same rights as an underlying security’s direct owner and P-notes are considered general unsecured contractual obligations
and are subject to counterparty credit risks.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Restricted Securities Risk.
The Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on resale. Restricted securities are not traded on established
markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Portfolio.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
221
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 37.33% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -22.08% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(5/1/08) |
|
| Portfolio | 26.38% | 2.47% | 0.64% |
| Index | |||
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 37.75% | 4.73% | 2.49% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Parametric Portfolio Associates ® LLC | Thomas Seto | Head of Investment Management | April 2008 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Timothy Atwill, PhD, CFA | Head of Investment Strategy | June 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
222
SUMMARY: AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to obtain the highest potential total return consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.15% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | None |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.79% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.95% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation | $97 | $303 | $525 | $1,166 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund of funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests primarily in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. The other
mutual funds in which in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, other mutual
funds may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests
are other portfolios of the Trust and certain money market funds or short-term bond funds advised by PGIM Investments LLC, AST Investment Services, Inc. (collectively, the Manager) or one of their
affiliates.
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by the Manager and Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA). As a general matter, QMA begins by constructing a neutral allocation for the Portfolio. Each neutral allocation initially divides the assets
for the Portfolio across three broad-based securities benchmark indexes. These three benchmark indexes are the Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index, and the Bloomberg Barclays
US Aggregate Bond Index. Generally, the neutral allocation will emphasize investments in the debt/money market asset class. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally
will be
223
determined by the Manager. The Manager will employ
various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the neutral allocation for the Portfolio. QMA will then perform its own
forward-looking assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security valuation, and other factors. As a result of this assessment, QMA will further adjust the neutral allocation and the preliminary Underlying
Portfolio weights for the Portfolio based upon its views on certain factors.
Approximately 35% of the
Portfolio’s assets are allocated to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity securities and approximately 65% of the Portfolio’s assets to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in debt
securities and money market instruments.
The Portfolio allocates
approximately 8% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures
contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and
short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in
exchange-traded funds for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to
the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
224
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
225
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (28%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (7%), and
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (65%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 10.75% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -9.00% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
226
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 10.13% | 6.10% | 4.82% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 9.72% | 6.30% | 5.49% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2005 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2012 | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | July 2006 | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | July 2006 | ||
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | March 2011 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
227
SUMMARY: AST PRUDENTIAL CORE BOND PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return consistent with the long-term preservation of capital.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.47% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.74% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Prudential Core Bond | $76 | $237 | $411 | $918 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 188% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in intermediate and long-term
debt obligations that are rated investment grade by the major ratings services, or, if unrated, considered to be of comparable quality by the Portfolio’s subadviser, PGIM Fixed Income, and high quality money
market instruments.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down economic analysis, the
subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based on a complete
review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality,
maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
228
The Portfolio may
also invest up to 20% of its net assets in high-yield/high-risk debt securities (commonly known as junk bonds). The Portfolio also may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt securities issued outside the US by
US or foreign issuers, whether or not such securities are denominated in the US dollar. The Portfolio may invest in derivatives. The Portfolio may use derivative instruments to hedge its investments or to seek to
enhance returns.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest
229
rates in the US
are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest
rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
230
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.31% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -3.33% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(10/17/11) |
|
| Portfolio | 5.67% | 2.62% | 3.47% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.54% | 2.10% | 2.55% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income* | Michael J. Collins, CFA | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio | October 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | February 2013 | |
| Gregory Peters | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio | April 2014 |
*PGIM Limited, an
indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, Inc., serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
231
SUMMARY: AST PRUDENTIAL GROWTH ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.61% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.87% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation | $89 | $278 | $482 | $1,073 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 157% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies
. The asset allocation strategy for the Portfolio is determined by Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA). QMA is also responsible for managing the equity segment of the Portfolio.
The PGIM Fixed Income unit of PGIM, Inc. is responsible for managing the fixed income segment of the Portfolio.
In managing the
Portfolio’s assets, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down
economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is
determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
The Portfolio invests in a
combination of global equity and equity-related securities, debt obligations and money market instruments in order to achieve diversification in a single Portfolio. QMA may also utilize an overlay sleeve for liquidity
and allocation changes. The overlay sleeve is generally approximately 12% of the Portfolio’s assets. QMA
232
adjusts the percentage of Portfolio assets in each
category in accordance with its expectations regarding the different markets, as those expectations may change from time to time. Under normal conditions, the Portfolio is expected to be invested within the ranges set
forth below:
| Asset Type | Minimum | Normal | Maximum |
| Equity and Equity-Related Securities* | 60% | 70% | 80% |
| Debt Obligations and Money Market Instruments * | 20% | 30% | 40% |
*Note: ranges are expressed
as a percentage of the Portfolio’s assets and include allocations within the overlay sleeve
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income
233
securities will
go down in value. Risks associated with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly
and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
234
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (55%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%) and MSCI Europe,
Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (15%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
Note: Prior to April 29, 2013 the
Portfolio was known as the AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio. Effective April 29, 2013 the Portfolio replaced the existing subadviser with a new subadviser, changed its investment objective,
policies, strategy, and expense structure. The performance figures furnished below prior to April 29, 2013 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, investment strategies, and
expense structure of the former AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio and is not representative in any way whatsoever of the Portfolio's current subadviser, investment objective, policies, strategy,
and expense structure.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 16.29% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -21.51% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 16.10% | 10.17% | 4.33% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 16.26% | 10.46% | 6.60% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Edward F. Keon Jr. | Portfolio Manager, Chief Investment Strategist | April 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | April 2013 | |
| Stacie L. Mintz, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | April 2013 | ||
| Jacob Pozharny, PhD | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | April 2013 |
235
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| George Sakoulis, PhD | Managing Director, Head of Global Multi-Asset Solutions | December 2017 | ||
| PGIM Fixed Income* | Michael J. Collins, CFA | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio | April 2013 | |
| Richard Piccirillo | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | April 2013 | ||
| Gregory Peters | Managing Director and Senior Portfolio | April 2014 |
*PGIM Limited, an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, Inc., serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
236
SUMMARY: AST QMA LARGE-CAP PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.55% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.82% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST QMA Large-Cap | $84 | $262 | $455 | $1,014 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 87% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related
securities of large-capitalization companies. Equity and equity-related securities include common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common
stock characteristics, futures contracts, and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants, or options to purchase common stock. For purposes of the Portfolio, a
large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $2.56 billion and $914.52 billion as of February 28,
2018).
The equity investment strategy
utilized by the Portfolio’s subadviser, Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA), employs a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process. The stock selection process utilizes an adaptive model that
evaluates stocks differently based on their growth expectations. The Portfolio’s subadviser constructs portfolios that seek to maximize the Portfolio’s investment in the most attractive stocks identified
by the model subject to risk constraints.
237
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
238
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.02% | 4 th Quarter 2017 | -6.16% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
239
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/29/13) |
|
| Portfolio | 21.41% | 14.21% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 14.03% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Stacie L. Mintz, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | April 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Devang Gambhirwala | Principal and Portfolio Manager | April 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
240
SUMMARY: AST QMA US EQUITY ALPHA PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha | $164 | $508 | $876 | $1,911 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 89% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related
securities of US issuers. For purposes of this investment policy, US issuers are issuers whose primary listing is on a securities exchange or market inside the United States.
The Portfolio uses a long/short
investment strategy in seeking to achieve its investment objective. This means the Portfolio shorts a portion of the Portfolio and uses the proceeds of the shorts, or other borrowings, to purchase additional stocks
long. By employing this long/short strategy, the Portfolio will seek to produce returns that exceed those of its benchmark index, the Russell 1000
®
Index (i.e., the Portfolio seeks additional alpha, often quantified by a fund's excess return above a benchmark index).
The Russell 1000
®
Index is composed of stocks representing more than 90% of the market cap of the US market and includes the largest 1000
securities in the Russell 3000
®
Index.
241
In general, for its long
positions, the Portfolio may overweight issuers that it believes may outperform the Russell 1000
®
Index and may underweight those issuers it believes may underperform the Russell 1000
®
Index, while managing the Portfolio's active risk. The Portfolio will generally sell securities short that it believes
may underperform the Russell 1000
®
Index or may not perform as well as comparable securities. The Portfolio may also sell securities short to manage the
Portfolio's active risk.
In rising
markets, the Portfolio’s subadviser, Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA), expects that its long positions generally will appreciate more rapidly than the short positions, and in declining markets, that
its short positions generally will decline faster than the long positions. Short sales allow the Portfolio to seek to earn returns on securities that the Portfolio believes may underperform, and also allows the
Portfolio to maintain additional long positions. The Portfolio will target approximately 100% net market exposure, similar to a “long-only” strategy, to US equities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
242
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
243
Note: Prior to May 1, 2008, the
Portfolio was known as the AST AllianceBernstein Managed Index 500 Portfolio. Effective May 1, 2008, the Portfolio changed its investment strategy, investment objective, investment policies, and expense structure. The
performance history furnished below prior to May 1, 2008 reflects the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, investment strategies, and expense structure of the former AST
AllianceBernstein Managed Index 500 Portfolio, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 18.22% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -21.92% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 22.25% | 17.57% | 9.02% |
| Index | |||
| Russell 1000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.69% | 15.71% | 8.59% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Stacie L. Mintz, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | April 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Devang Gambhirwala | Principal and Portfolio Manager | May 2008 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
244
SUMMARY: AST QUANTITATIVE MODELING PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to obtain a high potential return while attempting to mitigate downside risk during adverse market cycles.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.25% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | None |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.88% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.14% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Quantitative Modeling | $116 | $362 | $628 | $1,386 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio operates as a “fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in a combination of other mutual funds (collectively referred
to as the Underlying Portfolios) in accordance with its own specialized asset allocation strategy. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests are other investment portfolios of the Trust
and certain money market funds or short-term bond funds advised by PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. (collectively, the Manager) or their affiliates.
The assets of the Portfolio are
allocated to a capital growth investment strategy (referred to as the Capital Growth Segment) and a fixed income investment strategy (referred to as the Fixed Income Segment). Under normal circumstances, approximately
75% of the net assets attributable to the Capital Growth Segment are invested in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity securities while the remaining 25% of the Capital Growth Segment's net assets are
invested in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in debt securities and money market instruments. All of the net assets attributable to the Fixed Income Segment are invested in the AST Investment Grade
245
Bond Portfolio of
the Trust (the AST Bond Portfolio). In pursuing its investment objective, the AST Bond Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in investment
grade bonds.
Normally 100% of the Portfolio's
net assets are allocated to the Capital Growth Segment. Portfolio assets are transferred between the Capital Growth Segment and the Fixed Income Segment based on the application of a quantitative model to the
Portfolio's overall net asset value (NAV) per share. In general terms, the model seeks to transfer Portfolio assets from the Capital Growth Segment to the Fixed Income Segment when the Portfolio's NAV per share
experiences certain declines and from the Fixed Income Segment to the Capital Growth Segment when the Portfolio's NAV per share experiences certain increases or remains flat over certain periods of time. The model,
however, will not generate: (i) a transfer to the Fixed Income Segment from the Capital Growth Segment that would result in more than 90% of the Portfolio's net assets being allocated to the Fixed Income Segment, (ii)
a large-scale transfer between the Portfolio’s segments that exceeds certain pre-determined daily percentage thresholds.
In an effort to
reduce transaction costs, the Manager or the Portfolio’s subadviser, Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA), may decline to implement a transfer between the Portfolio's segments that would otherwise be
initiated by the quantitative model to the extent such transfer does not exceed certain pre-determined percentage thresholds. In addition, the quantitative model is proprietary and may be changed by the Manager or QMA
over time. The Manager or QMA may determine that such a change is appropriate for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, due to changing market, financial, or economic conditions or to make enhancements
to the model based on actual experience.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
246
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
247
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve
similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (60%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (15%), and
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (25%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 10.11% | 1 st Quarter 2012 | -5.89% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(5/2/11) |
|
| Portfolio | 18.19% | 10.41% | 8.00% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 13.00% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 17.17% | 11.13% | 9.29% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | May 2011 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | May 2011 | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus M. Perl | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | May 2011 | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | May 2011 |
248
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Edward F. Keon, Jr. | Portfolio Manager, Chief Investment Strategist | May 2011 | ||
| Rory Cummings, CFA | Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
249
SUMMARY: AST RCM WORLD TRENDS PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to obtain the highest potential total return consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.75% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.02% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST RCM World Trends | $104 | $325 | $563 | $1,248 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 48% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. The Portfolio is allocated among various investment strategies to gain exposure to different segments of the global equity and fixed income markets. Under normal circumstances,
approximately 60% of the Portfolio’s net assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 40% of its net assets are invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities.
Depending on market conditions, such equity exposure may range between 50-70% of the Portfolio’s net assets and such fixed income exposure may range between 30-50% of its net assets. Such exposures may be
obtained through: (i) the purchase of “physical” securities (e.g., common stocks, bonds, etc.); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., futures contracts, currency forwards, TBAs, etc.); and (iii) the purchase
of underlying exchange-traded funds. The Portfolio’s subadviser,
Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC, allocates assets among several investment strategies. The Portfolio takes the innovative approach of blending these strategies according to the asset
allocation structure designed by the Portfolio’s subadviser. Depending on market conditions and the allocation of assets, the Portfolio may at times underperform as compared to more opportunistic peer funds
given the subadviser’s more diversified approach and the Portfolio’s more conservative risk
profile.
250
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
251
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
252
Small Sized Company
Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5,
and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) (GD) (42.5%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%)
and Standard & Poor's 500 Index (17.5%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
Note: Prior to April 29, 2013 the
Portfolio was known as the AST Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio. Effective April 29, 2013 the Portfolio changed subadvisers, changed its investment objective, policies, strategy, and expense structure. The
performance figures furnished below prior to April 29, 2013 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, investment strategies, and expense structure of the former AST Moderate Asset
Allocation Portfolio and is not representative in any way whatsoever of the Portfolio's current subadviser, investment objective, policies, strategy, and expense structure.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 13.83% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -13.95% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 16.23% | 7.53% | 4.53% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 15.31% | 8.45% | 5.65% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC | Dr. Herold Rohweder | Managing Director and Global Chief Investment Officer Multi Asset | March 2013 |
253
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Giorgio Carlino | Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer Multi Asset US | March 2013 | |
| Dr. Michael Stamos | Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | March 2013 | ||
| Claudio Marsala | Director and Senior Portfolio Manager | April 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
254
SUMMARY: AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.99% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth | $101 | $315 | $547 | $1,213 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 60% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by
small-capitalization companies. The Portfolio normally pursues its objective by investing primarily in the common stocks of small-capitalization companies. For purposes of the Portfolio, small-capitalization companies
are generally those that have market capitalizations no larger than the largest capitalized company included in the Russell 2000
®
Growth Index at the time of the Portfolio's investment. The size of the companies in the Russell 2000
®
Growth Index and those on which the Portfolio’s subadvisers intend to focus the Portfolio's investments will
change with market conditions.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
255
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
256
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 20.50% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -26.22% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 23.91% | 14.46% | 9.99% |
| Index | |||
| Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.65% | 14.12% | 8.71% |
| Russell 2000 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 22.17% | 15.21% | 9.19% |
257
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | UBS Asset Management (Americas) Inc. | David Wabnik | Head of US Small Cap Growth Equities, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Executive Director | April 2016 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Samuel Kim, CFA | Co-Portfolio Manager and Executive Director | April 2016 | |
| Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust | Kenneth G. Mertz II, CFA | Chief Investment Officer and President | April 2012 | |
| Stacey L. Sears | Senior Vice President | April 2012 | ||
| Joseph W. Garner | Director of Research | April 2012 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
258
SUMMARY: AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.77% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.05% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities | $107 | $334 | $579 | $1,283 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 57% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by
small-capitalization companies, investing primarily in the common stocks. For purposes of the Portfolio, small-capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations no larger than the largest
capitalized company included in the Russell 2000
®
Growth Index or the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index at the time of the Portfolio's investment. The size of the
companies in the Russell 2000
®
Growth Index, the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, and those on which the Portfolio’s subadvisers intend to
focus the Portfolio's investments will change with market conditions.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the
259
Portfolio. These formulas may result in
large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by
requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the
Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the
Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect
performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
260
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
261
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
Note: The AST Small-Cap Growth
Opportunities Portfolio, formerly the AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment policies and strategies effective November 24, 2014. The annual returns prior to November
24, 2014 for the Portfolio reflect investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of the former subadviser, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of
the Portfolio or its current subadvisers.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 24.89% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -26.40% | 3 rd Quarter 2011 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 27.69% | 15.54% | 7.76% |
| Index | |||
| Russell 2000 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 22.17% | 15.21% | 9.19% |
| Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.65% | 14.12% | 8.71% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Victory Capital Management Inc. | Stephen J. Bishop | Co-Portfolio Manager | November 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Melissa Chadwick-Dunn | Co-Portfolio Manager | November 2014 | |
| D. Scott Tracy, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | November 2014 | ||
| Christopher W. Clark, CFA | Co-Portfolio Manager | December 2014 | ||
| Wellington Management Company LLP | Mammen Chally, CFA | Senior Managing Director and Equity Portfolio Manager | November 2014 | |
| David A. Siegle, CFA | Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst | May 2017 | ||
| Douglas W. McLane, CFA | Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst | May 2017 |
262
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
263
SUMMARY: AST SMALL-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to provide long-term capital growth by investing primarily in small-capitalization stocks that appear to be undervalued.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.05% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.04% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Small-Cap Value | $106 | $331 | $574 | $1,271 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 50% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by small
capitalization companies.
Small capitalization companies are
generally defined as stocks of companies with market capitalizations that are within the market capitalization range of the Russell 2000
®
Value Index. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet the definition of small capitalization
companies after purchase by the Portfolio will still be considered to be small capitalization companies for purposes of the Portfolio's policy of investing at least 80% of its investable assets in small capitalization
companies.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
264
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
265
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
266
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 21.99% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -23.68% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 7.35% | 13.93% | 9.14% |
| Index | |||
| Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.65% | 14.12% | 8.71% |
| Russell 2000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.84% | 13.01% | 8.17% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. | Dennis S. Ruhl, CFA | Managing Director | December 2004 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Phillip D. Hart, CFA | Managing Director | March 2012 | |
| LMCG Investments, LLC | R. Todd Vingers, CFA | Managing Director | December 2004 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
267
SUMMARY: AST T. ROWE PRICE ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek a high level of total return by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.62% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.89% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.88% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.009% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June
30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation | $90 | $283 | $492 | $1,095 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 66% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, approximately 60% of its total assets in equity securities and 40% in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods;
the equity portion may range between 50-70% and the fixed income portion between 30-50%.
The Portfolio’s subadviser,
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., concentrates common stock investments in larger, more established companies, but the Portfolio may include small and medium-sized companies. Larger, more established companies are
defined as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion whereas smaller-sized companies are defined as having a maximum market capitalization of up to $3 billion, up to 50% of the equity portion may be
invested in foreign (non-US dollar denominated) equity securities, and up to 10% of the equity portion may be allocated to a real assets segment. The real assets segment invests with the intention of providing
exposure to companies that focus on real asset investments. The fixed income portion of the Portfolio will be allocated among
268
investment grade securities (50-100% of the fixed
income portion); high yield or “junk” bonds (up to 30% of the fixed income portion); foreign (non-US dollar denominated) high quality debt securities and emerging market securities (up to 50% of the fixed
income portion); and cash reserves (up to 40% of the fixed income portion). The Portfolio may also invest in Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). Cash reserves may consist of US-dollar and non US-dollar
currencies. The Portfolio’s maximum combined exposure to foreign equity and fixed income securities is 30% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
The
Portfolio’s principal investment strategies also include an allocation to a liquidity strategy in which the Portfolio allocates approximately 10% of its net assets. The liquidity strategy will be invested
primarily in (i) derivative instruments to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income portions of the Portfolio; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money
market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy
may also invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other
circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in
269
high turnover, low asset levels and high operating
expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could
adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements
270
comparable to, US markets; foreign financial
reporting standards usually differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign
holdings may be subject to special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically
more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Real Asset Risk.
Investments in real asset industries and commodities may subject the Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The Portfolio’s investments in real
asset industries and commodities may lose value as a result of adverse changes in, among other things, exploration and production spending, tax laws and government regulations, natural forces, global economic cycles,
and international politics.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
271
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (45%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (15%) and
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the custom blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 13.54% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -14.26% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 15.41% | 8.96% | 6.19% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.45% | 9.11% | 6.19% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | Charles M. Shriver, CFA | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | May 2010 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Toby M. Thompson, CFA, CAIA | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
272
SUMMARY: AST T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek a high level of total return by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.03% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.02% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.009% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 Year | 10 Years | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities | $104 | $327 | $568 | $1,259 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 56% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, approximately 85% of its total assets in equity securities and 15% in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods;
the equity portion may range between 75-90% of the Portfolio’s net assets and the fixed income portion between 10-25% of the Portfolio’s net assets. The Portfolio’s subadviser, T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc., concentrates on common stock investments in larger, more established companies, but the Portfolio may also invest in small and medium-sized companies. Larger, more established companies are defined
as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion whereas smaller-sized companies are defined as having a maximum market capitalization of $3 billion. Up to 40% of the equity portion may be invested in
foreign (non-US dollar denominated) equity securities. The fixed income portion of the Portfolio is allocated among investment grade securities; high yield or “junk” bonds; foreign (non-US dollar
denominated) high quality debt securities and emerging market securities; and cash reserves. Cash
273
reserves may consist of investments denominated in
US-dollar and non US dollar currencies and money market vehicles. The Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and US Treasury inflation protected securities.
The Portfolio’s principal
investment strategies also include an allocation to a liquidity strategy which the Portfolio allocates approximately 10% of its net assets. The liquidity strategy will be invested primarily in (i) derivative
instruments including, but not limited to, mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to be announced” mortgage derivatives) swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide
liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all
applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for
additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s
overall investment process.
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the subadviser believes will provide an opportunity for
substantial appreciation. These situations might arise when the subadviser believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction
or innovation, a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk.
Pre-determined, non-discretionary mathematical formulas used by the participating insurance companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
participating insurance companies’ variable annuity contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in
large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which, in certain instances, may result in relatively low asset levels and relatively high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. These formulas may also
adversely affect the Portfolio’s returns by requiring the purchase or sale of securities at inopportune times and by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s
investment strategies.
274
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets
Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
275
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest of portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically
more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
276
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (60%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (25%) and
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (15%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 6.13% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -6.80% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(02/10/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 20.40% | 8.54% |
| Index | ||
| S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 13.25% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 19.45% | 9.28% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.; T. Rowe Price International, Ltd; T. Rowe Price Japan, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Hong Kong, Limited | Charles M. Shriver, CFA | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | February 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | . | Toby M. Thompson, CFA, CAIA | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | February 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
277
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
278
SUMMARY: AST T. ROWE PRICE LARGE-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term growth of capital by investing predominantly in the equity securities of a limited number of large, carefully selected, high-quality US companies that are judged likely to achieve
superior earnings growth.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.67% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.94% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.04)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 0.90% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.036% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth | $92 | $296 | $516 | $1,151 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 41% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the common stocks of large
companies.
A large company is defined as one
whose market capitalization is larger than the median market cap of companies in the Russell 1000
®
Growth Index. The Portfolio will not automatically sell or cease to purchase stock of a company it already owns just
because the company's market capitalization falls below this level. The Portfolio’s subadviser, T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., generally looks for companies with an above-average rate of earnings and cash flow
growth and a lucrative niche in the economy that gives them the ability to sustain earnings momentum even during times of slow economic growth.
279
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
280
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
281
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 19.97% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -22.64% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 37.88% | 19.35% | 11.44% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Russell 1000 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 30.21% | 17.33% | 10.00% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | Taymour R. Tamaddon | Portfolio Manager | January 2017 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
282
SUMMARY: AST T. ROWE PRICE LARGE-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek maximum growth of capital by investing primarily in the value stocks of larger companies.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.67% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.94% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value | $96 | $300 | $520 | $1,155 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 41% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities issued by large-cap
companies.
The Portfolio defines a large-cap
company as having a market capitalization that, at the time of purchase, is either (i) larger than the current median market capitalization of companies in the Russell 1000 Value Index or (ii) larger than the three
year average median market capitalization of companies in the index as of December 31 of the three preceding years. The Russell 1000 Value Index is a widely used benchmark of the largest US value stocks. As of
February 28, 2018, the median market capitalization for the Russell 1000 Value Index was approximately $9.51 billion. The Portfolio may also purchase stocks of smaller companies.
283
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
284
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
Note: The AST T. Rowe Price
Large-Cap Value Portfolio, formerly the AST Value Equity Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment strategies effective October 17, 2016. The performance history furnished below prior to October 17,
2016 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, and investment strategies of the former subadvisers, and does not represent the actual or predicted performance of the Portfolio or its current
subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 18.37% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -20.48% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
285
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 16.55% | 9.70% | 4.10% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 13.66% | 14.04% | 7.10% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | Mark S. Finn, CFA, CPA | Portfolio Manager | October 2016 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | John D. Linehan, CFA | Portfolio Manager | October 2016 | |
| Heather K. McPherson | Portfolio Manager | October 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
286
SUMMARY: AST T. ROWE PRICE NATURAL RESOURCES
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital growth primarily through the investment in common stocks of companies that own or develop natural resources (such as energy products, precious metals, and forest products) and
other basic commodities.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.73% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.05% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.03% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.02% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.012% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources | $104 | $327 | $568 | $1,259 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 84% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the securities of natural
resource companies.
The Portfolio’s subadviser,
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., invests primarily in the common stocks of natural resource companies whose earnings and tangible assets could benefit from accelerating inflation. The Portfolio also may invest in other
growth companies that we believe have strong potential for earnings growth but do not own or develop natural resources. The relative percentages invested in natural resource and non-resource companies can vary
depending on economic and monetary conditions and the Portfolio’s subadviser's outlook for inflation. Natural
287
resource companies in which the Portfolio invests
typically own, develop, refine, service or transport resources, including energy, metals, forest products, industrials, utilities, chemicals, real estate, and other basic commodities that can be produced and marketed
profitably when both labor costs and prices are rising.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management. The Portfolio may also invest in other investment companies and illiquid securities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
288
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
289
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 23.08% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -34.03% | 3 rd Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 10.31% | 3.25% | -0.71% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Lipper Global Natural Resources Funds Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 6.03% | 1.08% | -2.37% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | Shawn T. Driscoll | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | September 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
290
SUMMARY: AST TEMPLETON GLOBAL BOND PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to provide current income with capital appreciation and growth of income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.63% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.07% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.95% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Templeton Global Bond | $97 | $303 | $525 | $1,166 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 36% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities.
Fixed income securities include debt securities of any maturity, such as bonds, notes, bills and debentures and may be denominated and issued in local currency or in another currency. The average maturity of debt
securities held by the Portfolio will fluctuate depending on the subadviser’s outlook on changing market, economic and political conditions.
The Portfolio
invests predominantly in bonds issued by governments and government agencies located around the world. The Portfolio may also invest in inflation-indexed securities and securities or structured products that are
linked to or derive their value from another security, asset, or currency of any nation. The Portfolio may invest without limit in developing markets. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio’s subadviser,
Franklin Advisers, Inc., expects to invest at least 40% of the Portfolio’s net assets in foreign securities. In addition, the Portfolio’s assets will be invested in issuers located in at least three
countries (including the US). Bonds represent an obligation of the issuer to repay a loan of money to it, and generally provide for the payment of interest.
291
Although the
Portfolio may buy bonds rated in any category, it focuses on “investment grade” bonds. These are issues rated in the top four rating categories by at least one independent rating agency, such as S&P
Global Ratings (S&P
®
) or Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) or, if unrated, determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser to be of
comparable quality. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in bonds that are rated below investment grade. Generally, lower rated securities pay higher yields than more highly rated securities to
compensate investors for the higher risk.
For purposes of pursuing its
investment goals, the Portfolio regularly uses various currency related transactions involving derivative instruments, principally currency and cross currency forwards, but may also use currency and currency index
futures contracts and currency swaps. The Portfolio typically holds significant positions in currency related derivative instruments as a hedging technique or to implement a currency investment strategy, which could
expose a large amount of the Portfolio’s assets to obligations under these instruments. The result of such transactions may represent, from time to time, a large component of the Portfolio’s investment
returns. The Portfolio may also enter into various other transactions involving derivatives, including interest rate/bond futures and swap agreements (which may include interest rate and credit default swaps). These
derivative transactions may be used for hedging purposes, to enhance returns, or to obtain net long or net negative (short) exposure to selected currencies, interest rates, countries or durations.
The Portfolio is
non-diversified, which means that it can invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of fewer issuers.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
292
Emerging Markets
Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
293
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
Note: Prior to April 29, 2013 the
Portfolio was known as the AST T. Rowe Price Global Bond Portfolio. Effective April 29, 2013 the Portfolio replaced the existing subadviser with a new subadviser, changed its investment objective, policies,
strategies, and expense structure. The performance figures furnished below prior to April 29, 2013 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, investment strategies, and expense
structure of the former AST T. Rowe Price Global Bond Portfolio and is not representative in any way whatsoever of the Portfolio's current subadviser, investment objective, policies, strategies, and expense
structure.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.87% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -5.29% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
294
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 year | 5 years | 10 years | |
| Portfolio | 2.04% | -0.34% | 2.22% |
| Index | |||
| Citigroup World Government Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.49% | 0.12% | 2.67% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Franklin Advisers, Inc. | Michael Hasenstab, PhD | Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager | April 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Christine Zhu | Portfolio Manager, Director of Portfolio Construction & Quantitative Analysis | May 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
295
SUMMARY: AST WEDGE CAPITAL MID-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital growth by investing primarily in mid-capitalization stocks that appear to be undervalued.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.78% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.04% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.07% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.01)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.06% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.010% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value | $108 | $339 | $589 | $1,305 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 27% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by
mid-capitalization companies. Mid-capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap
®
Value Index during the previous 12 months based on month-end
data.
To achieve the Portfolio’s
objective of capital growth, the Portfolio’s subadviser, WEDGE Capital Management, LLP, normally employs a traditional value style, bottom-up investment discipline that is intended to help identify stocks that
are undervalued relative to their long term normalized earnings capability but expects also to utilize different investment strategies. Although the Portfolio invests primarily in common stocks of US
mid-capitalization companies, the Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of non-US issuers.
296
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose
297
of determining the Portfolio’s net asset
value. In such cases, investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices
accurately reflect the value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of one or more secondary indexes which include the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives.
298
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 23.70% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -28.37% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 18.53% | 13.95% | 8.84% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Russell Midcap Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 13.34% | 14.68% | 9.10% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | WEDGE Capital Management, LLP | Brian J. Pratt, CFA | General Partner/Lead Analyst | April 2015 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | John G. Norman | General Partner | November 2005 | |
| Caldwell Calame, CFA | General Partner | January 2009 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
299
SUMMARY: AST WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT HEDGED EQUITY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to outperform a mix of 50% Russell 3000 Index, 20% MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index, and 30% Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index over a full
market cycle by preserving capital in adverse markets utilizing an options strategy while maintaining equity exposure to benefit from up markets through investments in the Portfolio’s subadviser’s equity
investment strategies.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.81% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.12% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.06)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.06% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio's Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most recently
completed fiscal year.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.055% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June
30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of
Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity | $108 | $350 | $611 | $1,358 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 59% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a broadly diversified portfolio of common stocks while also pursuing an equity index
option overlay. The equity index option overlay involves the purchase of put options on the S&P 500 Index and the sale of call and
300
put options on the S&P 500 Index. By combining
these two strategies in a single fund, the Portfolio seeks to provide investors with an investment that will generate attractive total returns over a full market cycle with significant downside equity market
protection.
The Portfolio utilizes a select
spectrum of the Portfolio’s subadviser’s equity investment strategies. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio currently expects to be fully invested and will invest at least 80% of its net assets in the
common stocks of small, medium and large companies. The Portfolio may also invest up to 30% of its assets in the equity securities of foreign issuers and non-dollar denominated securities, including companies that
conduct their principal business activities in emerging markets or whose securities are traded principally on exchanges in emerging markets. In addition, the Portfolio may implement short positions and may do so by
using swaps or futures, or through short sales of any instrument that the Portfolio may purchase for investment.
The Portfolio allocates
approximately 10% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures
contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and
short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in
exchange-traded funds for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to
the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Correlation Risk
. The effectiveness of the Portfolio’s equity index option overlay strategy may be reduced if the Portfolio’s equity portfolio holdings do not sufficiently correlate to that of
the index underlying its option positions.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
301
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
302
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Options Risk
. The value of the Portfolio’s index options will fluctuate with the value of the underlying index. Selling index call options will tend to reduce the risk of owning stocks, but will
also limit potential gains. The Portfolio’s option overlay strategy may not reduce the Portfolio’s volatility to the extent desired if, among other things, unusual market conditions or the lack of a ready
market for an option reduce the effectiveness of the strategy. The Portfolio may reduce its holdings of put options, which will result in an increased exposure to a market decline, and risks losing all or part of the
cash paid for purchasing index put options.
Option Cash Flow Risk
. The Portfolio intends to use the net index option premiums it receives from selling index call and index put options to lessen the costs of purchasing index put options. The premiums to
be received by the Portfolio may, however, vary widely and may not be sufficient to cover the Portfolio’s costs of purchasing index put options.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Small and Medium Company Risk.
Shares of common stock of small and medium-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing
of these securities and on the Portfolio's ability to sell these securities. Changes in the demand for these securities generally have a disproportionate effect on their market price, tending to make prices rise more
in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure. Such investments also may be more volatile than investments in larger companies, as these companies generally experience higher growth and
failure rates, and typically have less access to capital, more limited product lines, and more inexperienced management. In the case of small cap technology companies, the risks associated with technology company
stocks, which tend to be more volatile than other sectors, are magnified.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the
future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also
demonstrates how the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (50%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index
(GD) (20%) and ICE BofAML Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index (30%). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
303
Note: The AST Wellington
Management Hedged Equity Portfolio, formerly the AST Aggressive Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, changed subadvisers and changed its investment objective, policies, and strategies effective May 1, 2011. The
performance figures below prior to May 1, 2011 reflect the investment performance, investment operations, investment policies, and investment strategies of the former subadviser, and do not represent the actual or
predicted performance of the Portfolio or its current subadviser.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 17.30% | 2 nd Quarter 2009 | -23.07% | 4 th Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 13.59% | 8.86% | 3.36% |
| Index | |||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 15.78% | 8.49% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 15.56% | 9.51% | 5.19% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Wellington Management Company LLP | Kent M. Stahl, CFA | Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist | April 2011 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Gregg R. Thomas, CFA | Senior Managing Director and Director, Investment Strategy | April 2011 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
304
SUMMARY: AST WESTERN ASSET CORE PLUS BOND
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with prudent investment management and liquidity needs, by investing to obtain the average duration specified for the Western Asset Core Plus Bond
Portfolio.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.51% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.78% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond | $80 | $249 | $433 | $966 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 214% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in debt and fixed income
securities, including mortgage- and other asset-backed securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), collateralized bond obligations (CBOs), collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) and, other
collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its net assets in debt securities that are rated, at the time of purchase, below investment grade (sometimes referred to as “junk
bonds”), but at least B-/B3, or if unrated, are determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser, Western Asset Management Company, to be of comparable quality.
The target dollar weighted average
effective duration of the Portfolio is expected to range within 30% of the duration of the domestic bond market as a whole (normally three to six years, although this may vary). Therefore, the range within which the
dollar weighted average effective duration of the Portfolio is expected to fluctuate is generally 2.5 to 7 years. The Portfolio's dollar weighted average effective duration may fall outside of its expected dollar
weighted
305
average effective
duration range due to market movements. If this happens, the Portfolio's subadviser will take action to bring the Portfolio's dollar weighted average effective duration back within its expected dollar weighted average
effective duration range within a reasonable period of time. Duration refers to the range within which the dollar weighted average effective duration of the Portfolio is expected to fluctuate.
Effective duration measures the
expected sensitivity of market price to changes in interest rates, taking into account the effects of structural complexities (for example, some bonds can be prepaid by the issuer).
The Portfolio may invest in
derivatives. The Portfolio may use derivative instruments to hedge its investments or to seek to enhance returns.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
306
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
307
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1, 5,
and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.55% | 3 rd Quarter 2009 | -3.74% | 3 rd Quarter 2008 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Portfolio | 6.31% | 3.63% | 4.54% |
| Index | |||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.54% | 2.10% | 4.01% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC |
Western Asset Management Company,
Western Asset Management Company Limited |
S. Kenneth Leech | Chief Investment Officer | March 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Carl L. Eichstaedt* | Portfolio Manager | November 2007 | |
| Mark S. Lindbloom | Portfolio Manager | November 2007 | ||
| Julien A. Scholnick | Portfolio Manager | April 2016 | ||
| John Bellows | Portfolio Manager | April 2018 | ||
| Frederick Marki | Portfolio Manager | April 2018 |
*It is
anticipated that Mr. Eichstaedt will step down as a member of the Portfolio’s portfolio management team effective on or about December 31, 2018.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
308
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
309
SUMMARY: AST WESTERN ASSET EMERGING MARKETS DEBT
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.68% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.17% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.10% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.05)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.05% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.050% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30,
2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt | $107 | $345 | $601 | $1,336 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 42% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies
. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities
issued by governments, government related entities and corporations located in emerging markets, and related instruments.
The Portfolio is non-diversified,
which means that it can invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of fewer issuers. The Portfolio: (i) will normally invest in issuers located in no less than three emerging market countries; (ii)
may invest without limit in high yield debt securities and related investments (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds”); and (iii) may invest up to 50% of its assets in non-US dollar denominated fixed
income securities. The Portfolio also may invest in derivative instruments.
310
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in
311
interest rates
and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated with rising interest rates are currently heightened because
interest rates in the US are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s
investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
Economic and Market Events
Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
312
Past
Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year,
5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in
the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.77% | 2 nd Quarter 2014 | -7.00% | 2 nd Quarter 2013 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception
(8/20/12) |
|
| Portfolio | 9.30% | 1.76% | 2.47% |
| Index | |||
| J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index (EMBI) Global (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 9.32% | 3.75% | 4.44% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
313
ABOUT THE TRUST
About the TRUST and its
Portfolios
This Prospectus
provides information about the Trust and its separate Portfolios. The Portfolios of the Trust which are discussed in this Prospectus are identified on the front cover and in the table of contents. Each Portfolio is a
diversified investment company as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act), unless herein noted otherwise.
PGIM Investments LLC (PGIM
Investments) and AST Investment Services, Inc. (ASTIS), both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial), serve as overall investment managers of the Portfolios covered by this
Prospectus other than the following Portfolios, for which PGIM Investments serves as the sole investment manager:
| ■ | AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
Prudential Financial, which is
incorporated in the United States, has its principal place of business in the United States. Neither Prudential Financial nor any of its subsidiaries are affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company
incorporated in the United Kingdom.
When used in this
Prospectus, the term “Manager” refers to (a) PGIM Investments with respect to the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, the AST Bond Portfolio 2026, the AST Bond Portfolio 2027, the AST Bond Portfolio
2028, and the AST Bond Portfolio 2029; and (b) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, collectively, with respect to all other Portfolios covered by this Prospectus. The Manager has retained one or more subadvisers (each, a
Subadviser), to manage the day-to-day investment of the assets of each Portfolio in a manager-of-managers structure. More information about the Manager, each Subadviser and the manager-of-manager structure is included
in “How the Trust is Managed” later in this Prospectus.
The Trust offers one class of
shares in each Portfolio. As of the date of this Prospectus, shares of the Portfolios of the Trust are sold only to separate accounts of Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, The Prudential Insurance
Company of America, Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Pramerica of Bermuda Life Assurance Company, Ltd. (collectively,
Prudential), Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York (collectively, the Participating Insurance Companies) as investment options under
variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts. Shares of the Trust may be sold directly to certain qualified retirement plans.
Additional information about each
Portfolio is set forth in the following sections, and is also provided in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
314
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW THE PORTFOLIOS
INVEST
Introduction
In addition to
each Portfolio's summary section, each Portfolio's investment objective and policies are described in more detail on the following pages. Certain investment instruments that appear in bold lettering below are
described in the section entitled
More Detailed Information About Other Investments and Strategies Used by the Portfolios
.
Although the Portfolios make every
effort to achieve their investment objectives, there can be no guarantee of success and it is possible that you could lose money by investing the Portfolios. Each Portfolio's investment objective is a non-fundamental
investment policy and, therefore, may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. A Portfolio will provide written notice to shareholders prior to, or concurrent with, any such change as required
by applicable law.
An investment in a Portfolio is
not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
The Portfolios have investment
strategies and policies that include percentage estimates and limitations. Those percentages are generally applied at the time the Portfolio makes an investment. As a result, a Portfolio generally may continue to hold
positions that met a particular investment policy or limitation at the time the investment was made but subsequently do not meet the investment policy or limitation. A Portfolio may have a policy to invest 80% at
least of its assets in a particular category of investments suggested by the name of the Portfolio. For any Portfolio that is subject to Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act, this 80% policy relates to the Portfolio’s
net assets plus borrowings, if any, for investment purposes. The 80% requirement is applied at the time the Portfolio makes an investment. These 80% policies are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without
shareholder approval. A Portfolio, however, will provide 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders of any change in an 80% policy based on the Portfolio’s name if required by applicable rules.
A change in the securities held by
a Portfolio is known as “portfolio turnover.” A Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of over 100% annually.
Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance. If a Portfolio realizes capital gains when it sells investments, it generally must pay those
gains to shareholders, increasing its taxable distributions. The Financial Highlights tables at the end of this Prospectus show each Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate during the past fiscal years.
Temporary Defensive Instruments.
In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, each Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of
its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations,
repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in money market securities may limit a Portfolio’s ability
to pursue or achieve its investment objective and could reduce the benefit to the Portfolio from any upswing in the market, but can help to preserve the value of the Portfolio's assets when markets are
unstable.
AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
The Portfolio is a multi-asset
class fund that pursues both top-down asset allocation strategies and bottom-up selection of securities, investment managers, and mutual funds. Under normal circumstances, approximately 60% of the Portfolio's assets
are allocated to traditional asset classes and investment strategies and approximately 40% of the Portfolio's assets are allocated to non-traditional asset classes and investment strategies. Those percentages are
subject to change by the Manager and Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA).
315
The overall asset allocation
strategy for the Portfolio is determined by QMA and the Manager. The assets of the Portfolio may, but are not required to, be allocated among various traditional and non-traditional asset classes and the related
investment categories and strategies as shown below.
* Real return means the
annual percentage return on an investment, which is adjusted for changes in prices due to inflation or other external effects. Real return strategies generally seek to provide a return over the rate of inflation.
QMA and the Manager determine the
strategic allocation of the Portfolio based upon their own: (i) forward-looking assessment of global macroeconomic, market, financial, currency, security valuation, and other factors and (ii) quantitative and
qualitative evaluation of the risks associated with investments in the relevant investment categories and strategies. The Manager will then: (i) identify other pooled investment vehicles, including, without
limitation, open-end or closed-end investment companies, exchange-traded funds, unit investment trusts, domestic or foreign private investment pools (including investment companies not registered under the 1940 Act,
such as “hedge funds”) (collectively referred to as Underlying Portfolios) that may be used as fulfillment options for the specific investment categories or strategies and (ii) establish specific weighted
combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the Portfolio's then-current asset allocation. The Manager also seeks to identify and retain Subadvisers to directly manage all or a portion of the assets
that are allocated to a particular investment category or strategy. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio will invest greater than 50% of its assets in underlying portfolios and the remainder of the Portfolio's
assets will be directly managed by subadvisers to the Portfolio. Those percentages are subject to change by the Manager and QMA.
316
PGIM Investments monitors the
amount of active risk taken within the various investment categories and strategies by conducting holdings-based and returns-based analyses of the Portfolio's direct and indirect portfolio holdings. QMA and the
Manager also meet periodically. QMA and the Manager seek to opportunistically modify the allocations among the various investment categories and strategies, the Underlying Portfolios, and the Subadvisers based upon
their ongoing assessment of the above-referenced factors. The extent to which any recommendations are adopted is determined solely by the Manager and QMA.
As set forth above, the Portfolio
invests a substantial portion of its assets in Underlying Portfolios, particularly other portfolios of the Trust. The Subadvisers will directly manage the remaining portion of the Portfolio's assets. Under the 1940
Act, the Subadvisers may invest Portfolio assets in “securities” (e.g. common stocks, bonds, etc.) and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swap agreements, and other financial and derivative
instruments that are not “securities” within the meaning of the 1940 Act (collectively, Other Investments).
Investments in Traditional Asset
Classes.
With the exception of the International Fixed Income (Hedged) and Emerging Markets investment categories within the fixed income asset class, exposure to all of the remaining traditional
investment categories is generally obtained through investments in Underlying Portfolios that are portfolios of the Trust. Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO) serves as the Subadviser to the
International Fixed Income (Hedged) and Western Asset Management Company/Western Asset Management Company Limited serve as Subadvisers to the Emerging Markets and Macro Opportunities investment categories.
UNDERLYING PORTFOLIOS.
The principal investments of the Underlying Portfolios that are currently used in connection with the traditional asset classes are described below. Consistent with the investment
objectives and policies of the Portfolio, other Underlying Portfolios from time to time may be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio.
| Underlying Fund Portfolio | Principal Investments | Traditional Investment Category |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth | Invests primarily in common stocks, with the majority of the Portfolio's assets in large capitalization stocks | Domestic Large-Cap Equity Growth |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth | Invests predominantly in the equity securities of a limited number of large, high-quality US companies | Domestic Large-Cap Equity Growth |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha | The Portfolio uses a long/short investment strategy. This means the Portfolio shorts a portion of the Portfolio and uses the proceeds of the shorts, or other borrowings, to purchase additional stocks long. Primarily invests at least 80% of its net assets plus borrowings, if any, for investment purposes in equity and equity-related securities of US issuers. | Domestic Large-Cap Equity Core |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value | The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in value opportunities that Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (GSAM), defines as companies with identifiable competitive advantages whose intrinsic value is not reflected in the stock price. The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at time of purchase) (Net Assets) in a diversified portfolio of equity investments in large-cap US issuers with public stock market capitalizations within the range of the market capitalization of companies constituting the Russell 1000 Value Index at the time of investment. | Domestic Large-Cap Equity Value |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value | Invests primarily in common stocks and securities convertible into common stocks of large cap companies | Domestic Large-Cap Equity Value |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth | Invests primarily in common stocks of medium capitalization companies | Domestic Mid-Cap Equity Growth |
| AST Mid-Cap Value | Invests primarily in mid capitalization stocks that appear to be undervalued | Domestic Mid-Cap Equity Value |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities | Invests primarily in the stocks of small companies that are traded on national exchanges, NASDAQ stock exchange and the over-the-counter market | Domestic Small-Cap Equity Growth |
317
| Underlying Fund Portfolio | Principal Investments | Traditional Investment Category |
| AST Small-Cap Value | Invests primarily in stocks and equity-related securities of small capitalization companies that appear to be undervalued | Domestic Small-Cap Equity Value |
| AST International Growth | Invests primarily in equity securities of foreign companies | International Equity: Developed Markets Growth |
| AST International Value | Invests primarily in equity securities of foreign companies | International Equity: Developed Markets Value |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity | Invests primarily in equity securities of issuers located in emerging market countries or included (or considered for inclusion) as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices. | International Equity: Emerging Markets |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond | Invests primarily in fixed income securities of varying maturities | Domestic Investment Grade Fixed Income |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond | Invests primarily in a portfolio of fixed income and debt securities of various maturities | Domestic Investment Grade Fixed Income |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond | Invests primarily in fixed income securities of varying maturities, so that the Portfolio's expected average duration will be from one to three years. | Domestic Investment Grade Fixed Income |
| AST High Yield | Invests primarily in fixed income investments that, at the time of purchase, are rated below investment grade | High-Yield Debt |
| Prudential Core Ultra Short Bond Fund | Invests primarily in short-term debt obligations issued by the US Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, commercial paper, asset-backed securities, funding agreements, variable rate demand notes, bills, notes and other obligations issued by banks, corporations and other companies, and obligations issued by foreign banks, companies or governments | Ultra Short Bond |
INTERNATIONAL
FIXED INCOME (HEDGED) (PIMCO).
Under normal circumstances, PIMCO invests at least 80% of the net assets attributable to this sleeve in fixed income instruments of issuers located outside the United States, representing
at least three foreign countries, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. The sleeve normally limits its foreign currency exposure (from non-US
dollar-denominated securities or currencies) to 20% of its total assets. PIMCO selects the sleeve's foreign country and currency compositions based on an evaluation of various factors, including, but not limited to
relative interest rates, exchange rates, monetary and fiscal policies, trade, and current account balances. The average portfolio duration of this sleeve normally varies within three years (plus or minus), as
calculated by PIMCO, of the duration of the Bloomberg
Barclays Global Aggregate ex USD Index Hedged in USD, which as of February 28, 2018 was 7.80 years. The sleeve invests primarily in investment grade debt securities, but may invest up to
10% of its total assets in high yield securities (junk bonds) rated B or higher by Moody's, or equivalently rated by S&P or Fitch, or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality (except that
within such limitation, the Portfolio may invest in mortgage-related securities rated below B). The sleeve may invest, without limitation, in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market
countries. For purposes of this sleeve, an emerging market country shall be any country defined as an emerging or developing economy by the World Bank or its related organizations, or the United Nations or its
authorities, or if the country is considered an emerging market country for purposes of constructing emerging markets indices. PIMCO may concentrate the assets attributable to this sleeve in a relatively small number
of issuers. Also, PIMCO may invest up to 10% of the total assets attributable to this sleeve in preferred stocks. This sleeve of the Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in derivative instruments, such as
options, futures contracts or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, subject to applicable law and any other restrictions described in the Portfolio’s Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information. This sleeve may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales. This sleeve of the Portfolio may, without limitation, seek to
obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls).
318
EMERGING MARKETS FIXED INCOME
(WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY / WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LTD).
Western Asset Management Company and Western Asset Management Company Limited (Western Asset) invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the assets attributable to this investment
category in fixed income securities issued by governments, government-related entities and corporations located in emerging markets and related investments. Western Asset may invest without limit in high yield debt
securities and related investments rated below investment grade (that is, securities rated below Baa/BBB), or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by Western Asset. Below investment grade
securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” Western Asset also may invest up to 50% of the assets attributable to this investment category in non-US dollar denominated fixed income securities.
These investments include, but are not limited to, instruments designed to restructure outstanding emerging market debt such as participations in loans between governments and financial institutions. Western
Asset’s portfolio managers normally will invest in at least three emerging market countries, which are countries that, at the time of investment, are either: (i) represented in the J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets
Bond Index Global, the J.P. Morgan Corporate Emerging Bond Index Broad, or the J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets Global Diversified; (ii) categorized by the World Bank in its annual categorization of
national incomes as low- or middle-income; or (iii) classified by the World Bank as high income in its annual classification of national incomes, but not an OECD member.
Instead of investing directly in
particular securities, Western Asset may use instruments such as derivatives and synthetic instruments that are intended to provide economic exposure to the securities or the issuer, including but not limited to
options, futures, forward agreements, swaps, and credit-linked securities. Western Asset may use one or more types of these instruments without limit and may also engage in a variety of transactions using derivatives
in order to change the investment characteristics of portfolio securities (such as shortening or lengthening duration) and for other purposes.
MACRO OPPORTUNITIES (WESTERN ASSET
MANAGEMENT COMPANY/WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LTD).
Western Asset implements an opportunistic investing strategy by focusing on long-term value investing and active management of duration, yield curve, and volatility. In this investment
category, Western Asset seeks to identify and capitalize on attractive relative-value opportunities principally in fixed income markets around the globe by investing in a variety of securities and other instruments.
Although the Western Asset portfolio managers do not invest in individual equities, they may also invest in equity-related strategies, such as equity index futures and swaps, to the extent consistent with the
Portfolio’s overall investment objective and strategy.
Western Asset may enter into
various derivative transactions for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, including seeking to enhance returns. These derivative transactions include, but are not limited to, futures, options, swaps and foreign
currency futures, forwards and options. In particular, Western Asset may use bond and interest rate futures, options on bonds, options on bond and interest rate futures, interest rate options, interest rate swaps,
credit default swaps (on individual securities and/or baskets of securities), options (including options on credit default swaps), other futures, swaps and options (including on equities and equity indices), forwards,
options on swaps, options on forwards and mortgage-backed securities to a significant extent, although the amounts invested in these instruments may change from time to time.
Western Asset may also use
commodity and commodity index futures, options and swaps. Non-dollar securities may be held on a currency hedged or unhedged basis. Western Asset may engage (although it may choose not to) in currency exchange
transactions to protect against uncertainty in the level of future exchange rates or to enhance returns. Western Asset may also engage in short sales or may otherwise hold short positions.
Although Western Asset may invest
in securities of any maturity, it will normally maintain a dollar-weighted average effective duration (including futures positions), as estimated by Western Asset, within the range of -5 to 10 years. Effective
duration seeks to measure the expected sensitivity of market price to changes in interest rates, taking into account the anticipated effects of structural complexities (for example, some bonds can be prepaid by the
issuer). Western Asset may invest in debt and fixed income securities of any credit quality, including securities that are in default.
319
Investments in Non-Traditional Asset
Classes.
With the exception of the US Real Estate and International Real Estate investment categories within the Real Estate asset class, exposure to the remaining non-traditional investment
categories is obtained primarily through the allocation of Portfolio assets to certain Subadvisers. Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, Underlying Portfolios from time to time may
be added to, or removed from, the Portfolio's list of available investment options.
REAL ESTATE.
Exposure to the US real estate and international real estate investment categories is obtained through investments in the AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio and the AST Global Real
Estate Portfolio, respectively. The principal investments of these Underlying Portfolios are described below.
| Underlying Portfolio | Principal Investments | Traditional Investment Category |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty | Invests primarily in equity securities of real estate companies | Domestic Real Estate |
| AST Global Real Estate | Invests primarily in equity securities of real estate companies on a global basis | Global Real Estate |
The Manager has retained the
Subadvisers listed below to directly manage the assets allocated to the indicated nontraditional investment categories and strategies.
| Subadvisers | Investment Categories and Strategies |
| CoreCommodity Management, LLC (CoreCommodity) | Commodities Related |
| Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO) | Inflation-Indexed Securities |
| International Fixed Income (Hedged) | |
|
Western Asset Management Company/
Western Asset Management Company Limited |
Emerging Markets Fixed Income |
| Jennison Associates LLC (Jennison) | Global Infrastructure |
| QMA | Long/Short Market Neutral |
| Overlay | |
| First Quadrant, L.P. | Currency |
| AlphaSimplex Group LLC | Hedge Fund Replication |
| AQR Capital Management, LLC | Style Premia |
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (MSIM) | Global Macro |
COMMODITIES RELATED
(CoreCommodity).
The CoreCommodity strategy (the Founders Blend Strategy) seeks to generate returns over time in excess of traditional commodity benchmark indexes. Techniques that may be utilized by the
Founders Blend Strategy include the selection of commodity futures contracts with expiration dates different from the expiration dates of the comparable futures contracts that comprise the benchmark indexes, and the
over-weighting or under-weighting of certain commodity futures contracts relative to their weights in the benchmark indexes.
INFLATION-INDEXED SECURITIES
(PIMCO).
Under normal circumstances, PIMCO invests at least 80% of the net assets attributable to this investment category in inflation-indexed bonds of varying maturities issued by the US
government and non-US governments, their agencies or instrumentalities, and corporations, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. Assets not invested
in inflation-indexed bonds may be invested in other types of fixed income instruments. Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities that are structured to provide protection against inflation. The value of the
bond's principal or the interest income paid on the bond is adjusted to track changes in an official inflation measure. The US Treasury uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers as the inflation measure.
Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index, calculated by that government. “Real return” equals total return less the estimated
cost of inflation, which is typically measured by the change in an official inflation measure. Effective duration takes into account that for certain bonds expected cash flows will fluctuate as interest rates change
and is defined in nominal yield terms, which is market convention for most bond investors and managers. Durations for real return bonds, which are based on real yields, are converted to nominal durations through a
conversion factor, typically between 20% and 90% of the respective real duration. All security
320
holdings are measured in effective (nominal)
duration terms. Similarly, the effective duration of the Bloomberg Barclays Capital US TIPS Index is calculated using the same conversion factors. The effective duration of the assets attributable to this investment
category normally varies within three years (plus or minus) of the duration of the Bloomberg Barclays Capital US TIPS Index, as calculated by PIMCO.
PIMCO invests the
assets attributable to this investment category primarily in investment grade securities, but may invest up to 10% of the total assets attributable to this investment category in high yield securities (junk bonds)
rated B or higher by Moody's, or equivalently rated by S&P or Fitch, or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality (except that within such limitation, the Portfolio may invest in
mortgage-related securities rated below B). PIMCO also may invest up to 80% of the total assets attributable to this investment category in securities denominated in foreign currencies, and may invest beyond this
limit in US dollar denominated securities of foreign issuers. PIMCO may invest up to 10% of the total assets attributable to this investment category in securities and instruments that are economically tied to
emerging market countries (this limitation does not apply to investment grade sovereign debt denominated in the local currency with less than 1 year remaining to maturity, which means this investment category may
invest, together with any other investments denominated in foreign currencies, up to 80% of its total assets in such instruments). PIMCO normally limits the foreign currency exposure (from non-US dollar-denominated
securities or currencies) for this investment category to 20% of its total assets. PIMCO may concentrate the assets attributable to this investment category in a relatively small number of issuers.
PIMCO may invest all of the assets
attributable to this investment category in derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities. PIMCO may purchase or sell securities on a
when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales. PIMCO may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a
series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls). Also, PIMCO may invest up to 10% of the total assets attributable to this investment category in
preferred stocks.
GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE
(JENNISON).
The Jennison Global Infrastructure strategy is a multi-cap, core strategy with an absolute return focus. This strategy focuses on investments in infrastructure companies and
infrastructure-related companies located throughout the world. Infrastructure companies are involved in providing the foundation of basic services, facilities and institutions upon which the growth and development of
a community depends. Infrastructure-related companies include wireless telecom firms that may or may not own the tower and companies involved in transport (shipping and trucking), construction, equipment
manufacturing, and materials and aggregates. Assets held by infrastructure companies and infrastructure-related companies may include toll roads, airports, rail track, shipping ports, telecom infrastructure,
hospitals, schools and utilities such as electricity, gas distribution networks and water. While Jennison believes its proprietary, fundamental research is critical for successful stock selection, Jennison also
focuses on macroeconomic trends that may affect the companies in which it invests.
LONG/SHORT MARKET NEUTRAL
(QMA).
QMA's Long/Short Market Neutral strategy uses an objective, quantitative approach designed to exploit persistent mispricings among stocks and other related securities. The objective of this
investment strategy is to provide consistent performance that is uncorrelated with the performance of the stock market. The portfolio holdings for this investment strategy consist primarily of a broad universe of
stocks. In general, this investment strategy has long positions in companies that QMA deems relatively attractive and short positions in companies that QMA deems relatively unattractive, while also managing the
overall risk of the assets attributable to this investment strategy.
HEDGE FUND REPLICATION
(ALPHASIMPLEX).
AlphaSimplex seeks to achieve long and short exposure to global equity, bond, currency and commodity markets through a wide range of derivative instruments and direct investments. Under
normal market conditions, AlphaSimplex typically makes extensive use of derivative instruments, in particular futures and forward contracts on global equity and fixed income securities, securities indices (including
both broad- and narrow-based securities indices), currencies, commodities and other instruments. These investments
321
are intended to provide risk and return
characteristics similar to those of a diversified portfolio of hedge funds, which includes a wide range of investment strategies and investment managers (such as long/short equity, managed futures, convertible
arbitrage, or global macro).
AlphaSimplex seeks to generate
absolute returns over time rather than track the performance of any particular index of hedge fund returns. There is no guarantee that returns will be positive. In selecting investments, AlphaSimplex uses quantitative
models to estimate the market exposures that drive the aggregate returns of a diverse set of hedge funds. These market exposures may include, for example, exposures to the returns of stocks, fixed income securities
(including US and non-US government securities), currencies and commodities. In estimating these market exposures, AlphaSimplex analyzes the returns of hedge funds included in one or more commercially available
databases (for example, the Lipper TASS hedge fund database), and seeks to use a variety of derivative instruments to capture such exposures in the aggregate while adding value through dynamic allocation among market
exposures and volatility management. Information is not available about all hedge funds, and the information may be limited to performance information reported on a periodic basis (rather than portfolio holdings
information). AlphaSimplex will have great flexibility to allocate the strategy's derivatives exposure among various securities, indices, currencies, commodities and other instruments, and the amount of the assets
that may be allocated to derivative strategies and among these various instruments is expected to vary over time. Whereas AlphaSimplex does not invest directly in hedge funds, it may invest in non-US securities and
instruments and securities and instruments traded outside the United States and expects to engage in non-US currency transactions.
AlphaSimplex may engage in active
and frequent trading of securities and other instruments. Frequent trading may produce high transaction costs, which may lower the strategy's return.
CURRENCY (FIRST QUADRANT):
The investment objective for the currency sleeve is to seek to maximize return for a prescribed level of risk by making diversified investments in developed market currencies to take
advantage of market anomalies. The goal of the mandate is to add value by opportunistically overweighting and underweighting developed market currencies. The risk/return goals are to add approximately 3% annual value
added (over cash return).
First Quadrant, the sleeve's
subadviser, uses an active currency strategy designed to deliver uncorrelated returns (or alpha) at a prescribed level of risk. First Quadrant's investment process is systematic, fundamentally-based, and seeks to
exploit the drivers of relative value of currency markets while taking advantage of influences of both short-term and long-term capital flows, trade flows, and supply/demand pressures.
STYLE PREMIA
(AQR):
The style premia strategy aims to provide exposure to four separate investment styles (“Styles”): value, momentum, carry and defensive, using both “long” and
“short” positions within the following asset groups (“Asset Groups”): equities, bonds and currencies. The style premia strategy may achieve its exposure to any of the Asset Groups by using
derivatives rather than holding those assets directly. The style premia strategy may also use derivatives for hedging purposes. The style premia strategy implements the Styles by investing globally in a broad range of
instruments, including, but not limited to, equities (primarily those issued by large- and mid-cap companies), futures (including index futures, equity futures and bond futures), currency forwards, options and swaps
(including equity swaps, swaps on index futures,
swaps on bond futures and total return swaps) (collectively, the “Instruments”). The style premia strategy may also invest in other registered investment companies including
exchange-traded funds.
AQR generally considers large- and
mid-cap companies to be those companies with market capitalizations around the range of the MSCI World Index at the time of purchase. As of February 28, 2018, the market capitalization of the companies comprising the
MSCI World Index ranged from $1.15 billion to $920.03 billion. The style premia strategy’s exposure to equities includes securities of US and non-US issuers and equity indices representing the United States and
non- US countries. For the bonds Asset Group, the style premia strategy will have exposure to US Government securities and sovereign debt issued by other developed countries. The style premia strategy has no limits
with respect to the credit rating, maturity or duration of the debt securities in which it may invest, and may invest in debt securities of any credit rating, maturity or duration. From time to time, the style premia
strategy can
322
have significant exposure to non-US dollar
denominated currencies. The style premia strategy is generally intended to have a low correlation to the equity, bond and credit markets. The style premia strategy also is not designed to match the performance of any
hedge fund index. The style premia strategy will utilize proprietary trading algorithms in order to minimize market impact and reduce trading costs. AQR will attempt to mitigate risk through diversification of
holdings and through active monitoring of volatility, counterparties and other risk measures.
The Styles employed by the style
premia strategy are:
| ■ | Value: Value strategies favor investments that appear cheap over those that appear expensive based on fundamental measures related to price, seeking to capture the tendency for relatively cheap assets to outperform relatively expensive assets. The style premia strategy will seek to buy assets that are “cheap” and sell those that are “expensive.” Examples of value measures include using price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios for selecting equities. |
| ■ | Momentum: Momentum strategies favor investments that have performed well relative to those that have underperformed over the medium-term (i.e., one year or less), seeking to capture the tendency that an asset’s recent relative performance will continue in the near future. The style premia strategy will seek to buy assets that recently outperformed their peers and sell those that recently underperformed. Examples of momentum measures include simple price momentum for selecting equities and price- and yield- based momentum for selecting bonds. |
| ■ | Carry: Carry strategies favor investments with higher yields over those with lower yields, seeking to capture the tendency for higher-yielding assets to provide higher returns than lower-yielding assets. The style premia strategy will seek to buy high-yielding assets and sell low-yielding assets. An example of carry measures includes using interest rates to select currencies and bonds. |
| ■ | Defensive: Defensive strategies favor investments with low-risk characteristics over those with high-risk characteristics, seeking to capture the tendency for lower risk and higher-quality assets to generate higher risk-adjusted returns than higher risk and lower-quality assets. The style premia strategy will seek to buy low-risk, high-quality assets and sell high-risk, low-quality assets. An example of a defensive measure includes using beta (i.e., an investment’s sensitivity to the securities markets) to select equities. |
The style premia
strategy is actively managed and the Portfolio’s exposures to Styles and Asset Groups will vary based on the subadviser’s ongoing evaluation of investment opportunities. The style premia strategy expects
to maintain exposure to all four Styles; however, not all Styles are represented within each Asset Group. The portfolio construction process is a bottom up systematic process which begins with the ranking of a
universe of investments within each Asset Group based upon each applicable Style using multiple measures, some of which are listed above. Investments ranking near the top of the universe contribute the largest
“long” weights among the universe and investments ranking near the bottom of the universe contribute the largest “short” weights among the universe to produce the target Asset Group portfolio.
For each Asset Group, the Styles included in that Asset Group each contribute position weights to the Asset Group portfolio, in such a way that each Style achieves roughly equal risk within the Asset Group. Asset
Group portfolios are sized to also maintain a risk balanced allocation across Asset Groups within the style premia strategy. Individual investments in the actual Asset Group portfolios are sold or closed out during
the rebalancing process, the frequency of which is expected to vary depending on the Asset Group and the AQR’s ongoing evaluation of certain factors including changes in market conditions and how much the actual
portfolio deviates from the target portfolio.
The style premia strategy may
enter into both “long” and “short” positions across all Styles and Asset Groups using derivative Instruments. With respect to equities, the style premia strategy may also take a
“long” position by purchasing the security directly, or a “short” position by borrowing a security from a third party and selling it at the then current market price. The owner of a
“long” position will benefit from an increase in the price of the underlying instrument. The owner of a “short” position will benefit from a decrease in the price of the underlying
instrument.
AQR primarily
uses quantitative methods to assess the level of risk (i.e., volatility of return) of the style premia strategy. Volatility is a statistical measurement of the dispersion of returns of a security or fund or index, as
measured by the annualized standard deviation of its returns. Higher volatility generally indicates higher risk. AQR, on average, targets an annualized volatility level for the Fund of 8%. AQR expects that the style
premia strategy’s targeted
323
annualized forecasted volatility will typically
range between 6% and 10%; however, the actual or realized volatility level for longer or shorter periods may be materially higher or lower depending on market conditions. Actual or realized volatility can and will
differ from the forecasted or target volatility described above.
If derivative
instruments and instruments with remaining maturities of one year or less are taken into account, the style premia strategy’s strategy will result in frequent trading and high turnover (typically greater than
250%).
A portion of the style premia
strategy’s assets may be held in cash or cash equivalent investments, including, but not limited to, short-term investment funds and/or US Government securities.
GLOBAL MACRO (MSIM)
. The global macro strategy of the Portfolio seeks to emphasize positive absolute return while actively controlling downside portfolio risk. To implement this approach, MSIM takes long and
short positions in a range of securities, other instruments and asset classes to express its investment themes. MSIM may implement these positions either directly by purchasing securities or through the use of
derivatives. There is no guarantee that the global macro strategy will achieve its goal of positive absolute return.
MSIM’s top-down investment
approach focuses on asset class, sector, region, country and currency selection as opposed to individual security selection. MSIM’s allocations will be the result of relative value and/or directional views of
the markets or individual asset classes taken by MSIM based on the results of its fundamental and quantitative research. The global macro strategy may at times invest a substantial portion of its assets in one or more
countries (including EM countries) or regions. The global macro strategy’s investments may be US and non-US dollar denominated.
The global macro
strategy of the Portfolio may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and similar entities established outside the United States (foreign real estate companies). In addition, MSIM may invest in fixed income
securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or supranational organizations or any of their instrumentalities, including debt obligations of governmental issuers located in emerging market or developing
countries and sovereign debt, as well as fixed income securities that are rated below “investment grade” or are not rated, but are of equivalent quality. These fixed income securities are often referred to
as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds.” High yield securities are fixed income securities rated below Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) or below BBB by S&P Global Ratings
(S&P), or if unrated considered by MSIM to be an appropriate investment.
The global macro strategy of the
Portfolio may invest in asset-backed securities. The global macro strategy of the Portfolio may also invest in restricted securities. The mortgage-backed securities in which the global macro strategy may invest
include mortgage pass-through securities which represent a participation interest in a pool of mortgage loans originated by US governmental or private lenders such as banks. The global macro strategy of the Portfolio
may also invest in other investment companies, including ETFs.
The global macro strategy of the
Portfolio uses derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including as part of its investment strategies, hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. The global macro strategy's use of
derivatives may involve the purchase and sale of derivative instruments such as futures, options, swaps, structured investments (including commodity-linked notes) and other related instruments and techniques. The
global macro strategy may also invest in currency derivatives, including, but not limited to, foreign currency forward exchange contracts, and currency and currency index futures and options contracts for hedging and
non-hedging purposes. The use of these currency derivatives may allow the MSIM Global Macro sleeve of the Portfolio to obtain net long or net short exposure to selected currencies. At times, the global macro strategy
of the Portfolio may enter into “cross-currency” transactions involving currencies other than those in which securities held or proposed to be purchased are denominated. Derivative instruments used by the
MSIM Global Macro sleeve of the Portfolio will be counted toward the MSIM Global Macro sleeve of the Portfolio exposure in the types of securities listed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar
to such securities.
The global macro strategy of the
Portfolio is managed in a non-diversified manner.
324
OVERLAY (QMA).
Up to approximately 10% of the Portfolio's net assets are allocated to the Overlay investment category subadvised by QMA. Assets invested in the Overlay may be allocated to: (i) index
futures, other futures contracts, ETFs, options, and swap agreements thereon to provide liquid exposure to their respective equity and fixed income benchmark indices and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term
debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions
and any variation margin calls with respect to the futures contracts. In addition, QMA may take long and short positions in ETFs, exchange-traded notes, various futures contracts and other publicly-traded
securities.
Exposure to some or all of the
remaining non-traditional investment categories and strategies is obtained through investments in Underlying Portfolios other than portfolios of the Trust. A general description of Underlying Portfolios that pursue
these types of investment strategies is provided below. The Manager from time to time may: (i) seek exposure to additional non-traditional investment categories or strategies or (ii) retain additional Subadvisers to
directly manage Portfolio assets to gain exposure to the then-available non-traditional investment categories or strategies.
LONG/SHORT EQUITY.
Long/short equity funds invest on both long and short sides of equity markets, generally focusing on diversifying or hedging across particular sectors, regions, or market capitalizations.
Fund managers generally have the flexibility to shift from value to growth investment styles; small to medium to large capitalization stocks; and net long to net short positions. Fund managers can also trade equity
futures and options as well as equity related securities and debt or build portfolios that are more concentrated in sectors and/or industries than traditional long-only equity funds. Long/Short Equity funds generally
tend to be more exposed to market risk (i.e., have a higher beta) than Long/Short Market Neutral funds.
DISTRESSED DEBT.
Event driven funds that focus on distressed situations invest across the capital structure of companies subject to financial or operational distress or bankruptcy proceedings. Such
distressed securities tend to trade at substantial discounts to intrinsic value due to difficulties in assessing their proper value, lack of research coverage, or an inability of traditional investors to continue
holding them. This strategy is generally long-biased in nature, but fund managers may take outright long, hedged, or outright short positions. The managers of distressed debt funds typically attempt to profit on the
issuer's ability to improve its operation or the success of the bankruptcy process that ultimately leads to an exit strategy.
PRIVATE EQUITY.
Private equity funds make investments in private companies (or private investments in public companies) in connection with the organization or restructuring of companies, including
so-called leveraged buy-outs and management buy-outs.
Investments in Underlying
Portfolios.
Under normal conditions, the Portfolio invests approximately 65% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that are portfolios of the Trust. An additional portion of the Portfolio may be
invested in Underlying Portfolios (either portfolios of the Trust or other portfolios) to the extent the Manager and QMA would like to gain exposure to certain asset classes or investment strategies but for which the
Manager has not retained a Subadviser to directly manage Portfolio assets for those asset classes or investment strategies.
Strategic Allocations and Asset
Allocation Ranges.
Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio's assets are generally allocated in accordance with the strategic allocations and approximate asset allocation ranges set forth in the table
below.
Such strategic allocations and asset allocation ranges are approximate and subject to change from time to time.
325
|
Minimum
Exposure |
Strategic
Allocation |
Maximum
Exposure |
|
| Commodities Related | 5% | 10% | 15% |
| Alternative Investments | 5% | 15% | 25% |
AST Advanced Strategies
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek a high
level of absolute return by using traditional and non-traditional investment strategies and by investing in domestic and foreign equity and fixed income securities, derivative instruments and other investment
companies.
Principal Investment Policies and
Risks:
General.
QMA allocates the net assets of the Portfolio across different investment categories and different Subadvisers. QMA also directly manages a portion of the assets of the Portfolio. Certain
investment categories will contain sub-categories. The Subadviser for a category or sub-category will employ a specific investment strategy for that category or sub-category.
QMA employs a two-tiered approach
to allocating Portfolio assets across the various investment categories, sub-categories, and the Subadvisers. First, QMA analyzes the macro-economic landscape, the capital markets, and the related implications for
investment strategy. Second, QMA draws on its understanding of the strategies used by the other Subadvisers to determine which advisers are expected to perform best under the prevailing macro-economic landscape. The
allocations are reviewed by QMA periodically and may be altered or adjusted by QMA without prior notice. Such adjustments will be reflected in the annual update to the prospectus.
The Portfolio may
use derivative instruments to gain exposure to certain commodity and real estate related indices. The Portfolio may engage in short sales and may invest in fixed income securities that are rated below investment grade
by the major ratings services (Ba or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or equivalently rated by S&P Global Ratings, or Fitch Ratings Ltd., or, if unrated, considered to be of comparable quality, in
connection with these investment strategies. Fixed income debt obligations rated below investment grade by the major ratings services or, if unrated, considered to be of comparable quality, are commonly referred to as
“junk bonds” and are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay principal and interest. The Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading of
portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
Overall, the Portfolio pursues a
combination of traditional and non-traditional investment strategies. The approximate allocation across the various investment categories, sub-categories, and subadviser/Underlying Portfolio and approximate allocation
of Portfolio assets is as follows:
| Investment Category | Investment Sub-Category |
Traditional or Non-
Traditional |
Subadviser or Underlying
Trust Portfolio |
Approximate Allocation of
Portfolio Assets |
| US Small-Cap Growth | N/A | Traditional | AST Small-Cap Growth | 0.9% |
| US Small-Cap Growth | N/A | Traditional | AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities | 0.6% |
| US Small-Cap Value | N/A | Traditional | AST Small-Cap Value | 1.2% |
| US Small-Cap Value | N/A | Traditional | AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value | 0.5% |
| US Large-Cap Growth | N/A | Traditional | Brown Advisory LLC | 8.0% |
| US Large-Cap Growth | N/A | Traditional | Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | 8.1% |
| US Large-Cap Value | N/A | Traditional | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 17.2% |
326
| Investment Category | Investment Sub-Category |
Traditional or Non-
Traditional |
Subadviser or Underlying
Trust Portfolio |
Approximate Allocation of
Portfolio Assets |
| International Growth | N/A | Traditional | William Blair Investment Management, LLC | 9.6% |
| International Value | N/A | Traditional | LSV Asset Management | 9.5% |
| US Fixed Income | N/A | Traditional | PGIM Fixed Income | 10.0% |
| Hedged International Bond | Developed Markets | Traditional | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO) | 6.9% |
| Emerging Markets | Traditional | PIMCO | 3.5% | |
| Advanced Strategies I | Commodity Real Return | Non-Traditional | PIMCO | 2.5% |
| TIPS Real Return | Non-Traditional | PIMCO | 2.1% | |
| Real Estate Real Return | Non-Traditional | PIMCO | 3.8% | |
| Advanced Strategies II | N/A | Non-Traditional | QMA | 14.9% |
The asset allocation generally
provides for an allotment of approximately 60% of Portfolio assets to a combination of domestic and international equity strategies and an allotment of approximately 40% of Portfolio assets to a combination of US
fixed income, hedged international bond, real return and exchange traded fund investment strategies. The Portfolio uses derivative instruments to gain exposure to certain commodity and real estate related indices
along with high yield bonds (also referred to as “junk” bonds) in connection with these investment strategies.
The asset allocations described above are subject to change at any time without notice at the sole discretion of the Manager.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
Description of Traditional
Investment Categories and Sub-categories.
The investment categories and sub-categories for which the applicable Subadvisers pursue traditional investment strategies are the following:
| ■ | US Large-Cap Growth; |
| ■ | US Large-Cap Value; |
| ■ | US Small-Cap; |
| ■ | International Growth; |
| ■ | International Value; |
| ■ | US Fixed Income; and |
| ■ | Hedged International Bond |
Brief descriptions of the
investment strategies used by the Subadvisers are set forth below:
US Large-Cap Growth (Brown
Advisory).
Brown Advisory’s large-cap growth equity strategy is a concentrated portfolio typically comprising 30-35 securities. The strategy’s investment process is based on fundamental
bottom-up research. Brown Advisory seeks to own strong businesses that it believes have the potential to grow their earnings per share over 14% on an annual basis through a full market cycle. Brown Advisory seeks to
optimize the portfolio around the upside potential/downside risk of each holding, and allocate capital to those securities with the best risk versus reward profile.
US Large-Cap Growth (Loomis,
Sayles & Company, L.P.).
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (Loomis Sayles) employs a growth style of equity management that seeks to emphasize companies with sustainable competitive advantages, long-term
structural growth drivers, attractive cash flow returns on invested capital, and management teams focused on creating long-term value for shareholders. Loomis Sayles aims to invest in companies when they trade at a
significant discount to the estimate of intrinsic value. Loomis Sayles will consider selling a portfolio investment when
327
it believes an unfavorable structural change
occurs within a given business or the markets in which it operates, a critical underlying investment assumption is flawed, when a more attractive reward-to-risk opportunity becomes available, when the current price
fully reflects intrinsic value, or for other investment reasons which Loomis Sayles may deem appropriate. Loomis Sayles will typically hold between 30-40 stocks.
US Large-Cap Value (T. Rowe
Price).
T. Rowe Price invests primarily in common stocks of large US companies that the Subadviser regards as undervalued. T. Rowe Price also may invest up to 25% of the assets attributable to this
investment category in foreign securities. T. Rowe Price typically employs a “value” approach in selecting investments for the domestic large-cap value portion of the Portfolio. T. Rowe Price's in-house
research team seeks to identify companies that appear to be undervalued by various measures and may be temporarily out of favor but have good prospects for capital appreciation.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
US Small-Cap.
QMA also allocates Portfolio assets to the US Small-Cap investment category. The Portfolio achieves exposure to US small-cap equity securities through investments in certain other
portfolios of the Trust (the Underlying Small-Cap Portfolios). PGIM Investments employs various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Small-Cap Portfolios. The
Underlying Small-Cap Portfolios in which the Portfolio currently invests are described briefly below.
| Underlying Small-Cap Portfolio | Investment Objective | Principal Investments |
| AST Small-Cap Growth | Seeks long-term capital growth | Invests at least 80% of the value of its assets in small capitalization companies |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities | Seeks capital growth | Invests primarily in the stocks of small companies that are traded on national exchanges, NASDAQ stock exchange and the over-the-counter market |
| AST Small-Cap Value | long-term capital growth | Invests primarily in stocks and equity-related securities of small capitalization companies that appear to be undervalued |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value | Seeks long-term capital appreciation | Invests primarily in equity securities of small capitalization companies that are believed to be undervalued in the marketplace. |
International
Growth (William Blair).
William Blair uses fundamental research to identify foreign companies with market capitalizations over $100 million that have above-average prospective growth, evidence of sustainability of
future growth, above-average profitability and reinvestment of internal capital, and conservative capital structure.
International Value (LSV).
LSV employs a proprietary model and other quantitative methods in an attempt to pick undervalued foreign stocks with high near-term appreciation potential. Cash flow-to-price ratios,
book-to-market ratios and certain past performance measures are some of the important variables reviewed by LSV in its investment process.
US Fixed Income
(PGIM Fixed Income).
PGIM Fixed Income’s US fixed income strategy seeks to outperform the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index over the intermediate and long-term, by investing at least 80% of the
assets in bonds, which includes all fixed income securities with a maturity at date of issue of greater than one year. PGIM Fixed Income allocates assets among different debt securities, including (but not limited to)
US Government
328
securities,
mortgage-related and asset-backed securities, corporate debt securities and foreign securities. PGIM Fixed Income may invest, under normal circumstances, at least 70% of the US fixed income sleeve’s net assets
in intermediate and long-term debt obligations that are rated investment grade by the major ratings services, or, if unrated, considered to be of comparable quality by the Subadviser, and high-quality money market
instruments. Likewise, PGIM Fixed Income may invest up to 30% of the US fixed income sleeve’s assets in below investment-grade securities. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income may invest up to 20% of the assets in
collateralized debt obligations, including collateralized loan obligations (CDOs). PGIM Fixed Income may also invest up to 30% of the US fixed income sleeve’s assets in foreign debt securities. Depending on the
amount of its investment in below investment-grade securities, CDOs and foreign debt securities, the Portfolio’s risk profile may be lower or higher than peer funds that invest in such securities. PGIM Fixed
Income takes into account the effect of such investments on the Portfolio’s risk profile when choosing to invest in such securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
US fixed income segment, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down
economic analysis, PGIM Fixed Income develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic
analysis is integrated into PGIM Fixed Income’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom up research, PGIM Fixed Income develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating
and outlook is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
PGIM Fixed Income may also
consider factors such as yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. PGIM Fixed Income may also utilize proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value
trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to support risk management.
Hedged International Bond:
Developed Markets Sub-category and Emerging Markets Sub-category (PIMCO). The Hedged International Bond investment category contains a Developed Markets sub-category and an Emerging Markets
sub-category. PIMCO is responsible for allocating assets between the Developed Markets sub-category and the Emerging Markets sub-category. Emerging markets include those in countries defined as emerging or developing
by the World Bank. Remaining markets will be classified as developed markets. In general terms, a security will be considered to be an emerging market security if it is principally traded on the securities markets of
an emerging market country, or if the issuer thereof is organized or principally operates in an emerging market country, derives a majority of its income from its operations within an emerging market country, or has
the majority of its assets in an emerging market country.
Under normal circumstances, PIMCO
invests at least 80% of the net assets attributable to this investment category in fixed income instruments of issuers located outside the United States, representing at least three foreign countries, which may be
represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. Foreign currency exposure (from non-US dollar-denominated securities or currencies) normally will be limited to 20% of the
Portfolio's total assets directly managed by PIMCO in an effort to reduce the risk of loss due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
PIMCO selects the foreign country
and currency compositions for each sub-category based upon its evaluation of various factors, including, but not limited to, relative interest rates, exchange rates, monetary and fiscal policies, trade and current
account balances. The average portfolio duration normally varies within three years (plus or minus) of the index duration, as calculated by PIMCO. PIMCO may invest all of the assets attributable to this investment
category in non-investment grade fixed income securities, subject to a limit of investing no more than 15% of such total assets in securities rated below B by Moody's or by S&P, or Fitch, or, if unrated,
determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. Up to 10% of the total assets attributable to this investment category may be invested in preferred stock.
329
Description of Non-Traditional
Investment Categories and Sub-categories.
The investment categories and sub-categories for which PIMCO and PGIM Investments pursue non-traditional investment strategies include the following:
| ■ | Advanced Strategies |
| ■ | Commodities Real Return sub-category |
| ■ | Real Return sub-category |
| ■ | Real Estate Real Return sub-category |
| ■ | Advanced Strategies II |
Brief descriptions of the
investment strategies used by PIMCO and PGIM Investments are set forth below:
Advanced Strategies I:
The Advanced Strategies I investment category contains a Commodities Real Return sub-category, a Real Return sub-category, and a Real Estate Real Return sub-category. PGIM Investments
directs PIMCO on how to allocate assets among the Commodities Real Return sub-category, the Real Return sub-category, and the Real Estate Real Return sub-category based upon PGIM Investments’ own forward-looking
assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security valuation, and other factors.
The average portfolio duration for
securities held in this investment category normally varies within three years (plus or minus) of the real duration of the Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS Index. For these purposes, in calculating the average portfolio
duration for this investment category, PIMCO includes the real duration of inflation-indexed portfolio securities and the nominal duration of non-inflation-indexed portfolio securities. The assets attributable to this
investment category may be invested in a limited number of issuers. Up to 10% of the total assets attributable to this investment category may be invested in preferred stock.
Advanced Strategies I: Commodities
Real Return Sub-category (PIMCO).
Rather than invest directly in physical commodities, PIMCO employs an “enhanced-index” strategy for this sub-category. Specifically, PIMCO uses commodity-index-linked derivative
instruments, such as commodity swap agreements, with a goal of gaining 100% exposure to the investment return of the Dow Jones AIG Commodity Total Return Index, a widely followed measure of commodity prices. Assets
not invested in commodity-linked derivative instruments may be invested in inflation-indexed securities and other fixed income instruments, including derivative fixed income instruments. Inflation-indexed bonds offer
a return that is linked to changes in the rate of inflation. The Portfolio's investments in commodity-linked derivative instruments may subject the Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional
securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular
industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, acts of terrorism, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments.
Advanced Strategies I: Real Return
Sub-category (PIMCO).
This sub-category focuses primarily on investments in US Treasury Inflation Protected Securities. The top-down investment process used by PIMCO for this sub-category begins with its annual
secular forum where PIMCO develops a 3-5 year outlook for the global economy and interest rates. This analysis helps set the basic sub-category parameters, including duration, yield-curve positioning, sector
weightings, credit quality breakdown, and individual security selection. PIMCO focuses on duration management to manage yield curve exposure based on the firm's general investment outlook.
Advanced Strategies I: Real Estate
Real Return Sub-category (PIMCO).
Similar to the investment strategy for the Commodities Real Return sub-category, PIMCO employs an enhanced-index strategy for the Real Estate Real Return sub-category rather than invest
directly in REITs. Specifically, PIMCO uses REIT-index-linked derivative instruments, such as REIT swap agreements, with a goal of gaining 100% exposure to the investment return of the Dow Jones - Wilshire REIT Index,
a widely followed measure of REIT prices. Assets not invested in real estate-linked derivative instruments may be invested in inflation-indexed securities and other fixed income instruments, including derivative fixed
income instruments. As set forth above, inflation-indexed bonds offer a return that is linked to changes in the rate of inflation. PIMCO may invest assets attributable to this sub-category directly in REITs as
well.
330
Advanced Strategies II
(QMA).
Up to approximately 15% of the Portfolio's net assets may be allocated to the Advanced Strategies II investment category subadvised by QMA. Up to approximately 10% of the assets
attributable to this investment category may be used to take long and short positions in ETFs, exchange traded notes, various futures contracts and other publicly-traded securities. QMA will analyze the publicly
available holdings of the Advanced Strategies Portfolio and use a top-down approach to establish long and short tactical allocations among various components of the capital markets, including equities, fixed income,
and non-traditional assets. As such, this portion of the Advanced Strategies II investment category is intended to function as an overlay for the entire Portfolio. The remaining assets attributable to this investment
category may be allocated to: (i) index futures, other futures contracts, options, and swap agreements thereon to provide liquid exposure to their respective equity and fixed income benchmark indices and (ii) cash,
money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio
liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions and any variation margin calls with respect to the futures contracts.
The Portfolio has an investment
policy that prohibits the Portfolio from investing more than 10% of its total assets in other mutual funds, except that the Portfolio may invest, without regard to the 10% limit on mutual fund investments, in: (i)
money market funds and fixed income funds for cash management, defensive, temporary, or emergency purposes or for additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions and variation margin calls and (ii)
ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets.
The following paragraphs describe
some specific types of fixed income investments that the Portfolio may invest in, and some of the investment practices used by the Portfolio.
US Government Securities.
The Portfolio may invest in various types of US Government securities, including those that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; those that are supported by the
right of the issuing agency to borrow from the US Treasury; those that are supported by the discretionary authority of the US Government to purchase the agency's obligations; and still others that are supported only
by the credit of the instrumentality.
Corporate Debt Securities.
Corporate debt securities include corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar instruments, including convertible securities and preferred stock. Debt securities may be acquired
with warrants attached. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to exchange rates between the US dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. While a Subadviser may
regard some countries or companies as favorable investments, pure fixed income opportunities may be unattractive or limited due to insufficient supply or legal or technical restrictions. In such cases, the Portfolio
may consider equity securities or convertible bonds to gain exposure to such investments.
Variable and Floating Rate
Securities.
Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The interest rates on these securities are tied to other interest
rates, such as money-market indices or Treasury bill rates, and reset periodically. While these securities provide the Portfolio with a certain degree of protection against losses caused by rising interest rates, they
will cause the Portfolio's interest income to decline if market interest rates decline.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds.
Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The interest rate on these bonds is fixed at
issuance, and is generally lower than the interest rate on typical bonds. Over the life of the bond, however, this interest will be paid based on a principal value that has been adjusted for inflation. Repayment of
the adjusted principal upon maturity may be guaranteed, but the market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. The Portfolio may invest in inflation-indexed bonds that do not provide a repayment
guarantee. While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to losses.
331
Event-Linked Bonds.
Event-linked bonds are fixed income securities for which the return of principal and payment of interest is contingent upon the non-occurrence of a specific “trigger” event,
such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather related phenomenon. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as “catastrophe bonds.” If the trigger event occurs, the Portfolio may lose
all or a portion of the amount it invested in the bond. Event-linked bonds often provide for an extension of maturity to process and audit loss claims where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension
of maturity may increase volatility. Event-linked bonds may also expose the Portfolio to certain unanticipated risks including credit risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, and adverse tax
consequences. Event-linked bonds may also be subject to liquidity risk.
Mortgage-Related and Other
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Portfolio may invest in mortgage-backed and other asset backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations. The value of some mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities
in which the Portfolio invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in market interest rates.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements and
Dollar Rolls.
In addition to entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Portfolio may also enter into dollar rolls. In a dollar roll, the Portfolio sells mortgage-backed or other securities for
delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to purchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. The Portfolio forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities sold in a dollar
roll, but the Portfolio is compensated by the difference between the sales price and the lower price for the future purchase, as well as by any interest earned on the proceeds of the securities sold. The Portfolio
also could be compensated through the receipt of fee income. Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls can be viewed as collateralized borrowings and, like other borrowings, will tend to exaggerate fluctuations
in Portfolio's share price and may cause the Portfolio to need to sell portfolio securities at times when it would otherwise not wish to do so.
Short Sales and Short Sales
“Against the Box.”
The Portfolio may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the
Portfolio does not own declines in value. When the Portfolio makes a short sale, it borrows the security sold short and delivers it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. The Portfolio may have to
pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to turn over any payments received on such borrowed securities to the lender of the securities.
The Portfolio secures its
obligation to replace the borrowed security by depositing collateral with the broker-dealer, usually in cash, US Government securities or other liquid securities similar to those borrowed. With respect to the
uncovered short positions, the Portfolio is required to (1) deposit similar collateral with its custodian or otherwise segregate collateral on its records, to the extent that the value of the collateral in the
aggregate is at all times equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the security sold short, or (2) the Portfolio must otherwise cover its short position. Depending on arrangements made with the
broker-dealer from which the Portfolio borrowed the security, regarding payment over of any payments received by the Portfolio on such security, the Portfolio may not receive any payments (including interest) on its
collateral deposited with such broker-dealer. Because making short sales in securities that it does not own exposes the Portfolio to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative
exposure risk. As a result, if the Portfolio makes short sales in securities that increase in value, it will likely underperform similar mutual Portfolios that do not make short sales in securities they do not own.
The Portfolio will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Portfolio replaces the borrowed security. The Portfolio
will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at an acceptable price.
Although the Portfolio's gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is limited only by the maximum attainable price of the security, less the price at which the security was
sold and may, theoretically, be unlimited.
The Portfolio may also make short
sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box is a short sale in which the Portfolio owns an equal amount of the securities sold short, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, with or without payment of
any further consideration, such securities. However, if further consideration is required in connection with the conversion or exchange, cash or other liquid assets, in an amount equal to such consideration must be
segregated on a Portfolio's records or with its Custodian.
332
Derivative Instruments.
The Portfolio may purchase and write call and put options on securities, securities indices and on foreign currencies. The Portfolio may invest in interest rate futures contracts, stock
index futures contracts and foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon that are traded on US or foreign exchanges or boards of trade. The Portfolio may also enter into swap agreements with respect to
foreign currencies, interest rates and securities indices. The Portfolio may use these techniques to hedge against changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or securities prices or as part of its overall
investment strategy. The Portfolio's investments in swap agreements are described directly below.
Swap Agreements.
The Portfolio may enter into interest rate, index, total return, credit and currency exchange rate swap agreements for the purposes of attempting to obtain a desired return at a lower cost
than if the Portfolio had invested directly in an instrument that yielded the desired return. The Portfolio may also enter into options on swap agreements. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the
right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on
specified terms. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year.
In a standard “swap”
transaction, the two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular investments or instruments. The returns to be exchanged between the parties are
calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., a specified dollar amount that is hypothetically invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket”
of securities representing a particular index. Commonly used swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest
rates exceed a specified rate or “cap”; interest floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level
or “floor”; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum
levels.
The Portfolio may enter into
credit default swap agreements. The “buyer” in a credit default contract is obligated to pay the “seller” a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of
default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value, or “par value,” of the reference obligation in exchange for
the reference obligation. The Portfolio may be either the buyer or seller in a credit default swap transaction. If the Portfolio is a buyer and no event of default occurs, the Portfolio will lose its investment and
recover nothing.
However, if an event of default
occurs, the Portfolio (if the buyer) will receive the full notional value of the reference obligation that may have little or no value. As a seller, the Portfolio receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of
the contract, which typically is between six months and three years, provided that there is no default event. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the reference
obligation. Credit default swap transactions involve greater risks than if the Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly.
Under most swap agreements entered
into by the Portfolio, the parties' obligations are determined on a “net basis.” Consequently, the Portfolio's obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to a net amount
based on the relative values of the positions held by each party.
Whether the Portfolio's use of
swap agreements will be successful will depend on the Subadviser's ability to predict that certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Portfolio may not
receive the expected amount under a swap agreement if the other party to the agreement defaults or becomes bankrupt. The swaps market is relatively new and is largely unregulated.
For purposes of applying the
Portfolio’s investment policies and restrictions (as stated in the Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information) swap agreements are generally valued by the Portfolio at market value. In the case of a
credit default swap, however, in applying certain of the Portfolio’s investment policies and restrictions the Portfolio will value the credit default swap at its notional value or its full exposure value (i.e.,
the sum of the notional
333
amount for the contract plus the market value),
but may value the credit default swap at market value for purposes of applying certain of the Portfolios’ other investment policies and restrictions. For example, a Portfolio may value credit default swaps at
full exposure value for purposes of the Portfolio’s credit quality guidelines because such value reflects the Portfolio’s actual economic exposure during the term of the credit default swap agreement. In
this context, both the notional amount and the market value may be positive or negative depending on whether the Portfolio is selling or buying protection through the credit default swap. The manner in which certain
securities or other instruments are valued by the Portfolio for purposes of applying investment policies and restrictions may differ from the manner in which those investments are valued by other types of
investors.
Collateralized Debt
Obligations.
The Portfolio may invest in each of collateralized bond obligations (CBOs), collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), other collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and other similarly
structured securities. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below
investment grade fixed income securities. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and
subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans.
For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash
flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans
in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO trust or CLO trust
typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses
due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a
class.
The risks of an investment in a
CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Portfolio invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered
under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Portfolio as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule144A
transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus and the SAI (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks
including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or
default; (iii) the Portfolio may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with
the issuer or unexpected investment results.
AST AQR EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY
Portfolio
Investment
Objective: to seek long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment
Policies:
The Portfolio attempts to achieve its investment objective by both overweighting and underweighting securities, industries, countries, and currencies relative to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, using AQR's proprietary quantitative return forecasting models and systematic risk-control methods. The Portfolio invests in companies with a range of market capitalizations, possibly including small-cap companies.
The Portfolio attempts to achieve its investment objective by both overweighting and underweighting securities, industries, countries, and currencies relative to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, using AQR's proprietary quantitative return forecasting models and systematic risk-control methods. The Portfolio invests in companies with a range of market capitalizations, possibly including small-cap companies.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, securities
convertible into stocks, and depositary receipts for those securities, of issuers: (i) located in emerging market countries or (ii) included as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices.
334
AQR employs a disciplined approach
emphasizing both top-down country/currency allocation and bottom-up security selection decisions that include selection of individual stocks within industries as well as explicit industry/sector selection. This
approach is carried out through a systematic and quantitative investment process.
A quantitative investment process
is a systematic method of evaluating securities and other assets by analyzing a variety of data through the use of models—or systematic processes—to generate an investment opinion. AQR's models consider a
wide range of indicators—from traditional valuation and momentum indicators, and signals derived from macroeconomic fundamentals. These diverse sets of inputs, combined with AQR's proprietary portfolio
construction methodology, optimization process, and trading technology, are important elements in AQR's investment process. AQR's portfolio construction is motivated by fundamental economic insights and AQR believes a
systematic implementation of those ideas leads to a better long-term investment process.
AQR believes that a better
risk-adjusted return may be achievable by applying both value and momentum strategies simultaneously.
Value strategies
favor securities that appear cheap based on fundamental measures, possibly as a result of lack of favor. Examples of value strategies include using price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios for choosing individual
equities and countries.
Momentum strategies favor
securities with strong recent performance. Examples of momentum strategies include simple price momentum for choosing individual equities and countries, and foreign exchange rate momentum for selection currencies.
In addition to these two main
investment signals, AQR may use a number of additional quantitative signals based on AQR's proprietary research. Examples of such signals are evaluating the robustness of financial statements or the soundness of
balance sheets for individual companies, or evaluating economic growth and monetary policy for making investment decisions for aggregate equity markets or currencies.
AQR views the selection of
individual securities, countries, and currencies as three independent decisions. AQR may utilize depositary receipts, options, warrants, country index futures, equity swaps, index swaps, foreign currency forwards, and
other types of derivative instruments to implement its investment program. These instruments allow AQR to separate security, country, and currency investment decisions, and more efficiently manage their corresponding
risks. AQR intends to use some or all of these instruments at all times, in order to implement its investment strategy.
AQR's use of derivative
instruments in the Portfolio is intended to result in a more efficient means of gaining market exposure, expressing investment views, and managing risk exposures. AQR will not use derivative instruments to leverage
the Portfolio's net exposure to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
A change in the securities held by
the Portfolio is known as “portfolio turnover.” The Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of over 100%
annually. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance. If the Portfolio realizes capital gains when it sells investments, it generally must
pay those gains to shareholders, increasing its taxable distributions.
Additional Investments &
Strategies
The Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase the Portfolio's return or protect its assets if market conditions warrant:
The Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase the Portfolio's return or protect its assets if market conditions warrant:
| ■ | American Depositary Receipts |
| ■ | Convertible Securities |
| ■ | Credit Default Swaps |
| ■ | Derivatives |
| ■ | Equity Swaps |
335
| ■ | Exchange-Traded Funds |
| ■ | Foreign Currency Forward Contracts |
| ■ | Futures Contracts |
| ■ | Global Depositary Receipts |
| ■ | Interest Rate Swaps |
| ■ | Non-Voting Depositary Receipts |
| ■ | Options |
| ■ | Short Sales Against-the-Box |
| ■ | Swap Options |
| ■ | Swaps |
| ■ | Temporary Defensive Investments |
| ■ | Total Return Swaps |
AST AQR LARGE-CAP PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek long-term capital appreciation.
Investment Objective: to seek long-term capital appreciation.
Principal
Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of large-cap companies, including common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts, and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants, American Depositary Receipts and options to purchase common stock. For purposes of the Portfolio, a large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $2.56 billion and $914.52 billion as of February 28, 2018).
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of large-cap companies, including common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts, and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants, American Depositary Receipts and options to purchase common stock. For purposes of the Portfolio, a large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $2.56 billion and $914.52 billion as of February 28, 2018).
The Portfolio normally is managed
by both overweighting and underweighting securities relative to the S&P 500 Index, using proprietary quantitative return forecasting models and systematic risk-control methods. The Portfolio invests in securities
that are included in the S&P 500 Index and may be augmented with additional securities that are deemed to have similar characteristics. From this investment universe, the Portfolio utilizes a disciplined approach
that includes both selection of individual stocks within industries and explicit industry/sector selection. This approach is carried out through a systematic and quantitative investment process.
The Portfolio’s subadviser
utilizes a quantitative investment process. A quantitative investment process is a systematic method of evaluating securities and other assets by analyzing a variety of data through the use of models—or
systematic processes—to generate an investment opinion. The models consider a wide range of indicators—including traditional valuation and momentum indicators. These diverse sets of inputs, combined with a
proprietary portfolio construction methodology, optimization process, and trading technology, are important elements in the investment process. Portfolio construction is motivated by fundamental economic insights and
systematic implementation of those ideas leads to a better long-term investment process.
The Portfolio may invest in
financial futures contracts as an efficient means of gaining exposure to the S&P 500 Index. The Portfolio will not invest in financial futures contracts to leverage the Portfolio’s net exposure to the S&
P 500 Index.
A change in the securities held by
the Portfolio is known as “portfolio turnover.” The Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of over 70%-90%
annually. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance.
AST BLACKROCK GLOBAL STRATEGIES
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek high
total return consistent with a moderate level of risk.
336
Principal Investment Policies:
General.
The Portfolio is a global, multi asset-class fund that invests directly in, among other things, equity and equity-related securities, investment grade debt securities (including, without
limitation, US Treasuries and US government securities), junk bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and derivative instruments, including commodity-linked derivative
instruments. In seeking to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective, BlackRock causes the Portfolio’s assets to be allocated across several investment strategies. The strategies invest primarily
in equity securities, fixed income securities, and a global tactical asset allocation strategy (the GTAA strategy) that, under normal circumstances, provides exposure to the equity and fixed income asset classes along
with real estate-related and commodity-related investments. The GTAA strategy is used: (i) as a completion strategy to access and adjust exposures to various asset classes and underlying strategy
allocations and (ii) an overlay strategy to enhance the total return and manage portfolio risk at the aggregate level. Derivatives, ETFs, and cash securities may be used within the GTAA strategy. The
Portfolio allocates its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three countries).
Pursuant to an exemptive order
(Order) granted by the SEC, the Portfolio is permitted to invest in unaffiliated funds beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, subject to the conditions of the Order,
including that the Portfolio and the unaffiliated fund enter into a participation agreement stating, without limitation, that the respective Board and investment adviser understand the terms and conditions of the
Order and agree to fulfill their responsibilities under the Order.
Asset Allocation Ranges.
As set forth below, the Portfolio may gain exposure to the relevant asset classes directly through investments in securities or ETFs, or through the use of derivatives and other financial
instruments. The Portfolio's minimum, neutral, and maximum exposures to the relevant asset classes are set forth below.
| * | Notwithstanding the individual minimum exposures for the US Equity (i.e., 5%) and Non-US Equity (i.e., 5%) asset classes, the minimum combined exposure to equity investments is 30% of the Portfolio’s net assets. |
| ** | Notwithstanding the individual maximum exposures for the US Equity (i.e., 35%) and Non-US Equity (i.e., 30%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to equity investments is 50% of the Portfolio’s net assets. |
| *** | Notwithstanding the individual maximum exposures for the Investment Grade Bond (i.e., 40%) and Junk Bond (i.e., 25%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to fixed income investments is 55% of the Portfolio’s net assets. |
| **** | Notwithstanding the individual maximum exposures for the REIT (i.e., 20%) and Commodities (i.e., 15%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to the alternative investments is 30% of the Portfolio’s net assets. |
With respect to its equity
investments, the Portfolio may invest in ETFs or individual equity securities. The Portfolio or ETFs may invest in common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, non-convertible preferred
stock and depositary receipts. The Portfolio may invest in securities of both US and non-US issuers, including emerging markets, which can be US dollar-based or non-US dollar-based and may be currency hedged or
unhedged. The Portfolio may invest in securities of companies of any market capitalization.
337
With respect to its fixed income
investments, the Portfolio may invest in ETFs or individual fixed income securities. The Portfolio and the ETFs may invest in a portfolio of fixed income securities such as corporate bonds and notes, commercial and
residential mortgage-backed securities (bonds that are backed by a mortgage loan or pools of loans secured either by commercial property or residential mortgages, as applicable), inflation-protected bonds,
collateralized mortgage obligations (bonds that are backed by cash flows from pools of mortgages and may have multiple classes with different payment rights and protections), collateralized debt obligations,
asset-backed securities, convertible securities, debt obligations of governments and their sub-divisions (including those of non-US governments), other floating or variable rate obligations, municipal obligations and
zero coupon debt securities. The Portfolio and the ETFs may also invest a significant portion of their assets in non-investment grade bonds (junk bonds or distressed securities), non-investment grade bank loans,
foreign bonds (both US dollar- and non-US dollar-denominated) and bonds of emerging market issuers. The Portfolio and the ETFs may invest in non-US dollar-denominated bonds on a currency hedged or unhedged basis.
The Portfolio may invest in
derivatives, including, but not limited to, interest rate, total return and credit default swaps, indexed and inverse floating rate securities, options, futures, options on futures and swaps and foreign currency
transactions (including swaps), for hedging purposes, as well as to increase the return on its portfolio investments. The Portfolio may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by
entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The Portfolio may also use forward foreign currency exchange
contracts (obligations to buy or sell a currency at a set rate in the future) to hedge against movement in the value of non-US currencies.
The Portfolio may invest in US and
non-US REITs, structured products (including, but not limited to, structured notes, credit linked notes and participation notes, or other instruments evidencing interests in special purpose vehicles, trusts, or other
entities that hold or represent interests in fixed income securities) and floating rate securities (such as bank loans).
Global Tactical Asset
Allocation
. The Global Tactical Asset Allocation (GTAA) strategy employs a flexible investment approach across a diversified range of global asset classes such as equities, bonds, and real assets.
GTAA is used as a completion strategy to access and adjust exposures to various asset classes, in addition to the underlying strategy allocations. GTAA also serves as the overlay strategy to enhance the total return
and manage the portfolio risk at the aggregate level. Some leverage may be employed opportunistically to achieve both purposes. Derivatives, ETFs, and cash securities may be used within the GTAA strategy. In the
context of a mutual fund strategy, BlackRock expects that that the GTAA overlay will be deployed in a manner that is consistent with the leverage restrictions of the 1940 Act, as amended. The Portfolio’s
expected minimum, neutral, and maximum exposures to the GTAA strategy is also set forth below.
| Investment Strategy | Minimum Exposure | Neutral Exposure | Maximum Exposure |
| GTAA* | 10% | 30% | 50% |
| * | As set forth above, the GTAA investment strategy is used to provide exposure to the equity and fixed income asset classes as well as providing exposure to REITs and Commodities. |
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
AST BLACKROCK/LOOMIS SAYLES BOND
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek to maximize total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.
Investment Objective: to seek to maximize total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.
Principal Investment
Policies:
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income investments which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income investments which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements.
338
BlackRock Financial Management,
Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (collectively, BlackRock) is responsible for managing a portion of the Portfolio’s assets. BlackRock typically invests more than 90% of assets
in a diversified portfolio of fixed income securities. The fixed income securities in which BlackRock invests include: US Government debt securities, corporate debt securities issued by US and foreign companies,
asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, preferred securities issued by US and foreign companies, corporate debt securities and preferred securities convertible into common stock, foreign sovereign debt
instruments, and money market securities. BlackRock may also invest up to 5% of net assets in equity securities.
BlackRock invests primarily in
fixed income securities that are rated in the four highest rating categories by at least one of the recognized rating agencies (including Baa or better by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (Moody’s) or BBB or
better by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) or Fitch Ratings (Fitch)) or determined by BlackRock to be of similar quality. Securities rated in any of the four highest rating categories are known as
“investment grade” securities.
BlackRock may invest up to 30% of
net assets in securities of foreign issuers, of which 20% (as a percentage of net assets) may be in emerging markets issuers. Investments in US dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers, excluding issuers from
emerging markets, are permitted beyond the 30% limit. This means that BlackRock may invest in such US dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers without limit. BlackRock may invest in various types of
mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent the right to receive a portion of principal and/or interest payments made on a pool of residential or commercial mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed
securities frequently react differently to changes in interest rates than other fixed income securities. BlackRock may also enter into repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls.
BlackRock may
invest in fixed income securities of any duration or maturity. Fixed income securities frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Portfolio at certain times prior to
maturity at a specified price, which is generally the amount due at maturity. In many cases, when interest rates go down, issuers redeem fixed income securities that allow for redemption. When an issuer redeems fixed
income securities, the Portfolio may receive less than the market value of the securities prior to redemption. In addition, the Portfolio may have to invest the proceeds in new fixed income securities with lower
yields and therefore lose expected future income. The Portfolio may be subject to periods of short-term underperformance when compared to more aggressive fixed income funds due to BlackRock’s more tactical
approach to duration positioning.
BlackRock may use derivatives,
including, but not limited to, interest rate, total return and credit default swaps, indexed and inverse floating rate securities, options, futures, options on futures and swaps, for hedging purposes, as well as to
increase the return on its portfolio investments. Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is derived from another security or an index such as the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index or the CSFB High
Yield Index. BlackRock may also invest in credit-linked notes, credit-linked trust certificates, structured notes, or other instruments evidencing interests in special purpose vehicles, trusts, or other entities that
hold or represent interests in fixed income securities. BlackRock may invest in when issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments.
BlackRock may invest up to 20% of
net assets in fixed income securities that are rated below investment grade by at least one of the recognized rating agencies, including Moody’s, S&P or Fitch or determined by BlackRock to be securities of
similar credit quality. BlackRock may invest up to 15% of its net assets in CDOs, of which 10% (as a percentage of net assets) may be in CLOs. CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. CLOs are ordinarily issued by a
trust or other special purpose entity and are typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-US senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate
loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans, held by such issuer.
BlackRock may seek to provide
exposure to the investment returns of real assets that trade in the commodity markets through investment in commodity-linked derivative instruments and investment vehicles that exclusively invest in precious metals,
which are designed to provide this exposure without direct investment in physical commodities.
339
BlackRock may invest in other
investment companies, such as exchange-traded funds, unit investment trusts, and open-end and closed-end funds. BlackRock may invest up to 15% of net assets in illiquid securities that it cannot sell within seven days
at approximately current value. BlackRock may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the Portfolio
does not own declines in value. BlackRock will not make a short sale if, after giving effect to such sale, the market value of all securities sold short exceeds 10% of the value of total assets. BlackRock may also
make short sales “against-the-box” without regard to this restriction. In this type of short sale, at the time of the sale, the Portfolio owns or has the immediate and unconditional right to acquire the
identical security at no additional cost.
Loomis, Sayles
& Company, L.P. (Loomis Sayles) is also responsible for managing a portion of the Portfolio’s assets. Under normal market conditions, Loomis Sayles invests at least 80% of the portion of the
Portfolio’s assets that it manages in bonds, which include debt securities of any maturity. In addition, Loomis Sayles normally will invest primarily in investment grade securities. “Investment
grade” securities are those securities that are rated in one of the top four ratings categories at the time of purchase by at least one of the three major ratings agencies (Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
(Moody’s), Fitch Investors Services, Inc. (Fitch) or S&P Global Ratings (S&P)), or, if unrated, are determined by Loomis Sayles to be of comparable quality. For purposes of this restriction, investment
grade securities also include cash and cash equivalent securities. Loomis Sayles will generally seek to maintain an effective duration of +/- 2 years relative to the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index. Loomis
Sayles may also invest up to 20% of the Portfolio’s assets, at the time of purchase, in bonds rated below investment grade (i.e., none of the three major ratings agencies (Moody’s, Fitch or S&P) have
rated the securities in one of their top four ratings categories) (commonly known as “junk bonds”), or, if unrated, securities determined by Loomis Sayles to be of comparable quality, and up to 10% of the
Portfolio’s assets in non-US dollar-denominated securities. There is no minimum rating for the securities in which the Portfolio may invest. The Portfolio may also invest up to 5% of its net assets in equity
securities.
Investments may include securities
issued by US and non-US corporations and governments, securities issued by supranational entities, US government-sponsored agency debenture and pass-through securities and commercial mortgage-backed and other
asset-backed securities. The portfolio management team seeks to build and manage a portfolio that will perform well on a benchmark-relative and, secondarily, on an absolute basis in the market environment it
anticipates over the short to intermediate term. The primary factors for broad sector positioning are Loomis Sayles’ expected performance of sectors in the benchmark and the incremental performance or
diversification benefits the portfolio managers anticipate from opportunistic allocations to securities that are not included in the Portfolio’s benchmark. In addition, the portfolio managers will look at
individual security selection, position size and overall duration contribution to the Portfolio.
Purchase and sale considerations
also include overall portfolio yield, interest rate sensitivity across different maturities held, fixed income sector fundamentals and outlook, technical supply/demand factors, credit risk, cash flow variability,
security optionality and structure, as well as potential currency and liquidity risk. Loomis Sayles also considers economic factors. Individual securities are assessed on a risk/return basis, both on a
benchmark-relative and on an absolute return basis, and on their fit within the overall portfolio strategy. Specifically, Loomis Sayles follows a total return-oriented investment approach and considers broad sector
allocation, quality and liquidity bias, yield curve positioning and duration in selecting securities for the Portfolio. The portfolio managers consider economic and market conditions as well as issuer- specific data,
such as fixed-charge coverage, the relationship between cash flows and debt service obligations, the experience and perceived strength of management or security structure, price responsiveness of the security to
interest rate changes, earnings prospects, debt as a percentage of assets, borrowing requirements, debt maturity schedules and liquidation value.
In selecting investments, Loomis
Sayles research analysts and sector teams work closely with the portfolio managers to develop an outlook for the economy from research produced by various financial firms and specific forecasting services or from
economic data released by US and foreign governments, as well as the Federal Reserve Bank. The analysts conduct a thorough review of individual securities to identify what they consider attractive values in the high
quality bond market through the use of quantitative tools such as internal and external computer systems and
340
software. Loomis Sayles continuously monitors an
issuer’s creditworthiness or cash flow stability to assess whether the obligation remains an appropriate investment for the Portfolio. It may relax its emphasis on quality with respect to a given security if it
believes that the issuer’s financial outlook is promising. This may create an opportunity for higher returns. Loomis Sayles seeks to balance opportunities for yield and price performance by combining
macro-economic analysis with individual security selection. Portfolio holdings are generally diversified across sectors and industry groups such as utilities or telecommunications, which tend to move independently of
the ebbs and flows in economic growth.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
In connection with its principal
investment strategies, the Portfolio may also invest in securities issued pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933 (Rule 144A securities), structured notes, foreign securities, including those in emerging
markets, mortgage-related securities, including mortgage dollar rolls, futures and swaps (including credit default swaps). The Portfolio may use such derivatives for hedging or investment purposes. The Portfolio may
also engage in currency transactions. Loomis Sayles may elect not to hedge currency risk, which may cause the Portfolio to incur losses that would not have been incurred had the risk been hedged. Except as provided
above, the Portfolio is not limited in the percentage of its assets that it may invest in these instruments.
AST Blackrock low duration Bond
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management.
Principal Investment Policies:
The Portfolio
invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in debt securities.
The Portfolio invests primarily in
investment grade bonds and maintains an average portfolio duration that is between zero and three years. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in non-investment grade bonds (commonly called “high
yield” or “junk bonds”). The Portfolio may also invest up to 25% of its assets in assets of foreign issuers, of which 10% (as a percentage of the Portfolio’s assets) may be invested in emerging
markets issuers. Up to 10% of the Portfolio’s assets may be exposed to non-US currency risk. A bond of a foreign issuer, including an emerging market issuer, will not count toward the 10% limit on non-US
currency exposure if the bond is either (i) US dollar-denominated or (ii) non-US dollar denominated, but hedged back to US dollars.
The subadviser evaluates sectors
of the bond market and individual securities within these sectors. The subadviser selects bonds from several sectors including: US Treasuries and agency securities, commercial and residential mortgage-backed
securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), asset-backed securities and corporate bonds. The Portfolio may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit
default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The Portfolio may also use derivative instruments to hedge its investments or to seek to
enhance returns.
The Portfolio may seek to obtain
market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls).
The Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may invest in collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), including collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. CLOs are ordinarily issued by a trust or other special purpose entity and are typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-US senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans, held by such issuer.
The Portfolio may invest in collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), including collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. CLOs are ordinarily issued by a trust or other special purpose entity and are typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-US senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans, held by such issuer.
341
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery
Securities and Forward Commitments
— The Portfolio may invest in securities prior to their date of issue. The purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued basis or on a delayed delivery basis or through a forward
commitment involves the purchase or sale of securities by the Portfolio at an established price with payment and delivery taking place in the future. The Portfolio enters into these transactions to obtain what is
considered an advantageous price to the Portfolio at the time of entering into the transaction.
AST Target Maturity Portfolios
(each a Target Maturity Portfolio):
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2018 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2019 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2020 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2021 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2022 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2023 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2024 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2025 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
Investment Objectives: to seek the
highest total return for a specific period of time, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
AST Investment Grade Bond
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize total return, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies of the
Target Maturity Portfolios:
In pursuing its investment
objective, each Target Maturity Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all
debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by both government and non-government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics
that are similar to such debt securities and such fixed income securities.
Each Target
Maturity Portfolio is managed to mature in the year identified in its name in order to match the related liability under certain living benefit programs. As a result, each Target Maturity Portfolio's duration and
weighted average maturity is different. For example, the AST Bond Portfolio 2021 will have a longer duration and a longer weighted average maturity than the AST Bond Portfolio 2018, the AST Bond Portfolio 2019, and
the AST Bond Portfolio 2020. In addition, each Target Maturity Portfolio's duration and weighted average maturity will decline over time as the relevant maturity date approaches. To that end, the Subadviser expects to
maintain the duration of each Target Maturity Portfolio within +/– 0.50 years of the secondary benchmark index for that Target Maturity Portfolio. The primary benchmark index for AST Bond Portfolio 2027 and AST
Bond Portfolio 2028 is the Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index. The secondary benchmark index for AST Bond Portfolio 2027 is the Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2027) Zero Coupon Swaps Index. The
secondary benchmark index for AST Bond Portfolio 2028 is the Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity (2028) Zero Coupon Swaps Index. On or about a Target Maturity Portfolio's maturity date, all of the securities held by
that Target Maturity Portfolio will be sold and all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of that Target Maturity Portfolio will be redeemed. Proceeds from that redemption will be reallocated in accordance
with the procedures applicable to the contact owner's variable Contract.
342
The subadviser
currently intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A– or better for each Target Maturity Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for each Target Maturity Portfolio will be
based on ratings as of the date of purchase. In the event a Target Maturity Portfolio's overall credit quality drops below A– due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the Subadviser will take
appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and circumstances.
Investment Policies of the
Investment Grade Bond Portfolio:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in investment grade bonds. For purposes of this 80% policy, investment
grade bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, that are issued by both government and non-government issuers and rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global
Ratings, or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc, or the equivalent by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or if unrated, are considered by the Portfolio's
subadviser to be of comparable quality, and (ii) all derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to debt securities and fixed income securities with such ratings. All
references in this Prospectus to the ratings categories used for determining what constitutes an investment grade bond are without regard to gradations within those categories. The Subadviser currently intends to
maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A– or better for the Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the Portfolio will be based on ratings as of the date of purchase. In the
event the Portfolio's overall credit quality drops below A– due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, the Subadviser will take appropriate action based upon the relevant facts and circumstances.
Although the Investment Grade Bond
Portfolio may invest in individual bonds of any maturity, the Subadviser expects to maintain the Portfolio's duration within +/- 0.50 years of its primary benchmark index (i.e., the Bloomberg Barclays
Government/Credit 5-10 Year Index). As of March 31, 2018, the duration of the Bloomberg Barclays Government/Credit 5-10 Year Index was approximately 6.4 years.
Principal Investments of the
Portfolios:
General.
The subadviser has a team of fixed income professionals, including credit analysts and traders, with experience in many sectors of the US and foreign fixed income securities markets. The
subadviser will use qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate each bond issue considered for a Portfolio. In selecting portfolio securities for a Portfolio, the Subadviser will consider economic conditions and
interest rate fundamentals. The subadviser will also evaluate individual issues within each bond sector based upon their relative investment merit and will consider factors such as yield and potential for price
appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk.
In managing the Fund’s
assets, the subadviser uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down economic analysis, the
subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic analysis is integrated
into the subadviser’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based
on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
The subadviser may also consider
investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Fund may invest in a security based upon the expected total return
rather than the yield of such security.
The subadviser may also utilize
proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to support risk management.
Each Portfolio seeks to achieve
its investment objective by investing in a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds and other securities and instruments. To that end, each Portfolio emphasizes investments in several different types of securities
and financial instruments, including, without limitation: (i) US Government securities; (ii) certain debt
343
obligations issued or guaranteed by the US
Government and government-related entities, including mortgage-related securities; (iii) privately-issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities; (iv) debt obligations of US corporate issuers; and (v)
derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to these types of securities and obligations. Each Portfolio also may invest up to 50% of its total assets in US
dollar-denominated debt securities issued in the United States by certain foreign issuers (referred to herein as Yankee obligations).
US Government Securities.
US Government securities include debt obligations issued by the US Treasury. Treasury securities are all backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government, which means that payment
of interest and principal is guaranteed, but yield and market value are not. The Portfolios may also acquire US Government securities in the form of custodial receipts that show ownership of future interest payments,
principal payments or both on certain US Treasury notes or bonds. Such notes or bonds are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners. These custodial receipts are commonly referred to as Treasury
strips.
Other Debt Obligations Issued or
Guaranteed by the US Government and Government-Related Entities.
Securities issued by agencies of the US Government or instrumentalities of the US Government, including those which are guaranteed by Federal agencies or instrumentalities, may or may not
be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae), the Farmers Home Administration, the Export-Import Bank, and the Small
Business Administration are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or
Freddie Mac), the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the United States Postal Service are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. In the case of securities not backed by
the full faith and credit of the United States, a Portfolio generally must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the
United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. The yield and market value of these securities are not guaranteed by the US government or the relevant government sponsored
enterprise.
Most mortgage-backed securities
are issued by federal government agencies such as Ginnie Mae, or by government sponsored enterprises such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities issued by the
federal government and some Federal government agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, are guaranteed by the Federal government and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Mortgage-backed securities issued by
other government agencies or government sponsored enterprises, such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, are backed only by the credit of the government agency or enterprise and are not backed by the full faith and credit of
the United States. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are authorized to borrow from the US Treasury to meet their obligations. Although the US government has provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there can
be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored enterprises in the future.
Privately-Issued Mortgage-Related
and Asset-Backed Securities.
Each Portfolio may also invest in privately issued mortgage-related securities. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are issued by private corporations rather than government
agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not guaranteed by US governmental entities and generally have one or more types of credit enhancement to ensure timely
receipt of payments and to protect against default.
Mortgage-related securities are
usually pass-through instruments that pay investors a share of all interest and principal payments from an underlying pool of fixed or adjustable rate mortgages. Mortgage pass-through securities include collateralized
mortgage obligations, real estate mortgage investment conduits, multi-class pass-through securities, stripped mortgage-backed securities and balloon payment mortgage-backed securities. A CMO is a security backed by an
underlying portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities that may be issued or guaranteed by a bank or by US governmental entities. CMOs rely on assumptions about the timing of cash flows on the underlying
mortgages, including expected prepayment rates. The primary risk of a CMO is that these assumptions are wrong, which would either shorten or lengthen the bond's maturity. A REMIC is a security issued by a US
Government agency or private issuer and secured by real property. REMICs consist of classes of regular interest, some of which may be adjustable rate, and a single class of residual interests. None of the Portfolios
intends to invest in
344
residual interests. A multi-class pass-through
security is an equity interest in a trust composed of underlying mortgage assets. Payments of principal of and interest on the mortgage assets and any reinvestment income thereon provide funds to pay debt service on
the CMO or to make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through security. An MBS strip may be issued by US governmental entities or by private institutions. MBS strips take the pieces of a debt security
(principal and interest) and break them apart. The resulting securities may be sold separately and may perform differently. Each Portfolio may also invest in balloon payment mortgage-backed securities, which are
amortizing mortgage securities offering payments of principal and interest, the last payment of which is predominantly principal.
Asset-Backed Securities.
Asset-backed securities directly or indirectly represent a participation interest in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets such as motor
vehicle or credit card receivables. Payments of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with
the entities issuing the securities. Asset-backed securities may be classified as pass-through certificates or collateralized obligations.
Pass-through certificates are
asset-backed securities that represent an undivided fractional ownership interest in an underlying pool of assets. Pass-through certificates usually provide for payments of principal and interest to be passed through
to their holders, usually after deduction for certain costs and expenses incurred in administering the pool. Because pass-through certificates represent an ownership interest in the underlying assets, the holders
thereof bear directly the risk of any defaults by the obligors on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support.
Asset-backed securities issued in
the form of debt instruments, also known as CDOs and CLOs, are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Such assets are
most often trade, credit card or automobile receivables. The assets collateralizing such asset-backed securities are pledged to a trustee or custodian for the benefit of the holders thereof. Such issuers generally
hold no assets other than those underlying the asset-backed securities and any credit support provided. As a result, although payments on such asset-backed securities are obligations of the issuers, in the event of
defaults on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support, the issuing entities are unlikely to have sufficient assets to satisfy their obligations on the related asset-backed securities.
Corporate Debt Obligations.
Each Portfolio also may invest in the bonds of corporations. For purposes of this policy, the term “corporations” includes all non-government issuers. Corporate bonds are
subject to the risk of the issuer's inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligation and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as interest rate sensitivity, market perception
of the creditworthiness of the issuer, and general market liquidity. When interest rates rise, the value of corporate bonds can be expected to decline. Debt securities with longer maturities tend to be more sensitive
to interest rate movements than those with shorter maturities.
Derivative Strategies.
The Subadviser may use various derivative strategies to try to improve each Portfolio's investment returns. The Subadviser may also use hedging techniques to try to protect each Portfolio's
assets.
Junk Bonds.
Each Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its investable assets in non-investment grade bonds (also referred to herein as high-yield debt securities or junk bonds).
Other Investments and Strategies of
the Portfolios:
In addition to the principal
strategies, The Subadviser also may use the following investments and strategies to try to increase a Portfolio's returns or protect its assets if market conditions warrant.
Zero Coupon Bonds, Pay-In-Kind (PIK)
and Deferred Payment Securities.
Each Portfolio may invest in zero coupon bonds, pay-in-kind (PIK) or deferred payment securities. Zero coupon bonds do not pay interest during the life of the security. An investor
purchases the security at a price that is less than the amount the investor will receive when the borrower repays the amount borrowed (face value). PIK securities pay interest in the form of additional securities.
Deferred payment securities pay regular interest after a predetermined date. A Portfolio will record the amount these
345
securities rise in price each year (phantom
income) for accounting and federal income tax purposes, but does not receive income currently. Because each Portfolio generally distributes income to its shareholders each year, in certain circumstances, the Portfolio
may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous conditions or borrow to generate enough cash to distribute phantom income and the value of the paid-in-kind interest.
Short Sales.
Each Portfolio may make short sales of a security. Each Portfolio also may make short sales “against the box.”
Convertible Securities and Preferred
Stock.
Each Portfolio may invest in convertible securities, which include preferred stocks and debt securities of a corporation that may be converted into underlying shares of common stock either
because they have warrants attached or otherwise permit the holder to buy common stock of the corporation at a set price. Convertible securities provide an income stream (usually lower than non-convertible bonds) and
give investors opportunities to participate in the capital appreciation of the underlying common stock. Convertible securities typically offer greater potential for appreciation than nonconvertible debt securities.
Each Portfolio will sell common stock received upon conversion.
Repurchase Agreements.
Each Portfolio may use repurchase agreements, where a party agrees to sell a security to the Portfolio and then repurchases it at an agreed-upon price at a stated time.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements.
Each Portfolio may use reverse repurchase agreements, where the Portfolio sells a security with an obligation to repurchase it at an agreed-upon price and time, which constitutes a
borrowing.
Dollar Rolls.
Each Portfolio may enter into dollar rolls.
Bank Loans.
Each Portfolio may invest in bank loans. Bank loans include fixed and floating rate loans that are privately negotiated between a corporate borrower and one or more financial institutions,
including, but not limited to, term loans, revolvers, delayed draw loans, synthetic letters of credit, and other instruments issued in the bank loan market. Each Portfolio may acquire interests in loans directly (by
way of assignment from the selling institution) or indirectly (by way of the purchase of a participation interest from the selling institution). Under a bank loan assignment, a Portfolio generally will succeed to all
the rights and obligations of an assigning lending institution and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the relevant borrower in connection with that loan. Under a bank loan participation, the Portfolio
generally will have a contractual relationship only with the lender, not with the relevant borrower. As a result, a Portfolio generally will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to
which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the relevant borrower.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery
Securities.
Each Portfolio may purchase securities, including money market obligations or other obligations on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis.
Money Market Instruments.
Each Target Maturity Portfolio may invest in money market instruments, including commercial paper of a US or foreign company, foreign government securities, certificates of deposit,
bankers' acceptances, time deposits of domestic and foreign banks, and obligations issued or guaranteed by the US government or its agencies. These obligations may be US dollar-denominated or denominated in a foreign
currency.
Tracers and Trains.
Tradable Custodial Receipts or TRACERS represent an interest in a basket of investment grade corporate credits. Targeted Return Index Securities or TRAINS represent an interest in a basket
of high yield securities of varying credit quality. Interests in TRACERS and TRAINS provide a cost-effective alternative to purchasing individual issues.
Yankee Obligations.
Each Portfolio may invest up to 50% of its total assets in Yankee obligations. Yankee obligations are US dollar-denominated debt securities of foreign corporations issued in the United
States and US dollar-denominated debt securities issued or guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by governments, quasi-governmental entities, government agencies, and other governmental entities of
foreign countries and
346
supranational entities, which securities are
issued in the United States. Debt securities of quasi-governmental entities are issued by entities owned by either a national, state, or equivalent government or are obligations of a political unit that is not backed
by the national government's full faith and credit and general taxing powers.
Additional Strategies.
Each Target Maturity Portfolio follows certain policies when it borrows money (each Target Maturity Portfolio can borrow up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets); lends its securities to others (each Target Maturity Portfolio can lend up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets); and holds illiquid securities (each Target Maturity Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities with
legal or contractual restrictions on resale, those without a readily available market and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days). The Subadviser will seek to maintain an adequate level of
portfolio liquidity for each Target Maturity Portfolio, based on all relevant facts and circumstances, with consideration given to a Target Maturity Portfolio's exposure to illiquid securities in the event the market
value of such securities exceeds 15% of the Target Maturity Portfolio's net assets due to an increase in the aggregate value of its illiquid securities and/or a decline in the aggregate value of its other portfolio
securities. Each Target Maturity Portfolio is subject to certain other investment restrictions that are fundamental policies, which means they cannot be changed without shareholder approval. For more information about
these restrictions, please see the SAI.
AST CLEARBRIDGE dividend growth
Portfolio
Investment
Objective
:
to seek income, capital preservation, and capital appreciation.
Principal Investment
Policies:
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity or equity-related securities, which ClearBridge believes have the ability to increase dividends over the longer term. ClearBridge normally invests the Portfolio's assets primarily in equity securities. ClearBridge manages the Portfolio to provide exposure to companies that either pay an existing dividend or have the potential to pay and/or significantly grow their dividends. To do so, ClearBridge conducts fundamental research to screen for companies that have attractive dividend yields, a history and potential for positive dividend growth, strong balance sheets, and reasonable valuations. ClearBridge may invest the Portfolio's assets in US and foreign securities.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity or equity-related securities, which ClearBridge believes have the ability to increase dividends over the longer term. ClearBridge normally invests the Portfolio's assets primarily in equity securities. ClearBridge manages the Portfolio to provide exposure to companies that either pay an existing dividend or have the potential to pay and/or significantly grow their dividends. To do so, ClearBridge conducts fundamental research to screen for companies that have attractive dividend yields, a history and potential for positive dividend growth, strong balance sheets, and reasonable valuations. ClearBridge may invest the Portfolio's assets in US and foreign securities.
A change in the securities held by
the Portfolio is known as “portfolio turnover.” The Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of 30-40% annually.
Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance. If the Portfolio realizes capital gains when it sells investments, it generally must pay those
gains to shareholders, increasing its taxable distributions.
Additional Investments &
Strategies
The Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase the Portfolio's return or protect its assets if market conditions warrant:
The Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase the Portfolio's return or protect its assets if market conditions warrant:
| ■ | American Depositary Receipts |
| ■ | Convertible Debt and Convertible Preferred Stock |
| ■ | Foreign Securities |
| ■ | Derivatives |
| ■ | Exchange-Traded Funds |
| ■ | Foreign Currency Forward Contracts |
| ■ | Futures Contracts |
| ■ | Illiquid Securities |
| ■ | Options |
| ■ | Private Investments in Public Equity |
| ■ | Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) |
| ■ | Short Sales and Short Sales “Against the Box” |
| ■ | Temporary Defensive Investments |
347
| ■ | When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities |
AST Cohen & Steers Realty
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize total return through investment in real estate securities.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities of real estate related issuers.
The Portfolio pursues its
investment objective of maximizing total return by seeking, with approximately equal emphasis, capital growth and current income. Generally, the equity securities of real estate related issuers will consist of:
| ■ | common stocks (including shares in real estate investment trusts (REITs)), |
| ■ | rights or warrants to purchase common stocks, |
| ■ | securities convertible into common stocks where the conversion feature represents, in the Subadviser's view, a significant element of the securities' value, and |
| ■ | preferred stocks. |
Real estate related issuers
include companies that derive at least 50% of revenues from the ownership, construction, financing, management or sale of real estate or that have at least 50% of assets in real estate. The Portfolio may invest up to
10% of its total assets in securities of foreign real estate companies.
Real estate companies may include
REITs. REITs pool investors' funds for investment primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. REITs can generally be classified as Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. Equity
REITs, which invest the majority of their assets directly in real property, derive their income primarily from rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains or losses by selling properties. Mortgage REITs, which
invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages, derive their income primarily from interest payments.
The Portfolio will concentrate its
investments (i.e., invest at least 25% of its assets under normal circumstances) in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
Non-Diversified Status.
The Portfolio is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act, which means the Portfolio is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its
assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. However, the Portfolio intends to meet certain diversification standards under the Internal Revenue Code that must be met to relieve the Portfolio of
liability for Federal income tax if its earnings are distributed to shareholders. As a non-diversified fund, a price decline in any one of the Portfolio's holdings may have a greater effect on the Portfolio's value
than on the value of a fund that is more broadly diversified.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may write (sell) put
and covered call options and purchase put and call options on securities or stock indices that are listed on a national securities or commodities exchange. The Portfolio may buy and sell financial futures contracts,
stock and bond index futures contracts, foreign currency futures contracts and options on the foregoing. The Portfolio may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in connection with its investments in
foreign securities. The Subadviser expects that the Portfolio will use these techniques on a relatively infrequent basis.
AST Dynamic
Asset Allocation Portfolios: (Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios)
| ■ | AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio |
Investment Objective: to obtain the
highest potential total return consistent with the Portfolio's specified level of risk tolerance.
348
The investment objective and the
definition of risk tolerance level are not fundamental policies for any of the Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios and, therefore, can be changed by the Board of the Trust at any time. The current relative risk
tolerance level for each of the Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios may be summarized as set forth below:
Principal Investment Policies:
Each of the Dynamic Asset
Allocation Portfolios is a “fund of funds.” That means that each Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolio invests primarily in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. Other
mutual funds in which one of the Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the
Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios, other mutual funds may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Dynamic Asset Allocation
Portfolios. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios invest are other Portfolios of the Trust and certain money market funds or short-term bond funds advised by the
Manager or one of its affiliates.
Investment Process.
The asset allocation strategy for each Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolio is determined by PGIM Investments and QMA. As a general matter, QMA begins by constructing a neutral allocation
for each Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolio. Each neutral allocation initially divides the assets for the corresponding Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolio across three broad-based securities benchmark indexes. These
three benchmark indexes are the Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI EAFE Index, and the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index. The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the approximately 3000 largest US
companies based on total market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the US equity market. The MSCI EAFE Index consists of almost 1,000 stocks in 21 countries outside North and South America, and
represents approximately 85% of the total market capitalization in those countries. The Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index covers the US dollar-denominated, investment-grade, fixed-rate, taxable bond market of
securities that have at least 1-year until final maturity and that are registered with the SEC. This index generally includes US government securities, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, and
corporate securities but generally excludes municipal bonds, bonds with equity-type features (e.g., warrants, convertibility, etc.), private placements, floating-rate issues, and inflation-linked bonds. Generally, the
neutral allocation for the more aggressive Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios will emphasize investments in the equity asset class while the neutral allocation for the more conservative Dynamic Asset Allocation
Portfolios will emphasize investments in the debt/money market asset class. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for each Portfolio generally will be determined by PGIM Investments. PGIM
Investments will employ various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the neutral allocation for each Portfolio. QMA will
then perform its own forward-looking assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security valuation, and other factors. As a result of this assessment, QMA will further adjust the neutral allocation and the
preliminary Underlying Portfolio weights for each Portfolio based upon its views on certain factors, including, but not limited to, the following:
349
| ■ | asset class (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on equity or debt securities); |
| ■ | geographic focus (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on domestic or international issuers); |
| ■ | investment style (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on securities with value, growth, or core characteristics); |
| ■ | market capitalization (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on small-cap, mid-cap, or large-cap issuers); and; |
| ■ | “off-benchmark” factors (e.g., add exposure to asset sub-classes or investment categories generally not captured in the neutral allocation such as real estate, natural resources, global bonds, limited maturity bonds, high-yield bonds (also referred to as junk bonds), or cash. |
Generally, PGIM Investments and
QMA currently expect that the assets of the Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios will be invested as set forth in the table below.
PGIM Investments and QMA currently
expect that any changes to the asset allocation and Underlying Portfolio weights will be effected within the above-referenced ranges. Consistent with each Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolio's principal investment
policies, PGIM Investments and QMA may, however, change the asset allocation and Underlying Portfolio weights both within and beyond such above-referenced ranges at any time in their sole discretion. In addition, PGIM
Investments and QMA may, at any time in their sole discretion, rebalance a Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolio's investments to cause its composition to match the asset allocation and Underlying Portfolio weights.
Although PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve as the investment managers of the Underlying Portfolios, the day-to-day investment management of the Underlying Portfolios is the responsibility of the relevant
Subadvisers.
Other Investments.
The Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios are not limited to investing exclusively in shares of the Underlying Portfolios. Each of the Dynamic Asset Allocation Portfolios is now permitted
under current law to invest in “securities” as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act and SEC exemptive relief, these Portfolios (among others) may invest in “securities“ (e.g., common
stocks, bonds) and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swap agreements, and other financial and derivative instruments that are not ”securities“ within the meaning of the 1940 Act
(collectively, Other Investments).
Approximately 10% of AST Balanced
Asset Allocation Portfolio, 12% of AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio and 8% of AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio’s net assets will be allocated to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity
strategy will be invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the
applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements
for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity
strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
AST Fidelity
Institutional am
sm
QUANTITATIVE PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital growth balanced by current income.
350
Principal Investment Policies:
The Portfolio
allocates its assets across uniquely specialized investment strategies (collectively, the Investment Strategies). The Portfolio has Investment Strategies that invest primarily in equity securities, fixed income
strategies, and an Investment Strategy designed to provide liquidity (i.e., the Liquidity Sleeve). The actively managed Investment Strategies seek to add value through bottom-up security selection. The Portfolio
normally invests 65% of its assets in equity securities and 35% of its assets in fixed income securities depending on market conditions and the Portfolio’s capital market. The Portfolio also seeks to add value
through active allocation driven by the portfolio management team’s evolving secular, cyclical and tactical views of the markets. Depending on market conditions and the Portfolio Management Team’s capital
market outlook, equity allocations may range from 55-75% and fixed income allocations may range from 25-45%. The Portfolio is constructed using in-depth quantitative research and a diverse set of quantitative models,
supplemented by fundamental research. An integral part of the investment process is intensive risk management at two levels: (1) at the Portfolio level and (2) at the Investment Strategy level. The Subadviser reserves
the right to over-weight, underweight, or exclude certain Investment Strategies from the holdings of the Portfolio while maintaining exposures within broad asset class guidelines. The typical allocation among the
various asset classes is set forth below:
1.
Global Quantitative Equity:
Seeks to outperform the MSCI World Index (developed markets) on a risk-adjusted basis with an emphasis on downside protection. The Global Quantitative
Equity discipline employs a quantitative alpha source, derived systematically from proprietary analyst ratings, with quantitative risk management. Portfolio construction is determined by a quantitative investment
process that uses an optimizer to minimize portfolio expected risk given the alpha source, while dynamically adjusting risk exposures to countries, currencies, and industries.
2.
Quantitative Large Cap Core:
Seeks to outperform the S&P 500
®
Index while managing market, industry, and style bets. The Quantitative Large Cap Core discipline employs a
quantitative investment process. The process is based on a collection of proprietary computer programs, or models, that calculate expected return rankings based on variables such as earnings growth prospects,
valuation, and relative strength. Portfolio construction uses a traditional optimizer that maximizes expected return of the portfolio, while managing tracking error.
3.
Small Cap Core:
Seeks to outperform the Russell 2000 Index over a full market cycle by investing in a diversified portfolio of US small cap equities. The Small Cap Core strategy
capitalizes on FIAM and Fidelity’s extensive research capabilities by using rigorous fundamental research to identify the best investment opportunities. The portfolio is constructed to have similar
characteristics and sector weights relative to the benchmark, generating value-added primarily through stock selection.
4.
Select International:
Seeks to outperform the MSCI EAFE
®
(Net) Index while maintaining similar fundamental characteristics. The discipline combines quantitative risk control
with Fidelity’s fundamental research. The available investment universe is comprised of stocks in Japan, the United Kingdom, Europe ex UK, and Asia Pacific ex Japan rated attractive by Fidelity and FIAM
analysts. A quantitative model is then used to match the regional weights of the portfolio to the index.
351
5.
Select International Small Cap:
Seeks to outperform the S&P Developed ex US Small Cap Index. Like Select International, this strategy combines quantitative risk control with the
best ideas from Fidelity’s fundamental research platform. In this strategy, market risk is matched to the benchmark and stock selection is the dominant contributor to active returns.
6.
Emerging Markets Equity:
Seeks to provide excess returns relative to the MSCI Emerging Markets
®
Index (Net) while maintaining similar fundamental characteristics. The discipline is an innovative investment approach
that capitalizes on the subadviser’s fundamental research by combining stock selection with quantitative risk control.
7.
Intermediate Duration:
Seeks to outperform the Bloomberg Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit Bond
®
Index by investing in a full spectrum of investment-grade securities, with a focus on intermediate duration issues.
Sector valuation and individual security selection is emphasized, while managing duration in line with the index. Macroeconomic and top-down perspectives also play a role. The investment decision-making process is
implemented within a team framework. However, each account has a lead portfolio manager, who is responsible for all sector and security level decisions. Portfolios are constructed using in-depth quantitative research,
supplemented with fundamental analysis. Each day, proprietary quantitative models are applied to over 140,000 securities across the entire investment-grade universe, providing us with a comprehensive understanding of
risk and return characteristics in the government, credit, and structured sectors of the market.
8.
Long Duration:
Seeks to outperform the Bloomberg Barclays Long-Term Government/Credit Bond
®
Index by investing in a full spectrum of investment-grade securities, with a focus on long duration issues. An integral
part of the strategy is intensive quantitative risk management with a focus on limiting tracking error. The investment process emphasizes sector allocation and individual security selection, while managing duration in
line with the index. Macroeconomic and top-down perspectives also play a role. The investment decision-making process is very similar to that of the Intermediate Duration portfolio.
9.
Mortgage-Backed Securities:
Seeks to generate returns that exceed the Bloomberg Barclays Securitized Index through investments in investment grade fixed income securities, primarily
mortgage-related securities and other securitized debt instruments. An integral part of the strategy is intensive quantitative risk management with a focus on limiting tracking error.
10.
Investment Grade Credit:
Seeks to outperform the Bloomberg Barclays US Credit Bond
®
Index by investing in a full spectrum of US dollar–denominated investment-grade securities. An integral part of
the strategy is intensive risk management with a focus on low tracking error. The investment process emphasizes sector allocation and individual security selection, while managing duration in-line with the index.
Macroeconomic and top down perspectives also play a role. The investment decision-making process is very similar to that of the Intermediate Duration portfolio.
11.
Leveraged Loans:
The FIAM Leveraged Loan discipline seeks to outperform the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan index. It invests in corporate floating rate loans and seeks to exploit market
inefficiencies primarily via in-depth fundamental credit research on capital structure, covenants, collateral value, and the ability to monetize that collateral as necessary. Since these are floating rate instruments,
interest rate movements are less relevant to changes in performance. Rather, loan performance is primarily linked to the financial health and operating performance of the issuer. As such, the downside risk associated
with a loan investment makes it imperative to accurately assess the credit fundamentals and underlying collateral. The portfolio management team takes a bottom-up approach, focusing on understanding each position
relative to the benchmark in order to help minimize downside volatility, while also participating in up markets. Strong quantitative risk management controls are embedded in every aspect of the investment process.
Through the use of proprietary quantitative resources, the portfolio management team has real time measurements of all portfolio risk characteristics relative to the benchmark.
352
12.
Inflation-Protected Bonds:
Seeks to generate returns that match those of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. TIPS Index by investing primarily in 1-year to 30-year U.S. TIPS. The strategy
takes an indexing approach to portfolio management that (1) seeks to construct a portfolio that owns all the securities in the benchmark index at all times, and (2) seeks to own each security in such a way that its
percentage ownership (or weight) in the portfolio comes close to matching the weight of the security in the benchmark index.
13.
Liquidity Sleeve:
Liquidity Strategy. Approximately 10-15% of the Portfolio’s net assets may be allocated to: highly liquid cash bonds and derivative instruments, including but
not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to their respective equity and fixed income benchmark indices as well as cash, money market
equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy
large-scale redemptions and any variation margin calls with respect to the futures contracts. The Portfolio may also invest in ETFs, for additional exposure to relevant markets. Under normal circumstances, the assets
of the Portfolio are allocated across the domestic equity, international equity and fixed income asset classes.
AST GLOBAL REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek capital appreciation and income.
Investment Objective: to seek capital appreciation and income.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity-related securities of real estate companies. This means that the Portfolio
concentrates its investments (i.e., invests at least 25% of its assets under normal circumstances) in companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from the ownership, construction, financing, management or
sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate or companies that have at least 50% of their assets in these types of real estate-related areas.
The Portfolio invests in
equity-related securities of real estate companies on a global basis, which means that the companies may be US companies or foreign companies. There is no limit on the amount of assets that may be invested in the
securities of foreign real estate companies.
Investment Style.
The Portfolio's assets are managed by PGIM Real Estate, which is a business unit of PGIM, Inc. (PGIM). PGIM Real Estate’s approach to real estate investing is value-oriented based
upon real estate fundamentals and assessments of management teams. PGIM Real Estate emphasizes both quantitative and qualitative investment analysis, and focuses on valuation relative to a company's underlying real
estate assets as well as a company's on-going concern valuation. Through detailed company research that includes regular management visits, property tours and financial analysis, PGIM Real Estate analyzes the quality
of real estate asset cash flows and sustainability and growth of company dividends. PGIM Real Estate also evaluates the company's strategy, management's track record, incentives and ability to create long term
shareholder value. PGIM Real Estate believes it adds value by its understanding and analysis of private real estate markets. PGIM Real Estate estimates that nearly 95% of institutional quality commercial real estate
is not publicly-traded. PGIM Real Estate intends to invest the Portfolio's assets globally in real estate investments.
Real Estate Investment Trusts.
The Portfolio's investments in equity-related securities of real estate companies are primarily in real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs are like corporations, except that they do
not pay income taxes if they meet certain Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements. However, while REITs themselves do not pay income taxes, the distributions they make to investors are taxable. REITs invest
primarily in real estate (offices, hotels, shopping centers, apartments, malls, factories, etc.) or real estate mortgages and distribute almost all of their income—most of which comes from rents, mortgages and
gains on sales of property—to shareholders. The Portfolio may invest without limit in the securities of REITs.
353
Private Real Estate-Related
Investments.
The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in ownership interests in commercial real estate through investments in private real-estate. The Portfolio executes its strategy of
acquiring ownership interests in commercial real estate through investments in, for example, single member limited liability companies where the Portfolio is the sole member, joint ventures, other equity-linked
investments and mezzanine debt. The entity in which the Portfolio invests, such as a limited liability company or joint venture, may borrow to finance the purchase of real estate properties. For a limited liability
company where the Portfolio is the sole member, the borrowing is generally treated as borrowing by the Portfolio, which means that the borrowing will be from a bank and the borrowing will be counted toward the overall
limit on borrowing by the Portfolio. For certain joint ventures, such as where the joint venture partner other than the Portfolio has significant responsibility and authority, the borrowing may be treated as borrowing
by the joint venture alone and not by the Portfolio (provided that the lender does not have recourse to the Portfolio). Private real estate-related investments are treated as illiquid investments because they may
require a substantial length of time to be sold. As illiquid investments, they may be sold at a substantial discount from comparable investments that are liquid.
Derivative Strategies.
PGIM Real Estate may use various derivative strategies to try to improve the Portfolio's returns. PGIM Real Estate may also use hedging techniques to try to protect the Portfolio's assets.
The Portfolio cannot guarantee that these strategies and techniques will work, that the instruments necessary to implement these strategies and techniques will be available, or that the Portfolio will not lose
money.
Non-Real Estate Investments.
Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its investable assets in securities of issuers not in the real estate industry. These include equity-related securities
(i.e., securities that may be converted into or exchanged for common stock or the cash value of common stock, known as convertible securities), fixed income securities, US Government securities and money market
instruments.
Non-Diversified Status.
The Portfolio is classified as a ”non-diversified“ investment company under the 1940 Act, which means the Portfolio is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its
assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. However, the Portfolio intends to meet certain diversification standards under the Internal Revenue Code that must be met to relieve the Portfolio of
liability for Federal income tax if its earnings are distributed to shareholders. As a non-diversified fund, a price decline in any one of the Portfolio's holdings may have a greater effect on the Portfolio's value
than on the value of a fund that is more broadly diversified.
Additional Investments and
Strategies.
The Portfolio may also use the following investments and strategies: exchange-traded funds, initial public offerings, convertible securities and preferred stock, repurchase agreements,
reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, and when-issued and delayed-delivery securities. The Portfolio follows certain policies when it borrows money (the Portfolio can borrow up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets); lends its securities to others (the Portfolio can lend up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets); and holds illiquid securities (the Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities with legal or
contractual restrictions on resale, those without a readily available market and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days). The Portfolio is subject to certain other investment restrictions that
are fundamental policies, which means they cannot be changed without shareholder approval. For more information about these restrictions, please see the SAI.
AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap
Value Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term growth of capital.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in large capitalization companies. For these purposes, large capitalization
companies are those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index. As of February 28, 2018, the median market capitalization of the Russell 1000® Value Index was
approximately $9.51 billion and the largest company by capitalization was approximately $511.4 billion.
354
The size of the companies in the
Russell 1000
®
Value Index will change with market conditions. If the market capitalization of a company held by the Portfolio moves
outside the range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index, the Portfolio may, but is not required to, sell the securities.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objective by investing in value opportunities that the Portfolio's Subadviser defines as companies with identifiable competitive advantages whose intrinsic value is not reflected in the stock price.
The Portfolio's equity investment
process involves: (1) using multiple industry-specific valuation metrics to identify real economic value and company potential in stocks, screened by valuation, profitability and business characteristics; (2)
conducting in-depth company research and assessing overall business quality; and (3) buying those securities that a sector portfolio manager recommends, taking into account feedback from the rest of the portfolio
management team. The Subadviser may decide to sell a position for various reasons. Some of these reasons may include valuation and price considerations, when the Subadviser adjusts its outlook on the security based on
subsequent events, the Subadviser's ongoing assessment of the quality and effectiveness of management, if new investment ideas offer the potential for a better risk/reward profiles than existing holdings, or for risk
management purposes. In addition the Subadviser may sell a position in order to meet shareholder redemptions.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio invests
primarily in publicly-traded US securities, it may invest in foreign securities, including securities quoted in foreign currencies and emerging country securities, and securities of issuers in countries with emerging
markets or economies. The Portfolio may also invest in fixed income securities, such as government, corporate, and bank debt obligations.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
AST GOLDMAN SACHS MID-CAP
GROWTH PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term growth of capital.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in medium capitalization companies.
The Portfolio pursues its
objective by investing primarily in equity securities selected for their growth potential. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common
or preferred stocks. For purposes of the Portfolio, as previously noted, medium-sized companies are those whose market capitalizations (measured at the time of investment) fall within the range of companies in the
Russell Midcap® Growth Index. The Subadviser generally takes a ”bottom up“ approach to choosing investments for the Portfolio. In other words, the Subadviser seeks to identify individual companies
with earnings growth potential that may not be recognized by the market at large. The Subadviser makes this assessment by looking at companies one at a time, regardless of size, country of organization, place of
principal business activity, or other similar selection criteria.
The Portfolio generally intends to
purchase securities for long-term investment rather than short-term gains. However, short-term transactions may occur as the result of liquidity needs, securities having reached a desired price or yield, anticipated
changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time the investment was made. To a limited extent, the Portfolio may purchase
securities in anticipation of relatively short-term price gains. The Portfolio may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in
bond yields or securities prices.
355
Special Situations.
The Portfolio may invest in ”special situations.“ A ”special situation“ arises when, in the opinion of the Subadviser, the securities of a particular company will
be recognized and appreciate in value due to a specific development, such as a technological breakthrough, management change or new product at that company. Investment in ”special situations“ carries an
additional risk of loss in the event that the anticipated development does not occur or does not attract the expected attention.
Other Investments:
Although the Subadviser expects to
invest primarily in domestic and foreign equity securities, the Portfolio may also invest to a lesser degree in other types of securities, such as debt securities. Debt securities may include bonds rated below
investment grade (”junk“ bonds), mortgage and-asset backed securities and zero coupon, pay-in-kind and step coupon securities.
The Portfolio may make short sales
”against the box.“ In addition, the Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and engage in the following investment techniques:
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in foreign securities denominated in foreign currencies and not publicly traded in the United States. The Portfolio may invest
directly in foreign securities denominated in a foreign currency, or may invest through depositary receipts or passive foreign investment companies. Generally, the same criteria are used to select foreign securities
as domestic securities. Foreign securities are generally selected on a stock-by-stock basis without regard to any defined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors such as expected
levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions or geographic areas may warrant greater
consideration in selecting foreign securities. For more information on foreign securities and their risks, see this Prospectus under ”Principal Risks.“
AST GOLDMAN SACHS MULTI-ASSET
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek to
obtain a high level of total return consistent with its level of risk tolerance.
Principal Investment Policies
:
The Portfolio is a global asset allocation fund that pursues domestic and foreign equity and fixed income strategies emphasizing growth and emerging markets. Under normal circumstances, approximately 50% of the Portfolio’s total assets are expected to be invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 50% of its total assets are expected to be invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities. The specific allocation of assets among equity and fixed income asset classes will vary from time to time as determined by Goldman Sachs Asset Management LLC (GSAM), based on such factors as the relative attractiveness of various securities based on market valuations, growth and inflation prospects.
The Portfolio is a global asset allocation fund that pursues domestic and foreign equity and fixed income strategies emphasizing growth and emerging markets. Under normal circumstances, approximately 50% of the Portfolio’s total assets are expected to be invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 50% of its total assets are expected to be invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities. The specific allocation of assets among equity and fixed income asset classes will vary from time to time as determined by Goldman Sachs Asset Management LLC (GSAM), based on such factors as the relative attractiveness of various securities based on market valuations, growth and inflation prospects.
GSAM utilizes a variety of
different investment strategies in allocating the Portfolio’s assets across equity and fixed income investments. GSAM may change the strategies it uses for gaining exposure to these asset classes and may
reallocate the Portfolio’s assets among them from time to time at its sole discretion. There is no guarantee that these strategies will be successful.
The equity strategies GSAM may use
include, but are not limited to, a global intrinsic value strategy (a passive rules-based strategy investing in developed, growth, and emerging equity markets that aims to generate risk-adjusted returns that are
better than those of market capitalization weighted benchmarks), an international small cap equity strategy, passive replication of market indices for global developed large cap equity, a US small cap equity strategy
and a global real estate strategy. The fixed income strategies GSAM may use include, but are not limited to, actively managed US core fixed income, emerging markets debt and high yield strategies.
In addition, GSAM may implement
tactical investment views and/or a risk rebalancing and volatility management strategy from time to time. The instruments and/or vehicles used to implement these views will generally provide comparable exposure to the
asset classes and strategies listed below, and the exposure obtained through these views will be subject to the exposure parameters described below.
356
Asset Allocation Ranges
. Under normal circumstances, approximately 50% of the Portfolio’s net assets are expected to be invested to provide exposure to equity securities
and approximately 50% of its net assets are expected to be invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities. Depending on market conditions, such equity exposure may range between 40-60% of the Portfolio's net
assets and such fixed income exposure may range between 40-60% of its net assets, in each case assuming normal circumstances. Such exposures may be obtained through: (i) the purchase of “physical”
securities (e.g., common stocks, bonds); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., futures contracts, currency forwards, and equity index options); and (iii) investments in affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies,
including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). More specific information regarding the Portfolio’s minimum, neutral, and maximum exposures to various asset classes under normal circumstances is set forth below.
| Asset Class | Minimum Exposure | Neutral Exposure | Maximum Exposure |
| Equities | |||
| Global Intrinsic Value Equity | 20% | 30% | 40% |
| Global Developed Equity | 0% | 10% | 30% |
| US Small-Cap Equity | 0% | 6% | 10% |
| International Small-Cap Equity | 0% | 2% | 5% |
| Global Real Estate* | 0% | 2% | 5% |
| Total Equities | 40%** | 50% | 60%*** |
| Fixed Income | |||
| US Core Fixed Income | 36% | 46% | 56% |
| High Yield* | 0% | 2% | 5% |
| Global Emerging Market Local Debt* | 0% | 2% | 5% |
| Total Fixed Income | 40%**** | 50% | 60%***** |
* Notwithstanding
the individual maximum exposures for the Global Real Estate, High Yield, and Global Emerging Market Debt segments, the maximum combined exposure to these segments is 10% of the total Portfolio.
** Notwithstanding the minimum exposures for
the various individual equity segments, the minimum combined exposure to equity investments is 40% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
*** Notwithstanding the maximum
exposures for the various individual equity segments, the maximum combined exposure to equity investments is 60% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
**** Notwithstanding the minimum
exposures for the various individual fixed income segments, the minimum combined exposure to fixed income investments is 40% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
***** Notwithstanding the maximum
exposures for the various individual fixed income segments, the maximum combined exposure to fixed income investments is 60% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap
Value Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of equity investments issued by small
capitalization companies.
The Portfolio seeks its objective,
under normal circumstances, through investments primarily in equity securities of small capitalization companies that are believed to be undervalued in the marketplace. Typically, in choosing stocks, the Subadviser
looks for companies using the Subadviser's value investment philosophy. The Subadviser seeks to identify well-positioned businesses that have attractive returns on capital, sustainable earnings and cash flow, and
strong company management focused on long-term returns to shareholders as well as attractive valuation opportunities where the intrinsic value is not reflected in the stock price.
357
Small capitalization companies are
defined as companies within the market capitalization range of the Russell 2000
®
Value Index. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in foreign securities including assets in emerging
countries or assets quoted in foreign currencies.
Price and Prospects.
All successful investing should thoughtfully weigh two important attributes of a stock: price and prospects. Since most value managers tend to focus almost exclusively on price, they often
underestimate the importance of prospects. The Subadviser believes a company's prospective ability to generate high cash flow and returns on capital will strongly influence investment success.
Uncertainty creates
opportunity.
Some stock price declines truly reflect a permanently disadvantaged business model. These stocks are the “value traps” that mire price-oriented investors. Other stock price
declines merely reflect near-term market volatility. Through its proprietary research and strong valuation discipline, the subadviser seeks to purchase well-positioned, cash generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented managements at a price low enough to provide a healthy margin of safety.
Avoiding “value
traps.”
The Subadviser believes the key to successful investing in the small cap value space is to avoid the “losers” or “value traps.” Academic studies have shown that
small cap value has historically outperformed other asset classes, but with higher volatility and less liquidity. By focusing on stock selection within sectors and avoiding the “losers,” the Subadviser
believes it can participate in the long-term performance of small cap value with less risk than other managers.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may engage in various
portfolio strategies to reduce certain risks of its investments and to enhance income, but not for speculation. The Portfolio may purchase and write (sell) put and covered call options on equity securities or stock
indices that are traded on national securities exchanges. The Portfolio may purchase and sell stock index futures for certain hedging and risk management purposes. New financial products and risk management techniques
continue to be developed and the Portfolio may use these new investments and techniques to the extent consistent with its investment objective and policies.
The Portfolio may invest up to 25%
of its total assets (at the time of investment) in securities (of the type described above) that are primarily traded in foreign countries. The Portfolio may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in
connection with its investments in foreign securities. The Portfolio also may purchase foreign currency put options and write foreign currency call options on US exchanges or US over-the-counter markets. The Portfolio
may write a call option on a foreign currency only in conjunction with a purchase of a put option on that currency.
The Portfolio also may invest in
preferred stocks and bonds that either have attached warrants or are convertible into common stocks.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in foreign securities (including emerging market securities) denominated in foreign currencies and not publicly traded in the United
States. The Portfolio may invest directly in foreign securities denominated in a foreign currency, or may invest through depositary receipts or passive foreign investment companies. Generally, the same criteria are
used to select foreign securities as domestic securities. Foreign securities are generally selected on a stock-by-stock basis without regard to any defined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However,
certain factors such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions or
geographic areas may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities.
AST GOVERNMENT Money Market
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek high
current income and maintain high levels of liquidity.
358
Principal Investment Policies:
The Portfolio invests at least
99.5% of its total assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized with cash or government securities. Government securities include US Treasury bills, notes, and
other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the US Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. The Portfolio has a policy to invest under normal conditions 80% of its net assets in
government securities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized by government securities.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the Subadviser uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down economic analysis, the
Subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic analysis is integrated
into the Subadviser’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom up research, the Subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based
on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
The Subadviser may also consider
factors such as yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Subadviser may also utilize proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and
asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to support risk management.
The Portfolio seeks to maintain a
stable net asset value of $1.00 per share. In other words, the Portfolio attempts to operate so that shareholders do not lose any of the principal amount they invest in the Portfolio. Of course, there can be no
assurance that the Portfolio will achieve its goal of a stable net asset value, and shares of the Portfolio are neither insured nor guaranteed by the US government or any other entity. For instance, the issuer or
guarantor of a portfolio security or the other party to a contract could default on its obligation, and this could cause the Portfolio's net asset value per share to fall below $1.00. In addition, the income earned by
the Portfolio will fluctuate based on market conditions, interest rates and other factors.
The Portfolio is managed in
compliance with regulations applicable to government money market mutual funds, specifically, Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act). The Portfolio will not acquire any security with a remaining
maturity exceeding 397 calendar days (as defined by Rule 2a-7 or securities otherwise permitted to be purchased because of maturity shortening provisions under applicable regulations). The Portfolio is required to
hold at least 10% of its total assets in “daily liquid assets” and at least 30% of its total assets in “weekly liquid assets.” Daily liquid assets include cash (including demand deposits),
direct obligations of the US Government and securities (including repurchase agreements) that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one business day. Weekly liquid
assets include cash (including demand deposits), direct obligations of the US Government, US Government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less, and securities (including repurchase
agreements) that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days.
The Portfolio will (i) maintain a
dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of 60 calendar days or less and (ii) a dollar-weighted average life (portfolio maturity measured without reference to any maturity shortening provisions) of 120 calendar days
or less.
The Portfolio will comply with the
diversification, quality and other requirements of Rule 2a-7. This means that the money market instruments purchased by the Portfolio are limited to securities that the subadviser has determined present minimal credit
risks to the Portfolio, based on an analysis of the capacity of the security's issue or guarantor to meet its financial obligations. In addition, a security, at the time of purchase by the Portfolio, must have been
determined by the subadviser to present minimal credit risk. If, after purchase, the credit quality of an instrument deteriorates, the Portfolio’s subadviser or the Board of Trustees (the Board) (where required
by applicable regulations) will decide whether the instrument should be held or sold. All portfolio instruments purchased by the Portfolio will be denominated in US dollars.
359
As a “government money
market fund” under Rule 2a-7, the Portfolio (1) uses the amortized cost method of valuation to seek to maintain a $1.00 share price, and (2) at the election of the Board, is not subject to a liquidity fee and/or
a redemption gate on redemptions which might apply to other types of money market funds in the future should certain triggering events specified in Rule 2a-7 occur. However, the Board reserves the right, with notice
to shareholders, to change the policy with respect to liquidity fees and/or redemption gates, thereby permitting the Portfolio to impose such fees and gates in the future.
United States Government
Obligations.
The Portfolio will invest in obligations of the US Government and its agencies and instrumentalities directly. Such obligations may also serve as collateral for repurchase agreements. US
Government obligations include: (i) direct obligations issued by the United States Treasury such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds; and (ii) instruments issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored agencies acting
under authority of Congress. Some US Government obligations are supported by the full faith and credit of the US Treasury; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others are
supported by the discretionary authority of the US Government to purchase the agency's obligations; still others are supported only by the credit of the agency. There is no assurance that the US Government will
provide financial support to one of its agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law.
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Portfolio may invest in asset-backed securities backed by assets such as credit card receivables, automobile loans, manufactured housing loans, corporate receivables, and home equity
loans in accordance with industry limits based upon the underlying collateral. The Portfolio may invest in certain government supported asset-backed notes in reliance on no-action relief issued by the SEC that such
securities may be considered as government securities for purposes of compliance with the diversification requirements under Rule 2a-7.
Demand Features.
The Portfolio may purchase securities that include demand features, which allow the Portfolio to demand repayment of a debt obligation before the obligation is due or
“matures.” This means that longer-term securities can be purchased because of the expectation that the Portfolio can demand repayment of the obligation at a set price within a relatively short period of
time, in compliance with the Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, as amended.
Floating Rate and Variable Rate
Securities.
The Portfolio may purchase floating rate and variable rate securities. These securities pay interest at rates that change periodically to reflect changes in market interest rates. Because
these securities adjust the interest they pay, they may be beneficial when interest rates are rising because of the additional return the Portfolio will receive, and they may be detrimental when interest rates are
falling because of the reduction in interest payments to the Portfolio.
Voluntary Yield Support.
In a low interest rate environment, the yield for the Portfolio, after deduction of operating expenses, may be negative even though the yield before deducting such expenses is positive. A
negative yield may also cause the Portfolio's net asset value per share to fall below $1.00. PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. may decide to reimburse certain of these expenses to the Portfolio in
order to maintain a positive yield, however they are under no obligation to do so and may cease doing so at any time without prior notice.
AST High Yield Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek maximum
total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.
Principal Investment Policies:
The assets of the Portfolio are
independently managed by J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. (J.P. Morgan) and PGIM Fixed Income under a multi-manager structure. Pursuant to the multi-manager structure, the Manager determines and allocates a
portion of the Portfolio's assets to each of PGIM Fixed Income and J.P. Morgan. PGIM Fixed Income is responsible for managing approximately 60% of the Portfolio's net assets, and J.P. Morgan is responsible for
managing the remaining 40% of the Portfolio's net assets. These allocations, however, are reviewed by the Manager periodically and may be altered or adjusted by the Manager without prior notice. Such adjustments will
be reflected in the annual update to the Prospectus.
360
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in non-investment grade high-yield fixed income investments, which may be
represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. Non-investment grade securities are securities rated Ba or lower by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. or equivalently rated
by S&P Global Ratings or Fitch Ratings, or, if unrated, determined by the relevant Subadviser to be of comparable quality.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down economic analysis, the
subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic analysis is integrated
into the subadviser’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom-up research, PGIM Fixed Income develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined
based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
PGIM Fixed Income may also
consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Portfolio may invest in a security based upon the
expected total return rather than the yield of such security.
PGIM Fixed Income may also utilize
proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to support risk management.
The Portfolio may invest in all
types of fixed income securities. The Portfolio invests in non-investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as ''junk bonds'') that are considered predominantly speculative by traditional investment
standards. Non-investment grade fixed income securities and unrated securities of comparable credit quality are subject to the increased risk of an issuer's inability to meet principal and interest payment
obligations. These securities may be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as specific corporate or municipal developments, interest rate sensitivity, negative perceptions of the junk bond markets
generally and less secondary market liquidity.
The Portfolio may purchase the
securities of issuers that are in default. The Portfolio may engage in short sales. The Portfolio may invest in common stocks, warrants, rights, and other equity securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its
total assets in preferred stock. The Portfolio may invest up to 30% of its total assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies and may invest beyond this limit in US dollar-denominated securities of foreign
issuers. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market countries.
PGIM Fixed Income
may invest up to 20% of the sleeve of assets managed by PGIM Fixed Income in collateralized debt obligations. Depending on the amount of its investment in CDOs, the Portfolio’s risk profile may be lower or
higher than peer funds that invest in such securities. PGIM Fixed Income takes into account the effect of such investments on the Portfolio’s risk profile when choosing to invest in CDOs.
To the extent the Portfolio
invests in sovereign debt obligations, the Portfolio will be subject to the risk that the issuer of the sovereign debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling
to repay the principal or interest when due. There are also risks associated with the general political and social environment of a country. These factors may include among other things government instability, poor
socioeconomic conditions, corruption, lack of law and order, lack of democratic accountability, poor quality of the bureaucracy, internal and external conflict, and religious and ethnic tensions. High political risk
can impede the economic welfare of a country. The risks associated with the general economic environment of a country can encompass, among other things, low quality and growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
high inflation or deflation, high government deficits as a percentage of GDP, weak financial sector, overvalued exchange rate, and high current account deficits as a percentage of GDP. The risk factors associated with
the inability of a country to pay
361
its external debt obligations in the immediate
future may include but are not limited to high foreign debt as a percentage of GDP, high foreign debt service as a percentage of exports, low foreign exchange reserves as a percentage of short-term debt or exports,
and an unsustainable exchange rate structure.
The Portfolio may invest in all
types of fixed income securities. The following paragraphs describe some of the specific types of fixed income investments that the Portfolio may invest in, and some of the specific investment practices that the
Portfolio will engage in.
Corporate Debt Securities.
Corporate debt securities include corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar instruments, including convertible securities and preferred stock. Debt securities may be acquired
with warrants attached. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to exchange rates between the US dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.
Derivative Instruments.
The Portfolio may purchase and write call and put options on securities, securities indices and on foreign currencies. The Portfolio may invest in interest rate futures contracts, stock
index futures contracts and foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon that are traded on US or foreign exchanges or boards of trade. The Portfolio may also enter into swap agreements with respect to
foreign currencies, interest rates and securities indices. The Portfolio may use these techniques to hedge against changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or securities prices or as part of its overall
investment strategy. The Portfolio's investments in swap agreements are described directly below.
Swap Agreements.
The Portfolio may enter into interest rate, index, total return, credit and currency exchange rate swap agreements for the purposes of attempting to obtain a desired return at a lower cost
than if the Portfolio had invested directly in an instrument that yielded the desired return. The Portfolio may also enter into options on swap agreements. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the
right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on
specified terms. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, the
two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular investments or instruments. The returns to be exchanged between the parties are calculated with respect
to a “notional amount,” i.e., a specified dollar amount that is hypothetically invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of securities
representing a particular index. Commonly used swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed
a specified rate or “cap”; interest floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level or
“floor”; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum
levels.
The Portfolio may enter into
credit default swap agreements. The “buyer” in a credit default contract is obligated to pay the “seller” a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of
default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value, or “par value,” of the reference obligation in exchange for
the reference obligation. The Portfolio may be either the buyer or seller in a credit default swap transaction. If the Portfolio is a buyer and no event of default occurs, the Portfolio will lose its investment and
recover nothing. However, if an event of default occurs, the Portfolio (if the buyer) will receive the full notional value of the reference obligation that may have little or no value. As a seller, the Portfolio
receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, which typically is between six months and five years, provided that there is no default event. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay
the buyer the full notional value of the reference obligation. Credit default swap transactions involve greater risks than if the Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly.
362
Under most swap agreements entered
into by the Portfolio, the parties' obligations are determined on a “net basis.” Consequently, the Portfolio's obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to a net amount
based on the relative values of the positions held by each party.
Whether the Portfolio's use of
swap agreements will be successful will depend on the Subadviser's ability to predict that certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Portfolio may not
receive the expected amount under a swap agreement if the other party to the agreement defaults or becomes bankrupt. The swaps market is relatively new and is largely unregulated.
For purposes of applying the
Portfolio's investment policies and restrictions (as stated in the Prospectus and the SAI) swap agreements are generally valued by the Portfolio at market value. In the case of a credit default swap sold by the
Portfolio (i.e., where the Portfolio is selling credit default protection), however, the High Yield Portfolio will generally value the swap at its notional amount. The manner in which certain securities or other
instruments are valued by the Portfolio for purposes of applying investment policies and restrictions may differ from the manner in which those investments are valued by other types of investors.
Collateralized Debt
Obligations.
The Portfolio may invest in collateralized debt obligations CDOs, which includes collateralized bond obligations CBOs, collateralized loan obligations CLOs and other similarly structured
securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. A CLO is a trust typically
collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below
investment grade or equivalent unrated loans.
For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash
flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans
in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO trust or CLO trust
typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses
due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a
class.
The risks of an investment in a
CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the High Yield Portfolio invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not
registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Portfolio as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for
Rule144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus and the SAI (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional
risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in
value or default; (iii) the Portfolio may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce
disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.
Bank Loans.
The Portfolio may invest in bank loans, including below investment grade bank loans (which are often referred to as leveraged loans). Bank loans include fixed and floating rate loans that
are privately negotiated between a corporate borrower and one or more financial institutions, including, but not limited to, term loans, revolvers, delayed draw loans, synthetic letters of credit, and other
instruments issued in the bank loan market. The Portfolio may acquire interests in loans directly (by way of assignment from the selling institution) or indirectly (by way of the purchase of a participation interest
from the selling institution). Under a bank loan assignment, the Portfolio generally will succeed to all the rights and obligations of an assigning lending institution and becomes a lender under the loan agreement
with the relevant borrower in connection with that loan. Under a bank loan participation, the Portfolio
363
generally will have a contractual relationship
only with the lender, not with the relevant borrower. As a result, the Portfolio generally will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender
selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the relevant borrower.
Variable and Floating Rate
Securities.
Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The interest rates on these securities are tied to other interest
rates, such as money-market indices or Treasury bill rates, and reset periodically. While these securities provide the Portfolio with a certain degree of protection against losses caused by rising interest rates, they
will cause the Portfolio's interest income to decline if market interest rates decline.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds.
Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The interest rate on these bonds is fixed at
issuance, and is generally lower than the interest rate on typical bonds. Over the life of the bond, however, this interest will be paid based on a principal value that has been adjusted for inflation. Repayment of
the adjusted principal upon maturity may be guaranteed, but the market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. The Portfolio may invest in inflation-indexed bonds that do not provide a repayment
guarantee. While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to losses.
Event-Linked Bonds.
Event-linked bonds are fixed income securities for which the return of principal and payment of interest is contingent upon the non-occurrence of a specific “trigger” event,
such as a hurricane or other physical or weather-related phenomenon. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as “catastrophe bonds.” If the trigger event occurs, the Portfolio may lose all or a
portion of the amount it invested in the bond. Event-linked bonds often provide for an extension of maturity to process and audit loss claims where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of
maturity may increase volatility. Event-linked bonds may also expose the Portfolio to certain unanticipated risks including credit risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, and adverse tax
consequences. Event-linked bonds may also be subject to liquidity risk.
Mortgage-Related and Other
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Portfolio may invest all of its assets in mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations. The value of some mortgage-backed and
asset-backed securities in which the Portfolio invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in market interest rates.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements and
Dollar Rolls.
In addition to entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Portfolio may also enter into dollar rolls. In a dollar roll, the Portfolio sells mortgage-backed or other securities for
delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to purchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. The Portfolio forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities sold in a dollar
roll, but the Portfolio is compensated by the difference between the sales price and the lower price for the future purchase, as well as by any interest earned on the proceeds of the securities sold. The Portfolio
also could be compensated through the receipt of fee income. Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls can be viewed as collateralized borrowings and, like other borrowings, will tend to exaggerate fluctuations
in Portfolio's share price and may cause the Portfolio to need to sell portfolio securities at times when it would otherwise not wish to do so.
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 30% of its total assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies and may invest beyond this limit in US dollar-denominated securities of foreign
issuers. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets in securities of issuers based in developing countries (as determined by the relevant Subadviser). The Portfolio may buy and sell foreign currency
futures contracts and options on foreign currencies and foreign currency futures contracts, and enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts for the purpose of hedging currency exchange risks arising from
the Portfolio's investment or anticipated investment in securities denominated in foreign currencies. The Portfolio may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to
a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.
364
Short Sales and Short Sales
“Against the Box.”
The Portfolio may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the Portfolio
does not own declines in value. When the Portfolio makes a short sale, it borrows the security sold short and delivers it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. The Portfolio may have to pay a fee
to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to turn over any payments received on such borrowed securities to the lender of the securities.
The Portfolio secures its
obligation to replace the borrowed security by depositing collateral with the broker-dealer, usually in cash, US Government securities or other liquid securities similar to those borrowed. With respect to the
uncovered short positions, the Portfolio is required to (i) deposit similar collateral with its custodian or otherwise segregate collateral on its records, to the extent that the value of the collateral in the
aggregate is at all times equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the security sold short, or (ii) the Portfolio must otherwise cover its short position. No more than 25% of the Portfolio's net assets
may be used as collateral or segregated for purposes of securing a short sale obligation. Depending on arrangements made with the broker-dealer from which the Portfolio borrowed the security, regarding payment over of
any payments received by the Portfolio on such security, the Portfolio may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral deposited with such broker-dealer. Because making short sales in securities
that it does not own exposes the Portfolio to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative exposure risk. As a result, if the Portfolio makes short sales in securities that increase
in value, it will likely underperform similar mutual funds that do not make short sales in securities they do not own. The Portfolio will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases
between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Portfolio replaces the borrowed security. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited, although for fixed income securities an interest rate
of 0% forms an effective limit on how high a securities' price would be expected to rise. The Portfolio will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The Portfolio's gain is limited to the
price at which it sold the security short. No assurance can be given that the Portfolio will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. To that end, the third party to
the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may also make short
sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box is a short sale in which the Portfolio owns an equal amount of the securities sold short, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, with or without payment of
any further consideration, such securities. However, if further consideration is required in connection with the conversion or exchange, cash or other liquid assets, in an amount equal to such consideration must be
segregated on the Portfolio's records or with the Trust’s Custodian.
Illiquid or Restricted
Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. An illiquid security is one that may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven
days at approximately the price used to determine the Portfolio's net asset value. Illiquid securities include, but are not limited to, certain securities sold in private placements with restrictions on resale and not
traded, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, and other investment determined not to be readily marketable. The 15% limit is applied as of the date the Portfolio purchases an illiquid security. It is
possible that the Portfolio's holding of illiquid securities could exceed the 15% limit for example as a result of market developments (e.g., an increase in the value of the Portfolio's illiquid holdings and/or a
decrease in the value of the Portfolio's liquid holdings) or redemptions.
The Portfolio may purchase certain
restricted securities that can be resold to institutional investors and which may be determined to be liquid pursuant to the procedures of the Portfolios. In many cases, those securities are traded in the
institutional market under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933. Securities determined to be liquid under these procedures are not subject to the above-described 15% limit.
US Government Securities.
The Portfolio may invest in various types of US Government securities, including those that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; those that are supported by the
right of the issuing agency to borrow from the US Treasury; those that are supported by the discretionary authority of the US Government to purchase the agency's obligations; and still others that are supported only
by the credit of the instrumentality.
365
Municipal Securities.
The Portfolio may, from time to time, invest in municipal bonds including general obligation and revenue bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its faith,
credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest, whereas revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the
proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. The Portfolio may also invest in municipal notes including tax, revenue and bond anticipation notes which are issued to obtain funds for various public
purposes. Municipal securities include notes and bonds issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities and the
District of Columbia, the interest on which is generally eligible for exclusion from federal income tax and, in certain instances, applicable state or local income and personal property taxes. Such securities are
traded primarily in the over-the-counter market.
AST HOTCHKIS & WILEY
Large-Cap Value Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek current
income and long-term growth of income, as well as capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities of large capitalization companies. This policy is a non-fundamental
policy. Large capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index. Some of these securities may be acquired in initial public offerings (IPOs). In addition to these
principal investments, the Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its total assets in foreign securities.
The Portfolio invests primarily in
stock and other equity securities and normally focuses on stocks that have a high cash dividend or payout yield relative to the market. Payout yield is defined as dividend yield plus net share repurchases. The
Subadviser also may invest in stocks that don't pay dividends, but have growth potential unrecognized by the market or changes in business or management that indicate growth potential.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
AST International Growth
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term growth of capital.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of issuers that are economically
tied to countries other than the United States. Equity and equity-related securities include, but are not limited to, common stocks, securities convertible or exchangeable for common stock or the cash value of common
stock, preferred stocks, warrants and rights that can be exercised to obtain stock, investments in various types of business ventures including partnerships and business development companies, investments in other
mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and income and royalty trusts, structured securities including participation notes (P-Notes), structured notes (S-Notes)
and low exercise price warrants (LEPWs) or other similar securities and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and other similar receipts or shares, in both listed and unlisted form.
The Portfolio has the flexibility
to invest on a worldwide basis in companies and organizations of any size, regardless of country of organization or place of principal business activity. The Portfolio normally invests primarily in securities of
issuers from at least five different countries, which may include countries with emerging markets, excluding the United States. Although the Portfolio intends to invest at least 80% of its assets in the securities of
issuers located outside the United States, it may at times invest in US issuers and it may at times invest all of its assets in fewer than five countries or even a single country.
366
The assets of the Portfolio are
independently managed by three Subadvisers under a multi-manager structure. Pursuant to the multi-manager structure, the Manager determines and allocates a portion of the Portfolio's assets to each of the Subadvisers.
The allocations will be reviewed by the Manager periodically and may be altered or adjusted by the Manager without prior notice. Such adjustments will be reflected in the annual update to this prospectus.
Although each Subadviser follows
the Portfolio's policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its assets in securities of issuers that are economically tied to countries other than the United States, each Subadviser
expects to utilize different investment strategies to achieve the Portfolio's investment objective of long-term growth of capital. The current asset allocations and principal investment strategies for each of the
Subadvisers are summarized below.
William Blair.
In deciding which stocks to purchase for the Portfolio, William Blair looks for growth companies that have both strong fundamentals and appear to be attractively valued relative to their
growth potential. William Blair uses a bottom-up approach in selecting securities for the Portfolio, which means that they select stocks based on individual company research, rather than allocating by country or
sector. In researching which stocks to buy, William Blair looks at a company’s basic financial and operational characteristics and compares the company’s stock price to the price of stocks of other
companies that are its competitors, absolute historic valuation levels for that company’s stock, its earnings growth and the price of existing portfolio holdings. Another important part of William Blair’s
research process is
to have regular contact with management
of the companies that they
purchase in order to confirm earnings expectations and to assess management’s ability to meet its stated goals. Although the Portfolio may invest in companies of all sizes, it
typically focuses on large and medium sized
companies.
Generally, William Blair looks for
companies that have one or more of the following characteristics: actual and potential growth in earnings and cash flow; actual and improving profitability; strong balance sheets; management strength; and strong
market share for the company’s products.
In addition, William Blair looks
for companies whose securities appear to be attractively valued relative to: each company’s peer group; absolute historic valuations; and existing holdings of the Portfolio. Generally, they consider selling a
security when there is an identifiable change in a company’s fundamentals or when expectations of future earnings growth become fully reflected in the price of that security.
NBIA.
In picking stocks, NBIA looks for what they believe to be well-managed and profitable companies that show growth potential and whose stock prices are undervalued. Factors in identifying
these firms may include strong fundamentals, such as attractive cash flows and balance sheets, as well as prices that are reasonable in light of projected returns. NBIA also considers the outlooks for various
countries and sectors around the world, examining economic, market, social, and political conditions. NBIA follows a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a stock when it reaches a target price, if a
company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.
Jennison
. Jennison's investment strategy is based on rigorous internal fundamental research and a highly interactive investment process. Jennison uses a bottom-up approach to stock selection. This
means that Jennison's investment team selects securities on a company-by-company basis using fundamental analysis to identify companies with some or all of the following: projected high long-term earnings growth,
positive earnings revision trends, strong or improving revenue growth, high or improving returns on equity and invested capital, and sufficient trading liquidity.
Jennison's investment team may
consider companies that have sources of attractive growth that take many forms, including disruptive (or game-changing) technologies, products, or services; new product cycles or market expansion; inflection points in
industry growth; best-of-breed leadership in particular niches, believed to have sustainable competitive advantages; and restructuring synergies.
367
Jennison also considers the
competitive landscape, including a company's current market share and positioning relative to competitors; potential to increase market share; degree of industry concentration; ability to benefit from economies of
scale; pricing power; exposure to regulation; technology relative to competitors; distribution costs relative to competitors; and patent protections.
Jennison likewise assesses a
company's ability to execute its business strategy—factors considered may include the company's financial flexibility, capital resources, and the quality of its management.
Along with attractive fundamental
characteristics, Jennison also looks for companies with appropriate valuations.
Jennison's investment strategy is
not limited by specific industry, sector or geographic requirements or limits. As such, sector and industry weightings are incidental to Jennison's bottom-up stock selection process.
Jennison may reduce or eliminate a
position in a security from the portion of the Portfolio that it manages under circumstances that the investment team believes appropriate, including in the event of an unfavorable change in fundamentals such as a
weakening financial or competitive position or a significant change in management or governance issues, an increase in a stock's volatility exposure or for other reasons.
Special Situations.
The Portfolio may invest in “special situations” from time to time. A special situation arises when, in the opinion of a Subadviser, the securities of a particular issuer will
be recognized and increase in value due to a specific development with respect to that issuer. Developments creating a special situation might include a new product or process, a technological breakthrough, a
management change or other extraordinary corporate event, or differences in market supply of and demand for the security. Investment in special situations may carry an additional risk of loss in the event that the
anticipated development does not occur or does not attract the expected attention.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may invest to a
lesser degree in debt securities, including bonds rated below investment grade (“junk” bonds), mortgage and asset-backed securities and zero coupon, pay-in-kind and step coupon securities (securities that
do not, or may not under certain circumstances, make regular interest payments).
The Portfolio may make short sales
“against the box.” In addition, the Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and engage in the following investment techniques:
Short Sales and Short Sales
“Against the Box.”
The Portfolio may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the
Portfolio does not own declines in value. When the Portfolio makes a short sale, it borrows the security sold short and delivers it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. The Portfolio may have to
pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to turn over any payments received on such borrowed securities to the lender of the securities.
The Portfolio secures its
obligation to replace the borrowed security by depositing collateral with the broker-dealer, usually in cash, US Government securities or other liquid securities similar to those borrowed. With respect to the
uncovered short positions, the Portfolio is required to (i) deposit similar collateral with its custodian or otherwise segregate collateral on its records, to the extent that the value of the collateral in the
aggregate is at all times equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the security sold short, or (ii) the Portfolio must otherwise cover its short position. No more than 25% of the Portfolio's net assets
may be used as collateral or segregated for purposes of securing a short sale obligation. Depending on arrangements made with the broker-dealer from which the Portfolio borrowed the security, regarding payment over of
any payments received by the Portfolio on such security, the Portfolio may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral deposited with such broker-dealer. Because making short sales in securities
that it does not own exposes the Portfolio to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative exposure risk. As a result, if the Portfolio makes short sales in securities that increase
in value, it will likely underperform similar mutual funds that do not make short sales in securities they do not own. The Portfolio will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases
between the
368
date of the short sale and the date on which the
Portfolio replaces the borrowed security. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited, although for fixed income securities an interest rate of 0% forms an effective limit on how high a securities'
price would be expected to rise. The Portfolio will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The Portfolio's gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short. No assurance
can be given that the Portfolio will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. To that end, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms,
causing a loss to the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may also make short
sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box is a short sale in which the Portfolio owns an equal amount of the securities sold short, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, with or without payment of
any further consideration, such securities. However, if further consideration is required in connection with the conversion or exchange, cash or other liquid assets, in an amount equal to such consideration must be
segregated on the Portfolio's records or with the Trust’s Custodian.
Futures, Options and Other
Derivative Instruments
. The Portfolio may enter into futures contracts on securities, financial indices and foreign currencies and options on such contracts and may invest in options on securities, financial
indices and foreign currencies, forward contracts and interest rate swaps and swap-related products (collectively derivative instruments). Other types of derivatives in which the Portfolio may invest include
participation notes (P-notes) or Low Exercise Price Warrants (LEPWs) or similar instruments as a way to access certain non-US markets. These instruments are derivative securities which provide investors with economic
exposure to an individual stock, basket of stocks or equity.
The Portfolio intends to use most
derivative instruments primarily to hedge the value of its portfolio against potential adverse movements in securities prices, foreign currency markets or interest rates. To a limited extent, the Portfolio may also
use derivative instruments for non-hedging purposes such as seeking to increase income. The Portfolio may also use a variety of currency hedging techniques, including forward currency contracts, to manage exchange
rate risk with respect to investments exposed to foreign currency fluctuations.
Index/Structured Securities.
The Portfolio may invest in indexed/structured securities, which typically are short-to intermediate-term debt securities whose value at maturity or interest rate is linked to currencies,
interest rates, equity securities, indices, commodity prices or other financial indicators. Such securities may offer growth potential because of anticipated changes in interest rates, credit standing, currency
relationships or other factors
This Portfolio is
co-managed by William Blair, NBIA and Jennison. As of December 31, 2017, William Blair is responsible for managing approximately 34.5% of the Portfolio’s assets, NBIA is responsible for managing approximately
34% of the Portfolio’s assets, and Jennison is responsible for managing approximately 31.5% of the Portfolio’s assets.
AST International Value
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek capital
growth.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities. Equity securities include common stocks, securities convertible
into common stocks and securities having common characteristics or other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stocks such as rights, warrants or options to purchase common stock, preferred stock,
convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds, convertible debentures, convertible notes, depository receipts, futures contracts and swaps. Some of these securities may be acquired in Initial Public Offerings
(IPOs).
To achieve its investment
objective, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its net assets in the equity securities of foreign companies in at least three different countries, without limit as to the amount of Portfolio assets that may be
invested in any single country. A company is considered to be a foreign company if it satisfies at least one of the following criteria:
| ■ | securities are traded principally on stock exchanges in one or more foreign countries; |
369
| ■ | derives 50% or more of its total revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed in one or more foreign countries; |
| ■ | maintains 50% or more of its assets in one or more foreign countries; |
| ■ | is organized under the laws of a foreign country; or |
| ■ | principal executive office is located in a foreign country. |
The Portfolio may invest anywhere
in the world, including North America, Western Europe, the United Kingdom and the Pacific Basin. The companies in which the Portfolio invests may be of any size.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
The assets of the Portfolio are
independently managed by two Subadvisers under a multi-manager structure. Pursuant to the multi-manager structure, the Manager determines and allocates a portion of the Portfolio's assets to each of the Subadvisers.
The allocations will be reviewed by the Manager periodically and the allocations may be altered or adjusted by the Manager without prior notice. Such adjustments will be reflected in the annual update to this
prospectus.
Although each Subadviser follows
the Portfolio's policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its assets in equity securities, each Subadviser expects to utilize different investment strategies to achieve the
Portfolio's investment objective. The current asset allocations and principal investment strategies for each of the Subadvisers are summarized below.
LSV.
LSV uses a proprietary quantitative investment model to manage the Portfolio in a bottom-up security selection approach combined with overall portfolio risk management. The primary
components of the investment model is: 1) indicators of fundamental undervaluation, such as high dividend yield, low price-to-cash flow ratio or low price-to-earnings ratio, 2) indicators of past negative market
sentiment, such as poor past stock price performance, 3) indicators of recent momentum, such as high recent stock price performance, and 4) control of incremental risk relative to the benchmark index. All such
indicators are measured relative to the overall universe of non-US, developed market equities. This investment strategy can be described as a “contrarian value” approach. The objective of the strategy is
to outperform the unhedged US Dollar total return (net of foreign dividend withholding taxes) of the MSCI EAFE Index. The Portfolio may invest in equity securities from any of the countries comprising the MSCI EAFE
Index.
The Portfolio will typically hold
at least 100 stocks and LSV will generally align its portion of the Portfolio's country weightings with those of the MSCI EAFE Index. LSV intends to keep its portion of the Portfolio's assets as fully invested in
non-US equities as practicable at all times, except as needed to accommodate the Portfolio's liquidity needs.
Lazard.
Lazard invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of non-US companies with market capitalizations generally greater than $2 billion that Lazard believes are
undervalued based on their earnings, cash flow or asset values. In choosing stocks for the Portfolio, Lazard looks for established companies in economically developed countries and may invest in securities of
companies that are domiciled in or whose principal business activities are located in emerging market countries.
Lazard believes that stock returns
over time are driven by the sustainability and direction of financial productivity, balanced by valuation. However, Lazard believes that financial markets will sometimes evaluate these factors inefficiently,
presenting investment opportunities in three key ways:
1. Highly financially productive
companies can sustain or improve returns on existing and incremental capital for longer than investors appreciate.
370
2. Investors often misprice
structural change. Positive and negative structural changes within companies and industries which lead to improving or declining financial productivity are often under appreciated by investors. These changes often
have a material and under-appreciated impact on the intrinsic value of a company.
3. Investors' shorter term focus
on news flow can result in significant mispricing of a security because typically a company’s intrinsic value fluctuates much less than the share price.
To take advantage of these
structural inefficiencies, Lazard portfolio manager/analysts and sector specialists collaborate on detailed fundamental analysis that are rooted in developing unique sources of insight and integrating knowledge across
regions, sectors and asset classes.
Other Investments:
Options, Financial Futures and Other
Derivatives.
The Portfolio may deal in options on securities and securities indices, which options may be listed for trading on a national securities exchange or traded over-the-counter. Options
transactions may be used to pursue the Portfolio's investment objective and also to hedge against currency and market risks, but are not intended for speculation. The Portfolio may engage in financial futures
transactions on commodities exchanges or boards of trade in an attempt to hedge against market risks.
In addition to options and
financial futures, the Portfolio may invest in a broad array of other “derivative” instruments, including forward currency transactions and swaps in an effort to manage investment risk, to increase or
decrease exposure to an asset class or benchmark (as a hedge or to enhance return), or to create an investment position indirectly. The types of derivatives and techniques used by the Portfolio may change over time as
new derivatives and strategies are developed or as regulatory changes occur.
As of December
31, 2017, LSV was responsible for managing approximately 61.7% of the Portfolio's assets, and Lazard was responsible for managing approximately 38.3% of the Portfolio's assets.
AST J.P. MORGAN GLOBAL THEMATIC
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek capital appreciation consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
Investment Objective: to seek capital appreciation consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
Principal Investment
Policies:
The Portfolio is a multi asset-class fund that invests directly in, among other things, equity and equity-related securities, investment grade debt securities, high yield or “junk” bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), convertibles, underlying portfolios, and various types of derivative instruments. The Portfolio allocates its assets among various regions and countries throughout the world, including the United States. The Portfolio uses various investment strategies and a global tactical asset allocation strategy.
The Portfolio is a multi asset-class fund that invests directly in, among other things, equity and equity-related securities, investment grade debt securities, high yield or “junk” bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), convertibles, underlying portfolios, and various types of derivative instruments. The Portfolio allocates its assets among various regions and countries throughout the world, including the United States. The Portfolio uses various investment strategies and a global tactical asset allocation strategy.
Under normal
circumstances, approximately 65% of the Portfolio's net assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 35% of its net assets will be invested to provide exposure to fixed income
securities. Depending on market conditions, such equity exposure may range between 55-75% of the Portfolio's net assets and such fixed income exposure may range between 25-45% of its net assets. Such exposures may be
obtained through: (i) the purchase of “physical” securities (e.g., common stocks, bonds, etc.); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., option and futures contracts on indices, securities, and commodities,
currency forwards, etc.); and (iii) the purchase of underlying ETFs. In implementing its asset allocation strategy the portfolio allocates assets to various underlying investment sleeves or implementation vehicles. In
the case of core fixed income, all cash and securities that are held in a core fixed income sleeve or vehicle are considered a part of that sleeve’s or vehicle’s assigned asset class. More specific
information regarding the Portfolio's minimum, neutral, and maximum exposures to various asset classes under normal circumstances is set forth below. Depending on the allocation of assets, the Portfolio may at times
temporarily underperform more optimistic peers during a strong equity rally.
| Asset Class |
Minimum
Exposure |
Neutral
Exposure |
Maximum
Exposure |
| Equities |
371
| Asset Class |
Minimum
Exposure |
Neutral
Exposure |
Maximum
Exposure |
| US Equity | 24.50% | - | 50.50% |
| REITs | 0.50% | - | 8.50% |
| Developed International Equity | 2.0% | - | 22.0% |
| Emerging International Equity | 0.0% | - | 14.0% |
| Global Convertibles | 0.0% | - | 8.0% |
| Total Equities & Global Convertibles | 55% | 65% | 75% |
| Fixed Income | |||
| US Core Fixed Income | 20.0% | - | 40.0% |
| US High Yield | 0.0% | - | 11.0% |
| Emerging Markets Debt | 0.0% | - | 6.0% |
| Total Fixed Income * | 25% | 35% | 45% |
* Fixed income futures
may also be utilized for duration management and are not considered to have a notional market value and therefore are not included within the above ranges.
| Sub-Asset Class |
Minimum
Exposure |
Maximum
Exposure |
| Total Non-US Assets | 12.0% | 35.0% |
| Total REITs & Emerging International Equity | 2.0% | 20.0% |
| Total US High Yield & US Small-Cap Equity excluding REITs and Global Convertibles | 0.0%* | 16.0% |
*The minimum exposure
applies to physical securities only. By using derivatives in small-cap equity, the minimum exposure may fall below 0%.
The Portfolio
also allocates approximately 10% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures,
other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market
funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may
also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the
Portfolio’s overall investment process.
AST J.P. Morgan International
Equity Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek capital
growth.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities. Equity securities include common stocks, securities convertible
into common stocks securities having common stock characteristics or other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stocks, such as rights, warrants or options to purchase common stock, preferred stock,
convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds, convertible debentures, convertible notes, depository receipts, futures contracts and swaps investments.
The Portfolio seeks to meet its
investment objective by normally investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities of companies located or operating in developed non-US countries and emerging markets of the world. The equity
securities will ordinarily be traded on a recognized foreign securities exchange or traded in a foreign over-the-counter market in the country where the issuer is principally based, but may also be traded in other
countries including the United States.
372
The Portfolio normally allocates
its investments among a variety of countries, regions and industry sectors, investing in several countries outside of the United States. However, the Portfolio may invest a substantial part of its assets in any one
country. The Portfolio intends to invest in companies (or governments) in the following countries or regions: the Far East including Japan, Europe including the UK and other countries or areas that the Subadviser may
select from time to time. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets in securities of issuers located and operating primarily in emerging market countries.
While the Portfolio may engage in
transactions intended to hedge its exposure to fluctuations in foreign currencies, it does not normally do so. To the extent the Portfolio invests in securities of issuers in developing countries, the Portfolio may be
subject to even greater levels of risk and share price fluctuation. Transaction costs are often higher in developing countries and there may be delays in settlement of transactions.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may invest up to 20%
of its total assets in debt or preferred equity securities exchangeable for or convertible into marketable equity securities of foreign companies. In addition, the Portfolio may regularly invest up to 20% of its total
assets in high-grade short-term debt securities, including US Government obligations, investment grade corporate bonds or taxable municipal securities, whether denominated in US dollars or foreign currencies. The
Portfolio also may purchase and write (sell) covered call and put options on securities and stock indices. The Portfolio may also purchase and sell stock and interest rate futures contracts and options on these
futures contracts. The purpose of these transactions is to hedge against changes in the market value of the Portfolio's securities caused by changing interest rates and market conditions, and to close out or offset
existing positions in options or futures contracts. The Portfolio may from time to time make short sales “against the box.”
AST J.P. Morgan Strategic
Opportunities Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize return compared to the benchmark through security selection and tactical asset allocation.
Principal Investment Policies:
The Portfolio utilizes a variety of
diversifying asset classes and investment styles, including a significant allocation to alternative investment strategies such as market neutral, 130/30, and absolute return.
The Portfolio may invest in a wide
range of asset classes, including US and non-US equities, emerging markets equities, real estate investment trusts (REITs) domiciled in and outside of the United States, US and non-US fixed income, high yield bonds,
convertible bonds, and emerging markets bonds. The allocation to these asset classes will vary depending on J.P. Morgan's tactical views. Market neutral strategies seek to produce a positive return regardless of the
direction of the equity markets. 130/30 strategies follow a particular index, for example the S&P 500, but allow J.P. Morgan to sell short securities that are deemed likely to decline in value. Absolute return
strategies seek to generate a return in excess of prevailing yields on US Treasuries or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR).
Within its equity allocations, the
Portfolio primarily invests in the common stock and convertible securities of US and foreign companies, including companies that are located or domiciled in, or that derive significant revenues or profits from,
emerging market countries. Equity securities in which the Portfolio can invest may include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, depositary receipts, warrants and rights to buy common stocks, and
master limited partnerships. The Portfolio may invest in securities denominated in US dollars, major reserve currencies and currencies of other countries in which it can invest.
The Portfolio invests in
securities denominated in foreign currencies and may seek to enhance returns and/or manage currency risk versus the benchmark where appropriate through managing currency exposure. Capital markets in certain countries
may be less developed and/or not easy to access. With its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio may invest in a wide range of debt securities of issuers from the US and other markets, both developed and emerging.
Investments may be issued or guaranteed by a wide variety of entities including governments and their agencies, corporations, financial institutions and supranational organizations that the Portfolio believes have the
potential to provide a high total return over time. The Portfolio may invest in inflation-linked debt securities, including fixed and
373
floating rate debt securities of varying
maturities issued by the US government, its agencies and instrumentalities, such as Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). The Portfolio may invest in mortgage-related securities issued by governmental
entities and private issuers.
The Portfolio may invest assets in
securities that are rated below investment grade (junk bonds) by Moody's, S&P, Fitch Ratings (Fitch) or the equivalent by another national rating organization, or securities that are unrated but are deemed by J.P
Morgan to be of comparable quality. Securities rated below investment grade may include so called “distressed debt” (i.e., securities of issuers experiencing financial or operating difficulties or
operating in troubled industries that present attractive risk-reward characteristics). The Portfolio may invest in floating rate securities, whose interest rates adjust automatically whenever a specified interest rate
changes, and in variable rate securities, whose interest rates are changed periodically. In implementing its asset allocation strategy, the portfolio allocates assets to various underlying investment sleeves or
implementation vehicles. In the case of fixed income, all cash and securities that are held in a fixed income sleeve or vehicle are considered a part of that sleeve’s or vehicle’s assigned asset class.
Such exposures may be obtained through (i) the purchase of “physical securities (e.g. common stocks, bonds, etc.); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., option and futures contracts on indices, securities, etc.);
and (iii) the purchase of underlying ETFs.
The Portfolio may enter into short
sales. In short selling transactions, the Portfolio sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. To complete the transaction, the Portfolio must borrow the
security to make delivery to the buyer. The Portfolio is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it subsequently at the market price at the time of replacement.
The Portfolio may invest in shares
of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), REITs, affiliated short-term bond funds and/or affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds and other investment companies. An ETF is a registered investment company that seeks to
track the performance of a particular market index. These indexes include not only broad-based market indexes but more specific indexes as well, including those relating to particular sectors, markets, regions and
industries. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or loans related to real estate.
The Portfolio may invest in common
shares or preferred shares of unaffiliated closed-end funds.
Derivatives, which are instruments
that have a value based on another instrument, exchange rate or index, may be used as substitutes for securities in which the Portfolio can invest. The Portfolio may use futures contracts, options, swaps and other
derivatives as tools in the management of the Portfolio assets. The Portfolio may use derivatives for hedging or investment purposes, including to obtain significant amounts of long or short exposure.
Up to approximately 5% of the
Portfolio's net assets may be allocated to: (i) index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to their respective equity and fixed income benchmark indices and (ii) cash, money
market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to
satisfy large-scale redemptions and any variation margin calls with respect to the futures contracts. The Portfolio may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets.
For cash management or temporary
defensive purposes, the Portfolio may invest any portion of its total assets in cash and cash equivalents, including affiliated short-term bond funds and/or affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds, high-quality
money market instruments or repurchase agreements.
The approximate target allocation
of Portfolio assets across asset classes and anticipated asset allocation ranges are set forth in the table below:
| Asset Class |
Approximate
Allocation |
Anticipated
Investment Ranges |
| Total Equity Securities | 40% |
374
| Asset Class |
Approximate
Allocation |
Anticipated
Investment Ranges |
| US Equity Securities | - | 19-35% |
| Foreign Equity Securities | - | 5-21% |
| US & Foreign Debt Securities* | 50% | 42-58% |
| Cash | 10% | 2-18% |
*Fixed income futures may
also be utilized for duration management and are not considered to have a notional market value and therefore are not included within the stated ranges.
J.P. Morgan allocates
approximately 5% of the Portfolio’s net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy will be invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index
futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money
market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy
may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to
the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
AST JENNISON LARGE-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek long-term growth of capital.
Investment Objective: to seek long-term growth of capital.
Principal Investment
Policies:
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the equity and equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies. For purposes of this 80% policy, the Portfolio defines large capitalization companies as those companies with market capitalizations, measured at the time of purchase, to be within the market capitalization of the Russell 1000® Index. As of March 31, 2017, the Russell 1000® Index had a median market capitalization of approximately $9.002 billion, and the largest company by market capitalization was approximately $754.994 billion. The size of the companies in the Russell 1000® Index will change with market conditions. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet the definition of large capitalization companies after purchase by the Portfolio will still be considered to be large capitalization companies for purposes of the Portfolio’s policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its assets in large capitalization companies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the equity and equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies. For purposes of this 80% policy, the Portfolio defines large capitalization companies as those companies with market capitalizations, measured at the time of purchase, to be within the market capitalization of the Russell 1000® Index. As of March 31, 2017, the Russell 1000® Index had a median market capitalization of approximately $9.002 billion, and the largest company by market capitalization was approximately $754.994 billion. The size of the companies in the Russell 1000® Index will change with market conditions. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet the definition of large capitalization companies after purchase by the Portfolio will still be considered to be large capitalization companies for purposes of the Portfolio’s policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its assets in large capitalization companies.
Jennison follows
a highly disciplined investment selection and management process of identifying companies that show superior absolute and relative earnings growth and also are believed to be attractively valued. Earnings
predictability and confidence in earnings forecasts are important parts of the selection process for the Portfolio. Securities in which the Portfolio invests have historically been more volatile than the S&P 500
Index. Also, companies that have an earnings growth rate higher than that of the average S&P 500 company tend to reinvest their earnings rather than distribute them, so the Portfolio is not likely to receive
significant dividend income on its portfolio securities. Jennison’s portfolio managers also focus on companies experiencing some or all of the following: strong market position, improving profitability and
distinctive attributes such as unique marketing ability, strong research and development and productive new product flow, superior management and financial strength. Such companies generally trade at high prices
relative to their current earnings. Jennison considers selling or reducing a stock position when, in the opinion of its portfolio managers, the stock has experienced a fundamental disappointment in earnings; it has
reached an intermediate-term price objective and its outlook no longer seems sufficiently promising; a relatively more attractive stock emerges; or the stock has experienced adverse price movement. Given the
subadviser’s selection criteria and proclivity for fast growing companies, the Portfolio may at times have a more aggressive risk profile than peer funds, depending on market conditions.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
375
In addition to using a growth
investment style to invest in the common stocks of large companies for the Portfolio, Jennison also may use the following additional investment strategies to try to increase the investment returns of the Portfolio or
to protect its assets if market conditions warrant.
Preferred Stocks and Other
Equity-Related Securities.
In addition to common stocks, the Portfolio may invest in preferred stocks and other equity-related securities of large companies. Equity and equity-related securities include, but are not
limited to, common stocks, securities convertible or exchangeable for common stock or the cash value of common stock, preferred stocks, warrants and rights that can be exercised to obtain stock, investments in various
types of business ventures including partnerships and business development companies, investments in other mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and income and
royalty trusts, structured securities including participation notes (P-Notes), structured notes (S-Notes) and low exercise price warrants (LEPWs) or other similar securities and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and
other similar receipts or shares, in both listed and unlisted form. Like common stocks, preferred stocks represent shares of ownership in a company. Generally, preferred stock has a specified dividend and ranks after
bonds and before common stocks in its claim on the company’s income for purposes of receiving dividend payments and on the company’s assets in the event of liquidation. Equity-related securities include
securities that may be converted into or exchanged for common stock or the cash value of common stock-known as convertible securities-like rights and warrants. The Portfolio may also invest in ADRs and similar
receipts or shares traded in US markets, which are certificates-usually issued by a US bank or trust company-that represent an equity investment in a foreign company or some other foreign issuer. ADRs are valued in US
dollars. The Portfolio considers ADRs and similar receipts to be equity-related securities. Other equity-related securities in which the Portfolio may invest include investments in various types of business ventures,
including partnerships and joint ventures.
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign securities, including money market instruments, common stocks, preferred stocks, other equity-related securities, and debt
obligations. The Portfolio does not consider ADRs, ADSs, or other similar receipts or shares traded in US markets to be foreign securities.
Real Estate Investment Trusts.
The Portfolio may invest the equity and/or debt securities of REITs. REITs are like corporations, except that they do not pay income taxes if they meet certain IRS requirements. However,
while REITs themselves do not pay income taxes, the distributions they make to investors are taxable. REITs invest primarily in real estate and distribute almost all of their income-most of which comes from rents,
mortgages and gains on sales of property-to shareholders.
Derivative Strategies.
Jennison may use various derivative strategies to try to improve the Portfolio’s returns. Jennison may also use hedging techniques to try to protect the Portfolio’s assets. The
Portfolio cannot guarantee that these strategies and techniques will work, that the instruments necessary to implement these strategies and techniques will be available, or that the Portfolio will not lose
money.
A derivative is a financial
instrument, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, or index. The use of derivatives-including, without limitation, futures, foreign currency forward
contracts, options on futures and various types of swaps-involves costs and can be volatile. With derivatives, Jennison tries to predict if the underlying investment-a security, market index, currency, interest rate,
or some other benchmark, will go up or down at some future date. Jennison may use derivatives to try to reduce risk or to increase return consistent with the Portfolio’s overall investment objectives. Jennison
will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding whether to employ any particular strategy or technique, or use any particular instrument. Any derivatives Jennison may use may not match or offset the
Portfolio’s underlying positions and this could result in losses to the Portfolio that would not otherwise have occurred. Derivatives that involve leverage could magnify losses.
Futures Contracts and Related
Options.
The Portfolio may purchase and sell financial futures contracts and related options on financial futures. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of an underlying
asset at a future date, or to make or receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities index, or some other asset, at a stipulated future date. The terms of futures contracts are standardized. In the case of
a financial futures contract based upon a broad index, there is no delivery of the securities comprising the underlying index, margin is uniform, a
376
clearing corporation or an exchange is the
counterparty and the Portfolio makes daily margin payments based on price movements in the index. An option gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell securities or currencies, or in the case of an option on a
futures contract or an option on a swap, the right to buy or sell a futures contract or swap, respectively, in exchange for a premium.
Swap Transactions.
The Portfolio may enter into swap transactions. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks to
more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or
instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. There are various types of swaps, including but not limited to, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, total return swaps and index swaps.
Swap Options.
The Portfolio may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend,
cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. For more information about these strategies, see the SAI.
Options on Securities and Financial
Indexes.
The Portfolio may purchase and sell put and call options on securities and financial indexes traded on US or foreign securities exchanges, on the NASDAQ Stock Market or in the
over-the-counter market. An option gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell securities in exchange for a premium. The Portfolio will sell only covered options. For more information about the Portfolio’s use
of options, see the SAI.
Options.
The Portfolio may purchase and sell put and call options on debt securities, swaps, and currencies traded on US or foreign securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. An option
gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell securities, swaps or such currencies in exchange for a premium. The options may be on debt securities, aggregates of debt securities, financial indexes, US government
securities, foreign government securities, swaps and foreign currencies. The Portfolio will sell only covered options. Covered options are described in the SAI.
Asset Segregation for Derivative
Strategies.
As an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC, the Portfolio is subject to the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, related rules, and various SEC and
SEC staff positions. In accordance with these positions, with respect to certain kinds of derivatives, the Portfolio must “set aside” (referred to sometimes as “asset segregation”) liquid
assets, or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved measures, while the derivative contracts are open. For example, with respect to forwards and futures contracts that are not contractually required to
“cash-settle,” the Portfolio must cover its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts’ full, notional value. With respect to forwards and futures that are contractually
required to ”cash-settle,“ however, the Portfolio is permitted to set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Portfolio’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligations, if any (i.e., the
Portfolio’s daily net liability, if any), rather than the notional value. By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligations under cash-settled forward and futures contracts, the Portfolio will have the
ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Portfolio were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional value of such contracts. The Trust reserves the right to modify the asset segregation
policy of the Portfolio in the future to comply with any changes in the positions articulated from time to time by the SEC and its staff.
Debt Obligations.
Under normal circumstances, up to 20% of the Portfolio’s total assets may be invested in debt obligations. The Portfolio will not invest in debt securities rated below investment
grade.
The Portfolio may invest in
various types of debt obligations, including, without limitation: (i) US Government securities; (ii) certain debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government and government-related entities, including
mortgage-related securities; (iii) privately-issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities; (iv) debt obligations of US corporate issuers; and (v) derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic
characteristics that are similar to these types of securities and obligations.
377
AST LOOMIS SAYLES LARGE-CAP
GROWTH PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek capital
growth. Income is not an investment objective and any income realized on the Portfolio’s investments, therefore, will be incidental to the Portfolio’s objective.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the common stocks of large companies that are selected for their growth
potential. Large companies are defined as those companies within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Growth Index.
Loomis Sayles employs a growth
style of equity management that seeks to emphasize companies with sustainable competitive advantages, long-term structural growth drivers, attractive cash flow returns on invested capital, and management teams focused
on creating long-term value for shareholders. Loomis Sayles aims to invest in companies when they trade at a significant discount to the estimate of intrinsic value. Loomis Sayles will consider selling a portfolio
investment when it believes an unfavorable structural change occurs within a given business or the markets in which it operates, a critical underlying investment assumption is flawed, when a more attractive
reward-to-risk opportunity becomes available, when the current price fully reflects intrinsic value, or for other investment reasons which it may deem appropriate. The Portfolio typically is comprised of 30-40
stocks.
The Portfolio
will normally hold a core position of between 30 and 40 common stocks. The Portfolio may hold a limited number of additional common stocks at times when Loomis Sayles is accumulating new positions, phasing out and
replacing existing positions, or responding to exceptional market conditions.
Special Situations.
The Portfolio may invest in ”special situations“ from time to time. A ”special situation“ arises when, in the opinion of the Subadviser, the securities of a
particular company will be recognized and increase in value due to a specific development, such as a technological breakthrough, management change or new product at that company. Investment in ”special
situations“ carries an additional risk of loss in the event that the anticipated development does not occur or does not attract the expected attention.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may also invest to a
lesser degree in preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants, and debt securities when the Portfolio perceives an opportunity for capital growth from such securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its
total assets in debt securities, which may include corporate bonds and debentures and government securities.
The Portfolio may also purchase
securities of foreign issuers including foreign equity and debt securities and depositary receipts. The foreign securities may include companies located in developing countries. Foreign securities are selected
primarily on a stock-by-stock basis without regard to any defined allocation among countries or geographic regions. The Portfolio may also use a variety of currency hedging techniques, including forward currency
contracts, to manage exchange rate risk with respect to investments exposed to foreign currency fluctuations.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
Index/Structured Securities.
The Portfolio may invest without limit in index/structured securities, which are debt securities whose value at maturity or interest rate is linked to currencies, interest rates, equity
securities, indices, commodity prices or other financial indicators. Such securities may be positively or negatively indexed (i.e. , their value may increase or decrease if the reference index or instrument
appreciates). Index/structured securities may have return characteristics similar to direct investments in the underlying instruments, but may be more volatile than the underlying instruments. The Portfolio bears the
market risk of an investment in the underlying instruments, as well as the credit risk of the issuer of the index/structured security.
378
Futures, Options and Other
Derivative Instruments.
The Portfolio may purchase and write (sell) options on securities, financial indices, and foreign currencies, and may invest in futures contracts on securities, financial indices, and
foreign currencies, options on futures contracts, forward contracts and swaps and swap-related products. These instruments will be used primarily to hedge the Portfolio's positions against potential adverse movements
in securities prices, foreign currency markets or interest rates. To a limited extent, the Portfolio may also use derivative instruments for non-hedging purposes such as increasing the Portfolio's income or otherwise
enhancing return.
AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed
income Portfolio
The Board of
Trustees of the Trust recently approved the reorganization of the Portfolio into the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio. The completion of the reorganization transaction is subject to approval by the
shareholders of the Portfolio and the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. It is anticipated that a proxy statement/prospectus relating to this transaction will be mailed to Portfolio shareholders on
or about June 2018 and that a special meeting of Portfolio shareholders will be held on or about August 2018. Assuming receipt of the required shareholder approval and satisfaction of the relevant closing conditions
for the reorganization transaction, it is expected that the reorganization transaction would be completed on or about third quarter of 2018. If approved by shareholders, shareholders of the Portfolio will become
shareholders of the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio.
Investment Objective: to seek income
and capital appreciation to produce a high total return.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities of various types.
The Portfolio
buys and sells securities using a relative value-oriented investment process. The Portfolio combines top-down and bottom-up analysis to construct its portfolio, using a blend of quantitative and fundamental research.
Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests primarily in (i) securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) investment grade debt securities of US issuers;
(iii) investment grade debt securities of non-US issuers that are denominated in US dollars; (iv) mortgage-backed, mortgage-related, and other asset-backed securities; (v) inflation-linked investments, (vi) senior
loans, including bridge loans, novations, assignments, and participations; and (vii) derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts, forward contracts or swap agreements. Investment grade debt securities
are securities rated within the four highest grades assigned by an independent rating agency such as Moody's Investors Service, Inc., S&P Global Ratings, or Fitch Ratings, or are unrated but determined by Lord
Abbett to be of comparable quality.
The Portfolio may invest in
corporate debt securities. The Portfolio also may invest in mortgage-backed, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, which directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable
from, mortgage loans, real property, or other assets. Mortgage-related securities include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations, commercial mortgage-backed securities, mortgage dollar
rolls, stripped mortgage-backed securities and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property.
Under normal
conditions, the Portfolio expects to maintain its average duration range within two years of the bond market's duration as measured by the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (which was approximately 6.08 years
as of March 31, 2018). For example, the Portfolio might purchase US Treasury futures, or sell US Treasury futures short, to adjust the Portfolio’s exposure to the direction of interest rates.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may invest up to 10%
of its net assets in floating or adjustable rate senior loans.
379
The Portfolio will not pledge its
assets (other than to secure borrowings, or to the extent permitted by its investment policies as permitted by applicable law).
The Portfolio will not make short
sales of securities or maintain a short position except to the extent permitted by applicable law.
AST MFS Global Equity
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek capital
growth.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities. Equity securities represent an ownership interest, or the right
to acquire an ownership interest in a company or other issuer. Different types of equity securities provide different voting and dividend rights and priorities in the event of bankruptcy of the issuer. Equity
securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, securities convertible into stocks, and depositary receipts for those securities.
In selecting
investments for the Portfolio, the Subadviser is not constrained by any particular investment style. The Subadviser may invest the Portfolio's assets in the stocks of companies it believes to have above average
earnings growth potential compared to other companies (growth companies), in the stocks of companies it believes are undervalued compared to their perceived worth (value companies), or in a combination of growth and
value companies.
While the Subadviser may invest
the Portfolio's assets in securities of companies of any size, the Subadviser primarily invests in securities of companies with large capitalizations. The Subadviser invests the Portfolio's assets in US and foreign
securities, including emerging market securities. The Portfolio normally invests its assets across different industries, sectors, countries and regions, but the Portfolio may at times invest a large percentage of its
assets in issuers in a single industry, sector, country or region. Depending on market conditions, the Portfolio may at times have a lower risk profile and underperform more opportunistic peer funds.
The Subadviser uses an active
bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments for the Portfolio. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light of their financial
condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer's earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. Quantitative models
that systematically evaluate an issuer's valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors may also be considered.
The Subadviser may engage in
active and frequent trading in pursuing the Portfolio's principal investment strategies.
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio invests
primarily in equity securities, the Portfolio may purchase and sell futures contracts and related options on securities indices, foreign currencies and interest rates for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The
Portfolio may also enter into forward contracts for the purchase or sale of foreign currencies for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Portfolio may purchase and write (sell) options on securities, stock indices and
foreign currencies. The Portfolio may also purchase warrants.
AST MFS Growth Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term growth of capital and future, rather than current, income.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in common stocks and related securities, such as preferred stocks, convertible
securities and depositary receipts.
380
The Subadviser focuses on
investing the Portfolio's assets in the stocks of companies it believes to have above average earnings growth potential compared to other companies (growth companies). Growth companies tend to have stock prices that
are high relative to their earnings, dividends, book value, or other financial measures.
While the
Subadviser may invest the Portfolio's assets in securities of companies of any size, the Portfolio primarily invests in securities of companies with large capitalizations.
The Subadviser uses an active
bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments for the Portfolio. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light of their financial
condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer's earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. Quantitative models
that systematically evaluate an issuer's valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors may also be considered.
The Subadviser normally invests
the Portfolio’s assets across different industries and sectors, but the Subadviser may at times invest a large percentage of the Portfolio’s assets in issuers in a single industry or sector. The Portfolio
may also invest up to 35% of its net assets in foreign securities.
The Subadviser may engage in
active and frequent trading in pursuing the Portfolio's principal investment strategies.
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio invests
primarily in common stocks and related securities, the Portfolio may also invest in variable and floating rate debt securities. The Portfolio may purchase and sell futures contracts and related options on securities
indices, foreign currencies and interest rates for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Portfolio may also enter into forward contracts for the purchase or sale of foreign currencies for hedging and non-hedging
purposes. The Portfolio may purchase and write (sell) options on securities, stock indices and foreign currencies.
AST MFS LARGE-CAP VALUE
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek capital
appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in issuers with large market capitalizations.
Large market capitalization
issuers are issuers with market capitalizations of at least $5 billion at the time of purchase. The Portfolio normally invests its assets primarily in equity securities. The Portfolio may invest its assets in foreign
securities.
The Portfolio focuses on investing
its assets in the stocks of companies that it believes are undervalued compared to their perceived worth (value companies). Value companies tend to have stock prices that are low relative to their earnings, dividends,
assets, or other financial measures.
The Subadviser to
the Portfolio uses an active bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments. Investments will be selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light of
their financial condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer's earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability.
Quantitative models that systematically evaluate an issuer's valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors may also be considered.
The Subadviser normally invests
the Portfolio’s assets across different industries and sectors, but the Subadviser may at times invest a large percentage of the Portfolio’s assets in issuers in a single industry or sector.
The Subadviser may engage in
active and frequent trading in pursuing the Portfolio's principal investment strategies.
381
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio invests primarily in common stocks and related securities, the Portfolio may also invest in variable and floating rate debt securities. The Portfolio may purchase and sell futures contracts and related options on securities indices, foreign currencies and interest rates for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Portfolio may also enter into forward contracts for the purchase or sale of foreign currencies for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Portfolio may purchase and write (sell) options on securities, stock indices and foreign currencies.
Although the Portfolio invests primarily in common stocks and related securities, the Portfolio may also invest in variable and floating rate debt securities. The Portfolio may purchase and sell futures contracts and related options on securities indices, foreign currencies and interest rates for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Portfolio may also enter into forward contracts for the purchase or sale of foreign currencies for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Portfolio may purchase and write (sell) options on securities, stock indices and foreign currencies.
AST Neuberger Berman / LSV
Mid-Cap Value Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek capital
growth.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in medium capitalization companies.
Generally companies with equity
market capitalizations that fall within the range of the Russell Midcap
®
Value Index at the time of investment are considered mid-cap companies for purposes of the Portfolio. Some of the
Portfolio's assets may be invested in the securities of large-cap companies as well as in small-cap companies. The Portfolio seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies and industries.
The assets of the Portfolio are
independently managed by two Subadvisers under a multi-manager structure. The division of the Portfolio's assets and daily cash inflows and outflows between the Subadvisers are determined by the Manager in its sole
discretion. The Manager may change the allocation of assets between the Subadvisers, transfer assets between the Subadvisers, or change the allocation of cash inflows or outflows between the Subadvisers for any reason
and at any time without prior notice.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC (NBIA)
uses bottom-up, fundamental research to identify high quality companies that are trading at a substantial discount to their intrinsic value, defined as NBIA's estimate of a company's true
long-term economic worth, where there is a strategic plan or event that is expected to both enhance value and narrow the value/price gap. Intrinsic value reflects NBIA’s analysis and estimates. There is no
guarantee that any intrinsic value will be realized; security prices may decrease regardless of intrinsic values. Applying a consistent, private equity-style investment framework, NBIA focuses its research efforts on
a company's long-term outlook and strategic catalysts that can potentially unlock value. Their approach emphasizes asset values and cash flows, directly engaging a company's management team to evaluate its strategic
direction, execution abilities and direct incentive compensation.
NBIA will consider reducing or
eliminating a position when the gap between its price and its intrinsic value has narrowed or been eliminated or when other opportunities appear more attractive. Changes in management or corporate strategy may also
result in the reduction or elimination of a position. NBIA does not have an automatic sell decision when a holding increases to a certain market capitalization level based on underperformance. They would continue to
hold a stock if they believed that it could ultimately contribute to performance.
LSV Asset Management (LSV)
follows an active investment strategy utilizing a quantitative investment model to evaluate and recommend investment decisions for its portion of the Portfolio in a bottom-up, contrarian
value approach. The primary components of the models are:
| ■ | indicators of fundamental undervaluation, such as low price-to-cash flow ratio or low price-to-earnings ratio, |
| ■ | indicators of past negative market sentiment, such as poor past stock price performance, |
| ■ | indicators of recent momentum, such as high recent stock price performance, and |
| ■ | control of incremental risk relative to the benchmark index. |
All such indicators are measured
relative to the overall universe of medium capitalization companies.
382
Other Investments:
Although equity securities are
normally the Portfolio's primary investment, it may invest in preferred stocks and convertible securities, as well as the types of securities described below.
Fixed Income Securities.
The Portfolio may also invest in fixed income or debt securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets, measured at the time of investment, in debt securities that are
rated below investment grade or comparable unrated securities. There is no minimum rating on the fixed income securities in which the Portfolio may invest.
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of the value of its total assets, measured at the time of investment, in equity and debt securities that are denominated in foreign currencies. There is
no limitation on the percentage of the Portfolio's assets that may be invested in securities of foreign companies that are denominated in US dollars. In addition, the Portfolio may enter into foreign currency
transactions, including forward foreign currency contracts and options on foreign currencies, to manage currency risks, to facilitate transactions in foreign securities, and to repatriate dividend or interest income
received in foreign currencies.
Covered Call Options.
The Portfolio may try to reduce the risk of securities price changes (hedge) or generate income by writing (selling) covered call options against securities held in its portfolio, and may
purchase call options in related closing transactions. The value of securities against which options will be written will not exceed 10% of the Portfolio's net assets.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
(REITs).
The Portfolio may invest in REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in real estate or real estate loans.
As of December
31, 2017, NBIA was responsible for managing 37.4% of the Portfolio's assets and LSV was responsible for managing 62.6% of the Portfolio's assets.
AST NEW DISCOVERY ASSET
ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: The investment
objective of the Portfolio is to seek total return. Total return is comprised of capital appreciation and income.
Principal Investment Policies:
In seeking to
achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective, the Manager allocates the Portfolio’s assets across eight different investment strategies. The Portfolio has three strategies that invest primarily in domestic
equity securities, two strategies that invest primarily in international equity securities, two strategies that invest primarily in fixed income securities, and one strategy that invests in the Prudential Core Ultra
Short Bond Fund (referred to below as the Liquidity Strategy). The approximate allocation of Portfolio assets across the eight investment strategies as of December 31, 2017 is set forth in the table below. The
allocations are subject to change by the Manager at any time. Such allocations may also vary due to cash flows into, and out of, the Portfolio and the performance of the various strategies.
383
Domestic Large-Cap Core (Epoch).
Epoch's security selection process is focused on free cash flow metrics as opposed to traditional accounting-based metrics. Epoch seeks to produce superior risk-adjusted equity returns for
this segment of the Portfolio by identifying companies with a consistent, straightforward ability to both generate free cash flow and to properly allocate that cash flow among internal reinvestment opportunities,
acquisitions dividends, share repurchases and debt pay downs.
Epoch seeks to identify potential
investment opportunities through both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The investment process seeks to uncover companies with improving business fundamentals resulting in increasing free cash flow. The analysis
incorporates such items as valuation, revenue growth, and gross margin improvement. Other catalysts may include management changes, purchases or sales by corporate insiders, restructuring/spin-offs, and recent news
items. Under normal circumstances, no more than 7% of the assets attributable to this investment strategy may be allocated to a particular issuer at the time of purchase while not more than 10% of this Portfolio
segment's assets may be allocated to a particular issuer at any time based on overall market value. This investment strategy normally will not seek to constrain the magnitude of holdings at a sector level relative to
the Russell 3000 Index.
Domestic Large-Cap Value
(Affinity).
Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the net assets attributable to this investment strategy are invested in equity securities, which include common stocks, rights, options,
warrants, convertible debt securities of both US and US dollar-denominated foreign issuers, and ADRs, of companies that, when purchased, have market capitalizations that are within the range of companies in the
Russell 1000 Value Index. ADRs are equity securities traded on US securities exchanges, which are generally issued by banks or trust companies to evidence ownership of foreign equity securities.
In choosing securities for this
segment of the Portfolio, Affinity primarily invests in value-oriented companies. Value-oriented companies are companies that appear to be undervalued relative to assets, earnings, growth potential, or cash flows.
Affinity uses a blend of quantitative analysis and fundamental research to identify securities that appear favorably priced and that may be able to sustain or improve their pre-tax return on invested capital over
time. Affinity may focus the investments for this Portfolio segment in a limited number of issuers. Affinity typically sells a security when its issuer is no longer considered a value company, shows deteriorating
fundamentals or falls short of Affinity’s expectations, among other reasons.
A portion of the assets
attributable to this investment strategy may be invested in futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and options on securities. These instruments are used to hedge the holdings of this Portfolio segment, to
maintain exposure to the equity markets, or to increase returns. The assets attributable to this investment strategy may be invested in a variety of investment vehicles, including those that seek to track the
composition and performance of a specific index, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other mutual funds. Affinity may use these investments as a way of managing the cash position of this segment of the Portfolio,
or to gain exposure to the equity markets or a particular sector of the equity markets, while maintaining liquidity.
Domestic Large-Cap Growth (Boston
Advisors).
Under normal conditions, at least 80% of the net assets attributable to this investment strategy are invested in equity securities of domestically traded companies. This segment of the
Portfolio invests primarily in the common stocks of medium and large capitalization companies (i.e., those companies with market capitalizations within the range of the established benchmark at the time of initial
investment) that Boston Advisors believes possess the ability to generate long-term sustainable growth, have exceptional business models and are trading at reasonable valuations. For these purposes, equity securities
include domestic common and preferred stock, ADRs, real estate investment trusts, and ETFs. Up to 15% of the net assets attributable to this investment strategy may be invested in foreign securities, including the
securities of emerging markets issuers. Boston Advisors may sell a security if it fails to meet its initial investment criteria, if a more compelling opportunity is identified, or if the security becomes overvalued
relative to the long-term expectation.
International Equity
(EARNEST).
EARNEST screens a universe of companies in the MSCI ACWI Ex-US Index seeking to identify those that it believes exhibit financial and market characteristics that have produced outstanding
performance over time. These characteristics include valuation measures, market trends, operating trends, growth,
384
profitability, and macroeconomic trends. Companies
that pass the initial screen are further filtered, giving consideration to the economic and political environment, property rights, regulations, monetary policy, government intervention, and other relevant factors.
EARNEST will then perform fundamental analysis on the companies that pass its screens, seeking to identify companies in attractive industries, with developed strategies, sufficient funding, and strong financial
results. The assets attributable to this investment strategy will be invested in approximately 60 issuers, with each issuer generally being limited to no more than 5% of the sleeve's assets. Sector and regional
weightings for this Portfolio segment are generally constrained at no more than double those of the MSCI ACWI Ex-US Index while emerging markets weightings will generally be constrained at no more than 1.5 times those
of such Index.
International Equity (TSW).
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the net assets attributable to this investment strategy are invested in equity securities of foreign companies representing at least three
countries other than the United States. TSW currently anticipates investing in at least 12 countries other than the United States. TSW emphasizes established companies in individual foreign markets and attempts to
stress companies and markets that it believes are undervalued.
Generally, this Portfolio segment
invests primarily in common stocks of established companies listed on foreign securities exchanges, but it may also invest in depositary receipts including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global
Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). Although this investment strategy will emphasize larger, more seasoned or established companies, TSW may invest in companies of varying size as
measured by assets, sales, or market capitalization. This segment of the Portfolio invests primarily in securities of companies domiciled in developed countries, but may also invest in emerging markets. Up to 10% of
the assets attributable to this investment strategy may be invested in securities of companies in developing countries. It is expected that investments will be diversified throughout the world and within markets in an
effort to minimize specific country and currency risks.
TSW employs a relative value
process utilizing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods based on a four-factor valuation screen designed to outperform the Morgan Stanley Capital International EAFE Index. The initial universe consists
of approximately 3,000 actively traded non-US stocks. Parts one and two of the screen attempt to assess a company's attractiveness based on cash flows relative to other international stocks and as compared to their
industry or sector peers. The third factor considers the relative earnings prospects of the company. The fourth factor involves looking at the company's recent price action. From the model, approximately 600 stocks
are identified for further research. These are the stocks that rank the highest on the basis of these four factors combined. TSW generally limits its investment universe to those companies with a minimum of three
years of operating history.
TSW's analysts also perform
rigorous fundamental analysis, exploring numerous factors that may affect the outlook for a company. They evaluate publicly available information, including sell-side research, company filings, and trade periodicals.
TSW analysts also may speak with company management to hear their perspectives and outlook on pertinent business issues. Under normal circumstances, this Portfolio segment holds approximately 80-100 stocks as a result
of this process.
Established positions within this
segment of the Portfolio are ranked bi-weekly and are reviewed regularly in the same manner to re-examine their fundamental and valuation characteristics. The product team meets periodically to discuss each stock's
place in relation to this segment's other portfolio holdings. TSW employs a consistent sell discipline which includes a significant negative earnings revision, a stock being sold when the catalyst is no longer valid,
or another stock presents a more attractive opportunity.
Core Plus Fixed Income
(Longfellow).
Longfellow’s overall objectives are to preserve capital, minimize volatility and earn attractive risk-adjusted returns. Longfellow’s philosophy is based on the premise that
upside is limited in fixed income. Downside risk, however, is substantial, so fixed income management should focus on evaluating risk. Longfellow seeks to produce incremental return by investing in undervalued sectors
of the fixed income market and mispriced securities within these sectors. Longfellow evaluates sectors and individual securities by attributing yield spread to the various risk elements: credit risk, call risk, event
risk and liquidity to identify “cheap” sectors and
385
securities. The objective is to identify those
investments that offer incremental return after all the risks are identified. Cheap sectors and securities exist because several non-economic factors affect pricing, including supply/demand imbalances, analytical
and/or administrative complexity, size constraints, and investor biases.
Core Fixed Income (C.S.
McKee).
The C.S. McKee portfolio management team employs a primarily bottom-up, value-driven philosophy in an attempt to outperform the Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index. This actively
managed process will focus on high quality and highly liquid securities, in an attempt to add value through superior security selection and sector allocation. Portfolio duration (i.e., interest rate risk) will
typically be held below market levels.
Liquidity Strategy (Parametric).
The Portfolio normally allocates approximately 10% of its total assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is primarily invested in (i) derivative instruments including, but not
limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market instruments,
short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale
redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio
or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Asset Allocation Ranges for the
Portfolio
. As set forth above, the Portfolio may gain exposure to the domestic and international equity and fixed income asset classes through allocations to the above-referenced subadvisers for
investments in securities. The Portfolio also may gain exposure to the relevant asset classes through the use of derivatives, ETFs, and other financial instruments. The Portfolio’s approximate minimum, neutral,
and maximum exposures to the subadvisers in the relevant investment strategies under normal circumstances are set forth below.
| Subadvisers (or Strategies) | Minimum Exposure | Neutral Exposure | Maximum Exposure |
| Equities | |||
| Domestic Equity Subadvisers (or Strategies) | 45% | 45% | 55% |
| International Equity Subadvisers (or Strategies) | 15% | 18% | 25% |
| Total Equities Subadvisers (or Strategies) | 62.5%* | 63% | 77.5%** |
| Fixed Income | |||
| Core and Core Plus Fixed Income Subadvisers (or Strategies) | 20% | 26.8% | 35% |
| Cash/Money Market Subadvisers (or Strategies) | 0% | 0.2% | 10% |
| Total Fixed Income Subadvisers (or Strategies) | 22.5%*** | 30% | 37.5%**** |
| Liquidity Subadviser (or Strategy) | 10% | 10% | 15% |
* Notwithstanding
the approximate individual minimum exposures for the Domestic Equity (i.e., 45%) and International Equity (i.e., 15%) strategies, the minimum combined exposure to equity managers or strategies is 62.5% of the
Portfolio's net assets.
** Notwithstanding the
approximate individual maximum exposures for the Domestic Equity (i.e., 55%) and International Equity (i.e., 25%) strategies, the maximum combined exposure to equity managers or strategies is 77.5% of the Portfolio's
net assets.
*** Notwithstanding the
approximate individual minimum exposures for the Core and Core Plus Fixed Income (i.e., 20%) and Cash/Money Market (i.e., 0%) strategies, the approximate minimum combined exposure to fixed income managers or
strategies is 22.5% of the Portfolio's net assets. Fixed income strategies include both domestic and international investments.
**** Notwithstanding the
individual maximum exposures for the Core and Core Plus Fixed Income (i.e., 35%) and Cash/Money Market (i.e., 10%) asset classes, the maximum combined exposure to fixed income managers or strategies is 37.5% of the
Portfolio's net assets.
Investments in Other Investment
Companies
. The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, and the rules thereunder. These investments would be managed by the Manager and
would be used as: (i) a completion strategy to access and adjust exposures to various asset classes and (ii) an overlay strategy to enhance total return and manage portfolio risk at the aggregate level. Under normal
market conditions, no more than 10% of the Portfolio's assets would be allocated to such investments. The Manager intends
386
to invest exclusively in other pooled investment
vehicles (collectively, the Other Funds) and ETFs as part of these investments. Investments in Other Funds and ETFs will subject the Portfolio segment to the fees and expenses (e.g., investment management fees and
other expenses) and risks associated with the relevant Other Funds and ETFs.
AST Parametric Emerging Markets
Equity Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities of issuers: (i) located in emerging market countries or (ii)
included (or considered for inclusion) as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices.
A company is considered to be
located in an emerging market country if it is domiciled in, or derives more than 50% of its revenues or profits from, emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are generally countries not considered to be
developed market countries, and therefore not included in the MSCI World Index. Emerging market countries include countries in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and the
region comprising the former Soviet Union. The Portfolio may invest without limit in foreign securities.
The Portfolio seeks to employ a
top-down, disciplined and systematic investment process that emphasizes broad exposure and diversification among emerging market countries, economic sectors, and issuers. This rules-based strategy uses targeted
allocation and systematic rebalancing to take advantage of certain quantitative and behavioral characteristics of emerging markets identified by Parametric's portfolio managers. Parametric's portfolio managers select
and allocate across countries based on factors such as size, liquidity, level of economic development, local economic diversification, and perceived risk and potential for growth. The Portfolio expects to maintain a
bias to broad inclusion; that is, Parametric's portfolio managers intend to allocate portfolio holdings to more emerging market countries rather than fewer emerging market countries. Relative to
capitalization-weighted country indexes, individual country allocation targets generally emphasize the less represented emerging market countries and attempts to reduce the concentration risks relative to a
capitalization-weighted index. The Portfolio's country allocations are rebalanced to their target weights if they exceed a certain predetermined over-weight or if they fall below a certain predetermined underweight.
Rebalancing has the effect of reducing exposure to countries with strong relative performance and increasing exposure to countries that have underperformed. The frequency of rebalancing depends on the volatility and
trading costs of the individual country. Within each country, the Portfolio seeks to maintain exposure across key economic sectors such as technology, telecommunications, utilities, health care, energy, materials,
consumer staples, consumer discretionary, industrials and financials. Relative to capitalization-weighted country indexes, Parametric's portfolio managers generally target weights to these sectors to emphasize the
less represented sectors. Parametric's portfolio managers select individual securities as representative of their respective economic sectors and generally weight them by their relative capitalization within that
sector.
No more than 25% of the
Portfolio's total assets may be denominated in a single foreign currency. The value of foreign assets as measured in US dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates
and exchange control regulations. At times, Parametric's portfolio managers may (but are not obligated to) use hedging techniques (including, without limitation, forward contracts and options) to attempt to mitigate
adverse effects of foreign currency fluctuations.
The Portfolio may invest in
securities of small and new companies. The Portfolio also may invest in privately issued securities, including, without limitation, privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond
generally to the performance of a specified stock index or “basket” of securities, or sometimes a single stock (referred to as equity-linked securities). The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net
assets in privately issued securities.
387
The Portfolio also may invest in
convertible instruments that generally will not be rated, but will typically be equivalent in credit quality to securities rated below investment grade (i.e., credit quality equivalent to lower than Baa by Moody's and
lower than BBB by S&P. Convertible debt securities that are not investment grade are commonly called “junk bonds.” The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in these instruments.
As an alternative to holding
foreign-traded securities, the Portfolio may invest in dollar-denominated securities of foreign companies that trade on US exchanges or in the US over-the-counter market (including, without limitation, all types of
depositary receipts that evidence ownership in underlying foreign securities). The Portfolio's investment in a depositary receipt will satisfy the above-referenced 80% investment policy if the issuer of the depositary
receipt is: (i) domiciled in, or derives more than 50% of its revenues or profits from, emerging market countries or (ii) included (or considered for inclusion) as an emerging market issuer in one or more broad-based
market indices.
Derivative Strategies.
The Portfolio may engage in derivative transactions as a substitute for the purchase or sale of securities or currencies or to attempt to mitigate the adverse effects of foreign currency
fluctuations. Such transactions may include foreign currency exchange contracts, options and equity-linked securities (such as participation notes, equity swaps and zero strike calls and warrants). A derivative is a
financial instrument, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, or index. The use of derivatives—such as futures, foreign currency forward contracts,
options on futures and various types of swaps—involves costs and can be volatile. With derivatives, Parametric tries to predict if the underlying investment—a security, market index, currency, interest
rate, or some other benchmark, will go up or down at some future date. Parametric may use derivatives to try to reduce risk or to increase return consistent with the Portfolio's overall investment objectives.
Parametric will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding whether to employ any particular strategy or technique, or use any particular instrument. Any derivatives Parametric may use may not match or offset
the Portfolio's underlying positions and this could result in losses to the Portfolio that would not otherwise have occurred. Derivatives that involve leverage could magnify losses.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may also use the
following investments and strategies: exchange-traded funds, initial public offerings, convertible securities and preferred stock, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, and when-issued
and delayed-delivery securities. In addition to the principal strategies, the Subadviser also may use the foregoing strategies to try to increase returns or protect its assets if market conditions warrant.
AST Prudential Core Bond
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize total return consistent with the long-term preservation of capital.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in intermediate and long-term debt obligations and high quality money
market instruments.
The above-referenced 80% test is
applied at the time the Portfolio invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Portfolio assets, market values, or ratings downgrades will not require the Portfolio to dispose of a holding. The types of
debt obligations in which the Portfolio may invest, include, without limitation, US Government securities, mortgage-related securities (including commercial mortgage-backed securities), asset-backed securities, bank
loans by assignment as well as through loan participations, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the Subadviser uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down economic analysis, the
Subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic analysis is integrated
into the Subadviser’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom up research, the
388
Subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook
on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and
leverage.
The Subadviser
may also consider factors such as yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Subadviser may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather
than the yield of such security. The Subadviser may also utilize proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to support
risk management.
The Portfolio may invest without
limit in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government and government-related entities. An example of a debt security that is backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government is an obligation of
the Government National Mortgage Association. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in US Government securities issued by other government entities, like the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Student Loan
Marketing Association which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. Instead, these issuers have the right to borrow from the US Treasury to meet their obligations. The Portfolio may also
invest in the debt securities of other government-related entities, like the Farm Credit System, which depend entirely upon their own resources to repay their debt.
The Portfolio
will invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in debt obligations that are rated investment grade. Investment grade debt obligations are those rated within the four highest rating categories
assigned by a rating agency such as Moody's, S&P, or Fitch, or, if unrated, determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality. Likewise, the Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its net assets in debt
obligations rated below investment grade (often referred to as junk bonds) by the major ratings services, or, if unrated, considered to be of comparable quality by the Subadviser. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of
its total assets in debt securities issued outside the US by US or foreign issuers, whether or not such securities are denominated in the US dollar. The Portfolio may also invest up to 20% of its assets in
collateralized debt obligations, including collateralized loan obligations (CDOs). Depending on the amount of its investment in CDOs, the Portfolio’s risk profile may be lower or higher than peer funds that
invest in such securities. PGIM Fixed Income takes into account the effect of such investments on the Portfolio’s risk profile when choosing to invest in CDOs.
The Portfolio may also invest in
convertible debt and convertible and non-convertible preferred stock of any rating. The Portfolio will not acquire any common stock except by converting a convertible security or exercising a warrant. No more than 10%
of the Portfolio's total assets will be held in common stocks, and those will usually be sold as soon as a favorable opportunity arises. The Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other
financial institutions to earn income.
The Portfolio may invest in
leveraged loans. Leveraged loans are business loans made to borrowers that may be US or foreign corporations, partnerships, or other business entities. The interest rates on leveraged loans are periodically adjusted
to a generally recognized base rate such as the London Interbank Offered Rate or the prime rate as set by the Federal Reserve. Such senior loans may be rated below investment grade or, if unrated, deemed by Prudential
to be the equivalent of below investment grade securities. The Portfolio’s investment in senior loans will usually be made in the form of participations or assignments.
The Subadviser may use various
derivative strategies to try to improve the Portfolio’s returns. The Subadviser may also use hedging techniques to try to protect the Portfolio’s assets. The Subadviser and the Portfolio cannot guarantee
that these strategies and techniques will work, that the instruments necessary to implement these strategies and techniques will be available, or that the Portfolio will not lose money. The use of derivatives —
such as futures, foreign currency forward contracts, options on futures, indexed and inverse floating rate securities, swaps, and swap options — involves costs and can be volatile. With derivatives, the
Portfolio’s subadviser tries to predict if the underlying investment – a security, market index, currency, interest rate or some other benchmark — will go up or down at some future date. The
Subadviser may use derivatives to try to reduce risk or to increase return consistent with the Portfolio’s overall investment objective. The Subadviser will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding
whether to employ any particular strategy or technique, or use any particular instrument. Any derivatives used may
389
not match or offset the Portfolio’s
underlying positions and this could result in losses to the Portfolio that would not otherwise have occurred. Derivatives that involve leverage could magnify losses. When the Portfolio uses derivative strategies, it
designates certain assets as segregated or otherwise covers its exposure, as required by the rules of the SEC. For example, with respect to forwards and futures contracts that are not contractually required to
“cash-settle,” the Portfolio must cover its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts' full, notional value. With respect to forwards and futures that are contractually required
to “cash-settle,” however, the Portfolio is permitted to set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to such Portfolio's daily marked-to-market (net) obligations, if any (i.e., such Portfolio's daily net
liability, if any), rather than the notional value. By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligations under cash-settled forward and futures contracts, the Portfolio will have the ability to employ leverage to
a greater extent than if it were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional value of such contracts. Futures, foreign currency forward contracts, options on futures, indexed and inverse floating rate
securities, swaps, and swap options are described in more detail in this Prospectus under the heading “More Detailed Information About Other Investments & Strategies Used By The Portfolios—Additional
Investments & Strategies.”
AST PRUDENTIAL GROWTH
ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek total
return.
Principal Investment Policies
:
The asset allocation strategy for the Portfolio is determined by QMA. QMA is also responsible for managing the equity segment of the Portfolio. PGIM Fixed Income is responsible for managing the fixed income segment of the Portfolio.
The asset allocation strategy for the Portfolio is determined by QMA. QMA is also responsible for managing the equity segment of the Portfolio. PGIM Fixed Income is responsible for managing the fixed income segment of the Portfolio.
The Portfolio invests in a
combination of global equity and equity-related securities, debt obligations and money market instruments in order to achieve diversification in a single Portfolio. QMA may also utilize an overlay sleeve for liquidity
and allocation changes. The overlay sleeve is generally approximately 12% of the Portfolio’s assets. QMA adjusts the percentage of Portfolio assets in each category in accordance with its expectations regarding
the different markets, as those expectations may change from time to time. Under normal conditions, the Portfolio is expected to be invested within the ranges set forth below:
| Asset Type | Minimum | Normal | Maximum |
| Equity and Equity-Related Securities* | 60% | 70% | 80% |
| Debt Obligations and Money Market Instruments * | 20% | 30% | 40% |
*Note: ranges are expressed
as a percentage of the Portfolio’s assets and include allocations within the overlay sleeve
Asset Allocation of the Portfolio
. In seeking to add value, QMA tactically overweights or underweights asset classes based on perceived investment opportunities. It may actively change allocations among the underlying asset
classes based on changing market and economic conditions, and may also periodically rebalance asset allocation portfolios to target asset class weights. Within broad asset classes, QMA may also allocate among
sub-asset classes such as US large cap equity, small cap equity, and emerging markets.
Equity Segment
. QMA’s equity investment strategy employs a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process. The stock selection process utilizes an adaptive model that evaluates stocks
differently based on their growth expectations. QMA constructs portfolios that seek to maximize the Portfolio’s investment in the most attractive stocks identified by the model subject to risk
constraints.
The equity segment of the
Portfolio is invested in a broadly diversified portfolio of global (including emerging markets) equity and equity-related securities across all market capitalizations. Equity and equity-related securities include
common and preferred stock, ETFs, securities convertible into common stock, depository receipts, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts (generally collateralized with Treasury Bills), and
other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants, swaps or options to purchase common stock.
390
Fixed Income Segment
. The fixed income segment of the Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its investable assets in intermediate and long-term debt obligations and high quality money
market instruments. In addition, the fixed income segment of the Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in intermediate and long-term debt obligations that are rated investment
grade by the major ratings services, or, if unrated, considered to be of comparable quality by the subadviser, and high quality money market instruments. Likewise, the fixed income segment of the Portfolio may invest
up to 20% of its net assets in high-yield/high-risk debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). The fixed income segment of the Portfolio also may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt
securities issued outside the US by US or foreign issuers, whether or not such securities are denominated in the US dollar. The fixed income segment may also invest up to 20% of the assets in the fixed income segment
in collateralized debt obligations. Depending on the amount of its investment in CDOs, the Portfolio’s risk profile may be lower or higher than peer funds that invest in such securities. PGIM Fixed Income takes
into account the effect of such investments on the Portfolio’s risk profile when choosing to invest in
CDOs.
In managing the Portfolio’s
US fixed income segment, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down
economic analysis, PGIM Fixed Income develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic
analysis is integrated into PGIM Fixed Income’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom up research, PGIM Fixed Income develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating
and outlook is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
PGIM Fixed Income
may also consider factors such as yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. PGIM Fixed Income may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather
than the yield of such security. PGIM Fixed Income may also utilize proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to
support risk management.
Market Participation Strategy.
This strategy is designed to provide upside equity participation, while seeking to reduce downside risk over the course of a full market cycle. The strategy does not invest directly in
equity securities but gains equity exposure primarily through investments in options and futures. Under normal circumstances, the strategy is primarily invested in US equity index options, futures, and US government
securities (including its agencies and instrumentalities). From time to time, the strategy may also invest in corporate bonds and supranational securities.
AST QMA LARGE-CAP PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies. Equity and
equity-related securities include common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds, securities convertible into common stock, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts (generally
collateralized with Treasury Bills), and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants, or options to purchase common stock.
For purposes of
the Portfolio, a large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $2.56 billion and $914.52 billion as of February 28, 2018).
QMA equity investment strategy
employs a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process. The stock selection process utilizes an adaptive model that evaluates stocks differently based on their growth expectations. QMA constructs portfolios
that seek to maximize the Portfolio’s investment in the most attractive stocks identified by the model subject to risk constraints.
391
AST QMA US Equity Alpha
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of US issuers. For purposes of this
non-fundamental investment policy, US issuers are issuers whose primary listing is on a securities exchange or market inside the United States.
The Portfolio
uses a long/short investment strategy in seeking to achieve its investment objective. This means the Portfolio shorts a portion of the Portfolio and uses the proceeds of the shorts, or other borrowings, to purchase
additional stocks long. By employing this long/short strategy, the Portfolio seeks to produce returns that exceed those of its benchmark index, the Russell 1000
®
Index (i.e., the Portfolio seeks additional alpha, often quantified by a fund's excess return above a benchmark index).
The Russell 1000
®
Index is composed of stocks representing more than 90% of the market cap of the US market and includes the largest 1000
securities in the Russell 3000
®
Index.
In general, for its long
positions, the Portfolio may overweight issuers that it believes may outperform the Russell 1000
®
Index and may underweight those issuers it believes may underperform the Russell 1000
®
Index, while managing the Portfolio's active risk. The Portfolio will generally sell securities short that it believes
may underperform the Russell 1000
®
Index or may not perform as well as comparable securities. The Portfolio may also sell securities short to manage the
Portfolio's active risk.
In rising markets, the Portfolio
expects that its long positions generally will appreciate more rapidly than the short positions, and in declining markets, that its short positions generally will decline faster than the long positions. Short sales
allow the Portfolio to seek to earn returns on securities that the Portfolio believes may underperform, and also allows the Portfolio to maintain additional long positions. The Portfolio will target approximately 100%
net market exposure, similar to a “long-only” strategy, to US equities.
Operational Complexities;
Relationship with Prime Broker.
Selling short and investing the proceeds from the short sale in additional long positions will require a prime broker to hold the short position in the Portfolio's prime brokerage account,
with the custodian bank holding collateral to satisfy the collateral requirements relating to the short positions at the prime broker. As such, a tri-party custody and pledge agreement is required between the
custodian bank, the prime broker, and the Portfolio. This structure requires setting up a pledge account with the custodian bank, which is used to satisfy the collateral requirements relating to the short positions at
the prime broker. The custodian bank holds the securities from the Portfolio's long position as collateral. The tri-party agreement provides for substitution of collateral, as well as for release of collateral in
excess of applicable margin requirements. The tri-party structure requires a more complicated and costly support structure.
Short Sales.
If a security sold short increases in price, the Portfolio may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Portfolio will have
substantial short positions and must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer. The Portfolio may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short
position at an acceptable price and may have to sell long positions before it otherwise intends to do so.
Until the short sale is closed,
the broker effecting the short sale typically requires the proceeds or other securities to serve as collateral to secure the Portfolio's obligation to cover the short position. However, the Portfolio may use all or a
portion of the cash proceeds that it receives in connection with short sales to purchase securities or for other Portfolio purposes. If the Portfolio does this, it must pledge replacement collateral as security to the
broker and may use securities that it owns to meet any such collateral obligations. Additionally, the Portfolio must maintain sufficient liquid assets (less any additional collateral held by the broker),
marked-to-market daily, to cover the short sale obligation.
392
When borrowing a security for
delivery to a buyer, the Portfolio also may be required to pay a premium and other transaction costs, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. The Portfolio must normally repay to the lender an amount
equal to any dividends or interest that accrues while the loan is outstanding. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium, dividends, interest or
expenses the Portfolio may be required to pay in connection with the short sale. Also, the lender of a security may terminate the loan at a time when the Portfolio is unable to borrow the same security for delivery.
In that case, the Portfolio would need to purchase a replacement security at the then current market price or “buy in” by paying the lender an amount equal to the cost of purchasing the security.
Because the Portfolio's loss on a
short sale arises from increases in the value of the security sold short, such loss is theoretically unlimited. In certain cases, purchasing a security to cover a short position can itself cause the price of the
security to rise further, thereby exacerbating the loss. Conversely, gains on short sales, after transaction and related costs, are generally the difference between the price at which the Portfolio sold the borrowed
security and the price it paid to purchase the security for delivery to the buyer. By contrast, the Portfolio's loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact
that a security's value cannot drop below zero.
Potential Conflicts: Side-by-Side
Management of Long-Only and Long-Short Strategies
. QMA currently manages both long-only and long-short strategies. With respect to QMA's management of these strategies side by side, the security weightings (positive or negative) in each
account are typically determined by a quantitative algorithm. An independent review is performed by QMA's compliance unit to assess whether any such positions would represent a departure from a quantitative algorithm
used to derive the positions in each portfolio. QMA's review is intended to identify situations where QMA would seem to have conflicting views of the same security in different portfolios. Such views may actually be
reasonable and consistent due to differing portfolio constraints.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may invest in ADRs,
American Depository Shares (ADSs) and other similar receipts or shares traded in US markets, which are considered to be US securities. Additional investments may include ETFs. The Portfolio may invest in derivatives,
such as futures contracts or equity swaps, for hedging purposes (to seek to reduce risk) and for non-hedging purposes (to seek to increase return consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective).
In addition, the Portfolio may
also (1) hold common stock or warrants received as the result of an exchange or tender offer, (2) buy or sell securities on a forward commitment basis, (3) lend its portfolio securities, (4) invest in options,
futures, forwards and equity swaps, (5) engage in reverse repurchase agreements for investment purposes, (6) borrow money for investment purposes, and (7) borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes.
AST Quantitative Modeling
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
obtain a high potential return while attempting to mitigate downside risk during adverse market cycles.
Principal Investment Policies:
General.
The Portfolio operates as a “fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in a combination of Underlying Portfolios in accordance with
its own specialized asset allocation strategy. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests are other investment portfolios of the Trust and certain money market funds or short-term bond
funds advised by the Manager or its affiliates. Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, other mutual funds may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying
Portfolios that may be used as investment options for the Capital Growth Segment or the Fixed Income Segment.
Capital Growth Segment.
QMA, the sole subadviser for the Portfolio, constructs a neutral allocation for the Capital Growth Segment. The neutral allocation initially divides the assets attributable to the Capital
Growth Segment across three broad-based securities benchmark indexes: the Russell 3000 Index, the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index, and the MSCI EAFE Index. The neutral allocation generally emphasizes
investments in the equity asset
393
class. The selection of specific combinations of
Underlying Portfolios for the Capital Growth Segment is generally determined by PGIM Investments. PGIM Investments employs various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of
Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the neutral allocation established by QMA. QMA then performs its own forward-looking assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security valuation, and other
factors. As a result of this assessment, QMA further adjusts the neutral allocation and the preliminary Underlying Portfolio weights for the Capital Growth Segment based upon its views on certain factors, including,
but not limited to, the following:
| ■ | asset class (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on equity or debt securities and money market instruments); |
| ■ | geographic focus (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on domestic or international issuers); |
| ■ | investment style (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on securities with value, growth, or core characteristics); |
| ■ | market capitalization (i.e., increase or decrease allocation to Underlying Portfolios focusing primarily on small-cap, mid-cap, or large-cap issuers); and |
| ■ | “off-benchmark” factors (e.g., add exposure to asset sub-classes or investment categories generally not captured in the neutral allocation such as real estate, natural resources, global bonds, limited maturity bonds, high-yield bonds (also referred to as “junk bonds”), or cash. |
The assets of the Capital Growth
Segment are invested in accordance with the table below under normal circumstances.
PGIM Investments and QMA currently
expect that any changes to the asset allocation and Underlying Portfolio weights will be effected within the above-referenced ranges. Consistent with the Portfolio's principal investment policies, PGIM Investments and
QMA may, however, change the asset allocation and Underlying Portfolio weights both within and beyond such above-referenced ranges at any time in their sole discretion. In addition, PGIM Investments and QMA may, at
any time in their sole discretion, rebalance the Capital Growth Segment's investments to cause its composition to match the asset allocation and Underlying Portfolio weights. Although PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve
as the investment managers of the Underlying Portfolios, the day-to-day investment management of the Underlying Portfolios is the responsibility of the relevant Subadvisers.
Fixed Income Segment.
The net assets attributable to the Fixed Income Segment are invested in the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio (the AST Bond Portfolio). The investment objective of the AST Bond Portfolio
is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity needs. In pursuing its investment objective, the AST Bond Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net
assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in investment grade bonds. For purposes of this 80% policy, investment grade bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all fixed income securities, excluding
preferred stock, that are issued by both government and non-government issuers and rated BBB or higher by S&P, Baa or higher by Moody's, BBB or higher by Fitch or, if unrated, are determined by the Subadviser to
be of comparable quality, and (ii) all derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to debt securities and fixed income securities with such ratings. All references to the
ratings categories used for determining what constitutes an investment grade bond are without regard to gradations within those categories. PGIM Fixed Income, the Subadviser for the AST Bond Portfolio, currently
intends to maintain an overall weighted average credit quality rating of A– or better for the AST Bond Portfolio. This target overall credit quality for the AST Bond Portfolio is based on ratings as of the date
of purchase. In the event the AST Bond Portfolio's overall credit quality drops below A– due to downgrades of individual portfolio securities, PGIM Fixed Income will take appropriate action based upon the
relevant facts and circumstances.
394
PGIM Fixed Income has a team of
fixed income professionals, including credit analysts and traders, with experience in many sectors of the US and foreign fixed income securities markets. PGIM Fixed Income uses qualitative and quantitative analysis to
evaluate each bond issue considered for the AST Bond Portfolio. In selecting portfolio securities for the AST Bond Portfolio, PGIM Fixed Income considers economic conditions and interest rate fundamentals. PGIM Fixed
Income also evaluates individual issues within each bond sector based upon their relative investment merit and will consider factors such as yield and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality,
maturity and risk.
The AST Bond Portfolio seeks to
achieve its investment objective by investing in a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds and other securities and instruments. To that end, the AST Bond Portfolio emphasizes investments in several different
types of securities and financial instruments, including, without limitation: (i) US Government securities; (ii) certain debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government and government-related entities,
including mortgage-related securities; (iii) privately-issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities; (iv) debt obligations of US corporate issuers; and (v) derivatives and synthetic instruments that have
economic characteristics that are similar to these types of securities and obligations. The AST Bond Portfolio also may invest up to 50% of its total assets in US dollar-denominated debt securities issued in the
United States by certain foreign issuers and up to 10% of its investable assets in non-investment grade bonds (also referred to junk bonds).
Overview of Operation of
Quantitative Model.
Normally 100% of the Portfolio's net assets are allocated to the Capital Growth Segment. Portfolio assets are transferred between the Capital Growth Segment and the Fixed Income Segment
based on the application of a quantitative model to the Portfolio's overall net asset value (NAV) per share. In general terms, the model seeks to transfer Portfolio assets from the Capital Growth Segment to the Fixed
Income Segment when the Portfolio's NAV per share experiences certain declines and from the Fixed Income Segment to the Capital Growth Segment when the Portfolio's NAV per share experiences certain increases or
remains flat over certain periods of time. These positive and negative movements in the Portfolio's NAV per share are measured by reference to a “target NAV per share”, which itself will be based, in part,
on previous highs of the Portfolio's actual NAV per share. Such “target NAV per share” will fluctuate over time as the Portfolio's actual NAV per share rises and falls. The model, however, will not
generate: (i) a transfer to the Fixed Income Segment from the Capital Growth Segment that would result in more than 90% of the Portfolio's net assets being allocated to the Fixed Income Segment, or (ii) a large-scale
transfer between the Portfolio's segments that exceeds certain pre-determined percentage thresholds. Notwithstanding such limits on transfers, more than 90% of the Portfolio's net assets may be allocated to the Fixed
Income Segment at a given point in time due to an increase in the aggregate value of that segment and/or a decline in the aggregate value of the Capital Growth Segment.
In an effort to reduce transaction
costs, the Manager or QMA may decline to implement a transfer between the Portfolio's segments that would otherwise be initiated by the quantitative model to the extent such transfer does not exceed certain
pre-determined percentage thresholds. In addition, the quantitative model is proprietary and may be changed by the Manager or QMA over time. The Manager or QMA may determine that such a change is appropriate for a
variety of reasons, including, without limitation, due to changing market, financial, or economic conditions or to make enhancements to the model based on actual experience.
Overall Asset Allocation for
Quantitative Modeling Portfolio.
Below are the approximate exposures to Equity Underlying Portfolios and Debt-Money Market Underlying Portfolios that would result from: (i) an allocation of 100% of the Portfolio's assets
to the Capital Growth Segment and the corresponding allocation of Portfolio assets (i.e., 0%) to the Fixed Income Segment; (ii) an even division of Portfolio assets between the Capital Growth Segment and the Fixed
Income Segment; and (iii) an allocation of 90% of the Quantitative Modeling Portfolio's assets to the Fixed Income Segment and the corresponding allocation of Portfolio assets (i.e., 10%) to the Capital Growth
Segment.
395
|
Assumed Allocation of Portfolio
Assets: 100% Capital Growth Segment* and 0% Fixed Income Segment |
Assumed Allocation of Portfolio
Assets: 50% Capital Growth Segment* and 50% Fixed Income Segment |
Assumed Allocation of Portfolio
Assets: 10% Capital Growth Segment* and 90% Fixed Income Segment |
|
| % of Portfolio Assets Allocated to Equity Underlying Portfolios | 75% | 37.5% | 7.5% |
| % of Portfolio Assets Allocated to Debt-Money Market Underlying Portfolios | 25% | 62.5% | 92.5% |
* Assumes that 75% of the
Capital Growth Segment's net assets will be invested in Equity Underlying Portfolios while the remaining 25% of the Capital Growth Segment's net assets will be invested in Debt-Money Market Underlying Portfolios.
As shown in the table immediately
above, a shareholder's specific investment experience depends, in part, on how the Portfolio's assets are allocated between the Capital Growth Segment and the Fixed Income Segment during the period in which the
shareholder invested in the Portfolio.
AST RCM WORLD TRENDS
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to obtain the
highest potential total return consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.
Principal Investment Policies:
The Subadviser allocates the
portfolio among various investment strategies to gain exposure to different segments of the global equity and fixed income markets. The Portfolio takes the innovative approach of blending these strategies according to
the asset allocation structure designed by the Portfolio’s Manager. The ranges for portfolio weight allocated to each major asset class are stated below. More information on asset allocation, including minimums
and maximums under normal circumstances, are set forth in the “Asset Class” chart, below.
| Asset Class | Minimum Exposure | Neutral Exposure | Maximum Exposure |
| Equity Developed | 50.0% | 54.0% | 70.0% |
| Equity Emerging | 0.0% | 3.0% | 8.0% |
| Commodities | 0.0% | 3.0% | 8.0% |
| Total (Equities and Commodities) | 50.0% | 60.0% | 70.0% |
| US Fixed Income | 25.0% | 35.0% | 50.0% |
| Emerging Markets Debt | 0.0% | 5.0% | 8.0% |
| Total Fixed Income | 30.0% | 40.0% | 50.0% |
Asset Allocation Ranges.
Under normal circumstances, approximately 60% of the Portfolio’s net assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 40% of its net assets are invested
to provide exposure to fixed income securities. The Portfolio may also hold commodity exposure up to approximately 8% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
Depending on
market conditions, the total exposure to equities and commodities may range between 50-70% of the Portfolio’s net assets while exposure to fixed income may range between 30-50% of its net assets. Such exposures
may be obtained through: (i) the purchase of “physical” securities (e.g., common stocks, bonds, etc.); (ii) the use of derivatives (e.g., futures contracts, currency forwards, TBAs, etc.); and (iii) the
purchase of Underlying ETFs. Depending on market conditions and the allocation of assets, the Portfolio may at times underperform as compared to more opportunistic peer funds given the subadviser’s more
diversified approach and the Portfolio’s more conservative risk profile.
AST Small-Cap Growth
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital growth.
396
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in small capitalization companies.
The Portfolio normally pursues its
objective by investing primarily in the common stocks of small-capitalization companies. For purposes of the Portfolio, small-capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations no larger
than the largest capitalized company included in the Russell 2000
®
Growth Index at the time of the Portfolio's investment. The size of the companies in the Russell 2000
®
Growth Index and those on which the Subadvisers intend to focus the Portfolio's investments will change with market
conditions.
UBS Asset Management (Americas) Inc.
(UBS AM)
is responsible for managing a portion of the Portfolio’s assets. In selecting securities, UBS AM seeks to invest in companies that possess dominant market positions or franchises, a
major technological edge, or a unique competitive advantage. To this end, UBS AM considers earnings revision trends, positive stock price momentum and sales acceleration when selecting securities. UBS AM may cause the
Portfolio to invest in emerging growth companies, which are companies that UBS AM expects to experience above-average earnings or cash flow growth or meaningful changes in underlying asset values.
Emerald
is also responsible for managing a portion of the Portfolio’s assets. Emerald seeks to maximize returns and minimize risks by capitalizing on the inefficiencies inherent in
today’s small-cap markets. Emerald is dedicated to intense fundamental, bottom-up research designed to identify unrecognized, under-researched, undervalued as well as overvalued companies. Since 1,062 Russell
2000 stocks have five or fewer sell-side analysts, while 390 stocks have two or fewer, as compiled by FactSet as of January 4, 2018, Emerald believes there is extraordinary opportunity in the small capitalization
markets. Emerald strives to construct portfolios which bear little resemblance to the broad market and are comprised of companies that “they strive to know better than anyone else.”
Because the Portfolio invests
primarily in common stocks, the primary risk of investing in the Portfolio is that the value of the stocks it holds might decrease, and you could lose money. The prices of the securities in the Portfolios will
fluctuate. These price movements may occur because of changes in the financial markets as a whole, a company's individual situation or industry changes. These risks are greater for companies with smaller market
capitalizations because they tend to have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and may be dependent on a smaller management group than larger, more established companies.
Other Investments:
The Portfolio may invest to a
lesser degree in types of securities other than common stocks, including preferred stocks, warrants, and convertible securities. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in the following types of securities and engage in
the following investment techniques:
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets in foreign securities. The Portfolio may invest directly in foreign securities denominated in foreign currencies, or may invest
through depositary receipts or passive foreign investment companies. Generally, the same criteria are used to select foreign securities as domestic securities. American Depository Receipts and foreign issuers traded
in the United States are not considered to be Foreign Securities for purposes of this investment limitation.
Futures, Options and Other
Derivative Instruments.
The Portfolio may enter into futures contracts on securities, financial indices and foreign currencies and options on such contracts, and may invest in options on securities, financial
indices and foreign currencies, forward contracts and interest rate swaps and swap-related products (collectively derivative instruments). The Portfolio may use derivative instruments to hedge the value of its
portfolio against potential adverse movements in securities prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates.
AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek capital growth.
Investment Objective: to seek capital growth.
397
Principal Investment
Policies:
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by small-capitalization companies. The Portfolio normally pursues its objective by investing primarily in the common stocks of small-capitalization companies. For purposes of the Portfolio, small-capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations no larger than the largest capitalized company included in the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index or the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index at the time of the Portfolio's investment. The size of the companies in the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index, the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, and those on which the subadvisers intend to focus the Portfolio's investments will change with market conditions.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities issued by small-capitalization companies. The Portfolio normally pursues its objective by investing primarily in the common stocks of small-capitalization companies. For purposes of the Portfolio, small-capitalization companies are generally those that have market capitalizations no larger than the largest capitalized company included in the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index or the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index at the time of the Portfolio's investment. The size of the companies in the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index, the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, and those on which the subadvisers intend to focus the Portfolio's investments will change with market conditions.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
Victory Capital Management Inc.
(Victory Capital)
is responsible for managing a portion of the Portfolio’s assets. Victory Capital’s investment franchise, RS Investments, employs both fundamental analysis and quantitative
screening in seeking to identify companies that the investment team believes will produce sustainable earnings growth over a multi-year horizon. Investment candidates typically exhibit some or all of the following key
criteria: strong organic revenue growth, expanding margins and profitability, innovative products or services, defensible competitive advantages, growing market share, and experienced management teams. The investment
team seeks to categorize each potential investment based on its view of a company’s stage of development on a spectrum that identifies companies as promising, developing, or proven. Valuation is an integral part
of the growth investment process. Purchase decisions are based on the investment team’s expectation of the potential reward relative to risk of each security based in part on the investment team’s
proprietary earnings calculations.
Wellington Management Company LLP
(Wellington Management)
is also responsible for managing a portion of the Portfolio’s assets. Central to Wellington Management’s investment process is intense, fundamental research focused on
uncovering companies with improving quality metrics, business momentum, and attractive relative valuations. Portfolio construction emphasizes stock specific risk while minimizing other sources of active risk, with an
emphasis on creating a portfolio whose relative performance is less dependent on market environment. Wellington Management’s research process relies on extensive management meetings and a high level of
collaboration between the investment team and Wellington Management’s global industry analysts and other team analysts to produce forecast models and long-term valuation targets. The majority of Wellington
Management’s research is the result of direct contact with company management in our offices, on site, and at conferences. Wellington Management also triangulates a great deal of information by talking to
competitors, suppliers, and vendors. Wellington Management considers its ability to make independent evaluations and to establish its own research priorities central to its ability to produce positive returns for our
clients. Wellington Management views portfolio construction as a separate, but equally important, component of the investment process. Its approach to portfolio construction is based on its observation that active
managers frequently underestimate the range of outcomes when assessing an investment idea. Wellington Management recognizes this uncertainty and explicitly incorporates the risk characteristics of stocks when setting
position sizes. This practice leads to diversification of risk across stocks and limits the impact of negative surprises. Consistent with its longer term investment perspective, Wellington Management incorporates
anticipated transaction costs when making buy and sell decisions, which supports lower turnover.
AST Small-Cap Value
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
provide long-term capital growth by investing primarily in small-capitalization stocks that appear to be undervalued.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in small capitalization companies.
398
Small capitalization companies are generally
defined as stocks of companies with market capitalizations that are within the market capitalization range of the Russell 2000
®
Value Index. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet the definition of small capitalization
companies after purchase by the Portfolio will still be considered to be small capitalization companies for purposes of the Portfolio's policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its
assets in small capitalization companies.
The assets of the Portfolio are
independently managed by two Subadvisers under a multi-manager structure. Pursuant to the multi-manager structure, the Manager of the Portfolio determines and allocates a portion of the Portfolio's assets to each of
the Subadvisers. The allocations will be reviewed by the Manager periodically and may be altered or adjusted by the Manager without prior notice. Such adjustments will be reflected in the annual update to this
prospectus.
Although each Subadviser follows
the Portfolio's policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Portfolio's assets in small capitalization companies, each Subadviser expects to utilize different investment strategies to achieve
the Portfolio's objective of long-term capital growth. The current asset allocations and principal investment strategies for each Subadviser are summarized below:
J.P. Morgan
follows a multi-step process. First, a rigorous proprietary multifactor quantitative model is used to evaluate the prospects of each company in the investable universe and rank each
company’s relative attractiveness within its sector based on a number of factors including valuation based metrics and improving business trends and market sentiment. Next, analysts conduct fundamental research
where the results of the quantitative model are reviewed and modified based by the portfolio management team to ensure the validity of the data, that the trades recommended truly meet our investment theses and out of
the model issues are captured. Finally, a portfolio construction process is employed to overweight the stocks with the highest return potential while minimizing uncompensated risks relative to the benchmark (as
measured by the BARRA risk model). The resulting portfolio is one that closely approximates the risk characteristics of the Russell 2000 Value Index while adding value through stock selection.
LMCG Investments, LLC (LMCG)
applies a classic value investment style focusing on solid small cap companies whose stock it believes is temporarily out of favor in the market. LMCG emphasizes companies with higher
returns on capital, free cash flow, and strong balance sheets. These companies often dominate a particular industry niche. Generally these industries have significant barriers to entry and, as a result, are able to
perpetuate a higher return on capital over time. LMCG emphasizes strong risk-adjusted returns by taking modest bets and focusing not only on upside but also on limiting the downside.
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio will invest
primarily in US common stocks, it may also purchase other types of securities, for example, preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants and bonds when considered consistent with the Portfolio's investment
objective and policies. The Portfolio may purchase preferred stock for capital appreciation where the issuer has omitted, or is in danger of omitting, payment of the dividend on the stock. Debt securities would be
purchased in companies that meet the investment criteria for the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may invest up to 20%
of its total assets in foreign securities, including American Depositary Receipts and securities of companies in developing countries, and may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts (the Portfolio may
invest in foreign cash items in excess of this 20% limit). The Portfolio may enter into stock index or currency futures contracts (or options thereon) for hedging purposes or to provide an efficient means of
regulating the Portfolio's exposure to the equity markets. The Portfolio may also write (sell) call and put options and purchase put and call options on securities, financial indices, and currencies. The Portfolio may
invest up to 10% of its total assets in hybrid instruments, which combine the characteristics of futures, options and securities.
As of December
31, 2017, J.P. Morgan was responsible for managing approximately 61.5% of the Portfolio's assets and LMCG was responsible for managing approximately 38.5% of the Portfolio's assets.
399
AST T. Rowe Price Asset
Allocation Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek a high
level of total return by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, approximately 60% of its total assets in equity securities and 40% in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods; the equity
portion may range between 50-70% and the fixed income portion between 30-50%.
The Subadviser concentrates common
stock investments in larger, more established companies, but the Portfolio may include small and medium-sized companies. Larger, more established companies are defined as companies with a market capitalization above
$3 billion whereas smaller-sized companies are defined as having a maximum market capitalization of $3 billion. The Portfolio's exposure to smaller companies is not expected to be substantial, and will not constitute
more than 30% of the equity portion of the Portfolio. Up to 50% of the equity portion may be invested in foreign (non-US dollar denominated) equity securities.
Up to 10% of the equity portion of
the Portfolio may be allocated to a real assets segment. The assets of this segment are invested with the specific intention of providing exposure to equity securities of companies that derive a significant portion of
their profits or revenues from, or invest a significant portion of their assets in real assets and activities related to real assets. For these purposes, real assets are defined broadly and are considered to include
any assets that have physical properties, such as energy and natural resources, real estate, basic materials, equipment, utilities, and commodities.
The fixed income portion of the
Portfolio will be allocated among investment grade securities (50-100% of the fixed income portion); high yield or “junk” bonds (up to 30% of the fixed income portion); foreign (non-US dollar denominated)
high quality debt securities and emerging market securities (up to 50% of the fixed income portion); and cash reserves (up to 40% of the fixed income portion). Cash reserves may consist of US-dollar and non US-dollar
currencies and money market vehicles. Notwithstanding the individual maximum exposures for foreign equity securities (i.e., 50% of equity portion of the Portfolio) and foreign fixed income securities (i.e., 50% of
fixed income portion of Portfolio), the maximum combined exposure to foreign equity and fixed income securities is 30% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
The precise mix of equity and
fixed income investments depends on the Subadviser's outlook for the markets. When deciding upon asset allocations, the Subadviser may favor fixed income securities if the economy is expected to slow sufficiently to
hurt corporate profit growth. The opposite may be true when strong economic growth is expected. The Portfolio's investments in foreign equity and debt securities are intended to provide additional diversification, and
the Subadviser will normally have at least three different countries represented in both the foreign equity and foreign debt portions of the Portfolio.
Securities may be sold for a
variety of reasons, such as to effect a change in asset allocation, to secure gains or limit losses, or to re-deploy assets into more promising opportunities.
As a fund that invests both in
equity and fixed income securities, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be less than funds investing primarily in equity securities and more than funds
investing primarily in fixed income securities. Of course, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
The Portfolio’s principal
investment strategies also include an allocation to a liquidity strategy in which the Portfolio will allocate approximately 10% of its net assets. The liquidity strategy will be invested primarily in (i) derivative
instruments including, but not limited to, mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to be announced” mortgage derivatives), swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide
liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income portions of the Portfolio; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all
applicable margin requirements for the
400
futures contracts and to provide additional
portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily
deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Equity Securities.
When selecting particular stocks to purchase, the Subadviser examines relative values and prospects among growth and value-oriented stocks, domestic and international stocks, and small-to
large-cap stocks. Domestic stocks are drawn from the overall US market while international equities are selected primarily from large companies in developed countries. Investments in non-US dollar denominated stocks
may be made solely for capital appreciation or solely for income or any combination of both for the purpose of achieving a higher overall return. Stocks of companies in developing countries may also be included. The
equity portion of the Portfolio also may include convertible securities, preferred stocks and warrants.
Fixed Income Securities.
Bond investments are primarily investment grade (top four credit ratings) and are chosen from across the entire government and corporate bond markets. Up to 30% of the Portfolio's fixed
income portion may be invested in high yield bonds. A significant portion of the Portfolio's fixed income investments may be in mortgage-related (including mortgage dollar rolls and derivatives such as collateralized
mortgage obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities) and asset-backed securities. Bank debt and loan participations and assignments may also be purchased. Maturities and duration of the fixed income portion
of the portfolio will reflect the Subadviser's outlook for interest rates. The Portfolio may also invest in Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). The cash reserves component will consist of high quality
domestic and foreign money market instruments, including money market funds managed by the Subadviser.
Liquidity Strategy.
The Portfolio allocates approximately 10% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited
to, mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to be announced” mortgage derivatives), swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable
equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the
futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy
may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Other Investments:
Hybrid Instruments.
These derivative instruments can combine the characteristics of securities, futures, and options. For example, the principal amount, redemption, or conversion terms of a security could be
related to the market price of some commodity, currency, securities, or securities index. Such securities may or may not bear interest or pay dividends. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could
be zero. Hybrids can have volatile prices and limited liquidity, and their use may not be successful. Portfolio investments in hybrid instruments are limited to 10% of total assets.
Swap Agreements.
The Portfolio may enter into interest rate, index, total return, credit default and currency exchange rate swap agreements. All of these agreements are considered derivatives and to the
extent the Portfolio enters into swap agreements, it will be exposed to additional volatility and potential losses. Swaps can be used for a variety of
401
purposes, including: to manage exposure to changes
in interest or foreign currency exchange rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the value of portfolio
securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk exposure.
The Portfolio may enter into stock
index, interest rate or currency futures contracts (or options thereon) for hedging purposes or to provide an efficient means of adjusting the Portfolio's exposure to the equity and fixed income markets. The Portfolio
may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies, securities, and financial indices. The Portfolio may also invest up to 10% of its total assets in hybrid instruments, which
generally combine the characteristics of stocks, bonds, futures and options. To the extent the Portfolio uses these investments, it will be exposed to additional volatility and potential losses. Additionally, the
Portfolio may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in connection with its foreign investments.
AST T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH
OPPORTUNITIES PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek a high
level of total return by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, approximately 85% of its total assets in equity securities and 15% in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods; the equity
portion may range between 75-90% of the Portfolio's net assets and the fixed income portion between 10-25% of the Portfolio's net assets. The Subadviser concentrates on common stock investments in larger, more
established companies, but the Subadviser may also invest in smaller-sized companies. Larger, more established companies are defined as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion whereas small and
medium-sized companies are defined as having a maximum market capitalization of $3 billion. Up to 40% of the equity portion may be invested in foreign (non-US dollar denominated) equity securities. The fixed income
portion of the Portfolio is allocated among investment grade securities; high yield or “junk” bonds; foreign (non-US dollar denominated) high quality debt securities and emerging market securities; and
cash reserves. Cash reserves may consist of investments denominated in US-dollar and non US-dollar currencies and money market vehicles. The Portfolio may also invest a portion of its assets in real estate investment
trusts (REITs) and US Treasury inflation protected securities.
The Portfolio also includes an
allocation to a liquidity strategy in which the Subadviser allocates approximately 10% of the Portfolio's net assets. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not
limited to, mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to be announced” mortgage derivatives), swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the
applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements
for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for additional exposure to relevant
markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio's overall investment process.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
General.
While the Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, the precise mix of equity and fixed income investments will depend on the Subadviser's outlook for the markets. When deciding
upon asset allocations, the Subadviser may increase investments in equity securities when strong economic growth is expected. The opposite
402
may be true if the Subadviser believes that the
economy is expected to slow sufficiently enough to hurt corporate profit growth. The Portfolio's investments in foreign equity and debt securities are intended to provide additional diversification.
Securities may be sold for a
variety of reasons, such as to effect a change in asset allocation, to seek to secure gains or limit losses, or to re-deploy assets into more promising opportunities.
As a fund that will invest
primarily in equity securities, the Portfolio's risk of loss and share price fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be greater than funds investing in with a lower percentage allocation to equity and funds
investing primarily in fixed income securities. Of course, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Equity Securities.
When selecting particular stocks to purchase, the Subadviser will examine relative values and prospects among growth and value-oriented stocks, domestic and international stocks, and small
to large-cap stocks. Domestic stocks will be drawn from the overall US market while international equities will be selected primarily from large companies in developed countries. Investments in non-US dollar
denominated stocks may be made solely for capital appreciation or solely for income or any combination of both for the purpose of seeking a higher overall return. Stocks of companies in developing countries may also
be included. The equity portion of the Portfolio also may include convertible securities, preferred stocks and warrants.
Fixed Income Securities.
Bond investments will be primarily investment grade (top four credit ratings) and are chosen from across the entire government and corporate bond markets. A portion of the Portfolio's fixed
income assets may be invested in high yield bonds. A significant portion of the Portfolio's fixed income investments may be in mortgage-related securities (including mortgage dollar rolls, collateralized mortgage
obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities) and asset-backed securities. Bank debt and loan participations and assignments may also be purchased. Maturities and duration of the fixed income portion of the
Portfolio will reflect the Subadviser's outlook for interest rates. The cash reserves component will consist of high quality domestic and foreign money market instruments.
Other Investments:
Swap Agreements.
The Portfolio may enter into interest rate, index, total return, credit default and currency exchange rate swap agreements. Swaps can be used for a variety of purposes, including: to manage
exposure to changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the
value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk exposure.
Futures and Options.
The Portfolio may enter into stock index, interest rate or currency futures contracts (or options thereon) for hedging purposes or to provide an efficient means of adjusting the
Portfolio's exposure to the equity and fixed income markets. The Portfolio may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies, securities, and financial indices. The Portfolio may
also invest up to 10% of its total assets in hybrid instruments, which generally combine the characteristics of stocks, bonds, futures and options. Additionally, the Portfolio may enter into forward foreign currency
exchange contracts in connection with its foreign investments.
Hybrid Instruments.
These derivative instruments can combine the characteristics of securities, futures, and options. For example, the principal amount, redemption, or conversion terms of a security could be
related to the market price of some commodity, currency, securities, or securities index. Such securities may or may not bear interest or pay dividends. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could
be zero. Hybrids can have volatile prices and limited liquidity, and their use may not be successful. Portfolio investments in hybrid instruments are limited to 10% of total assets.
403
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap
Growth Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term growth of capital by investing predominantly in the equity securities of a limited number of large, carefully selected, high-quality US companies that are judged likely to achieve superior earnings
growth.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the common stocks of large companies.
A large company is defined as one
whose market cap is larger than the median market cap of companies in the Russell 1000
®
Growth Index. The Portfolio will not automatically sell or cease to purchase stock of a company it already owns just
because the company's market capitalization falls below this level. The Subadviser generally looks for companies with an above-average rate of earnings and cash flow growth and a lucrative niche in the economy that
gives them the ability to sustain earnings momentum even during times of slow economic growth.
As growth investors, the
Subadviser believes that when a company increases its earnings faster than both inflation and the overall economy, the market will eventually reward it with a higher stock price.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Because the Portfolio invests
primarily in stocks, the Portfolio is subject to the risks associated with stock investments, and the Portfolio's share price therefore may fluctuate substantially. The Portfolio's share price will be affected by
changes in the stock markets generally, and factors specific to a company or an industry will affect the prices of particular stocks held by the Portfolio (for example, poor earnings, loss of major customers,
availability of basic resources or supplies, major litigation against a company, or changes in governmental regulation affecting an industry). The Portfolio's focus on large, more-established companies may mean that
its level of risk is lower than a fund investing primarily in smaller companies. Because the Portfolio invests in a smaller number of securities than many other funds, changes in the value of a single security may
have a more significant effect, either negative or positive, on the Portfolio's share price.
Other Investments:
In addition to investing in equity
securities, the Portfolio also may:
| ■ | invest up to 20% of its net assets in convertible securities; |
| ■ | invest up to 10% of its net assets in rights or warrants; |
| ■ | invest up to 15% of its total assets in foreign securities; |
| ■ | purchase and sell exchange-traded index options and stock index futures contracts; and |
| ■ | write covered exchange-traded call and put options on its securities up to 15% of its total assets, and purchase exchange-traded call and put options on common stocks up to, for all purchased options, 10% of its total assets; and |
| ■ | invest in other investment companies. |
The Portfolio may sell securities
for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or redeploy assets into more promising opportunities.
AST T. ROWE PRICE LARGE-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek maximum growth of capital by investing primarily in the value stocks of larger companies.
Investment Objective: to seek maximum growth of capital by investing primarily in the value stocks of larger companies.
404
Principal
Investment Policies:
The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities issued by large-cap companies.
The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities issued by large-cap companies.
The Portfolio defines a large-cap
company as having a market capitalization that, at the time of purchase, is either (i) larger than the current median market capitalization of companies in the Russell 1000 Value Index or (ii) larger than the three
year average median market capitalization of companies in the index as of December 31 of the three preceding years. The Russell 1000 Value Index is a widely used benchmark of the largest US value stocks. As of
February 28, 2018, the median market capitalization for the Russell 1000 Value Index was approximately $9.506 billion. As the market capitalizations of the companies in the Portfolio and the Russell index change over
time, the Portfolio will not automatically sell or cease to purchase stock of a company it owns just because the company’s market capitalization falls below these levels. The Portfolio may also purchase stocks
of smaller companies.
T. Rowe Price’s in-house
research team seeks to identify companies that appear to be undervalued by various measures, and may be temporarily out of favor, but have good prospects for capital appreciation. In selecting investments, T. Rowe
Price generally looks for one or more of the following:
| ■ | low price/earnings, price/book value, price/sales, or price/cash flow ratios relative to the S&P 500, the company’s peers, or its own historical norm; |
| ■ | low stock price relative to a company’s underlying asset values; |
| ■ | companies that may benefit from restructuring activity; and/or |
| ■ | a sound balance sheet and other positive financial characteristics. |
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria. These situations might arise when T. Rowe Price believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons,
including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation, a favorable competitive development, or a change in management. While most assets will typically be invested in US common stocks,
the Portfolio may invest in foreign stocks in keeping with the Portfolio’s objectives. The Portfolio may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into
more promising opportunities.
AST T. Rowe Price Natural
Resources Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital growth primarily through the investment in common stocks of companies that own or develop natural resources (such as energy products, precious metals, and forest products) and other basic
commodities.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the securities of natural resource companies.
The Portfolio invests primarily in
the common stocks of natural resource companies whose earnings and tangible assets could benefit from accelerating inflation. The Portfolio also may invest in other growth companies that we believe have strong
potential for earnings growth but do not own or develop natural resources. The relative percentages invested in natural resource and non-resource companies can vary depending on economic and monetary conditions and
the Subadviser's outlook for inflation. Natural resource companies in which the Portfolio invests typically own, develop, refine, service or transport resources, including energy, metals, forest products, industrials,
utilities, chemicals, real estate, diversified resources and other basic commodities that can be produced and marketed profitably when both labor costs and prices are rising.
In the mining area, for example,
the Subadviser might look for a company with the ability to expand production and maintain superior exploration programs and production facilities.
405
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
The Portfolio may sell securities
for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or re-deploy assets into more promising opportunities.
As with all stock funds, the
Portfolio's share price can fall because of weakness in one or more securities markets, particular industries or specific holdings. In addition, the Portfolio is less diversified than most stock funds and could
therefore experience sharp price declines when conditions are unfavorable in the natural resources sector. For instance, since the Portfolio attempts to invest in companies that may benefit from accelerating
inflation, low inflation could lessen returns. The rate of earnings growth of natural resource companies may be irregular because these companies are strongly affected by natural forces, global economic cycles and
international politics. For example, stock prices of energy companies can fall sharply when oil prices fall. Real estate companies are influenced by interest rates and other factors.
The Portfolio may also invest in
other investment companies and illiquid securities.
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio invests
primarily in common stocks, it may also purchase other types of securities, for example, preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants, when considered consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and
policies. The Portfolio may purchase preferred stock or common stock for capital appreciation where the issuer has omitted, or is in danger of omitting, payment of the dividend on the stock, or is in default on its
debt securities. The Portfolio may invest in debt securities, including up to 10% of its total assets in debt securities rated below investment grade. The Portfolio may invest in mortgage-backed securities, including
stripped mortgage-backed securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in hybrid instruments, which combine the characteristics of futures, options and securities.
Foreign Securities.
The Portfolio may invest up to 50% of its total assets in foreign securities, including American Depositary Receipts and securities of companies in developing countries, which offer
increasing opportunities for natural resource-related growth. The Portfolio may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in connection with its foreign investments. The Portfolio's investments in foreign
securities, or even in US companies with significant overseas investments, may decline in value because of declining foreign currencies or adverse political and economic events overseas, although currency risk may be
somewhat reduced because many commodities markets are dollar based.
Futures and Options.
The Portfolio may enter into stock index or currency futures contracts (or options thereon) for hedging purposes or to provide an efficient means of regulating the Portfolio's exposure to
the equity markets. The Portfolio may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies, securities, and stock indices.
Hybrid Instruments.
These derivative instruments can combine the characteristics of securities, futures, and options. For example, the principal amount, redemption, or conversion terms of a security could be
related to the market price of some commodity, currency, securities, or securities index. Such securities may or may not bear interest or pay dividends. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could
be zero. Hybrids can have volatile prices and limited liquidity, and their use may not be successful.
AST TEMPLETON GLOBAL BOND
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek to provide current income with capital appreciation and growth of income.
Investment Objective: to seek to provide current income with capital appreciation and growth of income.
406
Principal Investment
Policies:
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities include debt securities of any maturity, such as bonds, notes, bills and debentures and may be denominated and issued in local currency or in another currency. The average maturity of debt securities held by the Portfolio will fluctuate depending on the subadviser’s outlook on changing market, economic and political conditions. .
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities include debt securities of any maturity, such as bonds, notes, bills and debentures and may be denominated and issued in local currency or in another currency. The average maturity of debt securities held by the Portfolio will fluctuate depending on the subadviser’s outlook on changing market, economic and political conditions. .
The Portfolio invests
predominantly in bonds issued by governments and government agencies located around the world. The Portfolio may also invest in inflation-indexed securities and securities or structured products that are linked to or
derive their value from another security, asset, or currency of any nation. The Portfolio may invest without limit in developing markets. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio expects to invest at least 40% of
its net assets in foreign securities. In addition, the Portfolio’s assets are invested in issuers located in at least three countries (including the US). Bonds represent an obligation of the issuer to repay a
loan of money to it, and generally provide for the payment of interest.
Although the Portfolio may buy
bonds rated in any category, it focuses on “investment grade” bonds. These are issues rated in the top four rating categories by at least one independent rating agency such as S&P or Moody’s or,
if unrated, determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality. However, ratings by the independent rating agencies are relative and subjective, are not absolute standards of quality, and do not evaluate the
market risk of securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in bonds that are rated below investment grade. Generally, lower rated securities pay higher yields than more highly rated securities
to compensate investors for the higher risk. Such lower rated but higher yielding securities are sometimes referred to as “junk bonds.” If, subsequent to its purchase a security is downgraded in rating or
goes into default, the Portfolio will consider such events in its evaluation of the overall investment merits of that security but will not necessarily dispose of the security immediately. The Portfolio is a
“non-diversified” fund, which means it generally invests a greater portion of its assets in the securities of one or more issuers and invests overall in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified
fund.
Many debt securities of non-US
issuers, and especially developing market issuers, are rated below investment grade or are unrated so that their selection depends on the subadviser’s internal analysis. The Portfolio may invest in debt
securities of any maturity, and the average maturity or duration of debt securities in the Portfolio will fluctuate depending on the investment manager’s outlook on changing market, economic, and political
conditions.
For purposes of pursuing its
investment goal, the Portfolio regularly enters into currency-related transactions involving certain derivative instruments, including currency and cross currency forwards, currency and currency index futures
contracts and currency swaps. The use of derivative currency transactions may allow the Portfolio to obtain net long or net negative (short) exposure to selected currencies. The results of such transactions may also
represent, from time to time, a significant component of the Portfolio’s investment returns. The Portfolio may also enter into various other transactions involving derivatives, including financial futures
contracts (such as interest rate or bond futures); swap agreements (which may include interest rate and credit default swaps); options on interest rate or bond futures, and options on interest rate swaps. The use of
these derivative transactions may allow the Portfolio to obtain net long or net negative (short) exposures to selected interest rates, countries, duration or credit risks. The Subadviser considers various factors,
such as availability and cost, in deciding whether, when and to what extent to enter into derivative transactions.
The Portfolio may use any of the
above currency techniques or other derivative transactions for the purposes of enhancing Portfolio returns, increasing liquidity, gaining exposure to particular instruments in more efficient or less expensive ways
and/or hedging risks relating to changes in currency exchange rates, interest rates and other market factors. By way of example, when the subadviser believes that the value of a particular foreign currency is expected
to increase compared to the US dollar, the Portfolio could enter into a forward contract to purchase that foreign currency at a future date. If at such future date the value of the foreign currency exceeds the then
current amount of US dollars to be paid by the Portfolio under the contract, the Portfolio will recognize a gain. When used for hedging purposes, a forward contract or other derivative instrument could be used to
protect against possible declines in a
407
currency’s value where a security held or to
be purchased by the Portfolio is denominated in that currency, or it may be used to hedge the Portfolio’s position by entering into a transaction on another currency expected to perform similarly to the currency
of the security held or to be purchased (a “proxy hedge”).
Various factors, such as
availability and cost, are considered in decisions of whether to use a particular derivative instrument or strategy. Moreover, investors should bear in mind that the Portfolio is not obligated to actively engage in
any derivative transactions.
The Subadviser allocates the
Portfolio’s assets based upon its assessment of changing market, political, and economic conditions. It will consider various factors, including evaluation of interest and currency exchange rate changes and
credit risks. The subadviser may consider selling a security when it believes the security has become fully valued due to either its price appreciation or changes in the issuer’s fundamentals, or when the
subadviser believes another security is a more attractive investment opportunity.
Non-Diversified Status.
The Portfolio is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act, which means the Portfolio is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its
assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. However, the Portfolio intends to meet certain diversification standards under the Internal Revenue Code that must be met to relieve the Portfolio of
liability for Federal income tax if its earnings are distributed to shareholders. As a non-diversified fund, a price decline in any one of the Portfolio's holdings may have a greater effect on the Portfolio's value
than on the value of a fund that is more broadly diversified.
AST WEDGE CAPITAL Mid-Cap Value
Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek capital
growth by investing primarily in mid-capitalization stocks that appear to be undervalued.
Principal Investment Strategies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in mid-capitalization companies. For purposes of the Portfolio, mid-capitalization
companies are generally those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap
®
Value Index during the previous 12 months based on month-end data.
Although the Subadviser will
follow the Portfolio's policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Portfolio's assets in mid-capitalization companies, the Subadviser expects to utilize different investment strategies to
achieve the Portfolio's objective of capital growth.
The Subadviser
normally employs a traditional value style, bottom-up investment discipline that is intended to help identify stocks that are undervalued relative to their long term normalized
earnings capability. The Subadviser first employs two proprietary, fundamentally based screening models, using publicly available data on all eligible companies. The Subadviser's Fundamental Value Model identifies
those stocks, with a market capitalization between $1 billion and $20 billion, with the greatest potential for profit, based on projected earnings growth, earnings quality, dividend yield, and forward price/earnings
ratios. In an effort to avoid financially unsound companies, the Subadviser then employs its Financial Quality Model, which focuses on earnings growth, liquidity, profitability, and leverage factors. Stocks are ranked
by both models for relative attractiveness, with approximately 35% of the initial universe becoming eligible for subsequent research.
Finally, the Subadviser focuses on
those companies that meet its value and financial quality parameters. The Subadviser's research analysts employ comprehensive, qualitative and quantitative analysis to identify stocks with unrecognized value. Areas of
emphasis include independent earnings forecasts and financial statement analysis, an evaluation of free cash flow generation and return on invested capital, absolute and relative valuations, industry analysis and
competitive positioning, management capabilities and incentives. This bottom-up analysis is then coupled with macro-economic research, focusing on the current and future stages of the economic cycle and their impact
on the profitability and performance of broad sectors and specific industries. Ideas are constructively debated
408
among the investment staff, culminating with a
review and required approval by the Investment Policy Committee, prior to purchase. The Subadviser's decision to sell a stock is as highly disciplined as the decision to buy. Stocks are sold when fair valuation is
reached, the original investment thesis has materially deteriorated, an upgrade opportunity develops or, with limited flexibility when warranted, the stock's Fundamental Value Model ranking falls to a predetermined
level. A further sell discipline is applied as it relates to the Subadviser's mid cap market cap range - if a stock appreciates to $30 billion, it becomes a candidate for sale.
Other Investments:
Although the Portfolio invests
primarily in common stocks of US mid-capitalization companies, the Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of non-US issuers. While the Portfolio does not intend to do so to a significant
degree, the Portfolio may enter into futures contracts and related options, and may purchase and sell call and put options on securities and securities indices. The Portfolio may also invest in warrants to purchase
securities, and may engage in short sales “against the box”.
AST Wellington Management
Hedged Equity Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
outperform a mix of 50% Russell 3000 Index, 20% MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index, and 30% Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index over a full market cycle by preserving
capital in adverse markets utilizing an options strategy while maintaining equity exposure to benefit from up markets through investments in Wellington's underlying equity investment strategies.
Principal Investment Policies:
General.
Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a broadly diversified portfolio of common stocks while also pursuing an equity index
option overlay. The equity index option overlay involves the purchase of put options on the S&P 500 Index and the sale of call and put options on the S&P 500 Index. By combining these two strategies in a
single fund, the Portfolio seeks to provide investors with an investment that generates attractive total returns over a full market cycle with significant downside equity market protection.
The Portfolio utilizes a select
spectrum of Wellington Management's equity investment strategies. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment
purposes) in the common stocks of small, medium and large companies. The Portfolio may also invest up to 30% of its assets in the equity securities of foreign issuers and non-dollar denominated securities, including
companies that conduct their principal business activities in emerging markets or whose securities are traded principally on exchanges in emerging markets. The Portfolio may trade securities actively.
Description of Equity Index Option
Overlay and Index Options.
The equity index option overlay strategy is designed to help mitigate capital losses in adverse market environments and employs a put/spread collar to meet this goal. To reduce the
Portfolio's risk of loss due to a sharp decline in the value of the general equity market, the Portfolio may purchase index put options on the S&P 500 with respect to a substantial portion of the value of its
common stock holdings. In order to help lessen the cost of the long put protection, the equity index option strategy also involves the sale of call options on the S&P 500 Index and the sale of a deeper
“out-of-the-money” put option on the S&P 500 Index with respect to a significant portion of the Portfolio's common stock holdings. The Portfolio may use options based upon other indices if Wellington
Management deems this appropriate in particular market circumstances or based on the Portfolio's common stock holdings.
Options on an index differ from
options on securities because: (i) the exercise of an index option requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities, (ii) the holder of an index option has the right to receive
cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the index upon which the option is based (in the case of the Portfolio, the S&P 500 Index) is greater, in the case of a call, or less, in the case of a put, than
the exercise price of the option, and (iii) index options reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segments of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
409
As the seller of an index call
option, the Portfolio receives cash (the premium) from the purchaser. The purchaser of the index call option has the right to any appreciation in the value of the index over a fixed price (the exercise price) on a
certain date in the future (the expiration date). The premium, the exercise price and the market value of the index determine the gain or loss realized by the Portfolio as the seller of the index call option.
As the purchaser of an index put
option, the Portfolio, in exchange for paying a premium to the seller, has the right to receive a cash payment from the seller of the option in the event the value of the index is below the exercise price of the index
put option upon its expiration. The Portfolio would ordinarily realize a gain if (i) at the end of the index option period, the value of an index decreased below the exercise price of the index put option sufficiently
to more than cover the premium and transaction costs or (ii) the Portfolio sells the index put option prior to its expiration at a price that is higher than its cost. The Portfolio purchases index put options to
protect the Portfolio from a significant market decline over a short period of time. However, because the Portfolio generally purchases index put options that are significantly “out-of-the-money”, the
Portfolio will not be fully covered against all market declines. An index put option is “out-of-the-money” when its exercise price is less than the cash value of the underlying index. In addition, the
Portfolio may not own index put options on the full value of its common stock holdings. As a result, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss with respect to its common stock holdings in the event of a
significant market decline over a short period of time. When evaluating the performance of the put option spread, it is important to understand how the value of an option changes on a daily basis prior to expiration.
The market value of an option is a function of market volatility, time to maturity, and how close or far the option is from being in-the-money. While our long put option position can be in-the-money and have
significant value when the market declines, the put option we short can also increase in value (detract from performance) due to a sudden drop in the market, increased volatility, and the long time to maturity. In
this environment, the time value of the short put position can temporarily offset a portion of the protection provided by the value of the long put.
Through use of its integrated
strategy of selling index call and put options and purchasing index put options (supported by an underlying equity portfolio), Wellington Management seeks to provide higher risk adjusted returns over a market cycle
than simply owning the underlying equity market index. No assurance can be given that this strategy will be successful or that it will achieve its intended results. In down markets, Wellington Management expects the
put protection would help to mitigate downside risk. In steady markets, Wellington Management will seek to overcome any associated performance drag from the options premium through underlying manager performance. In
up markets, although Wellington Management will also seek to overcome any associated performance drag from the options premium through underlying manager performance, there may be situations where the call options
create a drag on performance versus the underlying equity market index (strong rising markets).
In addition, the Portfolio may
implement short positions and may do so by using swaps or futures, or through short sales of any instrument that the Portfolio may purchase for investment. For example, the Portfolio may enter into a futures contract
pursuant to which it agrees to sell an asset (that it does not currently own) at a specified price at a specified point in the future. This gives the Portfolio a short position with respect to that asset.
Overview of Equity Investment
Strategies.
As set forth above, the Portfolio combines a select spectrum of Wellington Management's equity investment strategies. These strategies have a distinct focus on downside risk management.
Individual portfolio managers for the various equity strategies may employ a variety of processes with a goal of limiting downside risk, including, but not limited to, use of scenario or probability analysis, a focus
on high quality companies, sell discipline, or opportunistic use of cash. The portfolio management team at the overall Portfolio level is tasked with identifying and combining these individual equity strategies into a
diversified fund. Underlying equity strategies are combined based on a variety of factors, leveraging the experience of the portfolio management team at the overall Portfolio level in risk management and portfolio
construction. These portfolio construction techniques incorporate a qualitative understanding of each underlying portfolio manager and their process along with quantitative techniques such as alpha correlation, style
analysis, risk profile analysis and scenario/market environment analysis. Wellington Management structures the overall Portfolio in an attempt to minimize all systematic biases other than capital protection
orientation and seeks to obtain the overall Portfolio's investment
410
objective by combining these different equity
strategies into a single Portfolio. Each investment approach is focused on total return or growth of capital and is managed according to a distinct investment process to identify securities for purchase or sale.
Wellington Management expects that the strategies in the aggregate will represent an opportunistic, flexible and diversified fund profile representing a wide range of investment philosophies, companies, industries and
market capitalizations. While the individual portfolio managers for the various equity investment strategies are given full discretion to manage their portion of the Portfolio, the overall portfolio management team is
responsible for the addition or removal of investment strategies as well as allocating Portfolio assets among the component investment strategies.
Liquidity Strategy.
The Portfolio allocates approximately 10% of its net assets to a liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy is invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited
to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents,
short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale
redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the allocation indicated due to redemptions in the Portfolio
or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
AST Western Asset Core Plus
Bond Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize total return, consistent with prudent investment management and liquidity needs, by investing to obtain the average duration specified for the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in debt and fixed income securities, including mortgage- and other asset-backed
securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), collateralized bond obligations (CBOs), collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) and, other collateralized debt obligations (CDOs).
For purposes of the
non-fundamental investment policy set forth above, the Portfolio considers an instrument, including a synthetic instrument, to be a debt or fixed income security if, in the judgment of the Subadvisers, it has economic
characteristics similar to a debt or fixed income security. For example, a Portfolio considers an instrument, including a synthetic instrument, to be a fixed income security if, in the judgment of the Subadvisers, it
has economic characteristics similar to debt or fixed income securities. Such instruments would include, but are not limited to, futures contracts and related options, mortgage-related securities, asset-backed
securities, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, and cash equivalents. In addition, the Portfolio will consider repurchase agreements secured by obligations of the US Government and its agencies and
instrumentalities to be obligations of the US Government and its agencies and instrumentalities for these purposes.
Fixed income securities
include:
| ■ | US Government Obligations |
| ■ | corporate obligations (“corporate obligations” include, without limitation, preferred stock, convertible securities, zero coupon securities and pay-in-kind securities) |
| ■ | inflation-indexed securities |
| ■ | mortgage- and other asset-backed securities |
| ■ | obligations of non-US issuers, including obligations of non-US governments, international agencies or supranational organizations |
| ■ | fixed income securities of non-governmental US or non-US issuers |
| ■ | taxable municipal obligations |
| ■ | variable and floating rate debt securities |
| ■ | commercial paper and other short-term investments |
| ■ | certificates of deposit, time deposits, and bankers' acceptances |
| ■ | loan participations and assignments |
411
| ■ | structured notes |
| ■ | repurchase agreements. |
Duration refers to the range
within which the dollar-weighted average effective duration of a Portfolio is expected to fluctuate. Effective duration measures the expected sensitivity of market price to changes in interest rates, taking into
account the effects of structural complexities (for example, some bonds can be prepaid by the issuer). The target dollar-weighted average effective duration of the Portfolio is expected to range within 30% of the
duration of the domestic bond market as a whole (normally three to six years, although this may vary). Therefore, the range within which the average effective duration of the Portfolio is expected to fluctuate is
generally 2.5 to 7 years. The Portfolio's dollar-weighted average effective duration may fall outside of its expected dollar-weighted average effective duration range due to market movements. If this happens, the
Subadvisers will take action to bring the Portfolio's dollar-weighted average effective duration back within its expected average effective duration range within a reasonable period of time.
The Portfolio may invest up to 20%
of its net assets in debt securities that are rated, at the time of purchase, below investment grade, but at least B-/B3, or if unrated, are determined by the Subadvisers to be of comparable quality. For purposes of
the foregoing credit quality policy, the Portfolio will consider a security to be rated below investment grade if it is not rated Baa/BBB or above by at least one NRSRO (or, if unrated, is determined by the
Subadvisers to be of comparable quality). Securities rated below investment grade are commonly known as “junk bonds” or “high yield securities.” The continued holding of securities downgraded
below investment grade or, if unrated, determined by the Subadvisers to be of comparable quality, will be evaluated by the Subadvisers on a case by case basis. Information on the ratings issued to debt securities by
certain rating agencies is included in the Appendix to this Prospectus.
In addition, the Portfolio may
also:
| ■ | invest up to 25% of its total assets in the securities of non-US issuers; |
| ■ | invest up to 20% of its total assets in non-US dollar-denominated securities. |
| ■ | hold common stock or warrants received as the result of an exchange or tender of fixed income securities; |
| ■ | invest in derivatives such as futures, options and swaps for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, including for purposes of enhancing returns; |
| ■ | buy or sell securities on a forward commitment basis; |
| ■ | lend its portfolio securities; |
| ■ | engage in non-US currency exchange transactions; |
| ■ | engage in reverse repurchase agreements; or |
| ■ | borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes or for investment purposes. |
The Portfolio also may buy and
sell investments relatively often, which involves higher trading costs and other expenses, and may increase taxes payable by shareholders.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
AST Western Asset EMERGING
MARKETS DEBT Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
maximize total return. Total return is comprised of capital appreciation and income.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities issued by governments, government-related
entities and corporations located in emerging markets and related investments.
The Portfolio may invest without
limit in high yield debt securities and related investments rated below investment grade (that is, securities rated below Baa/BBB), or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by one of the
Subadvisers. Below investment grade securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The Portfolio also may
412
invest up to 50% of its assets in non-US dollar
denominated fixed income securities. These investments include, but are not limited to, instruments designed to restructure outstanding emerging market debt such as participations in loans between governments and
financial institutions. The Portfolio normally will invest in at least three emerging market countries, which are countries that, at the time of investment, are either: (i) represented in the J.P. Morgan Emerging
Markets Bond Index Global, the J.P. Morgan Corporate Emerging Bond Index Broad, or the J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets Global Diversified; (ii) categorized by the World Bank in its annual
categorization of national incomes as low- or middle-income; or (iii) classified by the World Bank as high income in its annual classification of national incomes, but not an OECD member.
Instead of investing directly in
particular securities, the Portfolio may use instruments such as derivatives, including credit default swaps and futures contracts, and synthetic instruments that are intended to provide economic exposure to the
securities or the issuer, including but not limited to options, futures, forward agreements, swaps, and credit-linked securities. The Portfolio may use one or more types of these instruments without limit. The
securities underlying these instruments are taken into account when determining compliance with the Portfolio's policy of investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets in fixed income securities
issued by governments, government-related entities and corporations located in emerging markets, and related instruments. The Portfolio may also engage in a variety of transactions using derivatives in order to change
the investment characteristics of its portfolio securities (such as shortening or lengthening duration) and for other purposes.
Non-Diversified Status.
The Portfolio is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act, which means the Portfolio is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its
assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. However, the Portfolio intends to meet certain diversification standards under the Internal Revenue Code that must be met to relieve the Portfolio of
liability for Federal income tax if its earnings are distributed to shareholders. As a non-diversified fund, a price decline in any one of the Portfolio's holdings may have a greater effect on the Portfolio's value
than on the value of a fund that is more broadly diversified.
413
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER INVESTMENTS
& STRATEGIES USED BY THE PORTFOLIOS
Additional Investments &
Strategies
As indicated above, a Portfolio may
invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase returns or protect Portfolio assets if market conditions warrant.
American Depositary Receipts
(ADRs)
—Certificates representing the right to receive foreign securities that have been deposited with a US bank or a foreign branch of a US bank.
Asset-Backed Securities
—An asset-backed security is a type of pass-through instrument that pays interest based upon the cash flow of an underlying pool of assets, such as automobile loans or credit card
receivables. Asset-backed securities may also be collateralized by a portfolio of corporate bonds, including junk bonds, or other securities.
Collateralized Debt Obligations
(CDOs)
—A CDO is a security backed by an underlying portfolio of debt obligations, typically including one or more of the following types of investments: high yield securities, investment
grade securities, bank loans, futures or swaps. A CDO provides a single security that has the economic characteristics of a diversified portfolio. The cash flows generated by the collateral are used to pay interest
and principal to investors.
Collateralized Loan Obligations
(CLOs)—
A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate
loans, as well as loans rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the quality of the underlying loans and may be characterized by the Portfolio as
illiquid securities.
Convertible Debt and Convertible
Preferred Stock
—A convertible security is a security—for example, a bond or preferred stock—that may be converted into common stock, the cash value of common stock or some other security
of the same or different issuer. The convertible security sets the price, quantity of shares and time period in which it may be so converted. Convertible stock is senior to a company's common stock but is usually
subordinated to debt obligations of the company. Convertible securities provide a steady stream of income which is generally at a higher rate than the income on the company's common stock but lower than the rate on
the company's debt obligations. At the same time, convertible securities offer—through their conversion mechanism—the chance to participate in the capital appreciation of the underlying common stock. The
price of a convertible security tends to increase and decrease with the market value of the underlying common stock.
Credit Default Swaps
—In a credit default swap, a Portfolio and another party agree to exchange payment of the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation in the event of a default on
that debt obligation in return for a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided no event of default has occurred. See also “Swaps” defined below.
Credit-Linked Securities
—Credit linked securities are securities that are collateralized by one or more credit default swaps on corporate credits. A Portfolio has the right to receive periodic interest
payments from the issuer of the credit-linked security at an agreed-upon interest rate, and a return of principal at the maturity date. See also “Credit Default Swaps” defined above.
Depositary Receipts
—A Portfolio may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts
may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are receipts or shares
typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a
similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs and ADSs, in registered form, are designed for use in the
US securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer
414
form, are designed for use in European securities
markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. A Portfolio may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary
Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such
information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into or for which they may be converted or
exchanged.
Derivatives
—A derivative is an instrument that derives its price, performance, value, or cash flow from one or more underlying securities or other interests. Derivatives involve costs and can be
volatile. With derivatives, the investment adviser tries to predict whether the underlying interest—a security, market index, currency, interest rate or some other benchmark—will go up or down at some
future date. A Portfolio may use derivatives to try to reduce risk or to increase return consistent with the Portfolio's overall investment objective. The adviser will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding
whether to employ any particular strategy, or use any particular instrument. Any derivatives used may not fully offset a Portfolio's underlying positions and this could result in losses to the Portfolio that would not
otherwise have occurred.
Dollar Rolls
—Dollar rolls involve the sale by a Portfolio of a security for delivery in the current month with a promise to repurchase from the buyer a substantially similar—but not
necessarily the same—security at a set price and date in the future. During the “roll period,” the Portfolio does not receive any principal or interest on the security. Instead, it is compensated by
the difference between the current sales price and the price of the future purchase, as well as any interest earned on the cash proceeds from the original sale.
Energy Companies
—Companies that are involved in oil or gas exploration, production, refining or marketing, or any combination of the above are greatly affected by the prices and supplies of raw
materials such as oil or gas. The earnings and dividends of energy companies can fluctuate significantly as a result of international economics, politics and regulation.
Equity Swaps
—In an equity swap, a Portfolio and another party agree to exchange cash flow payments that are based on the performance of equities or an equity index. See also “Swaps”
defined below.
Event-Linked Bonds
—Event-linked bonds are fixed income securities for which the return of principal and payment of interest is contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific “trigger”
event, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or other physical or weather-related phenomenon. If a trigger event occurs, a Portfolio may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. Event-linked bonds often
provide for an extension of maturity to process and audit loss claims where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. Event-linked bonds may also expose a
Portfolio to certain unanticipated risks including credit risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, and adverse tax consequences. Event-linked bonds may also be subject to liquidity risk.
Exchange-Traded Funds
—An investment in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional mutual fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that
has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate up or down, and a Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
In addition, ETFs may be subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional mutual funds: (i) the market price of an ETF's shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading
market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading of an ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange's officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the
exchange or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers'' (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally.
Financial Services Companies
—Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation that may affect their profitability in many ways, including by limiting the amount and types of loans and
other commitments they can make, and the interest rates and fees they can charge. A financial services company’s
415
profitability, and therefore its stock prices, is
especially sensitive to interest rate changes as well as the ability of borrowers to repay their loans. Changing regulations, continuing consolidations, and development of new products and structures all are likely to
have a significant impact on financial services companies.
Foreign Currency Forward
Contracts
—A foreign currency forward contract is an obligation to buy or sell a given currency on a future date at a set price. When a Portfolio enters into a contract for the purchase or sale
of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or when a Portfolio anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of dividends or interest payments on a security which it holds, the Portfolio may desire to
”lock-in“ the US dollar price of the security or the US dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for a fixed amount of dollars, for
the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, the Portfolio will be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship
between the US dollar and the foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such
payments are made or received. At the maturity of a forward contract, a Portfolio may either sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency or it may retain the security and terminate its contractual
obligation to deliver the foreign currency by purchasing an ”offsetting“ contract with the same currency trader obligating it to purchase, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the foreign
currency.
Futures Contracts—
A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of an underlying product at a future date, or to make or receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities index.
When a futures contract is entered into, each party deposits with a futures commission merchant (or in a segregated account) approximately 5% of the contract amount. This is known as the ”initial margin.“
Every day during the futures contract, either the buyer or the seller will make payments of ”variation margin.“ In other words, if the value of the underlying security, index or interest rate increases,
then the seller will have to add to the margin account so that the account balance equals approximately 5% of the value of the contract on that day. The next day, the value of the underlying security, index or
interest rate may decrease, in which case the seller would receive money from the account equal to the amount by which the account balance exceeds 5% of the value of the contract on that day. A stock index futures
contract is an agreement between the buyer and the seller of the contract to transfer an amount of cash equal to the daily variation margin of the contract. No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index
is made.
Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs)
—GDRs are receipts issued by a non-US financial institution evidencing ownership of
underlying foreign securities and are usually denominated in foreign currencies. They may not be denominated in the same currency as the securities they represent. Generally, GDRs are
designed for use in the foreign securities markets. Investments in GDRs involve certain risks unique to foreign investments. These risks are set forth in the section entitled “Foreign Investment Risk” in
the Principal Risks section below.
Healthcare Technology
Companies
—These companies will be affected by government regulatory requirements, regulatory approval
for new drugs and medical products, patent considerations, product liability, and similar matters. In addition, this industry is characterized by competition and rapid technological
developments that may make a company’s products or services obsolete in a short period of time.
Illiquid Securities
—An illiquid security is one that may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price used to determine a Portfolio's net
asset value. Each Portfolio (other than the Government Money Market Portfolio) generally may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. The Government Money Market Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its
net assets in illiquid securities. Each Portfolio may purchase certain restricted securities that can be resold to institutional investors and which may be determined to be liquid pursuant to the procedures of the
Portfolios. Those securities are not subject to the 15% and 5% limits. The 15% and 5% limits are applied as of the date the Portfolio purchases an illiquid security. In the event the market value of a Portfolio's
illiquid securities exceeds the 15% or 5% limits due to an increase in the aggregate value of its illiquid securities and/or a decline in the aggregate value of its other securities, the Portfolio: (i) will not
purchase additional illiquid securities and (ii) will consider taking other appropriate steps to maintain adequate liquidity, including, without limitation, reducing its holdings of illiquid securities in an orderly
fashion.
416
Inflation-Indexed Securities
—Inflation-indexed securities have a tendency to react to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates represent nominal (stated) interest rates lowered by the anticipated
effect of inflation. In general, the price of an inflation-indexed security can decrease when real interest rates increase, and can increase when real interest rates decrease. Interest payments on inflation indexed
securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-protected debt security will be considered taxable
ordinary income, even though investors, such as a Portfolio, do not receive their principal until maturity.
Interest Rate Swaps
—In an interest rate swap, a Portfolio and another party agree to exchange interest payments. For example, the Portfolio may wish to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed
rate. See also “Swaps” defined below.
Joint Repurchase Account
—In a joint repurchase transaction, uninvested cash balances of various Portfolios are added together and invested in one or more repurchase agreements. Each of the participating
Portfolios receives a portion of the income earned in the joint account based on the percentage of its investment.
Loans and Assignments
—Loans are privately negotiated between a corporate borrower and one or more financial institutions. A Portfolio acquires interests in loans directly (by way of assignment from the
selling institution) or indirectly (by way of the purchase of a participation interest from the selling institution. Purchasers of loans depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of
interest and repayment of principal. If scheduled interest or principal payments are not made, the value of the instrument may be adversely affected. Interests in loans are also subject to additional liquidity risks.
Loans are not generally traded in organized exchange markets but are traded by banks and other institutional investors engaged in loan syndications. Consequently, the liquidity of a loan will depend on the liquidity
of these trading markets at the time that a Portfolio sells the loan.
In assignments, a Portfolio will
have no recourse against the selling institution, and the selling institution generally makes no representations about the underlying loan, the borrowers, the documentation or the collateral. In addition, the rights
against the borrower that are acquired by the Portfolio may be more limited than those held by the assigning lender.
Master Limited Partnerships
(MLPs)
—MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs structured as LPs or LLCs; MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; I-Units issued by MLP affiliates; parent
companies of MLPs; shares of companies owning MLP general partnership interests and other securities representing indirect beneficial ownership interests in MLP common units; “C” corporations that hold
significant interests in MLPs; and other equity and fixed income securities and derivative instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and ETPs, that provide exposure to MLP investments. MLPs generally own and
operate assets that are used in the energy sector, including assets used in exploring, developing, producing, generating, transporting (including marine), transmitting, terminal operation, storing, gathering,
processing, refining, distributing, mining or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, coal or electricity, or that provide energy related equipment or services. A Portfolio’s
MLP investments may be of any capitalization size.
Mortgage-Related
Securities—
Mortgage-related securities are usually pass-through instruments that pay investors a share of all interest and principal payments from an underlying pool of fixed or adjustable rate
mortgages. The Portfolios may invest in mortgage-related securities issued and guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies and mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) such as
Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae and Freddie Mac. GSE debt may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The Portfolios may also invest in private mortgage-related securities that are not guaranteed by US
Governmental entities generally have one or more types of credit enhancement to ensure timely receipt of payments and to protect against default. The Portfolios may invest in mortgage-related securities that are
backed by a pool or pools of loans that are originated and/or serviced by an entity affiliated with the investment manager or subadviser.
417
Mortgage-related securities
include collateralized mortgage obligations, multi-class pass through securities and stripped mortgage-backed securities. A collateralized mortgage-backed obligation (CMO) is a security backed by an underlying
portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities that may be issued or guaranteed by entities such as banks, US Governmental entities or broker-dealers. A multi-class pass-through security is an equity interest in
a trust composed of underlying mortgage assets.
Payments of principal and interest
on the mortgage assets and any reinvestment income provide the money to pay debt service on the CMO or to make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through security. A stripped mortgage-backed security (MBS
strip) may be issued by US Governmental entities or by private institutions. MBS strips take the pieces of a debt security (principal and interest) and break them apart. The resulting securities may be sold separately
and may perform differently. MBS strips are highly sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates.
Non-Voting Depositary Receipts
(NVDRs)
—NVDRs are listed securities on the Stock Exchange of Thailand through which investors
receive the same financial benefits as those who invest directly in a company’s ordinary shares; however, unlike ordinary shareholders, NVDR holders cannot be involved in company
decision-making. NVDRs are designed for use in the Thailand securities market. Investments in NVDRs involve certain risks unique to foreign investments. These risks are set forth in the section entitled “Foreign
Investment Risk” in the Principal Risks section below.
Options
—A call option on stock is a short-term contract that gives the option purchaser or “holder” the right to acquire a particular equity security for a specified price at any
time during a specified period. For this right, the option purchaser pays the option seller a certain amount of money or “premium” which is set before the option contract is entered into. The seller or
“writer” of the option is obligated to deliver the particular security if the option purchaser exercises the option. A put option on stock is a similar contract. In a put option, the option purchaser has
the right to sell a particular security to the option seller for a specified price at any time during a specified period. In exchange for this right, the option purchaser pays the option seller a premium. Options on
debt securities are similar to stock options except that the option holder has the right to acquire or sell a debt security rather than an equity security. Options on stock indexes are similar to options on stocks,
except that instead of giving the option holder the right to receive or sell a stock, it gives the holder the right to receive an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index is greater than (in the case of
a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash the holder will receive is determined by multiplying the difference between the index's closing price and the option's
exercise price, expressed in dollars, by a specified “multiplier.” Unlike stock options, stock index options are always settled in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the stock market
generally (or a particular market segment, depending on the index) rather than the price movement of an individual stock.
Participation Notes (P-Notes)
—P-Notes are a type of equity-linked derivative which generally are traded over-the-counter. Even though a P-Note is intended to reflect the performance of the underlying equity
securities, the performance of a P-Note will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the P-Note seeks to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. Investments in P-Notes
involve risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the P-Notes
will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with a Portfolio.
Prepayment
—Debt securities are subject to prepayment risk when the issuer can “call” the security, or repay principal, in whole or in part, prior to the security’s maturity.
When a Portfolio reinvests the prepayments of principal it receives, it may receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the existing security, potentially lowering the Portfolio’s income, yield and
its distributions to shareholders. Securities subject to prepayment may offer less potential for gains during a declining interest rate environment and have greater price volatility. Prepayment risk is greater in
periods of falling interest rates.
418
Private Investments in Public Equity
(PIPEs)
—A PIPE is an equity security in a private placement that are issued by issuers who have outstanding, publicly-traded equity securities of the same class. Shares in PIPEs generally
are not registered with the SEC until after a certain time period from the date the private sale is completed. This restricted period can last many months. Until the public registration process is completed, PIPEs are
restricted as to resale and a Portfolio cannot freely trade the securities. Generally, such restrictions cause the PIPEs to be illiquid during this time. PIPEs may contain provisions that the issuer will pay specified
financial penalties to the holder if the issuer does not publicly register the restricted equity securities within a specified period of time, but there is no assurance that the restricted equity securities will be
publicly registered, or that the registration will remain in effect.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
(REITs)
—A REIT is a company that manages a portfolio of real estate to earn profits for its shareholders. Some REITs acquire equity interests in real estate and then receive income from
rents and capital gains when the buildings are sold. Other REITs lend money to real estate developers and receive interest income from the mortgages. Some REITs invest in both types of interests.
Repurchase Agreements
—In a repurchase transaction, a Portfolio agrees to purchase certain securities and the seller agrees to repurchase the same securities at an agreed upon price on a specified date.
This creates a fixed return for the Portfolio.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
—In a reverse repurchase transaction, a Portfolio sells a security it owns and agrees to buy it back at a set price and date. During the period the security is held by the other
party, the Portfolio may continue to receive principal and interest payments on the security.
Short Sales
—In a short sale, a Portfolio sells a security it does not own to take advantage of an anticipated decline in the stock's price. A Portfolio borrows the stock for delivery and if it
can buy the stock later at a lower price, a profit results. A Portfolio that sells a security short in effect borrows and then sells the security with the expectation that it will later repurchase the security at a
lower price and then return the amount borrowed with interest. In contrast, when a Portfolio buys a security long, it purchases the security with cash with the expectation that it later will sell the security at a
higher price. A Portfolio that enters into short sales exposes the Portfolio to the risk that it will be required to buy the security sold short (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when
the security has appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Portfolio. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited. Although a Portfolio may try to reduce risk by holding both long and short
positions at the same time, it is possible that the Portfolio's securities held long will decline in value at the same time that the value of the Portfolio's securities sold short increases, thereby increasing the
potential for loss.
Short Sales Against-the-Box
—A short sale against the box involves selling a security that a Portfolio owns, or has the right to obtain without additional costs, for delivery at a specified date in the future. A
Portfolio may make a short sale against the box to hedge against anticipated declines in the market price of a portfolio security. If the value of the security sold short increases instead, the Portfolio loses the
opportunity to participate in the gain.
Swap Options
—A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a swap agreement or to shorten, extend cancel or otherwise modify an existing
swap agreement at some designated future time on specified terms. See also “Options” defined above.
Swaps
—Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap”
transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor.
Credit Default Swaps, Equity Swaps, Interest Rate Swaps and Total Return Swaps are four types of swap agreements.
Temporary Defensive
Investments
—In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, a Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to
100% of its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and
corporations, repurchase
419
agreements, or
hold up to 100% of the Portfolio's assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in these securities may limit a Portfolio’s ability to pursue or achieve
its investment objective and could reduce the benefit to the Portfolio from any upswing in the market, but can help to preserve Portfolio assets. The use of temporary defensive investments may be inconsistent with a
Portfolio’s investment objectives.
Total Return Swaps
—In a total return swap, payment (or receipt) of an index's total return is exchanged for the receipt (or payment) of a floating interest rate. See also “Swaps” defined
above.
Unrated Debt Securities
—Unrated debt securities determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which a Portfolio may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt
securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Utilities Industry
—Utility company equity securities, which are generally purchased for their dividend yield, historically have been sensitive to interest rate movements: when interest rates have
risen, the stock prices of these companies have tended to fall. In some states, utility companies and their rates are regulated; other states have moved to deregulate such companies thereby causing non-regulated
companies’ returns to generally be more volatile and more sensitive to changes in revenue and earnings. Certain utilities companies face risks associated with the operation of nuclear facilities for electric
generation, including, among other considerations, litigation, the problems associated with the use of radioactive materials and the effects of natural or man-made disasters. In general, all utility companies may face
additional regulation and litigation regarding their power plant operations; increased costs from new or greater regulation of these operations; the need to purchase expensive emissions control equipment or new
operations due to regulations, and the availability and cost of fuel, all of which may lower their earnings.
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery
Securities
—With when-issued or delayed delivery securities, the delivery and payment can take place a month or more after the date of the transaction. A Portfolio will make commitments for
when-issued transactions only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities. A Portfolio's custodian will maintain in a segregated account, liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than such
commitments. If a Portfolio chooses to dispose of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition, it could, as with the disposition of any other security, incur a gain or loss.
420
PRINCIPAL RISKS
An investment or
type of security specifically identified in this prospectus generally reflects a principal investment. The Portfolio also may invest in or use certain other types of investments and investing techniques that are
described in the SAI. An investment or type of security only identified in the SAI typically is treated as a non-principal investment. The risks identified below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolios.
The Summary section for each Portfolio lists the principal risks applicable to that Portfolio. This section provides more detailed information about each risk. Each Portfolio may be subject to additional risks other
than those identified and described below because the types of investments made by a Portfolio can change over time.
All investments have risks to some
degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the Portfolios. An investment in a Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolios make every effort to achieve their objectives, the Portfolios cannot guarantee success.
In addition, each Portfolio
reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time, to merge or reorganize itself, or to cease operations and liquidate at any time.
Adjustable and
Floating Rate Securities Risk.
The value of adjustable and floating rate securities may lag behind the value of fixed rate securities when interest rates change. Variable and floating rate bonds are subject to credit
risk, market risk and interest rate risk. In addition, the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Portfolio to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
Asset Allocation Risk.
A Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause a Portfolio to
underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. Funds that have a larger allocation to equity securities relative to their fixed income allocation will tend to be more closely aligned with funds
investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in
value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans on residential and/or commercial real estate. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk and liquidity risk, which are further
described under Fixed Income Securities Risk.
Asset-backed and mortgage-backed
securities may also be subject to prepayment and extension risks. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may repay principal on mortgages or other loan obligations underlying a security more quickly than
anticipated, which may require a Portfolio to reinvest the repayment proceeds in securities that pay lower interest rates (prepayment risk). In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments may occur at a slower rate
than expected, which may prevent a Portfolio from reinvesting repayment proceeds in securities that pay higher interest rates (extension risk). The more a Portfolio invests in longer-term securities, the more likely
it will be affected by changes in interest rates, which may result in lower than anticipated yield-to-maturity and expected returns as well as reduced market value of such securities.
The risks associated with
investments in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, particularly credit risk, are heightened in connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers or borrowers with blemished credit
histories. Some mortgage-backed securities receive government or private support, but there is no assurance that such support will remain in place.
Mortgage-backed securities are a
specific type of asset-backed security—one backed by mortgage loans on residential and/or commercial real estate. Therefore, they also have risks related to real estate, including significant sensitivity to
changes in real estate prices and interest rates and, in the case of commercial mortgages, office and
421
factory occupancy rates. Moreover, securities
backed by mortgages issued by private, non-government issuers may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than government issued mortgages because private issuer mortgage loans often do not meet
the underwriting standards of government-issued mortgages. Private issuer mortgage-backed securities may include loans on commercial or residential properties.
A Portfolio may invest in
securities issued or guaranteed by the US government or its agencies and instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), or
the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Unlike Ginnie Mae securities, securities issued or guaranteed by US government-related organizations such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are not backed by the
full faith and credit of the US government, and no assurance can be given that the US government would provide financial support to such securities.
Asset Transfer Program Risk.
The Portfolios may be used in connection with certain benefit programs under the Contracts. In order for the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection
with these benefit programs, the Participating Insurance Companies generally require Contract owners to participate in certain specialized asset transfer programs under which the Participating Insurance Companies will
monitor each Contract owner’s account value and, if necessary, will systematically transfer amounts among investment options. The transfers are based on pre-determined, non-discretionary mathematical formulas
which generally focus on the amounts guaranteed at specific future dates or the present value of the estimated lifetime payments to be made.
As an example of how the asset
transfer formulas operate under certain market environments, a downturn in the equity markets (i.e., a reduction in a Contract owner’s account value within the selected investment options) and certain market
return scenarios involving “flat” returns over a period of time may cause the Participating Insurance Companies to transfer some or all of such Contract owner’s account value to a fixed income
investment option. In general terms, such transfers are designed to ensure that an appropriate percentage of the projected guaranteed amounts are supported by fixed income investments. The formulas may also trigger
transfers from a fixed income investment option back to selected equity and asset allocation options. Under some benefits using bond investment options with specific maturities, the transfer formulas may transfer
account value among bond investment options with differing maturities based on guarantee calculations, not necessarily market movements. For more information on the benefit programs and asset transfer formulas, please
see your Contract prospectus.
These formulas
may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolios, which, in certain instances, could adversely affect the Portfolios, including their risk profiles, expenses and performance. For example, the asset
flows may adversely affect performance by requiring a Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting a Subadviser’s ability to fully implement a Portfolio’s investment
strategies, or by requiring a Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may cause high turnover, which can result in transaction costs.
The asset flows may also result in low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for a Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of
the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the assets flows may not operate as intended. For example, it is possible that illiquid markets or other market stress could cause
delays in the transfer of cash from one Portfolio to another Portfolio, which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Commodity Risk
. A commodity-linked derivative instrument is a financial instrument, the value of which is determined by the value of one or more commodities, such as precious metals and agricultural
products, or an index of various commodities. The prices of these instruments historically have been affected by, among other things, overall market movements or fluctuations, such as demand, supply disruptions and
speculation, and changes in interest and exchange rates. The prices of commodity-linked derivative instruments also may be more volatile than the prices of investments in traditional equity and debt
securities.
Correlation Risk
. The effectiveness of a Portfolio’s equity index option overlay strategy may be reduced if the Portfolio’s equity portfolio holdings do not sufficiently correlate to that of
the index underlying its option positions.
422
Currency Management
Strategies Risk
. Currency management strategies may substantially change a Portfolio’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Portfolio if currencies do not perform as
the Manager expects. In addition, currency management strategies, to the extent that they reduce the Portfolio’s exposure to currency risks, may also reduce a Portfolio’s ability to benefit from favorable
changes in currency exchange rates. Using currency management strategies for purposes other than hedging further increases a Portfolio’s exposure to foreign investment losses. Currency markets generally are not
as regulated as securities markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and can reduce returns.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index, and
may relate to stocks, bonds, interest rates, currencies, and currency exchange rates. Derivatives in which the Portfolios may invest include exchange-traded instruments as well as privately negotiated instruments,
also called over-the-counter instruments. Examples of derivatives include options, futures, forward agreements, interest rate swap agreements, credit default swap agreements, and credit-linked securities. A Portfolio
may, but is not required to, use derivatives to seek to earn income or enhance returns, manage or adjust its risk profile, replace more traditional direct investments, or obtain exposure to certain markets. The use of
derivatives to seek to earn income or enhance returns may be considered speculative.
The use of derivatives is a highly
specialized activity that involves a variety of risks and costs that are different from, or possibly greater than, investing directly in traditional equity and debt securities, including:
| ■ | Counterparty credit risk . There is a risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to a Portfolio. This risk is especially important in the context of privately negotiated instruments. For example, a Portfolio would be exposed to counterparty credit risk to the extent it enters into a credit default swap, that is, it purchases protection against a default by a debt issuer, and the swap counterparty does not maintain adequate reserves to cover such a default. |
| ■ | Leverage risk . Certain derivatives and related trading strategies create debt obligations similar to borrowings, and therefore create, leverage. Leverage can result in losses to a Portfolio that exceed the amount the Portfolio originally invested. To mitigate leverage risk, a Portfolio will segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover the transactions that may give rise to such risk. The use of leverage may cause a Portfolio to liquidate Portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation or coverage requirements. |
| ■ | Liquidity and valuation risk . Certain exchange-traded derivatives may be difficult or impossible to buy or sell at the time that the seller would like, or at the price that the seller believes the derivative is currently worth. Privately negotiated instruments may be difficult to terminate, and from time to time, a Portfolio may find it difficult to enter into a transaction that would offset the losses incurred by another derivative that it holds. Derivatives, and especially privately negotiated instruments, also involve the risk of incorrect valuation (that is, the value assigned to the derivative may not always reflect its risks or potential rewards). |
| ■ | Hedging risk . Hedging is a strategy in which a Portfolio uses a derivative to offset the risks associated with its other portfolio holdings. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or magnify losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by the Portfolio. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match the value of the holdings being hedged, to the extent expected by the Portfolio, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced and in fact may be increased. No assurance can be given that any hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective. A Portfolio is not required to use hedging and may choose not to do so. |
Economic and Market
Events Risk.
Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such
423
countries can be subject to rapid and
unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by
foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk.
There is a risk that the value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by a Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in
the issuer’s financial condition. In addition to an individual stock losing value, the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets in which a Portfolio invests could go down. A Portfolio’s
holdings can vary from broad market indexes, and the performance of a Portfolio can deviate from the performance of such indexes. Different parts of a market can react differently to adverse issuer, market,
regulatory, political and economic developments. Such events may result in losses to a Portfolio. Preferred stock generally pays dividends at a specified rate and has preference over common stock in the payment of
dividends and the liquidation of assets, but does not ordinarily carry voting rights. The price of a preferred stock is generally determined by earnings, type of products or services, projected growth rates,
experience of management, liquidity, and general market conditions of the markets on which the stock trades. The most significant risks associated with investments in preferred stock include the risk of losses
attributable to adverse changes in interest rates, broader market conditions and the financial condition of the stock’s issuer. Equity securities may have greater price volatility than other types of
investments. These risks are generally magnified in the case of equity investments in distressed companies.
Exchange-Traded
Funds Risk
. A Portfolio may invest in ETFs as an efficient means of carrying out its investment strategies. As with mutual funds (i.e., funds that are not exchange-traded), ETFs charge asset-based
fees and other expenses that a Portfolio will indirectly bear as a result of its investment in an ETF. ETFs are traded on stock exchanges or on the over-the-counter market. ETFs do not charge initial sales charges or
redemption fees and investors pay only customary brokerage fees to buy and sell ETF shares.
An investment in an ETF generally
presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, ETFs may be subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an
ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted if
the listing exchange’s officials deem such an action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in
stock prices) halts stock trading generally. The price of an ETF can fluctuate, and a Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Exchange-Traded Notes Risk.
Exchange-traded notes (ETNs) are subject to the credit risk of the issuer, and the value of the ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit rating, despite the underlying
market benchmark or assets remaining unchanged. The value of an ETN may also be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market,
changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political, or geographic events that affect the referenced underlying market or assets. ETNs are also subject to the risk that the other party to the
contract will not fulfill its contractual obligations, which may cause losses or additional costs to the Portfolio. When the Portfolio invests in ETNs it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses
borne by the ETN.
Expense Risk
. Your actual cost of investing in a Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, portfolio
operating expense ratios may be higher than those shown if a Portfolio’s average net assets decrease, fee waivers or expense limitations change, or the Portfolio incurs more expenses than expected.
Fixed Income Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including credit risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk.
| ■ | Credit risk . Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able or willing to make required principal and interest payments. The downgrade of the credit of a security |
424
| held by a Portfolio may decrease its value. Credit ratings are intended to provide a measure of credit risk. However, credit ratings are only the opinions of the credit rating agency issuing the ratings and are not guarantees as to quality. The lower the rating of a debt security held by a Portfolio, the greater the degree of credit risk that is perceived to exist by the credit rating agency with respect to that security. Increasing the amount of Portfolio assets allocated lower-rated securities generally will increase the credit risk to which a Portfolio is subject. Information on the ratings issued to debt securities by certain credit rating agencies is included in Appendix I to the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). Not all securities are rated. In the event that the relevant credit rating agencies assign different ratings to the same security, a Portfolio’s Subadviser may determine which rating it believes best reflects the security’s quality and risk at that time. A Portfolio will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. Some but not all US government securities are insured or guaranteed by the US government, while others are only insured or guaranteed by the issuing agency, which must rely on its own resources to repay the debt. Although credit risk may be lower for US government securities than for other investment-grade securities, the return may be lower. |
| ■ | Liquidity risk . Liquidity risk is the risk that a Portfolio may not be able to sell some or all of the securities it holds, either at the price it values the security or at any price. Liquidity risk also includes the risk that there may be delays in selling a security, if it can be sold at all, which could prevent a Portfolio from taking advantage of other investment opportunities. A rise in interest rates may result in periods of volatility and increased redemptions, which may cause a Portfolio to have to liquidate portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices or times, which could reduce the returns of a Portfolio. The reduction in dealer market-making capacity in the fixed income markets that has occurred in recent years also has the potential to decrease liquidity. |
| ■ | Interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of an investment may go down in value when interest rates rise. The prices of fixed income securities generally move in the opposite direction to that of market interest rates. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of a Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities. The risks associated with rising interest rates are heightened given that interest rates are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and a Portfolio’s investments. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that a Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. A wide variety of factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policies and inflation rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed income security, the greater is the decline in its value when rates increase. As a result, portfolios with longer durations and longer weighted average maturities generally have more volatile share prices than portfolios with shorter durations and shorter weighted average maturities. Certain securities acquired by a Portfolio may pay interest at a variable rate or the principal amount of the security periodically adjusts according to the rate of inflation or other measure. In either case, the interest rate at issuance is generally lower than the fixed interest rate of bonds of similar seniority from the same issuer; however, variable interest rate securities generally are subject to a lower risk that their value will decrease during periods of increasing interest rates and increasing inflation. Decreases in interest rates create the potential for a decrease in income earned by a Portfolio. |
Focus Risk
. To the extent that a Portfolio focuses its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments from time to time, the Portfolio may be subject to
greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a portfolio that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors, or investments. As a result, a Portfolio may accumulate larger
positions in such countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and its performance may be tied more directly to the success or failure of a smaller group of related portfolio holdings than a
portfolio that invests more broadly.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investment in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers. Foreign securities include investments in securities of foreign issuers
denominated in foreign currencies, as well as securities of foreign issuers denominated in US dollars and American Depositary Receipts.
Foreign investment risk includes
the following risks:
| ■ | Currency risk . Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign securities held by a Portfolio. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the actions of the US and non-US governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is different from the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign |
425
| securities held by a Portfolio. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the US dollar, the value of securities denominated in that foreign currency generally decreases in terms of US dollars. If a Portfolio does not correctly anticipate changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a result. A Portfolio may from time to time attempt to hedge a portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques, including currency futures, forwards, and options. However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and in certain cases a Portfolio may be exposed to losses that are greater than the amount originally invested. For most emerging market currencies, suitable hedging instruments may not be available. | |
| ■ | Emerging market risk . Countries in emerging markets (e.g., South America, Eastern and Central Europe, Africa and the Pacific Basin countries) may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a limited number of securities. Economic, business, political, or social instability may affect investments in emerging markets differently, and often more severely, than investments in development markets. Securities of issuers located in these countries tend to have volatile prices and offer the potential for substantial loss as well as gain. In addition, these securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than investments in more established markets as a result of inadequate trading volume or restrictions on trading imposed by the governments of such countries. Emerging markets may also have increased risks associated with clearance and settlement. Delays in settlement could result in periods of uninvested assets, missed investment opportunities or losses for a Portfolio. |
| ■ | Foreign market risk . Foreign markets tend to be more volatile than US markets and are generally not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to those in the US. In addition, foreign markets are subject to differing custody and settlement practices. Foreign markets are subject to bankruptcy laws different than those in the US, which may result in lower recoveries for investors. |
| ■ | Information risk . Financial reporting standards for companies based in foreign markets usually differ from those in the US. |
| ■ | Liquidity and valuation risk . Stocks that trade less frequently can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell, than more liquid or active stocks. This liquidity risk is a function of the trading volume of a particular stock, as well as the size and liquidity of the entire local market. On the whole, foreign exchanges are smaller and less liquid than US markets. This can make buying and selling certain securities more difficult and costly. Relatively small transactions in some instances can have a disproportionately large effect on the price and supply of securities. In certain situations, it may become virtually impossible to sell a security in an orderly fashion at a price that approaches an estimate of its value. |
| ■ | Political and social risk . Political or social developments may adversely affect the value of a Portfolio’s foreign securities. In addition, some foreign governments have limited the outflow of profits to investors abroad, extended diplomatic disputes to include trade and financial relations, and imposed high taxes on corporate profits. A Portfolio’s investments in foreign securities also may be subject to the risk of nationalization or expropriation of a foreign corporation’s assets, imposition of currency exchange controls, or restrictions on the repatriation of non-US currency, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability and adverse diplomatic developments. These risks are heightened in all respects with respect to investments in foreign securities issued by foreign corporations and governments located in developing countries or emerging markets. |
| ■ | Regulatory risk . Some foreign governments regulate their exchanges less stringently than the US, and the rights of shareholders may not be as firmly established as in the US. In general, less information is publicly available about foreign corporations than about US companies. |
| ■ | Taxation risk . Many foreign markets are not as open to foreign investors as US markets. A Portfolio may be required to pay special taxes on gains and distributions that are imposed on foreign investors. Payment of these foreign taxes may reduce the investment performance of a Portfolio. |
Fund of Funds Risk
. A Portfolio that is structured as a “fund of funds” invests primarily in a combination of underlying investment companies which we refer to as “Underlying
Portfolios.” In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the Underlying Portfolios, these Portfolios are subject to the following risks:
| ■ | To the extent that a Portfolio concentrates its assets among Underlying Portfolios that invest principally in one or several asset classes, a Portfolio may from time to time underperform mutual funds exposed primarily to other asset classes. For example, a Portfolio may be overweighed in the equity asset class when the stock market is falling and the fixed income market is rising. Likewise, a Portfolio may be overweighted in the fixed income asset class when the fixed income market is falling and the stock market is rising. |
426
| ■ | The ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objective depends on the ability of the selected Underlying Portfolios to achieve their investment objectives. There is a risk that the selected Underlying Portfolios will underperform relevant markets, relevant indices, or other portfolios with similar investment objectives and strategies. |
| ■ | A Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the expenses of an Underlying Portfolio in which the Portfolio invests, such as investment advisory and other management expenses, and shareholders incur the operating expenses of these Underlying Portfolios. |
| ■ | The performance of a Portfolio may be affected by large purchases and redemptions of Underlying Portfolio shares. For example, large purchases and redemptions may cause an Underlying Portfolio to hold a greater percentage of its assets in cash than other portfolios pursuing similar strategies, and large redemptions may cause an Underlying Portfolio to sell assets at inopportune times. Underlying Portfolios that have experienced significant redemptions may, as a result, have higher expense ratios than other portfolios pursuing similar strategies. The Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) seek to minimize the impact of large purchases and redemptions of Underlying Portfolio shares, but their abilities to do so may be limited. |
| ■ | There is a potential conflict of interest between a Portfolio and its Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s). Because the amount of the investment management fees to be retained by the Manager and their affiliates may differ depending upon which Underlying Portfolios are used in connection with a Portfolio, there is a potential conflict of interest for the Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) in selecting the Underlying Portfolios. In addition, the Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) may have an incentive to take into account the effect on an Underlying Portfolio in which the Portfolio may invest in determining whether, and under what circumstances, to purchase or sell shares in that Underlying Portfolio. Although the Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) take steps to address the potential conflicts of interest, it is possible that the potential conflicts could impact the Portfolios. |
High Yield Risk
. Investments in high-yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”) may be subject to
greater levels of interest rate, credit and liquidity risk than investments in investment grade securities. High-yield securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing
ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than other types of securities. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for high-yield
securities and reduce a Portfolio’s ability to sell its high-yield securities at an advantageous time or price. In addition, the market for lower-rated bonds may be thinner and less active than the market for
higher-rated bonds, and the prices of lower-rated bonds may fluctuate more than the prices of higher-rated bonds, particularly in times of market stress. High yield securities frequently have redemption features that
permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Portfolio prior to maturity, which may result in the Portfolio having to reinvest the proceeds in other high yield securities or similar instruments that may pay
lower interest rates.
Income Risk
. Because a Portfolio can only distribute what it earns, a Portfolio’s distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall or when a Portfolio experiences
defaults on debt securities it holds.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions and investor
sentiment, and tend to go through cycles of performing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the overall stock market. As a result, a Portfolio’s performance may at times be
worse than the performance of other portfolios that invest in similar asset classes but employ different investment styles.
Due to their relatively high
valuations, growth stocks are typically more volatile than value stocks. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, share prices may
decline significantly, even if earnings do increase. Further, growth stocks may not pay dividends or may pay lower dividends than value stocks. This means they depend more on price changes for returns and may be more
adversely affected in a down market compared to value stocks that pay higher dividends.
There is a risk that the value
investment style may be out of favor for a period of time, that the market will not recognize a security’s intrinsic value for a long time or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately
priced. Historically, value stocks have performed best during periods of economic recovery.
427
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing a Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges, including changes to technology or consumer tastes, and may grow more slowly than smaller companies, especially during market cycles
corresponding to periods of economic expansion. Market capitalizations of companies change over time.
Leverage Risk.
Leverage is the investment of borrowed cash. When using leverage, a Portfolio receives any profit or loss on the amount borrowed and invested, but remains obligated to repay the amount
borrowed plus interest. The effect of using leverage is to amplify a Portfolio’s gains and losses in comparison to the amount of a Portfolio’s assets (that is, assets other than borrowed assets) at risk,
thus causing the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been leveraged. Certain transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Examples of such transactions include borrowing, reverse
repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment contracts. Certain types of leveraging transactions could theoretically be subject to unlimited
losses in cases where a Portfolio, for any reason, is unable to close out the transaction. To mitigate leverage risk, a Portfolio may segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover the transactions that may give rise to
such risk. The use of leverage may cause a Portfolio to liquidate Portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation or coverage requirements.
License Risk
. A Portfolio, the Manager or a Subadviser may rely on licenses from third parties that permit the use of intellectual property in connection with the Portfolio’s investment
strategies. Such licenses may be terminated by the licensors under certain circumstances, and, as a result, a Portfolio may have to change its investment strategies. Accordingly, the termination of a license may have
a significant effect on the operation of the affected Portfolio.
Liquidity Allocation Risk.
A Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in Underlying Portfolios or individual securities, as applicable, and an
increase in the amount invested in derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of
this strategy.
Liquidity and
Valuation Risk
. From time to time, a Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. In those cases, a
Portfolio may have difficulty determining the values of those securities for the purpose of determining a Portfolio’s net asset value. A Portfolio also may have difficulty disposing of those securities at an
advantageous time or at the values determined by the Portfolio for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value, especially during periods of significant net redemptions of Portfolio shares. As a
result, a Portfolio may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to certain issuers, asset classes or sectors. Private equity investments and private real estate-related investments are generally considered
illiquid and generally cannot be readily sold. As a result, private real estate-related investments owned by a Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Portfolio’s Board of
Trustees. Fair value determinations are inherently subjective and reflect good faith judgments based on available information. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
price a Portfolio would receive upon the sale of the investment. A Portfolio’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party
service providers.
Portfolios with principal
investment strategies that involve foreign securities, private placement investments, derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity and valuation
risk.
Loan Risk
. The loans in which a Portfolio may invest are typically rated below investment grade or are unrated securities of similar quality. The loans in which a Portfolio may invest may not be (i)
rated at the time of investment, (ii) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or (iii) listed on a securities exchange. The amount of public information available with respect to such loans may be less
extensive than that available for more widely rated, registered or exchange-listed securities. Because no active trading market may exist for some of the loans in which a Portfolio may invest, such loans may be less
liquid and more difficult to value than more liquid instruments for which a trading market does exist. Portfolio transactions may take up to two or three weeks to settle, and in some
428
cases much longer. Unlike the securities markets,
there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. As a result, sale proceeds potentially will not be
available to a Portfolio to make additional investments or to use proceeds to meet its current redemption obligations. A Portfolio thus is subject to the risk of selling other investments at disadvantageous times or
prices or taking other actions necessary to raise cash to meet its redemption obligations. Because the interest rates of floating-rate loans in which a Portfolio may invest may reset frequently, if market interest
rates fall, the loans’ interest rates will be reset to lower levels, potentially reducing a Portfolio’s income.
Loan interests may not be
considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as a Portfolio, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. A Portfolio may be in possession of
material non-public information about a borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or security of such borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities of issuers while in possession
of such information, a Portfolio may be unable to enter into a transaction in a loan or security of such a borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.
Market and
Management Risk
. Market risk is the risk that the markets in which a Portfolio invests will experience market volatility and go down in value, including the possibility that a market will go down sharply
and unpredictably. All markets go through cycles, and market risk involves being on the wrong side of a cycle. Factors affecting market risk include political events, broad economic and social changes, and the mood of
the investing public. If investor sentiment turns negative, the price of all securities may decline. Market risk also includes the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt the economy on a national or global level.
For instance, terrorism, market manipulation, government defaults, government shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, and natural/environmental disasters can all negatively impact the securities
markets, which could cause a Portfolio to lose value. Management risk is the risk that the investment strategy or the Manager or a Subadviser will not work as intended. All decisions by the Manager or a Subadviser
require judgment and are based on imperfect information. In addition, if a Portfolio is managed using an investment model it is subject to the risk that the investment model may not perform as expected. Moreover,
regulatory restrictions, actual or potential conflicts of interest or other considerations may cause the Manager or a Subadviser to restrict or prohibit participation in certain investments. There is no guarantee that
the investment objective of a Portfolio will be achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because a
Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized companies
often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically more
sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Merger Arbitrage Securities and
Distressed Companies Risk
. A merger or other restructuring, or a tender or exchange offer, proposed or pending at the time a Portfolio invests in merger arbitrage securities may not be completed on the terms or
within the time frame contemplated, resulting in losses to a Portfolio. Debt obligations of distressed companies typically are rated below investment grade, unrated, in default or close to default and are generally
more likely to become worthless than the securities of more financially stable companies.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and
on a Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities. Changes in the demand for these securities generally have a disproportionate effect on their market price, tending to make prices rise more in response to buying
demand and fall more in response to selling pressure. Such investments also may be more volatile than investments in larger companies, as mid-sized companies generally experience higher growth and failure rates, and
typically have less access to capital.
429
Non-Diversification Risk
. A Portfolio is considered “diversified” if, with respect to 75 percent of its total assets, it invests no more than 5 percent of its total assets in the securities of one
issuer, and its investments in such issuer represent no more than 10 percent of that issuer’s outstanding voting securities. To the extent that a Portfolio is not diversified, there is a risk that the Portfolio
may be adversely affected by the performance of relatively few securities or the securities of a single issuer, including changes in the market value of a single issuer’s securities and unfavorable market and
economic developments. A non-diversified Portfolio is therefore more exposed to losses caused by a smaller group of portfolio holdings than a diversified portfolio.
Options Risk
. The value of a Portfolio’s positions in index options will fluctuate in response to changes in the value of the underlying index. Selling index call options will tend to reduce the
risk of owning stocks, but will also limit the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of stocks in exchange for up-front cash at the time of selling the call option. A Portfolio also risks losing
all or part of the cash paid for purchasing index put options. Unusual market conditions or the lack of a ready market for any particular option at a specific time may reduce the effectiveness of a Portfolio’s
option overlay strategy, and for these and other reasons a Portfolio’s option overlay strategy may not reduce a Portfolio’s volatility to the extent desired. From time to time, a Portfolio may reduce its
holdings of put options, resulting in an increased exposure to a market decline.
Option Cash Flow Risk
. A Portfolio may use the net index option premiums it receives from selling both index call options and index put options to lessen the costs of purchasing index put options. The net index
option premiums to be received by a Portfolio may, however, vary widely over the short and long-term and may not be sufficient to cover the Portfolio’s costs of purchasing index put options.
Participation Notes (P-Notes)
Risk
. A Portfolio may gain exposure to securities traded in foreign markets through investments in P-notes. P-notes are generally issued by banks or broker-dealers and are designed to offer a
return linked to an underlying common stock or other security. An investment in a P-note involves additional risks beyond the risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying security. While the
holder of a P-note is entitled to receive from the broker-dealer or bank any dividends paid by the underlying security, the holder is not entitled to the same rights (e.g., voting rights) as a direct owner of the
underlying security. P-notes are considered general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them as the counterparty. As such, a Portfolio must rely on the creditworthiness of the
counterparty for its investment returns on the P-notes and would have no rights against the issuer of the underlying security. Additionally, there is no assurance that there will be a secondary trading market for a
P-note or that the trading price of a P-note will equal the value of the underlying security.
Portfolio Turnover
Risk.
A Subadviser generally does not consider the length of time a Portfolio has held a particular security in making investment decisions. In fact, a Subadviser may engage in active and
frequent trading on behalf of a Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of its securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities or yield differentials. A Portfolio’s turnover rate
may be higher than that of other mutual funds due to a Subadviser’s investment strategies and the above-referenced asset transfer programs. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to a Portfolio,
including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. A Portfolio may experience an increase in its portfolio turnover rate when
the Portfolio’s portfolio is modified in connection with a change in a
Subadviser.
Prepayment or Call Risk.
Prepayment or call risk is the risk that issuers will prepay fixed-rate obligations held by the Portfolio when interest rates fall, forcing the Portfolio to reinvest in obligations with
lower interest rates than the original obligations. Mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk.
Quantitative Model Risk
. A Portfolio may use quantitative models as part of their investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the
market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each factor, and changing sources of market
returns. Any errors, limitations, or imperfections in the Subadviser’s quantitative analyses or models (for example, software or other technology
430
malfunctions or
programming inaccuracies), or in the data on which they are based, including the Subadviser’s ability to timely update the data, could adversely affect the Subadviser’s effective use of such analyses or
models, which in turn could adversely affect a Portfolio’s performance. A model that has been formulated on the basis of past market data may not be predictive of future price movements. There can be no
assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable a Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Real Asset Risk.
The real asset industries in general can be significantly affected by a variety of factors, including exploration and production spending; government regulation or deregulation; energy
conservation; changes in tax laws and government regulations; raw materials prices, energy prices and the supply and demand for oil and gas; interest rates; commodity prices; international monetary and political
developments such as currency devaluations or revaluations; and central bank movements.
The rate of earnings growth of
natural resource companies may be irregular since these companies are strongly affected by natural forces, global economic cycles, and international politics. For example, stock prices of energy companies can fall
sharply when oil prices fall and mining companies can suffer from resource availability, governmental restrictions, and fluctuations in supply and demand.
Exposure to the commodities
markets may subject a Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The values of investments related directly to commodities may be affected by changes in overall market movements,
commodity index volatility, interest rates, and other factors such as drought, floods, weather, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments.
Real Estate
Risk
. Investments in REITs and real estate-linked derivative instruments will subject a Portfolio to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including losses
from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, operating expenses, overbuilding,
construction delays and the supply of real estate generally, extended vacancies of properties, and the management skill and credit worthiness of the issuer. An investment in a real estate-linked derivative instrument
that is linked to the value of a REIT is subject to additional risks, such as poor performance by the manager of the REIT, adverse changes to the tax laws, or failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free pass-through
of income under the tax laws. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property and, as a result, may be
more exposed to events that adversely affect such properties or areas than REITs that invest more broadly.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments,
an underlying fund may experience relatively large redemptions or purchases. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving
as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result
increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance. In addition, when a fund of funds reallocates or redeems significant assets away from an underlying fund, the loss of assets to the underlying fund
could result in increased expense ratios
for that
fund.
Regulatory Risk
. Each Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. Each Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and certain Portfolios are subject to
regulation by the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which a Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable regulation. These laws and regulations are
subject to change. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact a Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market. For example, a change in laws or regulations made by the government or a regulatory body
may impact the ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objective, or may impact a Portfolio’s investment policies and/or strategies, or may reduce the attractiveness of an investment. The SEC’s
rules intended to limit, assess and manage liquidity risk may materially affect the securities in which a Portfolio invests and a Portfolio’s investment strategies and
performance.
431
Restricted
Securities Risk.
A Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that cannot be offered for public resale unless registered under the applicable securities laws or
that have a contractual restriction that prohibits or limits their resale. Restricted securities include private placement securities, such as those normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the
Securities Act of 1933.
Restricted securities may be less
liquid and more difficult to value than publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, an insufficient number of eligible buyers interested in purchasing
restricted securities at a particular time could adversely affect their marketability and a Portfolio may be unable to dispose of them promptly or at reasonable prices, subjecting the Portfolio to liquidity risk. A
Portfolio may invest in restricted securities determined to be liquid as well as those determined to be illiquid. Even if determined to be liquid, a Portfolio’s holdings of restricted securities may increase the
level of Portfolio illiquidity to the extent that eligible buyers become unable or unwilling, for a time, to purchase them. Issuers of restricted securities are not subject to the disclosure and other investor
protection requirements that might be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Thus, a Portfolio investing in restricted securities may be less able to predict future losses. In addition, if a
Portfolio’s management receives material nonpublic information about an issuer of a restricted security, the Portfolio may be unable to sell the security when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so and, as
such, could incur a loss. Restricted securities also may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the values of such securities may have significant volatility. When
registration of a security is required, a Portfolio may have to bear all or part of the registration expenses and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration. Certain restricted securities may involve
a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses to the Portfolio.
Selection Risk.
The Subadviser will actively manage a Portfolio by applying investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions. There can be no guarantee that these investment
decisions will produce the desired results. Selection risk is the risk that the securities, derivatives, and other instruments selected by the Subadviser will underperform the market, the relevant indices, or other
funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies, or that securities sold short will experience positive price performance.
Senior Loan Risk
. A Portfolio’s investments in senior loans have many of the risk characteristics of fixed income securities. Floating rate or adjustable rate senior loans are subject to increased
credit and liquidity risks. The value of senior loans also may be adversely affected by supply-demand imbalances caused by conditions in the senior loan market or related markets. Below investment-grade senior loans,
like high-yield debt securities or junk bonds, usually are more credit than interest-rate sensitive, although the value of these instruments may be affected by interest rate swings in the overall fixed income
market.
Short Sale Risk
. A Portfolio that sells a security short in effect borrows and then sells the security with the expectation that it will later repurchase the security at a lower price and then return the
amount borrowed with interest. In contrast, when a Portfolio buys a security long, it purchases the security with cash with the expectation that it later will sell the security at a higher price. A Portfolio that
enters into short sales exposes the Portfolio to the risk that it will be required to buy the security sold short (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when the security has appreciated
in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Portfolio. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited, although for fixed income securities an interest rate of 0% forms an effective limit on how high a
security’s price would be expected to rise. Although a Portfolio may try to reduce risk by holding both long and short positions at the same time, it is possible that the Portfolio’s securities held long
will decline in value at the same time that the value of the Portfolio’s securities sold short increases, thereby increasing the potential for loss.
Small and Medium Sized Company
Risk
. The shares of small and medium sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these
securities and on a Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. Changes in the demand for these securities generally have a disproportionate effect on their market price, tending to make prices rise more in
response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure. Such investments also may be more volatile than investments in larger companies, as smaller and medium sized companies generally experience
higher growth and failure rates, and
432
typically have less diversified product lines,
less experienced senior management, and less access to capital than larger companies. In the case of small sized technology companies, the risks associated with technology company stocks, which tend to be more
volatile than other sectors, are magnified.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in sovereign debt securities exposes a Portfolio to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price volatility of sovereign debt securities held by a Portfolio. The issuer or governmental authority that controls the
repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, due to factors such as debt service burden, political constraints, cash flow problems and other
national economic factors. In addition, foreign governments may default on their debt securities, which may require holders of such securities to participate in debt rescheduling or additional lending to defaulting
governments. Moreover, there is no bankruptcy proceeding by which defaulted sovereign debt may be collected in whole or in part.
US Government Securities Risk
. US Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the US Government. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and US
Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. For example, securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the
Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Banks are neither insured nor guaranteed by the US Government. These securities may be supported by the ability to borrow from the US Treasury or only by
the credit of the issuing agency, authority, instrumentality or enterprise and, as a result, are subject to greater credit risk than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Treasury. Further, the US Government and
its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and enterprises do not guarantee the market value of their securities; consequently, the value of such securities will fluctuate. This may be the case especially when there
is any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the US Congress to increase the statutory debt ceiling. If the US Congress is unable to negotiate an adjustment to the statutory debt
ceiling, there is also the risk that the US Government may default on payments on certain US Government securities, including those held by a Portfolio (including the AST Government Money Market Portfolio), which
could have a negative impact on the
Portfolio.
Yield Risk.
The amount of income received by a Portfolio will go up or down depending on day-to-day variations in short-term interest rates, and when interest rates are very low a Portfolio’s
expenses could absorb all or a significant portion of a Portfolio’s income. If interest rates increase, a Portfolio’s yield may not increase proportionately. For example, the Portfolio’s investment
manager may discontinue any temporary voluntary fee limitation.
433
HOW THE TRUST IS MANAGED
Board of Trustees
The Board oversees the actions of
the investment managers and the Subadvisers and decides on general policies. The Board also oversees the Trust's officers who conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Trust.
Investment Managers
PGIM
Investments
, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey, and
ASTIS
, One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut, serve as the investment managers of the Portfolios; PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve as co-investment managers for each Portfolio covered by
this Prospectus, except for AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, AST Bond Portfolio 2026, AST Bond Portfolio 2027,
AST Bond Portfolio 2028 and AST Bond Portfolio 2029, for which PGIM Investments serves as the sole investment manager. When used in this Prospectus, the “Manager” refers to (a)
PGIM Investments with respect to the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, the AST Bond Portfolio 2026, the AST Bond Portfolio 2027,
the AST Bond Portfolio 2028 and the AST Bond Portfolio 2029; and (b) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, collectively, with respect to all other Portfolios covered by this
Prospectus.
PGIM Investments has been in the
business of providing advisory services since 1996. PGIM Investments has registered with the National Futures Association (NFA) as a “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) with
respect to the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, and with respect to several other portfolios of the Trust not included in this prospectus. ASTIS has been in the business of providing advisory services since
1992.
The Trust's Investment Management
Agreements, on behalf of each Portfolio, with ASTIS and PGIM Investments, as applicable (the Management Agreements), provide that the Manager will furnish each applicable Portfolio with investment advice and
administrative services subject to the supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated policies of the applicable Portfolio. The Manager must also provide, or obtain and supervise, the executive,
administrative, accounting, custody, transfer agent and shareholder servicing services that are deemed advisable by the Board.
The Manager has
engaged the Subadvisers to conduct the investment programs of the Portfolios, including the purchase, retention and sale of portfolio securities and other financial instruments. The Manager is responsible for
monitoring the activities of the Subadvisers and reporting on such activities to the Board. The Trust has obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Manager, subject to approval by the Board, to hire or
change Subadvisers for a Portfolio by entering into new subadvisory agreements with affiliated and non-affiliated subadvisers, without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes. This exemptive order (which is
similar to exemptive orders granted to other investment companies that are organized in a manner similar to the Trust) is intended to facilitate the efficient supervision and management of the Subadvisers by the
Manager and the Board. The Manager also participates in the day-to-day management of several Portfolios, as noted both in the Summary section for the relevant Portfolios earlier in this Prospectus and the
“Portfolio Managers” section later in this Prospectus.
If there is more than one
Subadviser for a Portfolio, the Manager will determine the division of the assets for that Portfolio among the applicable Subadvisers under normal conditions. All daily cash inflows (that is, purchases and reinvested
distributions) and outflows (that is, redemptions and expense items) will be divided among such Subadvisers as the Manager deems appropriate. The Manager, in its discretion may change the target allocation of assets
among Subadvisers, transfer assets between Subadvisers, or change the allocation of cash inflows or cash outflows among Subadvisers for any reason and at any time without notice. As a consequence, the Manager may
allocate assets or cash flows from a portfolio segment that has appreciated more to another portfolio segment.
Reallocations of assets among the
Subadvisers and PGIM Investments may result in additional costs since sales of securities may result in higher portfolio turnover. Also, because the Subadvisers and the Manager select portfolio securities
independently, it is possible that a security held by a portfolio segment may also be held by another portfolio segment of the Portfolio or that certain Subadvisers or the Manager may simultaneously favor the same
industry. The Manager will monitor the overall portfolio to ensure that any such overlaps do not create an unintended
434
industry
concentration. In addition, if a Subadviser or the Manager buys a security as another Subadviser or the Manager sells it, the net position of the Portfolio in the security may be approximately the same as it would
have been with a single portfolio and no such sale and purchase, but the Portfolio will have incurred additional costs. The Manager will consider these costs in determining the allocation of assets or cash flows. The
Manager will consider the timing of asset and cash flow reallocations based upon the best interests of each Portfolio and its shareholders.
A discussion regarding the basis
for the Board's approval of the Trust's Management Agreements and subadvisory agreements is available in the Trust's semi-annual report (for agreements approved during the six month period ended June 30) and in the
Trust's annual report (for agreements approved during the six month period ended December 31).
Investment Management Fees
Set forth below
are the total effective annualized investment management fees paid (as a percentage of average net assets) net of waivers by each Portfolio of the Trust to the Manager during 2017:
| Portfolio | Total Effective Annualized Investment Management Fees Paid |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.63% |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | 0.60% |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | 0.93% |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | 0.47% |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | 0.81% |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | 0.42% |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | 0.42% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | 0.47% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | 0.39% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | 0.47% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | 0.47% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | 0.47% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | 0.33% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | 0.22% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | -%* |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | 0.47% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | 0.47% |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | -%* |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | 0.58% |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio | 0.76% |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio | 0.65% |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | 0.83% |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 0.55% |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | 0.71% |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | 0.62% |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | 0.76% |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | 0.30% |
| AST High Yield Portfolio | 0.57% |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 0.56% |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | 0.80% |
| AST International Value Portfolio | 0.81% |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | 0.47% |
435
Notes to Investment Management
Fees Table:
AST Bond
Portfolio 2029:
The AST Bond Portfolio 2029 is not included in the above table, because it commenced investment operations on January 2, 2018.
*The management fee amount waived exceeds the management fee that would otherwise be payable due to an expense cap.
*The management fee amount waived exceeds the management fee that would otherwise be payable due to an expense cap.
436
Investment Subadvisers
The Portfolios each have one more
or more investment Subadvisers providing the day-to-day investment management of each Portfolio. PGIM Investments also participates in the day-to-day management of several Portfolios, as noted in the “Portfolio
Managers” section later in this Prospectus. The Manager pays each investment Subadviser a subadvisory fee out of the fee that the Manager receives from the Trust. The Subadvisers for each Portfolio of the Trust
are described below:
Affinity Investment
Advisors, LLC (Affinity)
is an employee owned and independent registered investment adviser headquartered in California since 1992. As of December 31, 2017, Affinity manages approximately $1.0 billion in assets
under management. Affinity is located at 4041 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 150, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC
(AllianzGI US)
is a registered investment adviser located at 1633 Broadway, New York, New York 10019. As of December 31, 2017, AllianzGI US had approximately $108.8 billion in assets under
management.
AlphaSimplex Group, LLC
(AlphaSimplex),
which maintains its headquarters at 255 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, is a subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers. As of December 31, 2017, AlphaSimplex had approximately
$7.8 billion in assets under management.
AQR Capital Management, LLC
(AQR),
a Delaware limited liability company formed in 1998, serves as a subadviser for the style premia segment of the Academic Strategies Portfolio, the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio and the
Large-Cap Portfolio. As of December 31, 2017, AQR and its affiliates had approximately $224 billion in assets under management. AQR's address is Two Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
(BlackRock Financial)
is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock Financial is a registered investment adviser and a commodity pool operator organized in New York. BlackRock Inc. and its affiliates
had approximately $6.28 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017. BlackRock Financial is located at 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055.
BlackRock International Ltd
(BlackRock International)
is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock International is a registered investment advisor and a commodity pool operator organized in Edinburgh. BlackRock International is
located at Exchange Place One, 1 Semple Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH3 8BL.
BlackRock (Singapore) Limited
(BlackRock Singapore)
is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock Singapore is a registered investment adviser and a commodity pool operator organized in Edinburgh. BlackRock Singapore is located
at #18-01, Twenty Anson, 20 Anson Road, Singapore, Singapore, 079912
Boston Advisors,
LLC (Boston Advisors)
is an independent, privately held, majority employee-owned firm. Boston Advisors is headquartered in Boston Massachusetts. Boston Advisors was founded in 1982 and manages approximately $5
billion in assets as of December 31, 2017. Boston Advisors is located at One Liberty Square, 10
th
Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
Brown Advisory, LLC (Brown Advisory)
is located at 901 South Bond Street, Suite 400, Baltimore, Maryland, 21231, and is an investment adviser registered with the SEC. The firm, together with its affiliates, has approximately
$60.9 billion in assets under management and administration as of December 31,
2017.
ClearBridge Investments, LLC
(ClearBridge)
has offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018 and is an investment adviser that manages US and international equity investment strategies for institutional and individual
investors. ClearBridge has been committed to delivering long-term results through active management for more than 50 years, and bases its investment decisions on fundamental research and the insights of seasoned
portfolio management teams. As of December 31, 2017, ClearBridge’s total assets under management (including assets under management for ClearBridge, LLC, an affiliate of ClearBridge) were approximately $137
billion, including $16.8 billion for which ClearBridge provides non-discretionary investment models to managed account sponsors.
437
Cohen & Steers
Capital Management, Inc. (Cohen & Steers)
is a global investment manager specializing in liquid real assets, including real estate securities, listed infrastructure, commodities and natural resource equities, as well as preferred
securities and other income solutions. As of December 31, 2017, Cohen & Steers managed approximately $62.1 million in assets. Cohen & Steers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cohen & Steers, Inc.
(“CNS”), a publicly traded company whose common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Cohen & Steers' address is 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
CoreCommodity Management, LLC
(CoreCommodity)
is an independent asset management firm. As of December 31, 2017, CoreCommodity had assets under management of approximately $4.7 billion (measured at notional value for managed accounts
and net asset value for pooled vehicles, and which include non-fee paying accounts of affiliates). CoreCommodity is located at 680 Washington Boulevard, 11
th
Floor, Stamford, Connecticut 06901.
C.S. McKee, LP (C.S. McKee)
was founded in 1931 and as of December 31, 2017 managed approximately $10 billion in assets. C.S. McKee is located at 420 Ft. Duquesne Blvd., One Gateway Center, 8th floor, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15222.
EARNEST Partners LLC (EARNEST)
was founded in 1998 and as of December 31, 2017, managed approximately $24 billion in assets. EARNEST's address is 1180 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2300, Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(Emerald)
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, Inc. (Emerald Advisers) and was established to allow for Emerald Advisers to serve in a subadvisory capacity for mutual fund and other
registered investment companies. Emerald Advisers, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Asset Management, incorporated in August 1991. Emerald Asset Management is 100% ESOP owned with all Emerald employees
receiving beneficial ownership by participating. Emerald Advisers has been providing professional advisory services to institutional investors, high net worth individuals and the overall general public through quality
separate account management and sub-advised mutual funds since 1992. As of December 31, 2017, Emerald Advisers had approximately $5.3 billion in assets under management. Emerald is located at 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola,
Pennsylvania 17540.
Epoch Investment Partners, Inc.
(Epoch)
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toronto Dominion Bank. As of December 31, 2017, Epoch managed approximately $49.5 billion in assets under management. Epoch is located at 399 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10022.
FIAM LLC (FIAM).
FIAM is an indirectly-held subsidiary of FMR LLC. As of December 31, 2017, FIAM managed approximately $78.25 billion in assets. FIAM is located at 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, Rhode
Island 02917.
First Quadrant L.P. (First
Quadrant),
which maintains its headquarters at 800 E. Colorado Boulevard., Suite 900, Pasadena, California 91101, is an affiliate of Affiliated Managers Group. As of December 31, 2017, First Quadrant
had approximately $26 billion in assets under management, which includes market values for fully funded portfolios and the notional values for margin funded portfolios, all actively managed by First Quadrant and
non-discretionary portfolios managed by strategic partners using First Quadrant, L.P. investment signals. First Quadrant is defined in this context as the combination of all discretionary portfolios of First Quadrant,
L.P. and its partners, but only wherein First Quadrant has full investment discretion over the portfolios.
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Franklin
Advisers)
is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc., a publicly owned company engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2017,
Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates had approximately $753.8 billion in assets under management. Franklin Advisers is located at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403.
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
(Templeton Global)
has been in the business of providing investment advisory services since 1954. Templeton Global is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. Templeton Global is
located at Lyford Cay, Nassau, Bahamas.
438
Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P. (GSAM)
has been registered as an investment adviser with the SEC since 1990, is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
LLC (“Goldman Sachs”). As of December 31, 2017, GSAM, including its investment advisory affiliates, had assets under supervision (AUS) of approximately $1.291 trillion. AUS includes assets under management
and other client assets for which Goldman Sachs does not have full discretion. Goldman Sach's address is 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198.
Hotchkis and Wiley Capital
Management, LLC (Hotchkis and Wiley)
is a registered investment adviser, the primary members of which are HWCap Holdings, a limited liability company whose members are current and former employees of Hotchkis and Wiley and
Stephens-HW, LLC, a limited liability company whose primary member is SF Holding Corp., which is a diversified holding company. As of December 31, 2017, Hotchkis and Wiley had approximately $32 billion in assets under
management. Hotchkis and Wiley's address is 725 South Figueroa Street, 39th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90017-5439.
Jennison Associates LLC
(Jennison)
is organized under the laws of Delaware as single member limited liability company whose sole member is PGIM, Inc., which is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM Holding Company LLC,
which is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. As of December 31, 2017, Jennison managed in excess of $175 billion in assets for institutional, mutual fund and certain other clients.
Jennison's address is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
J.P. Morgan Investment Management
Inc. (J.P. Morgan)
is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of J.P. Morgan Chase Co., a publicly held bank holding company and global financial services firm. J.P. Morgan manages assets for governments,
corporations, endowments, foundations and individuals worldwide. As of December 31, 2017, J.P. Morgan and its affiliated companies had approximately $1,714,230 million in assets under management worldwide. J.P.
Morgan's address is 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
LSV Asset Management (LSV)
was formed in 1994. LSV is a quantitative value equity manager providing active asset management for institutional clients through the application of a proprietary model. As of December
31, 2017, LSV had approximately $118.36 billion in assets under management. LSV's address is 155 North Wacker Drive, 46th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606.
Lazard Asset Management LLC
(Lazard)
, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Lazard Ltd, is known for its global perspective on investing and decades of experience with global, regional and domestic portfolios. With more
than 300 investment personnel worldwide, they offer investors an array of equity, fixed income, and alternative investment solutions from their network of offices throughout the world. As of December 31, 2017, Lazard
had over $222.4 billion in assets under management. Lazard’s address is 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112-6300.
LMCG Investments, LLC (LMCG)
, located at 200 Clarendon Street, 28th Floor, Boston, MA 02116, is a SEC-registered investment adviser and serves as a subadviser to the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio. LMCG is a
board-managed limited liability company owned by its employees, Lee P. Munder and Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”). LMCG operates independently of RBC, a publicly held Canadian bank that on November 2, 2015
acquired City National Corporation, LMCG’s former majority owner. As of December 31, 2017, LMCG had assets under management of approximately $7.9 billion.
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.
(Loomis Sayles)
Loomis Sayles, a registered investment adviser, is located at One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111. Loomis Sayles is owned by Natixis Investment Managers, L.P.
(formerly Natixis Global Asset Management, L.P.),
which is part of Natixis Investment Managers (formerly Natixis Global Asset Management), an international asset management group based in Paris, France
. Natixis Investment Managers is principally owned by BPCE, France’s second largest banking group. BPCE is owned by banks comprising two autonomous and complementary retail banking
networks consisting of the Caisse d’Epargne regional savings banks and the Banque Populaire regional cooperative banks. As of December 31, 2017, Loomis Sayles had approximately $268.1 billion in assets under
management.
439
Longfellow
Investment Management Co. LLC. (Longfellow)
a registered investment adviser located at 20 Winthrop Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. As of December 31, 2017, Longfellow had approximately $11.13 billion in assets under
management.
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (Lord
Abbett)
has been an investment manager since 1929. As of December 31, 2017, Lord Abbett managed approximately $157.7 billion in a family of mutual funds and other advisory accounts (including
approximately $1.6 billion in model-delivery assets). Lord Abbett's address is 90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302.
Massachusetts Financial Services
Company (MFS).
MFS is the oldest US mutual fund organization. MFS and its predecessor organizations have managed money since 1924 and founded the first mutual fund in the United States. MFS is a
subsidiary of Sun Life of Canada (U.S.) Financial Services Holdings, Inc., which in turn is an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of Sun Life Financial Inc. (a diversified financial services company). The principal
address of MFS is 111 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02199. Net assets under management of the MFS organization were approximately $491 billion as of December 31,
2017.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Inc. (MSIM)
is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley and conducts a worldwide portfolio management business providing a broad range of services to customers in the US and abroad. MSIM is located at 522 Fifth
Avenue, New York, NY 10036. As of December 31, 2017, MSIM together with its affiliated asset management companies had approximately $481.5 billion in assets under management.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC (NBIA).
Is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Neuberger Berman Group LLC (“Neuberger Berman”). As of December 31, 2017, NBIA and its affiliates managed approximately $295 billion
in assets. NBIA's address is 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10104.
Pacific Investment Management
Company LLC (PIMCO)
is a majority owned subsidiary of Allianz Asset Management with minority interests held by certain of its current and former officers, by Allianz Asset Management of America LLC, and by
PIMCO Partners, LLC, a California limited liability company. PIMCO Partners, LLC is owned by certain current and former officers of PIMCO. Through various holding company structures, Allianz Asset Management is
majority owned by Allianz SE. As of December 31, 2017, PIMCO managed $1.75 trillion in assets. PIMCO's address is 650 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660.
Parametric Portfolio Associates
®
LLC (Parametric)
is a registered investment adviser and majority-owned subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp. As of December 31, 2017, Parametric’s assets under management totaled approximately $230.1
billion. Parametric’s address is 1918 Eighth Avenue, Suite 3100, Seattle, Washington 98101.
PGIM, Inc. (PGIM)
is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. PGIM was formed in June 1984 and was registered with the SEC as an investment adviser in December 1984. The Fixed
Income unit of PGIM (PGIM Fixed Income) is the principal public fixed income asset management unit of PGIM. As of December 31, 2017, PGIM had approximately $1.16 trillion in assets under management. PGIM's address is
655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
PGIM Fixed Income
is the primary public fixed-income asset management unit of PGIM, with $709 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017, and is the unit of PGIM that provides investment
advisory services.
PGIM Fixed Income is organized
into groups specializing in different sectors of the fixed-income market: US and non-US government bonds, mortgages and asset-backed securities, US and non-US investment grade corporate bonds, high-yield bonds,
emerging markets bonds, municipal bonds, and money market securities.
PGIM Limited
is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM. PGIM Limited is located at Grand Buildings, 1-3 Strand, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5HR. PGIM Limited provides investment advisory
services with respect to securities in certain foreign markets. As of December 31, 2017, PGIM Limited managed approximately $40.74 billion in assets.
440
Shareholders of AST Balanced Asset
Allocation Portfolio, AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio and AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio voted to approve a proposal permitting PGIM to act as a Subadviser
for each of the Portfolios pursuant to a subadvisory agreement with the Manager. The Manager has no current plans or intention to utilize PGIM to provide any investment advisory services to any of the Portfolios.
Depending on future circumstances and other factors, however, the Manager, in its discretion, and subject to further approval by the Board, may in the future elect to utilize PGIM to provide investment advisory
services to any or all of the Portfolios.
PGIM Real
Estate.
PGIM Real Estate is a business unit of PGIM, the global investment management businesses of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU). Redefining the real estate investing landscape since
1970, PGIM Real Estate has professionals in 18 cities in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific with deep local knowledge and expertise, and gross assets under management of $69.64 billion ($49.95 billion net) as of
December 31, 2017. The corporate headquarters is located at 7 Giralda Farms, Madison, New Jersey 07940.
Quantitative Management Associates
LLC (QMA)
is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGIM. QMA manages equity and balanced portfolios for institutional and retail clients. As of December 31, 2017, QMA managed approximately $137.5 billion in
assets, including approximately $51.9 billion that QMA, as a balanced manager, allocated to investment vehicles advised by affiliated and unaffiliated managers. QMA's address is Gateway Center Two, 100 Mulberry
Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (T.
Rowe Price)
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. T. Rowe Price and its affiliates managed approximately $991.1 billion in assets as of December 31, 2017. T. Rowe Price's address
is 100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
T. Rowe Price International Ltd (T.
Rowe Price International)
was organized in 2000 as a United Kingdom corporation and is a wholly owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price. In 2010, the corporation changed its name from T. Rowe Price Global Investment
Services Limited to T. Rowe Price International Ltd. T. Rowe Price International is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and is also registered or licensed with
the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau, and the Financial Services Agency of Japan, among other regulators. T. Rowe Price International is headquartered in London at 60 Queen Victoria
Street, London EC4N 4TZ United Kingdom, and has several other branch offices around the
world.
T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited
(Price Hong Kong)
, a wholly owned subsidiary of Price International, was organized as a Hong Kong limited company in 2010. Price Hong Kong is responsible for marketing and client servicing of non-US clients
based in certain Asian countries, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Price Hong Kong is licensed with the SFC and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Price Hong
Kong serves as a subadviser to registered investment companies and other commingled products for which Price International serves as adviser, and provides investment management services for other clients who seek to
primarily invest in securities markets of the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan and Australia). Price Hong Kong’s address is 1 Connaught Place, Room 2101-2120, Jardine House 21st Floor, Central Hong
Kong.
T. Rowe Price
Japan, Inc. (T. Rowe Price Japan)
, a wholly owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price International, was organized in 2017 as a Japanese corporation and commenced its operation in 2018. Prior to 2018, T. Rowe Price Japan operated
as a branch of T. Rowe Price International (T. Rowe Price International – Tokyo Branch). T. Rowe Price Japan is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and is
also licensed with the Japan Financial Services Agency. T. Rowe Price Japan serves as a subadviser to registered investment companies and other commingled products for which T. Rowe Price International and its
affiliates serves as adviser, and provides investment management services for other clients who seek to invest in Japanese securities markets. T. Rowe Price Japan is headquartered in Tokyo at 1-9-2, Marunouchi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC
(TSW)
was founded in 1969 and, as of December 31, 2017, managed approximately $25 billion in assets. TSW's address is 6641 West Broad Street, Suite 600, Richmond, VA 23230.
441
UBS Asset
Management (Americas) Inc. (UBS AM),
is located at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. As of December 31, 2017, UBS AM had approximately $172 billion in assets under management. UBS AM is an indirect, wholly
owned subsidiary of UBS Group AG (“UBS”) and a member of the UBS Asset Management division, which had approximately $776 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017. UBS is an
internationally diversified organization headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with operations in many areas of the financial services industry.
Victory Capital Management Inc.
(Victory Capital)
is a registered investment adviser with its principal business address at 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144. Victory Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings,
Inc.
(“VCH”), a publicly traded Delaware corporation. As of December 31, 2017, Victory Capital managed or advised assets in excess of $61.7 billion for various types of clients,
including large corporate and public retirement plans, Taft-Hartley plans, foundations and endowments, high net worth individuals and mutual funds.
WEDGE Capital Management, LLP
(WEDGE)
is an independent investment adviser owned and operated by 12 General Partners. As of December 31, 2017, WEDGE had approximately $13.6 billion in assets under management. WEDGE's address
is 301 South College St., Suite 3800, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202.
Wellington Management Company LLP
(Wellington Management)
is a Delaware limited liability partnership. Wellington Management is a professional investment counseling firm which provides investment services to investment companies, employee benefit
plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 80 years. Wellington Management is owned by the
partners of Wellington Management Group LLP, a Massachusetts limited liability partnership. As of December 31, 2017, Wellington Management had investment management authority with respect to approximately $1,080
billion in assets. The address of Wellington Management is 280 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
Western Asset Management Company
(Western Asset) & Western Asset Management Company Limited (WAML).
Western Asset, established in 1971 and now a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., acts as investment adviser to institutional accounts, such as corporate pension plans, mutual
funds and endowment funds. Total assets under management by Western Asset and its supervised affiliates were approximately $442.22 billion as of December 31, 2017. Western Asset's address is 385 East Colorado
Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101. WAML, a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., acts as investment adviser to institutional accounts, such as corporate pension plans, mutual funds and endowment funds. WAML
is located at 10 Exchange Place, London, England.
William Blair Investment Management,
LLC (William Blair).
William Blair is an independent investment management firm and is affiliated with William Blair & Company, LLC, a 100% active-employee owned firm founded in 1935. As of December 31,
2017, William Blair and the Investment Management Division of William Blair & Company, LLC managed approximately $73 billion in combined assets. William Blair's address is 150 North Riverside Plaza, Chicago,
Illinois 60606.
442
Portfolio Managers
Information about the portfolio
managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolios is set forth below.
In addition to the information set
forth below, the SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager, and each portfolio manager's ownership of shares of the Trust's
Portfolios.
AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio
PGIM
Investments.
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the
allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with
Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is
series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA certified.
Andrei Marinich, Portfolio
Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager investment
solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
QMA: Asset Allocation and Overlay
Segment.
Marcus M. Perl is a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. His responsibilities include portfolio management, research, strategic
asset allocation and portfolio construction. Marcus was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Prudential Investments; earlier, he was a Vice President at FX Concepts Inc. Marcus holds an MA in Economics from the
University of Southern
California.
Edward L. Campbell, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and investment strategy
research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed was a Partner and Vice
President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational Leadership from NYU’s
Stern School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Edward F. Keon, Jr. is a Portfolio
Manager and the Chief Investment Strategist for QMA's Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He leads a team of portfolio managers that manages a diverse mix of multi-asset funds encompassing US, International and
Emerging Markets stocks and bonds, as well as real estate, commodities, volatility and other asset classes. Ed has also served as Chief Investment Strategist and Director of Quantitative Research at Prudential Equity
Group, LLC, where he was voted to Institutional Investor's “All-American Research Team” seven times in the Quant category; and as a Senior Vice President at I/B/E/S International Inc. Ed is a member of the
Board of Directors of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance, where he heads the committee to develop Sound Practices in Quantitative Investment Management. Ed appears regularly on CNBC's Squawk Box and other media
outlets. He graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Industrial Management from the University of Massachusetts/Lowell and earned an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
443
Joel M. Kallman,
CFA, is a Vice President and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He also conducts economic and market valuation research. Previously, Joel held various positions for PGIM
Fixed Income in areas such as high-yield credit analysis and performance reporting. He earned a BS and MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. He is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and holds
the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
QMA: Long/Short Market Neutral
Segment.
Devang Gambhirwala is a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His
responsibilities include managing US Core,
Long-Short and Market Neutral strategies.
He
is also responsible for the management of structured products. Earlier at PGIM, Inc., Devang worked as a Quantitative Research Analyst and an Assistant Portfolio Manager. He earned a BS in
Computer and Information Sciences from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA from Rutgers University.
Jennison: Global Infrastructure
Segment.
Shaun Hong, CFA, Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka and Brannon P. Cook are the portfolio managers of the Global Infrastructure Segment.
Shaun Hong, CFA, is a Managing
Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in September 2000. He joined Prudential in 1999 as an analyst responsible for power, natural gas and telecommunications
industries within Prudential’s public equity unit. Mr. Hong began his career in 1992 as a research analyst covering telecommunications and technology companies at Parker/Hunter Inc., a regional brokerage firm
based in Pittsburgh. In 1994, Mr. Hong joined Equinox Capital Management, where he worked for five years researching utility, consumer products, commodities and technology sectors. Mr. Hong received a BS in industrial
management from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and CFA Institute.
Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka
is a Managing Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in March 2002. Before joining Jennison, Mr. Edemeka was a sell-side research analyst on the US Power &
Utilities team at Goldman Sachs, for which he covered electric utilities and independent power producers. Prior to Goldman Sachs, he was an analyst on the global utilities team of SSB Citi Asset Management Group, a
division of Citigroup. Mr. Edemeka began his career as an analyst for the Prudential Utility Fund (now Prudential Jennison Utility Fund) at PGIM Investments in 1997 after completing Prudential’s investment
management training program. Mr. Edemeka received a BA in government from Harvard University.
Brannon P. Cook is a Managing
Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in May 2008. He joined Jennison after eight years with JPMorgan Chase, where he was a vice president and senior analyst covering
transportation and industrial companies. Before moving to equity research, Mr. Cook worked at JPMorgan Chase as an analyst within the mergers and acquisitions group, where he assessed potential merger feasibility and
valuation. Mr. Cook received a BS in business administration from Washington and Lee University.
The portfolio managers for the
Global Infrastructure Segment are supported by other Jennison portfolio managers, research analysts and investment professionals. Team members conduct research, make securities recommendations and support the
portfolio managers in all activities. Members of the team may change from time to time.
CoreCommodity:
Commodities Segment
. Adam De Chiara is a Co-Founder and Co-President of CoreCommodity Management, LLC and the Portfolio Manager of the CoreCommodity Programs. Mr. De Chiara began his commodity career in 1991
at Goldman Sachs where he was responsible for trading the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (“GSCI”). In 1994, Mr. De Chiara founded the commodity index group at AIG, where he designed and launched the Dow
Jones - AIG Commodity Index (now the Bloomberg Commodity Index
“BCOM”). In 2003, Mr. De Chiara co-founded the commodities group at Jefferies,
including what is now known as CoreCommodity Management. Mr. De Chiara received a BA with high honors from Harvard University and a JD with honors from Harvard Law School.
444
Morgan Stanley
Investment Management Inc. (MSIM): Global Macro Segment.
The portfolio managers of MSIM responsible for oversight of the Global Macro segment of the Academic Strategies Portfolio are Cyril Moullé-Berteaux, Mark Bavoso, and Sergei Parmenov.
Their respective biographies are provided below.
Cyril Moullé-Berteaux,
Managing Director. Cyril Moullé-Berteaux is head of the GMA team at MSIM. He re-joined the firm in 2011 and has 27 years of financial industry experience. Before returning to Morgan Stanley, Cyril was a founding
partner and portfolio manager at Traxis Partners, a macro hedge fund firm. At Traxis Partners, Cyril managed absolute-return portfolios and was responsible for running the firm’s fundamental and quantitative
research effort. Prior to co-founding Traxis Partners, in 2003, he was a managing director at MSIM, running Asset Allocation Research and heading the Global Asset Allocation team. Previously, from 1991 to 1995, Cyril
worked at Bankers Trust as a corporate finance analyst and as a derivatives trader in the emerging markets group. He received a BA in economics from Harvard University.
Mark Bavoso, Managing Director.
Mark Bavoso is a senior portfolio manager on the GMA team at MSIM. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1986 and has 35 years of investment experience. Previously, he was a senior vice president and portfolio manager at Dean
Witter InterCapital and a vice president in the equity marketing and research departments of Dean Witter Reynolds. Prior to joining the firm, he was a vice president and equity research analyst at Sutro & Co. Mark
received a BA in both history and political science from the University of California, Davis. In 2008, under his leadership, the Morgan Stanley Strategist Fund was the recipient of the Lipper Funds Award (presented to
the top performing Flexible Portfolio for the trailing three years). Mark is also a member of the Economic Club of New York.
Sergei Parmenov, Managing
Director. Sergei Parmenov rejoined MSIM in 2011 in the GMA team. Sergei has 22 years of investment experience. Before returning to Morgan Stanley, Sergei was a founder and manager of a macro hedge fund Lyncean Capital
Management. Between 2003 and 2008, Sergei was an analyst and a portfolio manager at Traxis Partners, a multi-strategy hedge fund. From 2002 to 2003, Sergei was an analyst at a European mid-cap equities hedge fund at
J. Rothschild Capital Management in London. Prior to this, he was a Vice President in the private equity department of Deutsche Bank and from 1999 to 2001, Sergei was an Associate and subsequently Vice President at
Whitney & Co, focusing on European private equity investments. Sergei started his career in MSIM in 1996. He received a BA in economics from Columbia University.
PIMCO: International Fixed Income
(Hedged) Segment.
Mr. Balls is PIMCO's CIO Global Fixed Income. Based in the London office, he oversees the firm’s European, Asia-Pacific, emerging markets and global specialist investment teams. He
manages a range of global portfolios and is a member of the Investment Committee. Previously, he was head of European portfolio management, a global portfolio manager in the Newport Beach office and the firm’s
global strategist. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2006, he was an economics correspondent and columnist for the Financial Times in London, New York and Washington, DC. He has 19 years of investment and economics/financial
markets experience and holds a bachelor's degree from Oxford and a master's degree from Harvard University. He was a lecturer in economics at Keble College, Oxford. Mr. Balls was nominated by Morningstar in 2013 for
European Fixed-Income Fund Manager of the Year. He is a director of Room to Read, a nonprofit that promotes literacy and gender equality in education in low-income countries.
Mr. Gupta is a managing director
in the Newport Beach office, global portfolio manager and head of the global desk. He is a member of the European Portfolio Committee and a rotating member of the Asia-Pacific Portfolio Committee, and has also served
as a rotating member of the Investment Committee. Previously, he was in PIMCO's London office managing European liability driven investment (LDI) portfolios. Before that, he was part of PIMCO’s global portfolio
management team in the Singapore office. In these roles, he focused on investments in government bonds, foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives across global markets. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2003, he was in
the fixed income and currency derivatives group at ABN AMRO Bank. He has 20 years of investment experience and holds an MBA from XLRI, India. He received an undergraduate degree from Indian Institute of Technology,
Delhi.
Dr. Pagani is a managing director
and portfolio manager in the Munich office and head of the European government bond and European rates desk. He is also a member of the European portfolio committee and a member of the counterparty risk committee.
Prior to joining PIMCO in 2004, he was with the nuclear engineering department at the
445
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) and with Procter & Gamble in Italy. He has 15 years of investment experience and holds a PhD in nuclear engineering from MIT. He graduated from the Financial Technology Option program
of MIT/Sloan Business School and holds a joint master of science degree from the Politecnico di Milano in Italy and the Ecole Centrale de Paris in France.
PIMCO: Inflation-Indexed Securities
Segment
. Mr. Worah is CIO Asset Allocation and Real Return and a managing director in the Newport Beach office. He is a member of the Investment Committee and the Executive Committee, and oversees
portfolio management for the US. He is a generalist portfolio manager who manages a variety of fixed income, commodity and multi-asset portfolios. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2001, he was a postdoctoral research
associate at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, where he built models to explain the difference between matter and anti-matter. In 2012 he co-authored
“Intelligent Commodity Indexing,” published by McGraw-Hill. He has 17 years of investment experience and holds a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Chicago.
Mr. Banet is an executive vice
president in the Newport Beach office and a portfolio manager on the real return team. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2011, he traded inflation-linked investments at Nomura Fixed Income. Prior to that, he was with BNP
Paribas, most recently as head of US inflation trading. He has 17 years of investment and financial services experience and holds a master's degree in applied economics and an undergraduate degree from Paris IX
Dauphine University.
Western Asset & WAML: Emerging
Markets Fixed Income Segment and Macro Opportunities Segment.
The portfolio managers responsible for day-to-day portfolio management, development of investment strategy, oversight and coordination of the emerging markets fixed income sleeve are S.
Kenneth Leech, Chia-Liang Lian, Gordon S. Brown and Kevin J. Ritter. The portfolio managers responsible for day-to-day portfolio management, development of investment strategy, oversight and coordination of the macro
opportunities sleeve are S. Kenneth Leech and Prashant Chandran. Messrs. Leech, Brown and Chandran have been employed by Western Asset and WAML in the capacity of portfolio managers for at least the past five
years.
Ken Leech is the Chief Investment
Officer of Western Asset Management Company. He joined the Firm in 1990. From 1991–2016, assets under management grew from just over $5 billion to $426 billion.1 Ken leads the Global Portfolio, US Broad
Portfolio and Macro Opportunities teams. From 2002–2004, he served as a member of the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee. Mr. Leech and the Western Asset team were nominated for Morningstar US Fixed Income
Manager of the Year five times over the last 13 years, winning the award in 2004 and 2014. Ken was inducted into the Fixed-Income Analyst Society Hall of Fame in 2007. He is a graduate of the University of
Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. In his four years he received three degrees: a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science and an MBA, graduating summa cum laude.
Chia-Liang Lian is currently Head
of Emerging Markets Debt at Western Asset. Mr. Lian has 21 years of investment experience, having joined the Firm in 2011 after approximately six years with Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), where he
served as Head of Emerging Asia Portfolio Management. Mr. Lian also spent eight years as a sovereign debt strategist at JPMorgan Chase and Merrill Lynch, and four years at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as
a senior economist responsible for formulating exchange rate policy. Under his leadership, Western Asset received Benchmark Magazine’s Best-In-Class House Award in Asia Fixed Income in 2012. Mr. Lian holds the
Chartered Financial Analyst designation and has an undergraduate degree in Economics from the National University of Singapore where he graduated as part of the MAS scholars program.
Gordon S. Brown received an MSc in
Investment Analysis from the University of Stirling, an MSc in Business Economics from the University of Strathclyde, and an MA in Economic Science from the University of Aberdeen. Prior to joining Western Asset
Management Limited in 2011, Mr. Brown was a Senior Investment Manager, Emerging Market Rates and Currencies. Mr. Brown is an Associate Member of the UK Society of Investment Professionals.
446
Prashant Chandran is a graduate
from the Indian Institute of Technology, and holds an MSc from the University of Toledo and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. Mr. Chandran has been employed by Western Asset since
2007.
Kevin J. Ritter is Portfolio
Manager for Western Asset. Mr. Ritter re-joined Western Asset in 2006 after serving as the Emerging Markets Trader at Payden & Rygel from 2004 to 2005. He started his career in emerging markets in 1998, playing
various roles in the capital markets groups at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein LLC and ING Barings LLC. Before joining Western Asset in 2003 as a Portfolio Analyst, Mr. Ritter worked as a Spring Associate at FH
International Financial Services, Inc. Mr. Ritter is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where he majored in political science. He is also a CFA charter holder.
First Quadrant: Currency Segment.
As a systematic manager, First Quadrant employs a centralized team-based approach to investment research and portfolio management. Both functions are internal to First Quadrant and not
reliant on third-party providers. The mission of the internal Investment Research team is to continuously improve the multi-factor models used across First Quadrant strategies.
Dori Levanoni and Jeppe Ladekarl
are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the currency segment of the Academic Strategies Portfolio. Their respective biographies are provided below.
Dori Levanoni is a senior member
of First Quadrant’s investment team. He is involved in all aspects of product development: model building, risk measurement, risk allocation, and portfolio optimization. On joining the investment team in 1998,
Mr. Levanoni was initially focused on tactical asset allocation, currency, and global macro strategies. Mr. Levanoni first joined First Quadrant in 1991 as an intern while studying physics at California Institute of
Technology. He left the firm in 1995 to work in the anatomy and neurobiology department of Washington University in St. Louis. Returning to First Quadrant in 1996 as head of systems, Mr. Levanoni moved to the
investment team two years later. He subsequently served as manager of currency research and director of the currency product.
Jeppe Ladekarl joined First
Quadrant as a member of the investment team in November 2009. Before joining First Quadrant, Mr. Ladekarl was the Principal Portfolio Manager for the currency and global tactical asset allocation portfolios managed by
the World Bank Pension and Endowments Department. Mr. Ladekarl managed the team that allocates funds to external global tactical asset allocation and active currency managers. In addition, he was responsible for the
internally managed global macro strategy investing and traded in a broad array of FX, fixed income, credit and equity markets. Mr. Ladekarl also worked in the World Bank’s Financial Sector Operations and Policy
group conducting financial sector policy research and providing advice to emerging market governments on financial sector issues including debt, equity and mortgage market development. Before joining the World Bank,
Mr. Ladekarl was a Special Advisor at the Danish Central Bank holding various positions in the Monetary Policy and Capital Markets Departments. Mr. Ladekarl has published on various debt management, ALM, mortgage
bonds, currency, emerging markets and international portfolio investment topics. He holds a MSc in economics from the University of Copenhagen.
AlphaSimplex:
Hedge Fund Replication Segment.
Alexander D. Healy joined AlphaSimplex in 2007 and currently serves as Deputy Chief Investment Officer, focusing on risk management, asset allocation, and non-parametric investment models.
He is also a member of AlphaSimplex’s Board of Directors, AlphaSimplex’s Investment Committee, and AlphaSimplex’s Risk Committee. Dr. Healy received an AB in Mathematics and Computer Science in 2002
and a PhD in Theoretical Computer Science in 2007, both from Harvard University.
Peter A. Lee joined AlphaSimplex
in 2007 and currently serves as Senior Research Scientist for hedge fund beta replication products. Mr. Lee received an AB in Applied Mathematics with a secondary field in Economics from Harvard University in 2007 as
well as an SM in Operations Research from MIT in 2016.
447
Philippe P. Lüdi joined
AlphaSimplex in 2006 and currently serves as Senior Research Scientist, focusing on Global Macro and Global Tactical Asset Allocation strategies. Dr. Lüdi received the equivalent of an MA in Molecular and
Computational Biology from the University of Basel in 2000, followed by an MS in Statistics in 2002 and a PhD in Bioinformatics in 2006, both from Duke University.
David E. Kuenzi
joined AlphaSimplex in 2016 and currently serves as Senior Research Scientist, focusing on the development of new trading strategies, hedge fund replication, and global markets and macro analysis. Prior to joining
AlphaSimplex, Mr. Kuenzi worked at Aurora Investment Management, LLC. Mr. Kuenzi received a BA from Western Michigan University, an MFA from the University of Iowa, and an MS in Financial Mathematics from the
University of Chicago.
AQR Capital Management, LLC (AQR):
Style Premia Segment.
The portfolio managers of AQR responsible for oversight of the Style Premia segment of the Academic Strategies Portfolio are Andrea Frazzini, Jacques A. Friedman, Ronen Israel, and Michael
Katz. Their respective biographies are provided below.
Andrea Frazzini, PhD, MS. Dr.
Frazzini is a Principal of AQR. Dr. Frazzini joined AQR in 2008 and develops quantitative models for its Global Stock Selection team. He earned a BS in economics from the University of Rome III, an MS in economics
from the London School of Economics and a PhD in economics from Yale University.
Jacques A. Friedman, MS. Mr.
Friedman is a Principal of AQR. Mr. Friedman joined AQR at its inception in 1998 and heads its Global Stock Selection team, overseeing research and portfolio management. He earned a BS in applied mathematics from
Brown University and an MS in applied mathematics from the University of Washington.
Ronen Israel, MA. Mr. Israel is a
Principal of AQR. Mr. Israel joined AQR in 1999 and heads its Global Alternative Premia group, focusing on portfolio management and research. Mr. Israel earned a BS in economics and a BAS in biomedical science from
the University of Pennsylvania, and an MA in mathematics from Columbia University.
Michael Katz, PhD, AM. Dr. Katz is
a Principal of AQR. Dr. Katz joined AQR in 2007 and oversees research and portfolio management for macro, fixed-income and inflation-related strategies. He earned a BA in economics and a BA in Middle East history,
both with honors, at Tel Aviv University, and an A.M. and a PhD, both in economics, from Harvard University.
AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio
PGIM Investments.
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the
allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with
Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is
series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA certified.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
448
Brown Advisory LLC Segment.
Kenneth M. Stuzin, CFA. Mr. Stuzin is a Partner at Brown Advisory and is responsible for managing the Brown Advisory Large-Cap Growth Strategy. Prior to joining Brown Advisory in 1996, he
was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at J.P. Morgan Investment Management in Los Angeles, where he was a US Large-Cap Portfolio Manager. Prior to this position, Mr. Stuzin was a quantitative portfolio strategist
in New York, where he advised clients on capital market issues and strategic asset allocation decisions. Mr. Stuzin is a graduate of Columbia University, receiving a BA in 1986, followed by an MBA from the University
in 1993. Mr. Stuzin was hired to manage Brown Advisory’s US Large-Cap Growth Equity strategy and to build upon and grow the investment process into what it is today.
Loomis Sayles
Segment.
Aziz Hamzaogullari, CFA is a vice president of Loomis, Sayles & Company and portfolio manager of the Loomis Sayles large cap,
global and all cap growth strategies, including the Loomis Sayles Growth and Global Growth mutual funds and products outside the US. He is the founder and head of the Loomis Sayles Growth
Equity Strategies Team. Aziz joined Loomis Sayles in 2010 from Evergreen Investments where he was a senior portfolio manager. He joined Evergreen in 2001, was promoted to director of research in 2003 and portfolio
manager in 2006. Aziz was head of Evergreen’s Berkeley Street Growth Equity team and was the founder of the research and investment process. Prior to Evergreen, Aziz was a senior equity analyst and portfolio
manager at Manning & Napier Advisors. He has 24 years of investment industry experience. Aziz earned a BS from Bilkent University, Turkey, and an MBA from George Washington University. He is also a member of CFA
Society
Boston.
T. Rowe Price Segment.
T. Rowe Price manages the portion of the Portfolio managed by T. Rowe Price through an Investment Advisory Committee. The Committee Chairman has day-to-day responsibility for managing the
Portfolio and works with the Committee in developing and executing the Portfolio's investment program.
Mark S. Finn,
John D. Linehan and Heather K. McPherson are responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio managed by T. Rowe Price.
Mark S. Finn is a Vice President
of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is the portfolio manager of the Value Fund and chairman of its Investment Advisory Committee and co-portfolio manager of the Institutional Large-Cap
Value Fund. Mark is also a vice president and Investment Advisory Committee member of the Equity Income Fund, New Era Fund, Capital Opportunity Fund, and Mid-Cap Value Fund and a vice president of the Balanced Fund.
From 2005 to 2009, he was an equity research analyst specializing in electric power generation, utilities, and coal. Prior to this, he was an analyst in T. Rowe Price's Fixed Income Division where he also covered
utilities and power generation. From 1998 to 2001, Mark worked with the T. Rowe Price recovery strategy team, where he evaluated financially distressed companies. Mark began his career with T. Rowe Price in 1990 in
the Finance Division, where he served as controller of T. Rowe Price Investment Services and as the principal accounting officer for the T. Rowe Price realty income strategies. Prior to joining the firm, he had five
years of auditing experience with Price Waterhouse LLP. Mark earned a BS from the University of Delaware and has obtained the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Public Accountant designations.
John D. Linehan is chief
investment officer of Equity and a vice president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is the portfolio manager of the Equity Income Fund and co-portfolio manager of the Institutional
Large-Cap Value Fund and is a member of the firm's U.S. Equity Steering, Equity Brokerage and Trading Control, and Counterparty Risk Committees. From February 2010 to June 2014, John was head of US Equity and chairman
of the US Equity Steering Committee. From April 2003 to December 2009, he was the portfolio manager of the U.S. Value Fund. John joined the firm in 1998 and has nine years of previous investment experience at Bankers
Trust and E.T. Petroleum. He earned a BA from Amherst College and an MBA from Stanford University, where he was the Henry Ford II Scholar, an Arjay Miller Scholar, and the winner of the Alexander A. Robichek Award in
finance. John also has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Heather K. McPherson is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. She is co-portfolio manager for the Institutional US Large-Cap Value Equity Fund and associate portfolio manager for the Equity Income Fund in
the U.S. Equity Division. Heather is also a vice president and Investment Advisory Committee member of the Equity Income, Growth & Income, Large-Cap Core, Mid-Cap Value, New Era, Value, and Global
449
Technology Funds. She joined the firm in 2002.
Heather worked as a summer intern in 2001 at Salomon Smith Barney, covering the storage area networking industry. Prior to this, she was a vice president of finance and administration for Putnam Lovell Securities,
Inc. Heather holds a BS in managerial economics from the University of California-Davis and an MBA from Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business.
William Blair Segment.
Simon Fennell and Kenneth J. McAtamney are responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by William Blair.
Simon Fennell,
Partner, is a co-portfolio manager for the International Growth, International Small Cap Growth, and International Leaders strategies. Since joining the firm in 2011, Mr. Fennell previously served as a TMT Research
Analyst, also focusing on idea generation and strategy more broadly. Prior to joining William Blair, Simon was a Managing Director in the Equities division at Goldman Sachs in London and Boston, where he was
responsible for institutional, equity research coverage for European and International stocks. Previously, Mr. Fennell was in the Corporate Finance Group at Lehman Brothers in London and Hong Kong, working in the M&
A and Debt Capital Markets Groups. Education: MA, University of Edinburgh; MBA, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University.
Kenneth McAtamney, Partner, is a
co-portfolio manager for the Global Leaders, International Growth, and International Leaders strategies. He joined William Blair in 2005 and previously served as co-director of research, as well as mid-large cap
Industrials and Healthcare analyst. Prior to joining William Blair, Mr. McAtamney was a Vice President for Goldman Sachs and Co., responsible for institutional equity research coverage for both international and
domestic equity, and he was a Corporate Banking Officer with NBD Bank. Education: BA, Michigan State University; MBA, Indiana University.
LSV Segment.
The portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by LSV are Josef Lakonishok, Menno Vermeulen, CFA, Puneet Mansharamani, CFA, Greg
Sleight and Guy Lakonishok, CFA.
Josef Lakonishok
has served as CEO, CIO, Partner and Portfolio Manager for LSV since its founding in 1994. He has more than 41 years of investment and research experience.
Menno Vermeulen has served as a
Portfolio Manager and Senior Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 1995 and a Portfolio Manager and Partner since 1998. He has more than 26 years of investment experience.
Puneet Mansharamani, CFA has
served as a Senior Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2000 and a Partner and Portfolio Manager since 2006. He has more than 19 years of investment experience.
Greg Sleight has served as a
Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2006, a Partner since 2012 and Portfolio Manager since 2014. He has more than 12 years of investment experience.
Guy Lakonishok, CFA has served as
a Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2009, a Partner since 2013 and Portfolio Manager since 2014. He has more than 17 years of investment experience.
QMA Segment.
Marcus Perl, Edward L. Campbell and Joel M. Kallman are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio directly managed by PGIM Investments.
Marcus M. Perl is
a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. His responsibilities include portfolio management, research, strategic asset allocation and portfolio construction.
Marcus was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Prudential Investments; earlier, he was a Vice President at FX Concepts Inc. Marcus holds an MA in Economics from the University of Southern California.
450
Edward L.
Campbell, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and
investment strategy research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed
was a Partner and Vice President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational
Leadership from NYU’s Stern School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Joel M. Kallman, CFA, is a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He also conducts economic and market valuation research. Previously, Joel held various positions for PGIM Fixed Income in
areas such as high-yield credit analysis and performance reporting. He earned a BS and MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. He is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
PGIM Fixed Income Segment.
The portfolio managers from PGIM Fixed Income who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Michael J. Collins, Richard Piccirillo, Gregory Peters, and
Robert Tipp.
Michael J.
Collins, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for Core, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other Multi-Sector Fixed Income strategies. Previously, Mr. Collins was a High Yield Portfolio Manager and
Fixed Income Investment Strategist. Earlier he was a credit research analyst, covering investment grade and high yield corporate credits. Additionally, he developed proprietary quantitative international interest rate
and currency valuation models for our global bond unit. Mr. Collins began his career at the Firm in 1986 as a software applications designer. He received a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the State
University of New York at Binghamton and an MBA in Finance from New York University. Mr. Collins holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI). Named
Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Richard Piccirillo is a Managing
Director and senior portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income’s Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Mr. Piccirillo had specialized in
mortgage-and asset-backed securities since joining the Firm in 1993. Before joining the Firm, Mr. Piccirillo was a fixed income analyst with Fischer Francis Trees & Watts. Mr. Piccirillo started his career as a
financial analyst at Smith Barney. He received a BBA in Finance from George Washington University and an MBA in Finance and International Business from New York University. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income
Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Gregory Peters is a Managing
Director and senior portfolio manager for Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Prior to joining PGIM Fixed Income, Mr. Peters was the Chief Global
Cross Asset Strategist at Morgan Stanley and responsible for the Firm's macro research and asset allocation strategy. In addition, he was Morgan Stanley's Global Director of Fixed Income & Economic Research and
served on the Firm Risk, Investment, Asset Allocation, Global Credit, and Global Fixed Income Operating Committees. Earlier, Mr. Peters worked at Salomon Smith Barney and the Department of U.S. Treasury. Mr. Peters
has been recognized by Institutional Investor magazine for his efforts in macro, fixed income, high yield and investment grade strategies. Mr. Peters was also recently recognized as Business Insider's Top Analysts and
Top Analyst's to Watch by CEO World. Mr. Peters earned a BA in Finance from The College of New Jersey and an MBA from Fordham University. He is also a member of the Fixed Income Analyst Society and the Bond Market
Association. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Robert Tipp, CFA, is a Managing
Director, Chief Investment Strategist, and Head of Global Bonds for PGIM Fixed Income. In addition to comanaging the Global Aggregate Plus strategy, Mr. Tipp is responsible for global rates positioning for Core Plus,
Absolute Return, and other portfolios. Mr. Tipp has worked at the Firm since 1991, where he has held a variety of senior investment manager and strategist roles. Prior to joining the Firm, he was a Director in the
Portfolio Strategies Group at the First Boston Corporation, where he developed, marketed, and implemented strategic portfolio products for money managers. Before that, Mr. Tipp was a Senior Staff Analyst at the
Allstate
451
Research &
Planning Center, and managed fixed income and equity derivative strategies at Wells Fargo Investment Advisors. He received a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. Mr.
Tipp holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
PIMCO Segment.
Mihir Worah, Jeremie Banet, Andrew Balls, Sachin Gupta and Lorenzo Pagani are the portfolio managers responsible for the portion of the Portfolio managed by PIMCO.
Mr. Worah is CIO
Asset Allocation and Real Return and a managing director in the Newport Beach office. He is a member of the Investment Committee and the Executive Committee, and oversees portfolio management for the US. He is a
generalist portfolio manager who manages a variety of fixed income, commodity and multi-asset portfolios. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2001, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of California,
Berkeley, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, where he built models to explain the difference between matter and anti-matter. In 2012 he co-authored “Intelligent Commodity Indexing,” published by
McGraw-Hill. He has 17 years of investment experience and holds a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Chicago.
Mr. Banet is an executive vice
president in the Newport Beach office and a portfolio manager on the real return team. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2011, he traded inflation-linked investments at Nomura Fixed Income. Prior to that, he was with BNP
Paribas, most recently as head of US inflation trading. He has 17 years of investment and financial services experience and holds a master's degree in applied economics and an undergraduate degree from Paris IX
Dauphine University.
Mr. Balls is PIMCO's CIO Global
Fixed Income. Based in the London office, he oversees the firm’s European, Asia-Pacific, emerging markets and global specialist investment teams. He manages a range of global portfolios and is a member of the
Investment Committee. Previously, he was head of European portfolio management, a global portfolio manager in the Newport Beach office and the firm’s global strategist. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2006, he was an
economics correspondent and columnist for the Financial Times in London, New York and Washington, DC. He has 19 years of investment and economics/financial markets experience and holds a bachelor's degree from Oxford
and a master's degree from Harvard University. He was a lecturer in economics at Keble College, Oxford. Mr. Balls was nominated by Morningstar in 2013 for European Fixed-Income Fund Manager of the Year. He is a
director of Room to Read, a nonprofit that promotes literacy and gender equality in education in low-income countries.
Mr. Gupta is a managing director
in the Newport Beach office, global portfolio manager and head of the global desk. He is a member of the European Portfolio Committee and a rotating member of the Asia-Pacific Portfolio Committee, and has also served
as a rotating member of the Investment Committee. Previously, he was in PIMCO's London office managing European liability driven investment (LDI) portfolios. Before that, he was part of PIMCO’s global portfolio
management team in the Singapore office. In these roles, he focused on investments in government bonds, foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives across global markets. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2003, he was in
the fixed income and currency derivatives group at ABN AMRO Bank. He has 20 years of investment experience and holds an MBA from XLRI, India. He received an undergraduate degree from Indian Institute of Technology,
Delhi.
Dr. Pagani is a managing director
and portfolio manager in the Munich office and head of the European government bond and European rates desk. He is also a member of the European portfolio committee and a member of the counterparty risk committee.
Prior to joining PIMCO in 2004, he was with the nuclear engineering department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and with Procter & Gamble in Italy. He has 15 years of investment experience and
holds a PhD in nuclear engineering from MIT. He graduated from the Financial Technology Option program of MIT/Sloan Business School and holds a joint master of science degree from the Politecnico di Milano in Italy
and the Ecole Centrale de Paris in France.
AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity
Portfolio
The portfolio managers responsible
for management of the Portfolio are Clifford S. Asness, John M. Liew, Jacques A. Friedman, Oktay Kurbanov, and Michael Katz.
452
Clifford S. Asness, PhD, MBA, is
the Managing and Founding Principal of AQR. Dr. Asness cofounded AQR in 1998 and serves as its chief investment officer. He earned a BS in economics from the Wharton School and a BS in engineering from the Moore
School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago.
John M. Liew, PhD, MBA, is a
Founding Principal of AQR. Dr. Liew cofounded AQR in 1998 and heads its Global Asset Allocation team, overseeing the research, portfolio management and trading associated with that strategy. Dr. Liew earned a BA in
economics, an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago.
Jacques A. Friedman, MS, is a
Principal of AQR. Mr. Friedman joined AQR at its inception in 1998 and heads its Global Stock Selection team, overseeing research and portfolio management. He earned a BS in applied mathematics from Brown University
and an MS in applied mathematics from the University of Washington.
Michael Katz, PhD, AM, is a
Principal of AQR. Dr. Katz joined AQR in 2007 and oversees research and portfolio management for macro, fixed-income and inflation-related strategies. He earned a BA in economics and a BA in Middle East history, both
with honors, at Tel Aviv University, and an AM and a PhD, both in economics, from Harvard University.
Oktay Kurbanov, MBA, is a
Principal of AQR. Mr. Kurbanov joined AQR at its inception in 1998 and runs the portfolio management team within the Global Asset Allocation group. He earned a BS in physics and mathematics from the University of
Michigan, and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.
AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio
The portfolio managers responsible for management of the Portfolio are Clifford S. Asness, John M. Liew, and Jacques A. Friedman.
The portfolio managers responsible for management of the Portfolio are Clifford S. Asness, John M. Liew, and Jacques A. Friedman.
Clifford S. Asness, PhD, MBA, is
the Managing and Founding Principal of AQR. Dr. Asness cofounded AQR in 1998 and serves as its chief investment officer. He earned a BS in economics from the Wharton School and a BS in engineering from the Moore
School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago.
John M. Liew, PhD, MBA, is a
Founding Principal of AQR. Dr. Liew cofounded AQR in 1998 and heads its Global Asset Allocation team, overseeing the research, portfolio management and trading associated with that strategy. Dr. Liew earned a BA in
economics, an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago.
Jacques A. Friedman, MS, is a
Principal of AQR. Mr. Friedman joined AQR at its inception in 1998 and heads its Global Stock Selection team, overseeing research and portfolio management. He earned a BS in applied mathematics from Brown University
and an MS in applied mathematics from the University of Washington.
AST BlackRock Global Strategies
Portfolio
Philip Green, Managing Director, is
head of the Multi-Asset Portfolio Strategies (MAPS) group. The MAPS team is responsible for managing global tactical asset allocation products as well as outcome products, including a managed volatility product, a
real return product and a target date product. Mr. Green's service with the firm dates back to 1999, including his years with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), which merged with BlackRock in 2006. At MLIM, he
managed global tactical asset allocation and portable alpha products. Prior to joining MLIM, Mr. Green was a portfolio manager at Bankers Trust Company. During his career, Mr. Green has managed quantitative equity
products, global tactical asset allocation products, active currency products, portable alpha products and portfolio insurance products. He is the author of many articles on investing, some of which have been
published in the Financial Analysts Journal, Journal of Foreign Exchange & Money Markets, and the Journal of Investing. Mr. Green earned a BS degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania and an MBA degree in finance from the Stern School of Business of New York University.
453
AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond
Portfolio
Thomas Musmanno, CFA, Managing
Director, is Head of Short Duration within the Multi-Sector Institutional division of Americas Fixed Income Alpha Strategies. Mr. Musmanno's service with the firm dates back to 1991, including his years with Merrill
Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), which merged with BlackRock in 2006. At MLIM, he was a fixed income and money market portfolio manager. Mr. Musmanno joined MLIM in 1991 as an analyst and held a variety of positions,
including fixed income research analyst in trust accounting in Merrill Lynch's Private Client Group. Mr. Musmanno earned a BS degree in finance in 1991 from Siena College and an MBA degree in finance from St. John's
University in 1993.
Scott MacLellan, CFA, Director, is
a portfolio manager on the Short Duration team within the BlackRock Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio Management Group. Prior to assuming his current responsibilities in 2008, Mr. MacLellan was a member of the
Global Client Group, focused on Japanese clients. He also served as a product specialist for short duration and LIBOR-benchmarked fixed income products. Previously, Mr. MacLellan spent four years with Nomura BlackRock
Asset Management (NBAM), a former joint venture between BlackRock and Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd, in Tokyo as an account manager. Prior to joining NBAM in 2001, Mr. MacLellan spent a year in the Global Finance
and Investment Department of IBJ Leasing in Tokyo. Mr. MacLellan earned a BS degree, with honors, in economics and international development studies from King's College in 1997.
AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond
Portfolio
BlackRock Segment.
The portfolio managers from BlackRock who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Bob Miller, Rick Rieder and David Rogal.
Bob Miller, Managing Director, is
head of the Multi-Sector & Rates within BlackRock's Americas Fixed Income Alpha Strategies and a member of the Americas Fixed Income Executive Team. He is a portfolio manager of BlackRock's Core Bond, Total
Return, and Strategic Income Opportunities Funds. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2011, Mr. Miller was a co-founder and partner at the Round Table Investment Management Company, a multi-strategy, research-based
investment company, where he managed a global macro strategy. Previously, Mr. Miller spent 20 years at Bank of America, where he served in a variety of roles, most recently as senior portfolio manager for the bank's
proprietary multi-asset class investment portfolio. Mr. Miller managed global equity and credit, global interest rate derivative, and sovereign debt portfolios during his tenure at Bank of America. Mr. Miller is a
Trustee of Davidson College, a member of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the Investment Committee. He is also actively involved with the Davidson July Experience program. Mr. Miller is a former Trustee and
past Chairman of the Board at Trinity Episcopal School, and remains a member of the Friends of Trinity Board. He earned a BA degree in economics from Davidson College in 1984.
Rick Rieder, Managing Director, is
BlackRock's Chief Investment Officer of Fundamental Fixed Income, Co-head of Americas Fixed Income and a member of the Executive Committee of the firm-wide Alpha Strategy business, a member of BlackRock's Global
Operating Committee and Chairman of the BlackRock Investment Council. Before joining BlackRock in 2009, Mr. Rieder was President and Chief Executive Officer of R3 Capital Partners. He served as Vice Chairman and
member of the Borrowing Committee for the US Treasury. Mr. Rieder is currently a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Investment Advisory Committee on Financial Markets, and was recently elected as the
2013 inductee into the Fixed Income Analysts Society Fixed Income Hall of Fame. From 1987 to 2008, Mr. Rieder was with Lehman Brothers, most recently as head of the firm's Global Principal Strategies team, a global
proprietary investment platform. He was also global head of the firm's credit businesses, Chairman of the Corporate Bond and Loan Capital Commitment Committee, and a member of the Board of Trustees for the corporate
pension fund. Before joining Lehman Brothers, Mr. Rieder was a credit analyst at SunTrust Banks in Atlanta. Mr. Rieder earned a BBA degree in Finance from Emory University in 1983 and an MBA degree from The Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1987. He is a member of the board of Emory University, Emory's Business School, and the University's Investment Committee and is the Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee,
and founder and chairman of the business school's BBA investment fund and community financial literacy program.
454
Mr. Rieder serves as Chairman of
the Board of North Star Academy's nine Charter Schools in Newark, New Jersey and is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Graduation Generation Public School Collaboration in Atlanta. He is a Trustee for the US
Olympic Committee and on the board of advisors for the Hospital for Special Surgery. He serves on the National Leadership Council of the Communities in Schools Educational Foundation and the boards of Big Brothers/Big
Sisters of Newark and Essex County and the Newark Youth Foundation.
David Rogal, Director, is a member
of the Multi-Sector Retail & Rates team within BlackRock's Americas Fixed Income Group. He is a portfolio manager on the Multi-Sector Mutual Fund Team. Mr. Rogal moved to his current role in 2009. Previously, he
was a member of BlackRock's Multi-Asset Portfolio Strategies (MAPS) group. Within MAPS, he was part of the Strategic Advice Service team where he focused on various research and analytical projects, and was
responsible for asset allocation analysis and liability-based portfolio structuring for taxable clients and prospects. Mr. Rogal began his career at BlackRock in 2006 as an analyst in the Financial Institutions Group.
Mr. Rogal earned a BA degree, Phi Beta Kappa, in economics and genetics from Cornell University in 2006.
Loomis Sayles Segment.
The co-portfolio managers from Loomis Sayles who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Peter Palfrey and Rick Raczkowski.
Peter Palfrey is
a vice president of Loomis, Sayles & Company and portfolio manager for the Loomis Sayles fixed income group. With 34 years of investment industry experience, Peter co-manages the Loomis Sayles Core Plus strategy,
which includes the Loomis Sayles Core Plus Bond Fund. Prior to joining Loomis Sayles in 2001, he worked for Back Bay Advisors as senior vice president and portfolio manager, and for MONY Capital Management as
investment vice president and portfolio manager. Peter earned a BA from Colgate University.
Rick Raczkowski is a vice
president of Loomis, Sayles & Company, portfolio manager for the Loomis Sayles fixed income group and co-head of the relative return team. He co-manages the Loomis Sayles Corporate Bond strategies and Core Plus
Fixed Income strategy, which includes the Loomis Sayles Core Plus Bond Fund. Rick has 28 years of investment industry experience and joined Loomis Sayles in 2001. Prior to Loomis Sayles, he served as vice president
for Back Bay Advisors and was a senior consultant at both Hagler Bailly Consulting and EDS Management Consulting/A.T. Kearney. Rick also worked as an economist and industry analyst for DRI McGraw-Hill. Rick earned a
BA from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from Northeastern University.
AST Target Maturity Bond
Portfolios
AST Investment Grade Bond
Portfolio
Richard Piccirillo, Malcolm
Dalrymple, Erik Schiller and David Del Vecchio are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each Portfolio.
Richard
Piccirillo is a Managing Director and senior portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income’s Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Mr. Piccirillo had
specialized in mortgage-and asset-backed securities since joining the Firm in 1993. Before joining the Firm, Mr. Piccirillo was a fixed income analyst with Fischer Francis Trees & Watts. Mr. Piccirillo started his
career as a financial analyst at Smith Barney. He received a BBA in Finance from George Washington University and an MBA in Finance and International Business from New York University. Named Morningstar’s 2017
Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Malcolm Dalrymple is Principal and
corporate bond portfolio manager for the Investment Grade Corporate Team and is responsible for intermediate and short corporate strategies as well as corporate security selection in intermediate multi-sector, Core,
and Core Plus portfolios. He has specialized in corporate bonds since 1990. From 1983 to 1990, Mr. Dalrymple was a money markets portfolio manager. He joined Prudential Financial in 1979 as a securities lending trader
and a bank analyst. Mr. Dalrymple received a BS in Finance from the University of Delaware and an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University.
455
Erik Schiller, CFA, is a Managing
Director and Head of Developed Market Interest Rates for PGIM Fixed Income's Multi-Sector and Liquidity Team, specializing in government securities, futures, interest rate swaps/derivatives, and agency debentures. Mr.
Schiller holds a senior portfolio management role where he develops portfolio strategy, performs quantitative analysis, and designs and implements risk positions within the liquidity relative value strategy
portfolios, multi-sector fixed income portfolios, liability-driven portfolios, and government securities focused mutual funds. He has held this role since 2006. Formerly, Mr. Schiller was a Vice President for
Prudential Fixed Income's US Liquidity Sector Team, and previously a hedge fund analyst within the Portfolio Analysis Group. Mr. Schiller joined the Firm in 2000 as an operations associate in the mortgage-backed
securities group. He received a BA with high honors in Economics from Hobart College and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
David Del Vecchio is a Principal
and portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income’s Investment Grade Corporate Bond Team. Mr. Del Vecchio’s responsibilities include intermediate and short corporate strategies as well as corporate security
selection in intermediate and short multi-sector strategies. Prior to his current role, Mr. Del Vecchio was a taxable money markets portfolio manager for the Money Markets Group, responsible for managing proprietary
fixed income accounts, as well as the securities lending portfolios. Prior to joining the Money Markets Group in 2000, he was responsible for the lending/repurchase agreements of US government, agency, and STRIP
securities in PGIM Fixed Income’s Securities Lending Group. Mr. Del Vecchio joined Prudential Financial in 1995. He received a BS in Business Administration with a specialization in Finance from The College of
New Jersey, and an MBA in Finance from New York University.
AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth
Portfolio
The portfolio
managers responsible for management of the Portfolio are Michael Clarfeld, Peter Vanderlee and Scott Glasser.
Mr. Clarfeld is a Managing
Director and Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He joined ClearBridge or its predecessor companies in 2006. Michael Clarfeld, CFA, has 18 years of investment industry experience.
Mr. Vanderlee is a Managing
Director and Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He joined ClearBridge or its predecessor companies in 1999. Peter Vanderlee, CFA, has 19 years of investment industry experience and 11 years of related industry
experience.
Mr. Glasser is a Co-Chief
Investment Officer, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of ClearBridge and has 27 years of industry experience. Mr. Glasser joined the subadviser or its predecessor in 1993.
AST Cohen & Steers Realty
Portfolio
The portfolio managers responsible
for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are: Jon Y. Cheigh, Thomas Bohjalian, and Jason Yablon.
Jon Y. Cheigh—Mr. Cheigh
joined Cohen & Steers in 2005 and currently serves as Executive Vice President and head of the global real estate investment team.
Thomas Bohjalian—Mr.
Bohjalian joined Cohen & Steers in 2002 and currently serves as Executive Vice President and head of the US real estate investment team. Mr. Bohjalian is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Jason Yablon—Mr. Yablon
joined the Cohen & Steers in 2004 and is Senior Vice President.
Cohen & Steers utilizes a
team-based approach in managing the Portfolio. Messrs. Cheigh and Bohjalian direct and supervise the execution of the Portfolio’s investment strategy.
AST Dynamic Asset Allocation
Portfolios
| ■ | AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio |
456
The Manager typically uses teams
of portfolio managers and analysts to manage each Portfolio. The following portfolio managers share overall responsibility for coordinating the Portfolios' activities, including determining appropriate asset
allocations and Underlying Portfolio weights, reviewing overall Portfolio compositions for compliance with stated investment objectives and strategies, and monitoring cash flows.
PGIM Investments.
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the
allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with
Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is
series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA certified.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
QMA.
Marcus M. Perl is a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA and a member of the asset allocation team. In addition to portfolio management, Marcus is responsible for research, strategic
asset allocation and portfolio construction. Marcus was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at PGIM Investments; earlier, he was a Vice President at FX Concepts Inc. Marcus holds an MA in Economics from the
University of Southern California.
Edward L.
Campbell, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and
investment strategy research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed
was a Partner and Vice President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational
Leadership from NYU’s Stern School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Joel M. Kallman, CFA, is a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager for QMA and a member of the asset allocation team. He also conducts economic and market valuation research. Mr. Kallman has also held various positions within Prudential's fixed income
group, in areas such as high-yield credit analysis and performance reporting. He earned a BS and MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. Mr. Kallman is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and
holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
AST Fidelity
Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio
Ognjen Sosa, CAIA, Portfolio
Manager. Ognjen Sosa is a portfolio manager at FIAM. He manages custom multi-asset class portfolios for institutional clients. Before joining Fidelity in 2007, Oggie was a research analyst at State Street Global
Markets, developing multi-factor quantitative models and constructing equity market-neutral model portfolios focused on Canadian and US equities. He has been in the industry since 2006. Oggie earned his Bachelor of
Science and Master of Engineering degrees in mechanical engineering, his Master of Science degree in management, and his Master of Business Administration degree, all from the University of Florida. He is a Chartered
Alternative Investment Analyst charterholder.
457
Ed Heilbron, Portfolio Manager. Ed
Heilbron is a portfolio manager at FIAM. He manages custom multi-asset class portfolios for clients of the Institutional Solutions group. Before joining Fidelity in 2006, Ed was a principal for seven years with Mercer
Investment Consulting, where he chaired their US Strategic Asset Allocation Committee and focused on asset allocation for the defined benefit plans of some of the firm's largest clients. Prior to Mercer, Ed held
investment, corporate finance, and actuarial positions in the annuity and life insurance industry. He has been in the industry since 1979. Ed earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Dartmouth College
and his Master of Business Administration degree in finance, with distinction, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Catherine Pena,
CFA, Portfolio Manager. Cathy Pena is a portfolio manager at FIAM. She manages multi-asset class portfolios for institutional clients, and is directly involved in strategic asset allocation analysis, manager
selection, portfolio construction, and tactical asset allocation. Prior to assuming her current role in May 2013, Cathy was the portfolio manager of Strategic Advisers Small-Mid Cap Fund and Strategic Advisers
Small-Mid Cap Multi-Manager Fund from 2005-2013. Previously, she held various other positions, including that of portfolio manager of various multi-asset class and multi-manager portfolios for clients of Portfolio
Advisory Services mutual fund wrap program from 2000-2005, and research analyst/senior research analyst from 1996 to 1999. Before joining Fidelity in 1996, Cathy worked as an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston from
1995-1996. She has been in the investment industry since 1995. Cathy earned her bachelor of science in business administration degree and her bachelor of arts degree in French from Xavier University, as well as her
master of arts degree in economics from Southern Methodist University. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.
AST Global Real Estate Portfolio
The Portfolio is managed by a team
of portfolio managers from PGIM Real Estate. The members of the team are Marc Halle, Rick Romano, Michael Gallagher, and Kwok Wing Cheong. Mr. Halle is Senior Portfolio Manager for the Portfolio. Each Portfolio
Manager has a primary responsibility for choosing securities in their respective region as follows: Mr. Gallagher—Europe; Mr. Romano—North America, and Mr. Cheong—Asia and Australasia.
Marc Halle is a Managing Director
for PGIM Real Estate where he is responsible for all global public real estate securities investments and funds. Mr. Halle joined Prudential in 1999 from Alpine Management Research, LLC where he was the Chief
Operating Officer and Portfolio Manager of the Alpine Realty Income Growth Fund. Prior to forming Alpine, Mr. Halle was the senior real estate analyst and associate portfolio manager with Evergreen Asset Management,
Inc., where he was jointly responsible for research, investment analysis and portfolio recommendations for real estate securities. Previously, Mr. Halle was Senior Vice President of W & M Properties, Inc, a
national real estate investment firm, where he was responsible for acquisitions and finance as well as for supervising property operations and development.
Rick J. Romano is a Managing
Director for PGIM Real Estate, responsible for management of PGIM Real Estate’s North American securities investments. Mr. Romano joined Prudential in 1998 from Rockefeller Co., an investment management firm for
the Rockefeller family and other high net worth clients, where he was an equity analyst covering real estate and leisure stocks globally in addition to covering domestic equity securities. Prior to joining Rockefeller
Co., Mr. Romano was a senior investment analyst at the Prudential Realty Group.
Michael Gallagher
is a Director for PGIM Real Estate based in London. He is the Portfolio Manager for the European real estate securities. Mr. Gallagher has been working in the public securities market for over 14 years and
specifically within real estate for 9 years. Prior to joining Prudential, Mr. Gallagher was the Assistant Fund Manager for Global Real Estate Securities at Aviva Investors (London) where he was responsible for
portfolio construction and stock selection of European real estate securities. Prior to Aviva Investors, Mr. Gallagher was a Vice President of Citigroup, Inc. (Citigroup) (London) where he covered diversified
financials and the real estate sector. At Citigroup, Mr. Gallagher was responsible for modeling and research for companies under his coverage. Mr. Gallagher came to Citigroup from Deutsche Bank AG (London
/Frankfurt) where he was a pan European equity analyst covering bank stocks and diversified German companies. Mr. Gallagher holds a BA in Economics from Harvard University, magna
458
cum laude and was the recipient of the Harvard
College Scholarship. Mr. Gallagher also holds a MA in International Political Economy from Cornell University where he was awarded the Mellon Foundation Scholarship. Mr. Gallagher speaks several languages
including English (native), German, French, Italian and Portuguese.
Kwok Wing Cheong, CFA, is a
Portfolio Manager for PGIM Real Estate and is responsible for the management of the group's public securities investments in Asia and Australasia. He has spent more than 20 years in the industry as a portfolio manager
and equity analyst. Prior to joining Prudential, Mr. Cheong was with HSBC Global Asset Management where he was responsible for their Singapore and Thailand dedicated country fund and was part of the team overseeing
the HSBC Asia Ex-Japan mandate. Between 1991 and 2005, Mr. Cheong was an equity analyst at UBS Securities, Merrill Lynch and OUB Securities. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from Curtin University
(Australia), is a CFA charterholder and a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA).
AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value
Portfolio
Sean Gallagher
serves as Co-Chief Investment Officer to the US Equity Team. While the entire team debates investment ideas and overall portfolio structure, the final buy/sell decision for a particular security resides primarily with
the portfolio manager. As Chief Investment Officer of the team, Mr. Gallagher is ultimately responsible for the composition of the Portfolio's structure at both the stock and industry level.
Sean Gallagher
Managing Director, Co-Chief Investment Officer of the US Equity Team, Portfolio Manager
Managing Director, Co-Chief Investment Officer of the US Equity Team, Portfolio Manager
Sean is the Co-Chief Investment
Officer of the US Equity Team, where he is responsible for the portfolio management and investment research process of the firm’s US Equity strategies. Sean has 25 years of industry experience and has been a
member of the Fundamental Equity Team since 2000. He was named Managing Director in 2005 and Partner in 2008. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, he spent six years as a research analyst at Merrill Lynch Asset Management
(now BlackRock), focusing on technology, telecommunications and REITs. Sean serves on the Board of Trustees of Drexel University and the Dwight School in New York. Sean earned a BS in Finance from Drexel University in
1993 and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 2003.
AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth
Portfolio
Steven M. Barry
Managing Director; Chief Investment Officer of Fundamental Equity; Co-Chief Investment Officer of the US Equity Team; Portfolio Manager
Managing Director; Chief Investment Officer of Fundamental Equity; Co-Chief Investment Officer of the US Equity Team; Portfolio Manager
Steve is Chief Investment Officer
of Fundamental Equity, responsible for the overall business management of the global Fundamental Equity franchise. He is also the Co-Chief Investment Officer of the US Equity Team, where he is responsible for the
portfolio management and investment research process of the firm’s US Equity strategies. Steve has 32 years of investment experience. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1999 as a Vice President and was named Managing
Director in 2001 and Partner in 2004. Prior to joining the firm, Steve spent 11 years as a Vice President at Alliance Capital Management. He began his career as an Associate at E.F. Hutton. Steve earned a BA in
Mathematics and Economics from Boston College in 1985. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Boston College and as an advisory board member of Boston College’s Center for Asset Management.
Ashley Reed Woodruff, CFA
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Ashley is a Co-Lead Portfolio
Manager for the GSAM US Mid Cap Growth Strategy. Ashley also has primary research responsibilities for the Consumer sector across the US Equity Strategies. Ashley joined Goldman Sachs as a Managing Director in 2013.
Prior to joining the firm, Ashley spent over 5 years as a Vice President at T. Rowe Price where she was a senior analyst in the consumer sector, and served on the Investment Advisory Committees for the New Horizons
Fund and Blue Chip Growth Fund. Ashley has 16 years of investment experience. She earned a BA in Economics from Barnard College, Columbia University, in 2001 and is a CFA® charterholder.
459
AST Goldman Sachs
Multi-Asset Portfolio
The portfolio managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Raymond Chan, Christopher Lvoff, Neill Nuttall, and Lucy Xin.
The portfolio managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Raymond Chan, Christopher Lvoff, Neill Nuttall, and Lucy Xin.
Raymond Chan is a managing
director in the Global Portfolio Solutions Group (GPS), based in New York. Raymond is head of the Markets team within GPS and is also a senior portfolio manager. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and
solutions for institutional and individual investors, focusing on customized asset allocation, tactical implementation, risk management, and portfolio construction. Previously, Raymond was a member of the Cross Asset
Solutions and Pension Endowment and Foundations groups within the Securities Division, where he developed and implemented customized investing and hedging solutions for institutional clients. Prior to that, he worked
in the Finance and Strategy group of the Investment Management Division. Raymond first joined Goldman Sachs in 2004 as an associate in the Investment Management division. He was named managing director in 2012. Before
joining the firm, Raymond worked as a management consultant specializing in financial services at Oliver, Wyman and Company. Raymond earned an AB magna cum laude in biochemistry from Harvard College, and an MBA in
finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a CFA charterholder.
Christopher Lvoff is a managing
director in the Global Portfolio Solution Group (GPS), based in New York, where he is a senior portfolio manager. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and solutions, focusing on customized asset
allocation, tactical implementation, risk management, and portfolio construction. Previously, Christopher was a member of the Multi-Product Investment Group of the Investment Management Division, where he focused on
portfolio management and implementation for customized multi-asset institutional portfolios as well as commingled investment vehicles. Christopher joined Goldman Sachs in 2007 and was named managing director in 2016.
Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Christopher worked as an actuarial consultant at Towers Perrin, focusing on retirement plan design and defined benefit plan asset liability valuation. Christopher received a BS in
economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries and a CFA charterholder.
Neill Nuttall is a managing
director and the co-chief investment officer of the Global Portfolio Solutions Group (GPS) in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), based in New York. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and solutions
for institutional and individual investors, focusing on customized asset allocation, tactical implementation, risk management, and portfolio construction. Neill joined Goldman Sachs as a managing director in GSAM in
2014. Prior to joining the firm, Neill worked for almost 30 years at JPMorgan Asset Management (JPMAM) and its heritage firms, based for 14 years in Hong Kong and subsequently in London. From 2006, Neill served as
chief investment officer and head of JPMAM’s Global Multi Asset Group (GMAG) and latterly as head of Asset Allocation for GMAG. Prior to joining GMAG, Neill served as a managing director and senior strategist
within JPMAM’s Currency Group. Previous roles included senior investing positions at Jardine Fleming Investment Management in the International Multi-Asset Portfolios Group. Prior to joining JPMAM, Neill worked
for Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong and Thailand. Neill earned a BA (Hons) in politics from the University of Exeter.
Lucy Xin is a vice president in
the Global Portfolio Solutions Group (GPS), based in New York, where she is a portfolio manager. She focuses on developing customized multi-asset class solutions, portfolio construction and implementation, and risk
management strategies for retail and institutional marketplaces. Lucy is a named portfolio manager on commingled investment vehicles managed and sub-advised by GSAM. Prior joining Goldman Sachs in 2011, she received a
BA in art history and earth sciences from Columbia University.
AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value
Portfolio
The portfolio managers responsible
for managing the Portfolio are Sally Pope Davis, and Robert Crystal, and Sean A. Butkus.
Sally Pope
Davis
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
460
Sally is a
Portfolio Manager for the US Small Cap Value Equity Team, where she has broad research responsibilities and oversees the portfolio construction and investment research for the firm's Small Cap Value, Small/Mid Cap
Value and Small/Mid Cap Equity strategies. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2001, Sally was a Relationship Manager for two years in Private Wealth Management. Previously, she was a sell-side Bank
Analyst for ten years in the Goldman Sachs Investment Research Department. Before her experiences at Goldman Sachs, Sally spent two years as a Bank Analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. and six years at Chase
Manhattan. Sally has 37 years of industry experience. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Finance from the University of Connecticut and earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of
Business.
Robert Crystal
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Rob is a portfolio manager on the
US Small Cap Value Equity Team, where he has broad research responsibilities and oversees the portfolio construction and investment research for the firm's Small Cap Value Strategy and Small/Mid Cap Value Strategy.
Before joining Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Rob was a Director at Brant Point Capital Management LLC. Before that, he was a Vice President at Schroder Investment Management and Assistant Vice President at Wheat
First Butcher Singer. Rob has 21 years of industry experience. He received his BA from the University of Richmond and his MBA from Vanderbilt University. Rob joined the Value Team in March of 2006.
Sean A. Butkus, CFA
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Managing Director; Portfolio Manager
Sean is a Portfolio Manager on the
US Small Cap Value Equity Team, where he has broad research responsibilities across the value strategies and oversees the portfolio construction and investment research for the firm's Small/Mid Cap Value and Small/Mid
Cap Equity strategies. Sean joined Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2004. Previously, he worked on the Business Planning Team of the Investment Management Division at Goldman Sachs, providing analytical support and
offering strategic advice to the division's management team. Before joining Goldman Sachs, he worked at Arthur Andersen LLP. Sean has 21 years of industry experience. He earned a BS in Natural Science and Accounting
from Muhlenberg College, an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and is a CFA® charterholder.
AST High Yield Portfolio
J.P. Morgan Segment.
The portfolio management team for the J.P. Morgan segment of the Portfolio is comprised of William J. Morgan and James P. Shanahan.
William J. Morgan, managing
director, is the Senior Portfolio Manager and team leader for the (Columbus/Cincinnati) High Yield group. Mr. Morgan has 34 years of investment experience. He became an employee of J.P. Morgan Asset Management in
March 2005 and prior to that time held the same role at Banc One High Yield Partners, LLC and Pacholder Associates, Inc. Mr. Morgan holds a BA in History from Kenyon College and an MBA from Xavier University.
James P. Shanahan, Jr., managing
director, is the Portfolio Manager who focuses on higher risk credits, including distressed and special situations investments in high yield mandates. Mr. Shanahan has 30 years of experience in high yield and
distressed investments. He became an employee of J.P. Morgan Asset Management in March 2005 and prior to that time held the same role at Banc One High Yield Partners, LLC and Pacholder Associates, Inc. since 1986. Mr.
Shanahan holds an Honors BA from Xavier University and a JD from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.
PGIM Fixed Income
Segment.
The PGIM Fixed Income segment of the Portfolio is managed by the High Yield Team at PGIM Fixed Income. The Team is headed by Robert Cignarella and also includes portfolio managers Terence
Wheat, Robert Spano, Ryan Kelly, Brian Clapp and Daniel Thorogood.
461
Robert Cignarella, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Head of PGIM Fixed Income's Leveraged Finance Team, which includes the US and European High Yield Bond and Bank Loan sector teams. Previously, Mr. Cignarella was a managing director and co-head
of high yield and bank loans at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. He also held positions as a high yield portfolio manager and a high yield and investment grade credit analyst. Earlier, he was a financial analyst in the
investment banking division of Salomon Brothers. Mr. Cignarella received an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in operations research and industrial engineering from Cornell University.
He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Terence Wheat, CFA, is a Principal
and global high yield portfolio manager. Previously, he was also emerging markets corporate portfolio manager at PGIM Fixed Income. Prior to that, he was a high yield portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's High
Yield Team for six years. Mr. Wheat also spent 12 years as a credit analyst in PGIM Fixed Income's Credit Research Group, where he was responsible for the consumer products, gaming and leisure, retail, supermarkets,
and textile/apparel industries. Mr. Wheat covered high yield bonds from 1998 to 2003, and investment grade issues from 1993 to 1998. Earlier, he worked for the Firm’s Financial Management Group. Mr. Wheat joined
the Firm in 1988. He received a BS in Accounting and an MBA from Rider University. Mr. Wheat holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Robert Spano, CFA, CPA, is
Principal and high yield portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's High Yield Bond Team. Prior to assuming his current position in 2007, Mr. Spano was a high yield credit analyst for 10 years in PGIM Fixed Income's
Credit Research Group , covering the health, lodging, consumer, gaming, restaurants, and chemical industries. Earlier, he worked as an investment analyst in the Project Finance Unit of Prudential Financial’s
private placement group. Mr. Spano also held positions in the internal audit and risk management units of Prudential Securities. He received a BS in Accounting from the University of Delaware and an MBA from New York
University. Mr. Spano holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations.
Ryan Kelly, CFA, is a Principal
and a high yield portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's High Yield Team. Prior to his current position, Mr. Kelly was a senior high yield credit analyst in PGIM Fixed Income's Credit Research Group, covering the
automotive, energy, technology and finance sectors. Previously, Mr. Kelly was a senior high yield bond analyst at Muzinich & Company. Earlier, he was an investment banker at PNC Capital Markets/PNC Bank where he
worked in the high yield bond, mergers and acquisition (M&A) and loan syndication groups. Mr. Kelly began his career in investment banking at Chase Manhattan Bank, working on project finance transactions and M&
A advisory mandates for the electric power sector. He received a BA in Economics from Michigan State University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Brian Clapp, CFA is a Principal
and high yield portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's High Yield Team. Previously, Mr. Clapp was a senior high yield credit analyst on PGIM Fixed Income’s Credit Research team. He joined Prudential Financial
in 2006 from Muzinich & Co. While there, Mr. Clapp held several positions, including portfolio manager for a high yield bond based hedge fund, hedge fund credit analyst, and credit analyst covering the chemical,
industrial, and transportation sectors. Earlier at Triton Partners, an institutional high yield fund manager, Mr. Clapp was a credit analyst covering the metals and mining, healthcare, homebuilding, building products
and transportation sectors. He received a BS in Finance from Bryant College, and an MS in Computational Finance, and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon. Mr. Clapp holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Daniel Thorogood,
CFA, is a Vice President and a high yield portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income’s High Yield Team. Mr. Thorogood is also responsible for portfolio strategy and managing high yield bond allocations in
multi-sector portfolios. Prior to joining the High Yield Team, Mr. Thorogood was a member of PGIM Fixed Income’s Quantitative Research and Risk Management Group. Mr. Thorogood was the head of a team of portfolio
analysts who support the Firm's credit-related strategies, including investment grade corporate, high yield corporate, and emerging market debt sectors. The team was primarily responsible for performing detailed
portfolio analysis relative to benchmarks, monitoring portfolio risk exposures, and analyzing performance through proprietary return attribution models. Prior to joining the Quantitative Research and Risk Management
Group in 1996, Mr. Thorogood was
462
Associate Manager in PGIM Fixed Income's Trade
Support and Operations Unit. He received a BS in Finance from Florida State University and an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. Mr. Thorogood holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap
Value Portfolio
Hotchkis and Wiley manages
institutional separate accounts and is the adviser and subadviser to mutual funds, including the Portfolio. The investment process employed is the same for similar accounts, including the Portfolio and is team-based
utilizing primarily in-house, fundamental research. The investment research staff is organized by industry and sector and supports all of the accounts managed in each of the Hotchkis and Wiley investment strategies.
Portfolio coordinators for each strategy ensure that the best thinking of the investment team is reflected in the “target portfolios.” Investment ideas for the Portfolio are generated by Hotchkis'
investment team. Hotchkis and Wiley has identified the portfolio managers with the most significant responsibility for the Portfolio. The list does not include all members of the investment team.
George Davis, Judd Peters, Scott
McBride, Patricia McKenna and Sheldon Lieberman participate in the investment research review and decision-making process for the Portfolio. Mr. McBride, Mr. Peters and Mr. Davis coordinate the day to day management
of the Portfolio. Mr. Davis, Principal, Portfolio Manager and Chief Executive Officer, joined Hotchkis' investment team in 1988. Mr. Peters, Portfolio Manager, joined Hotchkis' investment team in 1999. Mr. McBride,
President and Portfolio Manager, joined Hotchkis' investment team in 2001. Ms. McKenna, Principal and Portfolio Manager, joined Hotchkis' investment team in 1995. Mr. Lieberman, Principal and Portfolio Manager, joined
Hotchkis' investment team in 1994.
AST International Growth
Portfolio
William Blair Segment.
Simon Fennell and Kenneth J. McAtamney are responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by William Blair.
Simon Fennell,
Partner, is a co-portfolio manager for the International Growth, International Small Cap Growth and International Leaders strategies. Since joining the firm in 2011, Mr. Fennell previously served as a TMT Research
Analyst, also focusing on idea generation and strategy more broadly. Prior to joining William Blair, Simon was a Managing Director in the Equities division at Goldman Sachs in London and Boston, where he was
responsible for institutional, equity research coverage for European and International stocks. Previously, Mr. Fennell was in the Corporate Finance Group at Lehman Brothers in London and Hong Kong, working in the M&
A and Debt Capital Markets Groups. Education: MA, University of Edinburgh; MBA, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University.
Kenneth McAtamney, Partner, is a
co-portfolio manager for the Global Leaders, International Growth, and International Leaders strategies. He joined William Blair in 2005 and previously served as co-director of research, as well as mid-large cap
Industrials and Healthcare analyst. Prior to joining William Blair, Mr. McAtamney was a Vice President for Goldman Sachs and Co., responsible for institutional equity research coverage for both international and
domestic equity, and he was a Corporate Banking Officer with NBD Bank. Education: BA, Michigan State University; MBA, Indiana University.
NBIA Segment.
Benjamin Segal, CFA, and Elias Cohen, CFA, are responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by NBIA.
Benjamin Segal, CFA. Mr. Segal,
Managing Director, joined NBIA in 1998. Mr. Segal is a Portfolio Manager for NBIA’s Institutional and Mutual Fund Global Equity team. Mr. Segal joined the firm from Invesco GT Global, where he was an assistant
portfolio manager in global equities. Prior to that, he was a management consultant with Bain & Company. He also served as an investment analyst for both Lehman Brothers Asia and Wardley James Capel. Mr. Segal
earned a BA from Jesus College, Cambridge University, an MA from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Mr. Segal has been awarded the
Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
463
Elias Cohen, CFA,
Managing Director, joined the firm in 2000. Elias is an Associate Portfolio Manager for the International Select strategy and a Senior Research Analyst on the Global Equity team covering Consumer Discretionary,
Telecoms and IT. He earned a BA from Colby College and an MBA from New York University, the Stern School of Business, where he graduated with a specialization in Business Strategy. Elias has also been awarded the
Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Jennison Segment
. Mark Baribeau,
CFA and Thomas Davis are the portfolio managers of the segment of the Portfolio managed by
Jennison.
Mark Baribeau, CFA is Managing
Director, Head of Global Equity and a global equity portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in April 2011. He was previously with Loomis, Sayles & Company for more than 21 years, where he was lead portfolio
manager for the Global Equity Opportunities strategy, beginning in 2005. In addition, he managed large cap growth portfolios from 1992 to 2010, serving as lead manager from 1999 to 2010. Prior to his tenure at Loomis,
Sayles & Company, Mr. Baribeau was an economist at John Hancock Financial Services. He received a BA in Economics from the University of Vermont and an MA from the University of Maryland. Mr. Baribeau has a CFA
designation and is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society and the National Association of Business Economists.
Thomas Davis is Managing Director
and a global equity portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in April 2011. He was previously with Loomis, Sayles & Company for 11 years, most recently as a co-portfolio manager of global equity portfolios.
He began his tenure at Loomis, Sayles & Company as a research analyst covering domestic insurance companies, securities brokers, exchanges, asset managers and government-sponsored enterprises and as a portfolio
manager for a financial sector strategy. Prior to Loomis, he was a global equity research analyst at Putnam Investments, covering insurance companies, Asian property developers and REITs. He received a BA in Economics
from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Duke University.
The portfolio managers for the
segment of the Portfolio managed by Jennison are supported by other Jennison portfolio managers, research analysts and investment professionals. Team members conduct research, make securities recommendations and
support the portfolio managers in all activities. Members of the team may change from time to time.
AST International Value Portfolio
LSV Segment.
The portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by LSV are Josef Lakonishok, Menno Vermeulen, CFA, Puneet Mansharamani, CFA, Greg
Sleight and Guy Lakonishok, CFA.
Josef Lakonishok
has served as CEO, CIO, Partner and Portfolio Manager for LSV since its founding in 1994. He has more than 41 years of investment and research experience.
Menno Vermeulen has served as a
Portfolio Manager and Senior Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 1995 and a Portfolio Manager and Partner since 1998. He has more than 26 years of investment experience.
Puneet Mansharamani, CFA has
served as a Senior Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2000 and a Partner and Portfolio Manager since 2006. He has more than 19 years of investment experience.
Greg Sleight has served as a
Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2006, a Partner since 2012 and Portfolio Manager since 2014. He has more than 12 years of investment experience.
Guy Lakonishok, CFA has served as
a Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2009, a Partner since 2013 and Portfolio Manager since 2014. He has more than 17 years of investment experience.
464
Lazard Segment.
The portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by Lazard are Michael G. Fry, Michael A. Bennett, Kevin J. Matthews, Michael Powers
and John R. Reinsberg.
Michael G. Fry is a Managing
Director of Lazard Asset Management and a Portfolio Manager/Analyst on various international equity teams. He began working in the investment field in 1981. Prior to joining Lazard in 2005, Michael was Head of Global
Equity Portfolio Management, Global Head of Equity Research and Head of Australian Equities with UBS Global Asset Management, and was also previously with Armstrong Jones Fund Management, Schroder Investment
Management, and Price Waterhouse in Australia. He has a BE from Flinders University, Australia. Michael is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and an associate of the Financial Services
Institute of Australasia.
Michael Bennett is a Managing
Director of Lazard Asset Management and a Portfolio Manager/Analyst on various international equity teams. He also coordinates the activities of Lazard Asset Management's Investment Council. Michael began working in
the investment field in 1986. Prior to joining Lazard in 1992, Michael was with GE Investment Corporation, Keith Lippert Associates and became a CPA while at Arthur Andersen. He has an MBA from University of Chicago
and a BS in Accounting from New York University.
Kevin Matthews is a Managing
Director of Lazard Asset Management and a Portfolio Manager/Analyst on various international equity teams. Prior to joining the investment teams, he was a Research Analyst with a background in financials, automotive,
aerospace, and capital goods sectors. He began working in the investment field in 2001 when he joined Lazard. Kevin has a BA in Politics and Philosophy from St. Chad's College, Durham University.
Michael Powers is
a Managing Director of Lazard Asset Management and a Portfolio Manager/Analyst on various international equity teams. He began working in the investment field in 1990 when he joined Lazard. Michael has an MBA from
Long Island University and a BA from Brown University.
John Reinsberg is Deputy Chairman
of Lazard Asset Management responsible for oversight of the firm's international and global strategies. He is also a Portfolio Manager/Analyst on the Global Equity and International Equity portfolio teams. He began
working in the investment field in 1981. Prior to joining Lazard in 1992, John was Executive Vice President with General Electric Investment Corporation and Trustee of the General Electric Pension Trust. He was also
previously with Jardine Matheson (Hong Kong) and Hill & Knowlton, Inc. John has an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic
Portfolio
J.P. Morgan.
Patrik Jakobson, managing director, is a client portfolio manager in Multi-Asset Solutions, based in New York. Patrik focuses extensively on asset allocation solutions with institutional
clients and is a member of the Global Strategy team which establishes broad macroeconomic themes that are reflected across all portfolios managed globally by the team. An employee since 1987, Patrik was previously an
equity and balanced portfolio manager, and prior to that he was a research analyst specializing in the retailing industry in corporate finance. He earned a BA in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA in Finance
from the Wharton School. Patrik is Series 24, 7, and 63 licensed.
Jeffrey Geller, managing director,
is a Chief Investment Officer of Multi-Asset Solutions, where he is responsible for investment oversight of all mandates managed in New York. This includes providing oversight with respect to manager and strategy
suitability and fit and ensuring that the team’s asset allocation views are reflected appropriately across a diverse set of mandates. Jeff is also a portfolio manager for less constrained multi-asset class
portfolios as well as portfolios with alternatives exposure. Before joining the firm in 2006, Jeff was director of Hedge Fund Investments at Russell Investment Group and served as chairman of the firm’s hedge
fund investment committee. Prior to that, he was a senior partner at Credit Suisse Asset Management’s BEA Associates unit where he had responsibility for managing equity, currency overlay and relative value
arbitrage strategies. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Clark University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder and is Series 24, 7,
and 63 licensed.
465
Nicole Goldberger, managing
director, is a portfolio manager in the Multi-Asset Solutions team based in New York. An employee since 2003, Nicole is responsible for manager selection and portfolio construction across both traditional and
alternative asset classes. She focuses on portfolio management and the interpretation of active asset allocation views across a range of multi-asset class portfolios. Nicole is a portfolio manager for outcome-oriented
portfolios, including total return, liability-aware and inflation, as well as numerous diversified portfolios. Nicole earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Boston College and is a CFA charterholder.
Michael Feser, managing director,
is a portfolio manager on the Multi-Asset Solutions team based in New York. In this role, Michael is responsible for managing portfolios and expanding the Multi-Asset Solutions team’s capabilities in the
sub-advisory segment. A particular area of focus is the design and management of risk/volatility controlled investment strategies. In addition, Michael also serves on JPMAM’s long-term capital markets
assumptions committee, advises clients on investment strategy design and strategic asset allocation issues. An employee since 1994, Michael has more than two decades of markets, multi-asset and fixed income research
and investment experience. Previously, Michael served as the Global Investment Director of Global Investment Management Solutions, where he oversaw the investment activities of the group’s portfolio managers,
new product development and worked with the Funds’ boards globally. Prior to this, Michael held a number of roles across global investment management, including leading Multi-Asset Solution’s quantitative
research and portfolio management team, and heading fixed income quantitative research and portfolio management functions in London. Michael obtained an MA in Business Administration from the University of Cologne. He
is a CFA charterholder and is Series 3, 7 and 63 licensed.
AST J.P. Morgan International Equity
Portfolio
The portfolio
managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Tom Murray and Shane Duffy.
Tom Murray, managing director, is
a portfolio manager in International Equity Group based in London, with particular responsibility for EAFE and ACWI ex US portfolios. An employee since 1996, Tom was previously the Global Sector specialist responsible
for the Energy Sector. Tom holds a BA (Hons) in Classics from Bristol University and is a CFA charterholder.
Shane Duffy, managing director, is
a portfolio manager in the International Equity Group. Shane works on EAFE portfolios, in particular those in the International Growth and International Unconstrained strategies. Previously, Shane worked as a global
sector specialist with responsibility for consumer discretionary stocks. Shane joined the team in 1999, holds a MA in History from Cambridge University, and is a CFA charterholder.
AST J.P. Morgan Strategic
Opportunities Portfolio
Patrik Jakobson, managing director,
is a client portfolio manager in Multi-Asset Solutions, based in New York. Patrik focuses extensively on asset allocation solutions with institutional clients and is a member of the Global Strategy team which
establishes broad macroeconomic themes that are reflected across all portfolios managed globally by the team. An employee since 1987, Patrik was previously an equity and balanced portfolio manager, and prior to that
he was a research analyst specializing in the retailing industry in corporate finance. He earned a BA in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School. Patrik is Series 24, 7, and 63
licensed.
Jeffrey Geller, managing director,
is a Chief Investment Officer of Multi-Asset Solutions, where he is responsible for investment oversight of all mandates managed in New York. This includes providing oversight with respect to manager and strategy
suitability and fit and ensuring that the team’s asset allocation views are reflected appropriately across a diverse set of mandates. Jeff is also a portfolio manager for less constrained multi-asset class
portfolios as well as portfolios with alternatives exposure. Before joining the firm in 2006, Jeff was director of Hedge Fund Investments at Russell Investment Group and served as chairman of the firm’s hedge
fund investment committee. Prior to that, he was a senior partner at Credit Suisse Asset Management’s BEA Associates unit where he had responsibility for managing equity, currency overlay and relative value
arbitrage strategies. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Clark University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder and is Series 24, 7,
and 63 licensed.
466
Nicole Goldberger, managing
director, is a portfolio manager in the Multi-Asset Solutions team based in New York. An employee since 2003, Nicole is responsible for manager selection and portfolio construction across both traditional and
alternative asset classes. She focuses on portfolio management and the interpretation of active asset allocation views across a range of multi-asset class portfolios. Nicole is a portfolio manager for outcome-oriented
portfolios, including total return, liability-aware and inflation, as well as numerous diversified portfolios. Nicole earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Boston College and is a CFA charterholder.
Michael Feser, managing director,
is a portfolio manager on the Multi-Asset Solutions team based in New York. In this role, Michael is responsible for managing portfolios and expanding the Multi-Asset Solutions team’s capabilities in the
sub-advisory segment. A particular area of focus is the design and management of risk/volatility controlled investment strategies. In addition, Michael also serves on JPMAM’s long-term capital markets
assumptions committee, advises clients on investment strategy design and strategic asset allocation issues. An employee since 1994, Michael has more than two decades of markets, multi-asset and fixed income research
and investment experience. Previously, Michael served as the Global Investment Director of Global Investment Management Solutions, where he oversaw the investment activities of the group’s portfolio managers,
new product development and worked with the Funds’ boards globally. Prior to this, Michael held a number of roles across global investment management, including leading Multi-Asset Solution’s quantitative
research and portfolio management team, and heading fixed income quantitative research and portfolio management functions in London. Michael obtained an MA in Business Administration from the University of Cologne. He
is a CFA charterholder and is Series 3, 7 and 63 licensed.
AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
Michael A. Del Balso and Mark D.
Shattan, CFA are the portfolio managers of the Portfolio.
Michael A. Del Balso is a Managing
Director, the Director of Research for Growth Equity, and a large cap growth equity portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in 1972 as a research analyst. He has been Director of Research for Growth Equity
since 1994 and became a portfolio manager in 1999. Mr. Del Balso came to Jennison after four years with White, Weld & Company, where he was a vice president, stockholder and followed growth companies with emphasis
on the consumer area. He received a BS in Industrial Administration from Yale University and an MBA from Columbia University.
Mark D. Shattan, CFA, is a
Managing Director and a large cap growth equity portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in June 2008. Prior to Jennison, he was with Goldman Sachs Asset Management for 10 years, where he was a managing director
responsible for blend and concentrated equity products. From 1999 through 2004, Mr. Shattan was a senior portfolio manager for growth equities, investment committee co-chairman, and lead portfolio manager/analyst
covering consumer stocks. He began his investment career in 1997 as a research associate covering gaming, lodging, and leisure stocks at Salomon Brothers. From 1991 through 1997, he served in the US and Europe as a US
Army officer. He received a BS in Management Science and Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy and an MBA from Florida Southern College.
The portfolio managers for the
Portfolio are supported by other Jennison portfolio managers, research analysts and investment professionals. Team members conduct research, make securities recommendations and support the portfolio managers in all
activities. Members of the team may change from time to time.
AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
Aziz
Hamzaogullari, CFA is a vice president of Loomis, Sayles & Company and portfolio manager of the Loomis Sayles large cap, global and all cap growth strategies, including the Loomis Sayles Growth and Global Growth
mutual funds and products outside the US. He is the founder and head of the Loomis Sayles Growth Equity Strategies Team. Aziz joined Loomis Sayles in 2010 from Evergreen Investments where he was a senior portfolio
manager. He joined Evergreen in 2001, was promoted to director of research in 2003 and portfolio manager in 2006. Aziz was head of Evergreen’s Berkeley Street Growth Equity team and was the founder of the
research and investment process. Prior to Evergreen, Aziz was a senior equity analyst and portfolio manager at Manning & Napier Advisors. He has 24 years of investment industry experience. Aziz earned a BS from
Bilkent University, Turkey, and an MBA from George Washington University. He is also a member of CFA Society Boston.
467
AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income
Portfolio
The Portfolio is managed by
experienced portfolio managers responsible for investment decisions together with a team of investment professionals who provide issuer, industry, sector and macroeconomic research and analysis.
The Portfolio's
team is headed by Kewjin Yuoh, Partner and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Yuoh joined Lord Abbett in 2010. Additional members of the team are Robert A. Lee, Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Andrew H. O'Brien, CFA,
Partner and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Lee and Mr. O'Brien joined Lord Abbett in 1997and 1998, respectively. Mr. Yuoh, Mr. Lee and Mr. O'Brien are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio.
AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio
Roger Morley, an Investment Officer
of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2002.
Ryan McAllister, an Investment
Officer of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2007.
Each Portfolio Manager is
primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio.
AST MFS Growth Portfolio
Eric Fischman, an Investment
Officer of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2000.
Matthew Sabel, an
Investment Officer of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2009.*
Paul Gordon, an Investment Officer
of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2004.
Each Portfolio Manager is
primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio.
*As of
September 1, 2018, Matthew Sabel will no longer be a portfolio manager of the Portfolio.
AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio
Nevin Chitkara, an Investment
Officer of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 1997.
Steven Gorham, an Investment
Officer of MFS, is a co-manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 1992.
Each Portfolio Manager is
primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio.
AST Neuberger Berman / LSV Mid-Cap
Value Portfolio
NBIA Segment.
The portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by NBIA is Michael Greene.
Michael Greene joined NBIA when
the firm acquired David J. Greene and Company, LLC (DJG) in 2008. He has over 35 years of industry experience and has served as portfolio manager for the mid cap intrinsic value strategy since its inception in 1997.
In his previous role, Mr. Greene was Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer at DJG since 1999. He joined DJG in 1985 as a research analyst, became a member of the Investment Committee in 1991 and a
member of the Executive Committee in 1995.
LSV Segment.
The portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by LSV are Josef Lakonishok, Menno Vermeulen, CFA, Puneet Mansharamani, CFA, Greg
Sleight and Guy Lakonishok, CFA.
468
Josef Lakonishok
has served as CEO, CIO, Partner and Portfolio Manager for LSV since its founding in 1994. He has more than 41 years of investment and research experience.
Menno Vermeulen has served as a
Portfolio Manager and Senior Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 1995 and a Portfolio Manager and Partner since 1998. He has more than 26 years of investment experience.
Puneet Mansharamani, CFA has
served as a Senior Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2000 and a Partner and Portfolio Manager since 2006. He has more than 19 years of investment experience.
Greg Sleight has served as a
Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2006, a Partner since 2012 and Portfolio Manager since 2014. He has more than 12 years of investment experience.
Guy Lakonishok, CFA has served as
a Quantitative Analyst of LSV since 2009, a Partner since 2013 and Portfolio Manager since 2014. He has more than 17 years of investment experience.
AST New Discovery Asset Allocation
Portfolio
Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC
Gregory Lai, CFA,
is a Principal and Lead Portfolio Manager for Affinity and has 30 years of investment experience. He developed the firm’s quantitative stock selection, risk management, and portfolio construction models. His
previous work experience includes Senior Portfolio Manager and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Invesco Ltd. heading the US Active Equity team. Prior, Mr. Lai was Quantitative Specialist
and co-portfolio manager at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO). Greg received a BS from UCLA and MBA from the University of California, Irvine’s Merage School of Business. He holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst designation.
Pushkar V. Murthy, CFA, is a
Senior Portfolio Manager for Affinity. He has over 8 years of investment experience and is responsible for making investment decisions for clients. He will be assisting in the development and management of
Affinity’s products. Prior to joining Affinity, Pushkar was an Investment Analyst at ClariVest Asset Management LLC where he was a member of the team responsible for global, international, and emerging markets
investment strategies. Previously, he served as Director of Business Intelligence at Epocrates, a healthcare technology firm, and as Consultant at ZS Associates, a management consulting firm focused on marketing and
sales strategy. Pushkar earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Bachelor of Science in
Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Boston Advisors, LLC
Douglas Riley, CFA, is a Senior
Vice President and Director of Growth Equity Investing. As Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Doug brings more than eighteen years of industry-related experience to Boston Advisors. As a member of the
Institutional Equity Team, Doug has primary responsibility for the firm's growth equity strategies. Prior to joining Boston Advisors, Doug was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Babson United Investment
Advisors. In addition to serving as Vice-Chairman of the Investment Committee, Doug managed private accounts for high net worth clients and institutional portfolios, and was instrumental in the development and
implementation of a quantitatively based stock selection process. Doug earned a BS degree in Business Administration and Finance from Emory University and an MBA degree from Northeastern University. Doug holds the
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and is a member of the CFA Institute and of the Boston Security Analysts Society.
Michael J. Vogelzang, CFA, is
President and Chief Investment Officer of Boston Advisors, a boutique investment management firm that provides custom institutional and private wealth investment management services and manages the Broad Allocation
Strategy, a global tactical allocation fund. Michael has managed Boston Advisors since 1997 and led the firm's management buyout in 2006. As President and CIO, he is responsible for overseeing the firm’s equity,
fixed income and alternative investment activities, risk management strategy, and general business practices. In his role as the firm's Managing Member, he also chairs the independent Board of Directors.
Professionally, Michael served as the President and Trustee of the multi-billion dollar Boston Advisors Trust, a family
469
of money market mutual funds. He also held the
role of President of the Lebenthal Funds, a taxable and tax-exempt family of long-term bond funds. He served as a board member for Advest, Inc., the one-time parent company of Boston Advisors. Prior to Boston
Advisors, Michael held senior positions with Freedom Capital Management and Shawmut Investment Management, and he began his investment career at The Boston Company. Michael serves on the investment committee of the
Barnabas Foundation, a large Chicago-based planned giving and estate planning charitable organization, investing on behalf of faith-based organizations. Michael earned a BA degree in economics and political science
from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI and attended Boston University's Graduate School of Management. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the Boston Security Analyst
Society. As an investment strategist, he is frequently invited to speak at industry conferences, interview in the financial media, and contribute articles to portfolio management journals.
David Hanna is Senior Vice
President and Director of Institutional Portfolio Management at Boston Advisors, a boutique investment management firm that provides custom institutional and private wealth investment management services. As Director
of Institutional Portfolio Management, David oversees the firm’s equity and alternative investment activities. He also serves as lead portfolio manager for the firm’s small-cap value strategy and is a
member of the portfolio team managing the firm’s global tactical asset allocation (GTAA) strategy, where he focuses on commodities and currencies.
David has specific expertise in
the areas of quantitative research and alternative investments. He contributes to the development of the firm’s proprietary, quantitative models, specifically the stock selection, asset class selection, market
profiling and risk assessment models. He also directs decisions around alternative investments, including alternative asset class allocations, hedging and derivatives. David has more than 20 years of industry related
experience. Prior to joining the firm, he was a senior portfolio manager in the Global Hedge Fund Strategies Group of State Street Global Advisors (SSgA.) He was with SSgA from 1997 to 2005, working in both the
firm’s Boston and London offices. Prior to SSgA, he was Vice President, Quantitative Analysis, at Standish, Ayer & Wood from 1992-1997. Prior to that, he worked in proprietary trading, small-cap portfolio
management and portfolio insurance. David earned a BS degree in finance from the Pennsylvania State University in 1987 and completed an honors degree with a thesis on derivatives hedging entitled, “Portfolio
Insurance - A Simulation Using Binomial Option Pricing Theory.” He also attended the Institute Universitaire de Technologie in Nice, France, focusing on European business. As an investment strategist, he is
frequently invited to speak at industry conferences, interview in the financial media, and contribute articles to portfolio management journals.
C.S. McKee, LP
Greg Melvin joined C.S. McKee as
Chief Investment Officer in 2000. He is the Chairman of the Investment Policy Committee and has overall responsibility for client portfolios and the investment process. Prior to joining C. S. McKee, Mr. Melvin was
President and Chief Investment Officer of Dartmouth Capital Advisors, Inc., an institutional investment management firm he founded in 1995. Prior to 1995, he served as a Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager and
member of the Investment Policy Committee at Federated Investors from 1980 to 1995. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. Melvin holds an MBA degree in Finance from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor's degree from
Dartmouth College.
Bryan Johanson joined C.S. McKee
in 1994 as a fixed income portfolio manager and has held that position since that time. His primary responsibility is security selection within the corporate sector. He also provides input to the sector-allocation,
duration and yield-curve decisions. Prior to joining to C.S. McKee, Mr. Johanson was a manager of mortgage-backed and asset backed securities for the Indiana Corporate Federal Credit Union from 1992 until joining
McKee. Prior to that Mr. Johanson worked as an analyst for National City Bank from 1988 to 1992. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. Johanson holds an MBA degree in Finance from Indiana University and a Bachelor's
degree in Accounting from Bowling Green University.
Brian Allen joined C.S. McKee in
1999 as a fixed income portfolio manager and has held that position since that time. He is primarily responsible for investment decisions related to the mortgage-backed and asset-backed sectors. He also provides input
to the sector-allocation, duration and yield-curve decisions. Prior to joining C.S. McKee, Mr. Allen managed fixed income funds for institutional clients at Patterson Capital Corporation in Los Angeles from
470
1993 until 1998. Prior to that Mr. Allen worked as
an equity and fixed income manager for C&S/Sovran Trust Company from 1987 to 1991. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. Allen holds an MBA degree in Finance from the Wharton School and a Bachelor's degree in
Business Administration from James Madison University.
Jack White joined C.S. McKee in
1997 as a fixed income analyst and was promoted to portfolio manager in 1999. His primary responsibility is to make investment decisions related to the government and structured securities sectors. He also provides
input into the sector allocation, duration and yield-curve decisions. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. White holds an MBA degree in Finance and a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Youngstown State University.
Andrew Faderewski
joined C.S. McKee in 2007 as a portfolio accountant and was promoted to portfolio manager in 2018. His primary responsibilities include monitoring portfolio analytics, managing client reporting and compliance, and
performing various economic and sector research. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. Faderewski received his BS in Finance and Investment Management from Duquesne University.
EARNEST Partners, LLC
Paul Viera, the founder of EARNEST
Partners, is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio managed by EARNEST. Mr. Viera was a Vice President at Bankers Trust in both New York and London. He later joined
INVESCO, where he became a Global Partner and senior member of its Investment Team. Mr. Viera is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Atlanta Society of Finance and Investment Professionals and has
over 25 years of investment experience. Mr. Viera has a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Epoch Investment Partners, Inc.
David Pearl is Executive Vice
President and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Epoch Investment Partners. He is a Portfolio Manager for Epoch’s US investment strategies. Prior to co-founding Epoch in 2004 with Bill Priest, Tim Taussig and Phil
Clark, David was a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Steinberg Priest & Sloane Capital Management, LLC where he was responsible for both institutional and private client assets. Previously, he held senior
portfolio management positions at ING Furman Selz Asset Management and Citibank Global Asset Management where he managed mutual funds and institutional accounts. Prior to Citibank, David was an Officer and Senior
Analyst of BEA Associates, predecessor to Credit Suisse Asset Management -Americas. David holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from The Stanford University Graduate
School of Business.
John Reddan is a Portfolio Manager
and Senior Research Analyst. John is a portfolio manager for the US Choice strategy. Prior to joining Epoch in 2004, he was a senior equity analyst at Columbia Management Group responsible for research recommendations
in the media/entertainment and online industries. Before Columbia Management, he was a senior investment analyst at Mark Partners for six years where he performed fundamental research on long and short investment
ideas. Prior to joining Mark Partners, John held a similar position at Moran Asset Management where he provided both buy-side and sell-side research to investment policy committees, institutional brokerage clients,
and the company’s institutional sales force. He is a graduate of Siena College, and holds an MBA from Columbia University, Graduate School of Business. John holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Michael
Welhoelter is Epoch's Co-Chief Investment Officer, Chief Risk Officer and heads Epoch's Quantitative and Risk Management team. He is responsible for integrating risk management into the investment process. Prior to
joining Epoch in 2005, he was a Director and Portfolio Manager in the Quantitative Strategies Group at Columbia Management Group, Inc. In this role, he managed over $5 billion in mutual funds and separately managed
portfolios. Prior to joining Columbia Management Group, he was at Credit Suisse Asset Management-Americas, where he was a Portfolio Manager in the Structured Equity group, overseeing long/short market neutral and
large cap core products. Previously, he was a Portfolio Manager and Quantitative Research Analyst at Chancellor/LGT Asset Management. Mike holds a BA degree in Computer and Information Science from Colgate University.
He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts, the Society of Quantitative Analysts and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
471
Longfellow Investment Management Co.
LLC
Barbara J. McKenna, CFA, Managing
Principal, Portfolio Manager. Ms. McKenna serves as a Managing Principal and Portfolio Manager. Barbara leads Intermediate and Core portfolio management and heads credit strategy. Prior to joining Longfellow in 2005,
she was a director and senior portfolio Manager at State Street Research (SSR), responsible for $14 billion of institutional fixed income accounts. As director of corporate bond strategy, she was responsible for the
development and implementation of corporate bond strategy across all fixed income mandates. Prior to joining SSR, Barbara was a director and portfolio manager at Standish, Ayer & Wood. She has also held portfolio
management and investment banking positions at BayBank and Massachusetts Capital Resource Company, a private capital firm. Barbara has over 25 years of experience and holds a MS and BS in Finance from Boston College.
Barbara is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society. She is also a board trustee of the American Beacon Funds.
David C. Stuehr, CFA, Principal,
Portfolio Manager and Senior Analyst. Mr. Stuehr is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Analyst. Dave leads the high yield management strategy for Longfellow and also serves on the portfolio management team for the
Arbitrage strategy. Prior to joining Longfellow in 2009, Dave was a hedge fund portfolio manager and analyst at Hanover Strategic Management. He also previously served as a portfolio manager at Seneca Capital
Management. At Seneca Capital, Dave was responsible for the firm’s high yield investment portfolios and served as the lead manager on the Pacific View Fund, LLC – a corporate bond-oriented hedge fund. Dave
also has significant experience in managing fixed income portfolios for an array of clients including high net worth individuals and insurance companies. Prior to joining Seneca, Dave was a partner with Standish, Ayer
& Wood. During his 12 years at the firm, he served as a portfolio manager and director of corporate bond research – leading a 10-member analyst team. Dave has over 25 years of investment experience and
received his MS in Finance from Boston College and MA in Economics from Bowling Green University. He also received his BS in Business Administration from Bowling Green University. Dave is a CFA charterholder, a member
of the CFA Institute and a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society.
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley
LLC
Brandon Harrell, CFA, has over 20
years experience with TSW as a Portfolio Manager. Mr. Harrell is a graduate of Wake Forest University, BA, 1982 and George Mason University, MBA, 1990. He previously worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as an
Intelligence Officer; for Growth Stock Outlook, Inc. as a Securities Analyst; and for Capitoline Investment Services as a Portfolio Manager. Mr. Harrell is Series 65 licensed with FINRA and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst designation.
Parametric Portfolio Associates
LLC
Justin Henne, CFA. Managing
Director - Customized Exposure Management. Mr. Henne leads the investment team responsible for the implementation and enhancement of Parametric’s Customized Exposure Management product. Since joining Parametric
in 2004*, Justin has gained extensive experience trading a wide variety of derivative instruments in order to meet each client’s unique exposure and risk management objectives. Justin earned a BA in Financial
Management from the University of St. Thomas. He is a CFA® charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Minnesota.
*Reflects the year employee was hired by The
Clifton Group, which was acquired by Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC on December 31, 2012.
Daniel Wamre, CFA. Senior
Portfolio Manager. Mr. Wamre leads a team of investment professionals responsible for designing, trading, and managing overlay portfolios. He has extensive experience helping clients and consultants manage portfolio
exposures and risk through futures and options-based strategies. Prior to joining Parametric in 1995* as an intern, and full-time in 1998*, Dan spent four years as a Platoon Commander/Executive Officer in the United
States Marine Corps. Upon completion of graduate school, he spent ten months working as a commercial banking credit analyst for US Bank in Minneapolis. He earned a BS from North Dakota State University and an MBA in
Finance from the University of Minnesota. He is a CFA® charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Minnesota.
*Reflects the year employee was hired by The
Clifton Group, which was acquired by Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC on December 31, 2012.
472
PGIM Investments LLC
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice
President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff
of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with Prudential for over 16 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance
from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA certified
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
AST Parametric Emerging Markets
Equity Portfolio
The Portfolio is managed by a team
of portfolio managers from Parametric. The members of the team are Thomas Seto and Timothy Atwill.
Thomas Seto, Head of Investment
Management, Seattle Investment Center. Mr. Seto is responsible for all portfolio management and trading at the Seattle Investment Center, and is a member of the Enterprise Management Committee. Prior to joining
Parametric in 1998, Thomas served as the Head of US Equity Index Investments at Barclays Global Investors. He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BS in Electrical
Engineering from the University of Washington.
Timothy Atwill, PhD, CFA, Head of
Investment Strategy, Seattle Investment Center. Mr. Atwill leads the Investment Strategy team at Parametric, which is responsible for all aspects of Parametric’s investment strategies. In addition, he holds
investment responsibilities for Parametric’s emerging market and international equity strategies, as well as shared responsibility for the firm’s commodity strategy. Prior to his current role, Timothy
worked at Russell Investments in their manager research unit, and in their trading group, implementing derivative strategies for institutional clients. Prior to his time at Russell, he worked as a non-life actuary and
derivatives portfolio manager at Safeco Insurance Company. Tim holds a PhD in Mathematics from Dartmouth College, as well as a BA in Mathematics from Reed College, and has been a CFA Charterholder since 2003.
AST Prudential Core Bond
Portfolio
Michael J.
Collins, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for Core, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other Multi-Sector Fixed Income strategies. Previously, Mr. Collins was a High Yield Portfolio Manager and
Fixed Income Investment Strategist. Earlier he was a credit research analyst, covering investment grade and high yield corporate credits. Additionally, he developed proprietary quantitative international interest rate
and currency valuation models for our global bond unit. Mr. Collins began his career at the Firm in 1986 as a software applications designer. He received a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the State
University of New York at Binghamton and an MBA in Finance from New York University. Mr. Collins holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI). Named
Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Richard Piccirillo is a Managing
Director and senior portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income’s Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Mr. Piccirillo had specialized in
mortgage-and asset-backed securities since joining the Firm in 1993. Before joining the Firm, Mr. Piccirillo was a fixed income analyst with Fischer Francis Trees & Watts. Mr. Piccirillo started his career as a
473
financial analyst
at Smith Barney. He received a BBA in Finance from George Washington University and an MBA in Finance and International Business from New York University. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The
Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Gregory Peters is a Managing
Director and senior portfolio manager for Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Prior to joining PGIM Fixed Income, Mr. Peters was the Chief Global
Cross Asset Strategist at Morgan Stanley and responsible for the Firm's macro research and asset allocation strategy. In addition, he was Morgan Stanley's Global Director of Fixed Income & Economic Research and
served on the Firm Risk, Investment, Asset Allocation, Global Credit, and Global Fixed Income Operating Committees. Earlier, Mr. Peters worked at Salomon Smith Barney and the Department of U.S. Treasury. Mr. Peters
has been recognized by Institutional Investor magazine for his efforts in macro, fixed income, high yield and investment grade strategies. Mr. Peters was also recently recognized as Business Insider's Top Analysts and
Top Analyst's to Watch by CEO World. Mr. Peters earned a BA in Finance from The College of New Jersey and an MBA from Fordham University. He is also a member of the Fixed Income Analyst Society and the Bond Market
Association. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
AST Prudential Growth Allocation
Portfolio
QMA
Ed Keon Jr.,
Edward Campbell, Stacie Mintz, Jacob Pozharny and George Sakoulis are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the asset allocation and equity portion of the Portfolio.
Asset Allocation
Edward F. Keon,
Jr. is a Portfolio Manager and the Chief Investment Strategist for QMA's Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He leads a team of portfolio managers that manages a diverse mix of multi-asset funds encompassing US,
International and Emerging Markets stocks and bonds, as well as real estate, commodities, volatility and other asset classes. Ed has also served as Chief Investment Strategist and Director of Quantitative Research at
Prudential Equity Group, LLC, where he was voted to Institutional Investor's “All-American Research Team” seven times in the Quant category; and as a Senior Vice President at I/B/E/S International Inc. Ed
is a member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance, where he heads the committee to develop Sound Practices in Quantitative Investment Management. Ed appears regularly on CNBC's Squawk Box and
other media outlets. He graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Industrial Management from the University of Massachusetts/Lowell and earned an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Sloan School of Management at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Edward L. Campbell, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and investment strategy
research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed was a Partner and Vice
President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational Leadership from NYU's Stern
School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
George Sakoulis, PhD, is a
Managing Director and Head of Global Multi-Asset Solutions for QMA, where he focuses on the research and development of systematic total and absolute return investment solutions. Previously, he headed QMA's Global
Portfolio Solutions group. Prior to joining QMA, he led quantitative research for the Emerging Markets Equity team at GMO. Prior to that, George served as the Director of European Equity Strategies for Numeric
Investors and was a Director for UBS O'Connor. George earned a BA in Economics and a BS in Statistics from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Economics and a PhD in Financial Econometrics from the University
of Washington.
US Equity
474
Stacie L. Mintz, CFA, is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. Her responsibilities include managing US Core, Long Short and Market Neutral strategies, and overseeing the team responsible for implementation. Previously, Stacie was a member of the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team, where she was responsible for several retail and institutional portfolios. In addition, during that time, she was responsible for managing the overall asset allocation for the Prudential Pension Plan. She earned a BA in Economics from Rutgers University, an MBA in Finance from New York University, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Non-US Equity
Jacob Pozharny,
PhD, is a Managing Director for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team, where he heads research and portfolio management for the Non-US Equity strategies. Jacob was previously a Managing Director and Head of
International Quantitative Equity at the TIAA-CREF organization and Teachers Advisors, Inc., where he was responsible for quantitative stock selection and portfolio construction for international portfolios. Earlier
in his career, Jacob held positions at the University of California, Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management and the Federal Reserve. He earned a BA in Economics, an MS in Statistics, an MS in Finance and Applied
Economics, and a PhD in Applied Statistics from the University of California.
PGIM Fixed Income
Michael J. Collins, CFA, Richard
Piccirillo and Gregory Peters of the PGIM Fixed Income unit of PGIM, Inc. manage the fixed income segment of the Portfolio.
Michael J.
Collins, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for Core, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other Multi-Sector Fixed Income strategies. Previously, Mr. Collins was a High Yield Portfolio Manager and
Fixed Income Investment Strategist. Earlier he was a credit research analyst, covering investment grade and high yield corporate credits. Additionally, he developed proprietary quantitative international interest rate
and currency valuation models for our global bond unit. Mr. Collins began his career at the Firm in 1986 as a software applications designer. He received a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the State
University of New York at Binghamton and an MBA in Finance from New York University. Mr. Collins holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI). Named
Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Richard Piccirillo is a Managing
Director and senior portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income’s Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Mr. Piccirillo had specialized in
mortgage-and asset-backed securities since joining the Firm in 1993. Before joining the Firm, Mr. Piccirillo was a fixed income analyst with Fischer Francis Trees & Watts. Mr. Piccirillo started his career as a
financial analyst at Smith Barney. He received a BBA in Finance from George Washington University and an MBA in Finance and International Business from New York University. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income
Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Gregory Peters is a Managing
Director and senior portfolio manager for Core, Long Government/Credit, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other multi-sector Fixed Income strategies. Prior to joining PGIM Fixed Income, Mr. Peters was the Chief Global
Cross Asset Strategist at Morgan Stanley and responsible for the Firm's macro research and asset allocation strategy. In addition, he was Morgan Stanley's Global Director of Fixed Income & Economic Research and
served on the Firm Risk, Investment, Asset Allocation, Global Credit, and Global Fixed Income Operating Committees. Earlier, Mr. Peters worked at Salomon Smith Barney and the Department of U.S. Treasury. Mr. Peters
has been recognized by Institutional Investor magazine for his efforts in macro, fixed income, high yield and investment grade strategies. Mr. Peters was also recently recognized as Business Insider's Top Analysts and
Top Analyst's to Watch by CEO World. Mr. Peters earned a BA in Finance from The College of New Jersey and an MBA from Fordham University. He is also a member of the Fixed Income Analyst Society and the Bond Market
Association. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
475
AST QMA Large-Cap
Portfolio
QMA uses a team of portfolio managers and analysts to manage the Portfolio. The following portfolio managers have overall responsibility for managing the Portfolio's day-to-day activities:
QMA uses a team of portfolio managers and analysts to manage the Portfolio. The following portfolio managers have overall responsibility for managing the Portfolio's day-to-day activities:
Devang Gambhirwala is a Principal
and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His responsibilities include managing US Core, Long-Short and Market Neutral strategies. He is also responsible for the management of
structured products. Earlier at PGIM, Inc., Devang worked as a Quantitative Research Analyst and an Assistant Portfolio Manager. He earned a BS in Computer and Information Sciences from the New Jersey Institute of
Technology and an MBA from Rutgers University.
Stacie L. Mintz, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. Her responsibilities include managing US Core, Long Short and Market Neutral strategies, and overseeing the team responsible
for implementation. Previously, Stacie was a member of the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team, where she was responsible for several retail and institutional portfolios. In addition, during that time, she was
responsible for managing the overall asset allocation for the Prudential Pension Plan. She earned a BA in Economics from Rutgers University, an MBA in Finance from New York University, and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio
QMA uses a team of portfolio
managers and analysts to manage the Portfolio. The following portfolio managers have overall responsibility for managing the Portfolio's day-to-day activities:
Devang
Gambhirwala is a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His responsibilities include managing US Core, Long-Short and Market Neutral strategies. He is also responsible for
the management of structured products. Earlier at PGIM, Inc., Devang worked as a Quantitative Research Analyst and an Assistant Portfolio Manager. He earned a BS in Computer and Information Sciences from the New
Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA from Rutgers University.
Stacie L. Mintz, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. Her responsibilities include managing US Core, Long Short and Market Neutral strategies, and overseeing the team responsible
for implementation. Previously, Stacie was a member of the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team, where she was responsible for several retail and institutional portfolios. In addition, during that time, she was
responsible for managing the overall asset allocation for the Prudential Pension Plan. She earned a BA in Economics from Rutgers University, an MBA in Finance from New York University, and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
AST Quantitative Modeling
Portfolio
PGIM Investments: Underlying
Portfolio Fulfillment.
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the
allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Currently, this team consults
on over $250 billion in total assets and assists in the management of almost $13.1 billion in asset allocation portfolios. Mr. Ahrens has been with Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance
from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, CIMA certified, and
holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in
476
1991. A member of
the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the Certified Investment Management
Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
QMA: Asset Allocation and
Maintenance of Quantitative Model.
Marcus M. Perl is a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. His responsibilities include portfolio management, research, strategic
asset allocation and portfolio construction. Marcus was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Prudential Investments; earlier, he was a Vice President at FX Concepts Inc. Marcus holds an MA in Economics from the
University of Southern
California.
Edward L. Campbell, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and investment strategy
research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed was a Partner and Vice
President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational Leadership from NYU's Stern
School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Edward F. Keon, Jr. is a Portfolio
Manager and the Chief Investment Strategist for QMA's Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He leads a team of portfolio managers that manages a diverse mix of multi-asset funds encompassing US, International and
Emerging Markets stocks and bonds, as well as real estate, commodities, volatility and other asset classes. Ed has also served as Chief Investment Strategist and Director of Quantitative Research at Prudential Equity
Group, LLC, where he was voted to Institutional Investor's “All-American Research Team” seven times in the Quant category; and as a Senior Vice President at I/B/E/S International Inc. Ed is a member of the
Board of Directors of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance, where he heads the committee to develop Sound Practices in Quantitative Investment Management. Ed appears regularly on CNBC's Squawk Box and other media
outlets. He graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Industrial Management from the University of Massachusetts/Lowell and earned an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
Rory Cummings, CFA, is a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. His responsibilities include conducting macroeconomic, market valuation and quantitative research. Rory has worked in
various roles for the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team and, prior to joining, served as a Client Relations Specialist covering a variety of institutional clients. He earned a BA in Finance from Seton Hall University
and a MBA in Financial Markets and Corporate Finance from New York University. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
AST RCM World Trends Portfolio
Dr. Herold
Rohweder is a managing director and Global Chief Investment Officer Multi Asset with AllianzGI US, which he joined in 1989. He initiated the systematic asset-management effort for the firm’s equity and
multi-asset investments, and is a member of the firm’s Global Executive Committee. Dr. Rohweder has 28 years of investment-industry experience. He has an MA in economics from Wayne State University and a PhD in
economics from the University of Kiel, Germany.
Mr. Giorgio Carlino is a portfolio
manager, a managing director and Chief Investment Officer Multi Asset US with Allianz Global Investors, which he joined in 2001. As the chief investment officer of the Multi Asset US team, he is responsible for all US
multi-asset investment functions; he is also a member of the firm's US Executive Committee. Mr. Carlino was previously a private-client portfolio manager, responsible for multi-manager selection. He has 17 years of
investment-industry experience. Before joining the firm, Mr. Carlino worked in fund management at Commerzbank AM. Mr. Carlino has a degree in economics and finance from La Sapienza University in Rome, and a
master’s degree in portfolio management and asset allocation from the Department of Statistics at the University of Bologna. Mr. Carlino is a CFA charterholder.
477
Dr. Michael
Stamos, PhD, CFA is a senior portfolio manager and a director with Allianz Global Investors, which he joined in 2007. As a member of the Multi Asset US team, he manages multi-asset mandates for institutional and
retail clients. He has 14 years of investment-industry experience. Dr. Stamos was previously a researcher at the Institute of Investment, Portfolio Management and Pension Finance at the University of Frankfurt, where
he obtained his Doctoral Degree with specialization in Finance. Dr. Stamos is a CFA charterholder.
Mr. Claudio Marsala is a senior
portfolio manager and a director with Allianz Global Investors, which he joined in 2001. As a member of the Multi Asset US team, he manages multi-asset mandates for retail and institutional clients. Mr. Marsala
previously led the quantitative efforts of the firm’s Multi Asset team. Before that, he worked in risk management. Mr. Marsala has 16 years of investment-industry experience. He has a degree in economics and
financial markets from the University of Pisa in Italy, and a master’s degree in quantitative finance from the University of Turin.
AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio
UBS AM Segment.
The portfolio managers primarily responsible for management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by UBS AM are David Wabnik and Samuel Kim, CFA. The portfolio managers have access to
members of UBS AM's US Small Cap Growth investment team, each of whom has some responsibility for research and security selection. The portfolio managers also may have access to additional portfolio managers and
analysts within the various asset classes and markets in which the Portfolio invests.
David Wabnik is Head of US Small
Cap Growth Equities and a Senior Portfolio Manager at UBS Asset Management. Mr. Wabnik has been an employee of UBS Asset Management since 1995, an Executive Director of UBS Asset Management since 2001, and portfolio
manager of the Portfolio since its inception.
Samuel Kim, CFA, is Co-Portfolio
Manager and an Executive Director at UBS Asset Management. Mr. Kim has been an investment professional with UBS Asset Management since 2003.
Emerald Segment.
The portfolio managers primarily responsible for management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by Emerald are Kenneth G. Mertz II, CFA, Stacey L. Sears, and Joseph W.
Garner.
Mr. Mertz is
Chief Investment Officer and President of Emerald Advisers, Inc. and part of the Small Cap Portfolio Management team; past Trustee and Vice President of the Emerald Mutual Funds; Chief Investment Officer, PA State
Employees’ Retirement System (1985-1992); Member, CFA Institute; past Member, Pennsylvania State University Research Foundation; past Trustee, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Board of Pensions; past
Trustee, Pennsylvania State University Endowment Council (1998-2004); and past Chair, President, & Director of Central Pennsylvania Investment Managers. He is currently the Chairman of Diakon, a social ministries
continuing care provider, and the former Chairman of the Diakon Lutheran Fund, its endowment arm. Mr. Mertz has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal and in USA Today, and has served as speaker at various investment
seminars and programs across the country. He has been a guest on CNBC’s Mutual Fund Investor, and has been interviewed several times on CNBC and Bloomberg TV. Mr. Mertz graduated from Millersville University
with a BA in Economics.
Ms. Sears is Senior Vice President
and a member of the Small Cap Portfolio Management team since 2002. Ms. Sears has been employed by Emerald since 1992 and maintains research coverage of the Retail, Apparel, Consumer Goods and Consumer Technology
companies and is primarily responsible for Emerald’s portfolio management-related client communications. She has been quoted in Fortune, Money, the Dow Jones News Service and various regional newspapers. Ms.
Sears received a BS in Business Administration from Millersville University and an MBA from Villanova University.
Mr. Garner is
Director of Research and a member of the Small Cap Growth Portfolio Management team. He is also a Portfolio Manager of the Emerald Growth Fund. Mr. Garner’s research efforts are focused on small and mid-sized
firms in the Business Services, Capital Goods, Consumer, Financial Services, and Technology sectors. In 1997, he was named as a “Home-Run Hitter” by Institutional Investor magazine, and has appeared on
Bloomberg Television and CNBC. He also has been quoted in Fortune, Bloomberg Business News, USA Today, Dow Jones News Service,
478
Standard &
Poor’s, MarketWatch, Investor’s Business Daily, Wall Street Journal, and other media. Mr. Garner serves as a Director for the Millersville University Foundation and Chairman of the Investment Committee and
previously served as the President of the Board of Directors for the Foundation. Prior to joining Emerald in 1994, Mr. Garner was the Program Manager of the PA Economic Development Financing Authority (PEDFA) and an
Economic Development Analyst with the PA Department of Commerce’s Office of Technology Development. Mr. Garner received an MBA from the Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, and graduated
magna cum laude with a BA in Economics from Millersville University.
AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities
Portfolio
Victory Capital Segment.
The Victory Capital co-portfolio managers who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Stephen J. Bishop, Melissa Chadwick-Dunn, D. Scott Tracy, CFA, and
Christopher W. Clark, CFA.
Stephen J. Bishop
is a co-portfolio manager and analyst on the RS Investments Growth Team. Mr. Bishop has been a co-portfolio manager of the RS Small Cap Growth strategy since 2007. Mr. Bishop has been with Victory Capital since 2016,
when Victory Capital acquired RS Investments. He joined RS Investments in 1996 as a research analyst primarily covering the technology sector, which remains his area of focus today. Prior to joining RS Investments, he
worked as an analyst in the corporate finance department of DeanWitter Reynolds, Inc., for two years. He has more than 20 years of investment experience. Mr. Bishop holds a BA in economics from the University of Notre
Dame and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Melissa Chadwick-Dunn is a
co-portfolio manager and analyst on the RS Investments Growth Team. Ms. Chadwick-Dunn has been a co-portfolio manager of the RS Small Cap Growth strategy since 2007. Her primary focus is on the healthcare sector of
the portfolio. Ms. Chadwick-Dunn has been with Victory Capital since 2016, when Victory Capital acquired RS Investments. Before joining RS Investments in 2001, she was an equity analyst at Putnam Investments for two
years, covering international small-cap stocks. Prior to that, she spent four years in investment banking, working on corporate finance and mergers-and-acquisition transactions for Lehman Brothers and McDaniels S.A.
Ms. Chadwick-Dunn holds a BA in economics, an MA in international relations from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.
D. Scott Tracy, CFA, is the Chief
Investment Officer of the RS Investments Growth Team. Mr. Tracy has been a co-portfolio manager of the RS Small Cap Growth strategy since 2007. His focus is on the financial and energy sectors of the portfolio. Mr.
Tracy has been with Victory Capital since 2016, when Victory Capital acquired RS Investments. Prior to joining RS Investments in 2001, he spent three years at Shoreline Investment Management, the in-house asset
management arm of Hewlett-Packard, where his research focus included technology and industrial companies. He has also served as an equity analyst at Montgomery Securities. Mr. Tracy holds a BA in history from Trinity
College and an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley. Mr. Tracy is a CFA Charterholder.
Christopher W. Clark, CFA, is a
co-portfolio manager and analyst on the RS Investments Growth Team. Mr. Clark has been a co-portfolio manager of the RS Small Cap Growth strategy since 2014. His focus is on the healthcare and consumer staples sectors
of the portfolio. Mr. Clark has been with Victory Capital since 2016, when Victory Capital acquired RS Investments. Before joining RS Investments in 2007, he was a research associate at TIAA-CREF for three years,
where he focused on global portfolio management and the healthcare sector. Prior to that, he was a research assistant at Dresdner RCM Global Investors for three years. Mr. Clark holds a BA in economics from the
University of Virginia. Mr. Clark is a CFA Charterholder.
Wellington Management Segment.
The portfolio managers from Wellington Management who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Mammen Chally, David Siegle and Douglas McLane.
Mammen Chally, CFA, Senior
Managing Director and Equity Portfolio Manager. Mr. Chally is a portfolio manager in Global Equity Portfolio Management and leader of Wellington Management’s Disciplined Equity Team. He manages equity assets on
the behalf of Wellington Management’s clients, drawing on research from Wellington Management’s global industry analysts, equity portfolio managers, and team analysts. He currently manages equity
strategies that
479
emphasize improving quality metrics, business
momentum, and attractive relative valuations. He works in Wellington Management’s Boston office. Prior to joining Wellington Management in 1994, Mr. Chally worked for the Gas Authority of India Limited, New
Delhi, India (1989 – 1992). Mr. Chally earned his MBA from Northeastern University (1994) and his bachelor of technology in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (1989). Additionally, he
holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He is fluent in Hindi and Malayalam.
David A. Siegle, CFA, Managing
Director and Equity Research Analyst. Mr. Siegle is an equity research analyst in Global Equity Portfolio Management on the Disciplined Equity Team, Mr. Siegle conducts fundamental analysis on US equity investments.
His research supports the investment decision making for a range of portfolios managed for clients of Wellington Management. He works in Wellington Management’s Boston office. Prior to joining Wellington
Management in 2001, Mr. Siegle earned his BA in history from Amherst College (2001). Additionally, he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA institute and the CFA Society
Boston.
Douglas W. McLane, CFA, Managing
Director and Equity Research Analyst. Mr. McLane is an equity research analyst in Global Equity Portfolio Management on the Disciplined Equity Team, Mr. McLane conducts fundamental analysis on US equity investments.
His research supports the investment decision making for a range of portfolios managed for clients of Wellington Management. He works in Wellington Management’s Boston office. Prior to joining Wellington
Management in 20011, Mr. McLane worked as a portfolio manager at Samlyn Capital (2009 – 2011) and an analyst at Sirios Capital Management (2003 – 2009). Before earning his MBA, he held a variety of
positions at Kozmo.com (1999 – 2001) and The Carson Group (1996 – 1999). Mr. McLane earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (2003) and his BA in history from
Princeton University (1996). Additionally, he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA institute.
AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio
J.P. Morgan Segment.
The portfolio managers responsible for day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio managed by J.P. Morgan are Dennis S. Ruhl and Phillip D. Hart.
Dennis S. Ruhl, managing director,
is the CIO of US Behavioral Finance Equities as well as Co-Head of the US Behavioral Finance Small Cap Equity Group alongside Phil Hart. A member of the team since 2001, Dennis also acts as a portfolio manager and
leads the group's quantitative research effort. An employee since 1999, Dennis previously worked on quantitative equity research (focusing on trading) as well as business development. Dennis holds dual bachelor's
degrees in mathematics and computer science and a master's degree in computer science, all from MIT. He is the former New York and National Chair of the Board of Minds Matter, a non-profit mentoring organization, and
is also a board member of the MIT Club of New York and regional vice chair of the MIT Educational Council. Dennis is a CFA charterholder.
Phillip D. Hart, managing
director, is Co-Head of the US Behavioral Finance Small Cap Equity Group alongside Dennis Ruhl. An employee since 2003, his responsibilities include managing structured small-cap core and small-cap value
accounts. Previously, he worked on quantitative research and the daily implementation and maintenance of portfolios for the group. Phillip obtained a BA in economics from Cornell University and
is a CFA charterholder.
LMCG Segment.
R. Todd Vingers manages the portion of the Portfolio advised by LMCG Investments, LLC. Mr. Vingers joined LMCG in June 2002 as a small cap value portfolio manager. Mr. Vingers has over 28
years of investment experience. Prior to joining LMCG, Mr. Vingers served as Vice President and senior portfolio manager for American Century Investments. Prior to joining American Century, Mr. Vingers was a valuation
analyst for the Hawthorne Company. Mr. Vingers earned a BA from the University of St. Thomas and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Mr. Vingers is a CFA charterholder and a member of the
CFA Institute.
480
AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation
Portfolio
The Subadviser
has an Investment Advisory Committee that has day-to-day responsibility for managing the Portfolio and developing and executing the Portfolio's investment program. Charles M. Shriver, CFA and Toby M. Thompson, CFA,
CAIA are co-chairmen of the Investment Advisory Committee and are responsible for implementing and monitoring the Portfolio's overall investment strategy, as well as the allocation of the Portfolio's assets.
Charles M. Shriver is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is a portfolio manager for several asset allocation portfolios within the Asset Allocation Group. He is the president of the Global
Allocation, Balanced, Spectrum, and Personal Strategy Funds and chairman of their Investment Advisory Committees. Charles is also a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for the Real Assets Fund. He is cochair
of the Asset Allocation Committee and has been with the firm since 1991. Charles earned a BA in economics and rhetoric/communications studies from the University of Virginia, an MSF in finance from Loyola University
Maryland, and a graduate diploma in public economics from Stockholm University. He has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Toby M. Thompson is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is a portfolio manager within the Multi-Asset Division. He serves as co-portfolio manager of the Managed Volatility Strategy and is a member
of the Investment Advisory Committees of the Global Allocation Fund, Balanced Fund, Personal Strategy Funds, and Spectrum Funds. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, he served as director of investments of the I.A.M.
National Pension Fund. Before joining the I.A.M. National Pension Fund, Toby was a principal with Brown Investment Advisory, where he worked in fixed income research, served as director of open architecture and asset
allocation, and was a member of the firm's Strategic Investment Committee. Toby earned a BS in business and economics from Towson University and an MBA in finance from Loyola University Maryland. He has earned his
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.
AST T. Rowe Price Growth
Opportunities Portfolio
T. Rowe Price
manages the Portfolio through an Investment Advisory Committee that is responsible for managing the Portfolio and developing and executing the Portfolio's investment program. Charles M. Shriver, CFA and Toby M.
Thompson, CFA, CAIA are Co-Chairmen of the Investment Advisory Committee and are responsible for day-to-day responsibility for managing the Portfolio, developing and executing the Portfolio's investment program,
implementing and monitoring the Portfolio's investment strategy, as well as the allocation of the Portfolio's assets.
Charles M. Shriver is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is a portfolio manager for several asset allocation portfolios within the Asset Allocation Group. He is the president of the Global
Allocation, Balanced, Spectrum, and Personal Strategy Funds and chairman of their Investment Advisory Committees. Charles is also a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for the Real Assets Fund. He is cochair
of the Asset Allocation Committee and has been with the firm since 1991. Charles earned a BA in economics and rhetoric/communications studies from the University of Virginia, an MSF in finance from Loyola University
Maryland, and a graduate diploma in public economics from Stockholm University. He has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Toby M. Thompson is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is a portfolio manager within the Multi-Asset Division. He serves as co-portfolio manager of the Managed Volatility Strategy and is a member
of the Investment Advisory Committees of the Global Allocation Fund, Balanced Fund, Personal Strategy Funds, and Spectrum Funds. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, he served as director of investments of the I.A.M.
National Pension Fund. Before joining the I.A.M. National Pension Fund, Toby was a principal with Brown Investment Advisory, where he worked in fixed income research, served as director of open architecture and asset
allocation, and was a member of the firm's Strategic Investment Committee. Toby earned a BS in business and economics from Towson University and an MBA in finance from Loyola University Maryland. He has earned his
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.
481
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
T. Rowe Price
manages the Portfolio through an Investment Advisory Committee. The Committee Chairman has day-to-day responsibility for managing the Portfolio and works with the Committee in developing and executing the Portfolio's
investment program. Taymour R.Tamaddon is the Investment Advisory Committee Member responsible for the Portfolio.
Taymour R. Tamaddon is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is the lead portfolio manager for the US Large-Cap Growth Equity Strategy in the US Equity Division. He is a vice president and Investment
Advisory Committee member of the Health Sciences, Mid-Cap Growth, New America Growth, Growth Stock, Blue Chip Growth, and Capital Appreciation Funds and the Tax-Efficient Funds, Inc. He is also a vice president of the
T. Rowe Price Institutional International Funds, Inc., and the T. Rowe Price International Funds, Inc. He joined the firm in 2004 after serving as a summer intern with T. Rowe Price in 2003, covering the eye care
industry. Prior to this, Taymour was employed by Amazon.com in the areas of finance and merchandizing. He was also a consultant with Booz Allen and Hamilton, specializing in the energy industry. Taymour earned a BS in
applied physics, cum laude, from Cornell University. He also holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where he was an Edward Tuck Scholar with high distinction. Taymour has also earned the Chartered
Financial Analyst designation.
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value
Portfolio
T. Rowe Price manages the Portfolio
through an Investment Advisory Committee. The Committee Chairman has day-to-day responsibility for managing the Portfolio and works with the Committee in developing and executing the Portfolio’s investment
program. Mark Finn, John Linehan and Heather McPherson are responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio managed by T. Rowe Price.
Mark S. Finn is a
vice president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is the portfolio manager of the Value Fund and chairman of its Investment Advisory Committee and co-portfolio manager of the
Institutional Large-Cap Value Fund. Mark is also a vice president and Investment Advisory Committee member of the Equity Income, New Era, Capital Opportunity, and Mid-Cap Value Funds and is a vice president of the
Balanced Fund. From 2005 to 2009, Mark was an equity research analyst specializing in electric power generation, utilities, and coal. Prior to this, he was an analyst in T. Rowe Price's Fixed Income Division, where he
also covered utilities and power generation. From 1998 to 2001, Mark worked with the T. Rowe Price recovery strategy team, where he evaluated financially distressed companies. Mark began his career with T. Rowe Price
in 1990 in the Finance Division, where he served as controller of T. Rowe Price Investment Services and as the principal accounting officer for the T. Rowe Price realty income strategies. Prior to joining the firm, he
had five years of auditing experience with Price Waterhouse LLP, where he worked on engagements for both public and private companies. Mark earned a BS from the University of Delaware and has earned the Chartered
Financial Analyst designation. He is also a certified public accountant.
John D. Linehan is chief
investment officer of Equity and a vice president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is the portfolio manager of the Equity Income Fund and co-portfolio manager of the Institutional
Large-Cap Value Fund and is a member of the firm's U.S. Equity Steering, Equity Brokerage and Trading Control, and Counterparty Risk Committees. From February 2010 to June 2014, John was head of US Equity and chairman
of the US Equity Steering Committee. From April 2003 to December 2009, he was the portfolio manager of the U.S. Value Fund. John joined the firm in 1998 and has nine years of previous investment experience at Bankers
Trust and E.T. Petroleum. He earned a BA from Amherst College and an MBA from Stanford University, where he was the Henry Ford II Scholar, an Arjay Miller Scholar, and the winner of the Alexander A. Robichek Award in
finance. John also has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Heather K. McPherson is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. She is co-portfolio manager for the Institutional US Large-Cap Value Equity Fund and associate portfolio manager for the Equity Income Fund in
the U.S. Equity Division. Heather is also a vice president and Investment Advisory Committee member of the Equity Income, Growth & Income, Large-Cap Core, Mid-Cap Value, New Era, Value, and Global Technology
Funds. She joined the firm in 2002. Heather worked as a summer intern in 2001 at Salomon Smith
482
Barney, covering the storage area networking
industry. Prior to this, she was a vice president of finance and administration for Putnam Lovell Securities, Inc. Heather holds a BS in managerial economics from the University of California-Davis and an MBA from
Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business.
AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources
Portfolio
T. Rowe Price
manages the Portfolio through an Investment Advisory Committee. The Committee Chairman has day-to-day responsibility for managing the Portfolio and works with the Committee in developing and executing the Portfolio's
investment program. Shawn T. Driscoll is the Investment Advisory Committee Chairman for the Portfolio.
Shawn T. Driscoll is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is the portfolio manager of the New Era Fund and is the president and chairman of its Investment Advisory Committee. Shawn is vice president
and Investment Advisory Committee member of the Growth & Income, Growth Stock, Capital Appreciation, Global Growth, and Global Stock Funds. Shawn is also a vice president of T. Rowe Price International Funds, Inc.
Prior to joining the firm in 2006, he was employed by MTB Investment Advisors as an equity research analyst. Shawn was also employed by MPower Communications as an information technology project manager. He earned a
BA in economics and mathematics from the University of Rochester and an MBA in finance and global business from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
AST Templeton Global Bond
Portfolio
The portfolio managers responsible
for day-to-day portfolio management, development of investment strategy, oversight and coordination of the Portfolio are Michael Hasenstab, PhD and Christine Zhu.
Michael Hasenstab, PhD, is
executive vice president and chief investment officer for Templeton Global Macro, which conducts in-depth global macroeconomic analysis covering thematic topics, regional and country analysis, and interest rate,
currency and sovereign credit market outlooks. Templeton Global Macro offers global, unconstrained investment strategies through a variety of investment vehicles ranging from retail mutual funds to unregistered,
privately offered hedge funds. Dr. Hasenstab is a portfolio manager for a number of funds, including Templeton Global Bond Fund and Templeton Global Total Return Fund.
Dr. Hasenstab is
economic advisor to the CEO of Franklin Resources, Inc., providing his perspective and insight through the lens of Templeton Global Macro. In addition, he is a member of Franklin Resources' executive committee, a
small group of the company's top leaders responsible for shaping the firm's overall strategy.
Dr. Hasenstab has received
numerous industry awards and accolades throughout his investment career. Over the last decade, the funds that he and his team manage have collectively received more than 400 awards from various rating agencies
globally, including Lipper and Morningstar. In addition, various publications have recognized Dr. Hasenstab's investment expertise including, most recently, his being named one of Forbes' Money Masters of 2015.
Investment Week named him Global Bond Manager of the Year in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and recognized him as one of the most influential fund managers in 2010. Morningstar awarded him Fixed Income Manager of the Year in
Canada in 2013 and Fund Manager of the Year in the US in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, he was highlighted as one of the most influential young people in business in Fortune's 40 under 40.
Dr. Hasenstab initially joined
Franklin Templeton Investments in July 1995. After a leave of absence to obtain his doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, he rejoined the company in April 2001. He has worked and traveled extensively abroad, with a
special focus on Asia.
Dr. Hasenstab holds a PhD in
economics from the Asia Pacific School of Economics and Management at Australian National University, a master's degree in economics of development from the Australian National University, and a BA in international
relations/political economy from Carleton College in the United States.
483
Christine Zhu,
vice president and director of portfolio construction and quantitative analysis for Templeton Global Macro Group, is a portfolio manager for several funds and separate accounts. Ms. Zhu leads the team's quantitative
research. She is responsible for developing strategies and procedures for portfolio construction, risk management, and dispersion management.
Ms. Zhu joined Franklin Templeton
in 2007, initially in the investment risk team as a senior analyst. She created the firm's first counterparty monitoring model, and designed the attribution and risk management frame work for Global Macro products. In
2010, she joined the Templeton Global Macro Group.
Prior to joining Franklin
Templeton, Ms. Zhu was a senior associate at MSCI Barra where her experience included fixed income analytics and risk exposure calculation. Before that she worked at Oracle Corporation and at China Construction
Bank.
Ms. Zhu holds an MBA with
investment focus from the University of California at Berkeley, and earned her MS in computer science and engineering from the University of Notre Dame.
AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value
Portfolio
Brian J. Pratt, John G. Norman and
Caldwell Calame are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio.
Brian J. Pratt, CFA, General
Partner and Lead Analyst, is responsible for equity research on companies with market capitalizations between $1 and $20 billion. Prior to joining WEDGE in 2007, Brian worked as a litigation consultant with Tucker
Alan and Navigant Consulting, providing financial and accounting advisory services in large commercial disputes. Brian received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Philosophy from Vanderbilt University and
his Master of Business Administration degree from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. Brian is a member of the firm’s Investment Policy Committee.
John G. Norman,
General Partner, has twenty-five years of investment experience and is responsible for portfolio management and client service. Prior to joining WEDGE in 2004, Mr. Norman was a Senior Vice President at Banc of America
Capital Management. He was formerly associated with Brown Brothers Harriman, Wheat First Butcher Singer, and William M. Mercer Investment Consulting. Mr. Norman received his Bachelor of Business
Administration—Finance from The College of William and Mary.
Caldwell Calame, CFA, General
Partner, has twenty-three years of investment experience and is responsible for portfolio management and client service. Prior to joining WEDGE in 2007, Mr. Calame was a Director and Institutional Relationship Manager
at Columbia Management, the asset management group of Bank of America. He was formerly associated with Bank of America in multiple groups including Banc of America Capital Management and Banc of America Investor
Services. Mr. Calame received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at The University of the South at Sewanee. He also received his Masters of Business Administration degree at Wake Forest University, the Babcock
Graduate School of Management.
AST Wellington Management Hedged
Equity Portfolio
The Portfolio is managed by Kent
Stahl and Gregg Thomas.
Kent M. Stahl,
CFA Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist at Wellington Management, serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Portfolio. Mr. Stahl joined Wellington Management as an investment professional in 1998.
Gregg R. Thomas, CFA, Senior
Managing Director and Director, Investment Strategy at Wellington Management, serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Portfolio. Mr. Thomas joined Wellington Management in 2002 and has been an investment professional
since 2004.
484
AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond
Portfolio
The Portfolio is
managed by a team of portfolio managers, sector specialists and other investment professionals. Chief Investment Officer S. Kenneth Leech and Portfolio Managers, Carl L. Eichstaedt, Mark S. Lindbloom Julien A.
Scholnick, John Bellows, and Frederick Marki serve as co-leaders of this team and are responsible for the day-to-day strategic oversight of the Portfolio's investments and for supervising the day-to-day operations of
the various sector specialist teams dedicated to the specific asset classes in which the Portfolio invests.
As portfolio managers, their focus
is on portfolio structure, including sector allocation, duration weighting and term structure decisions.
S. Kenneth Leech
is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Leech has been employed by Western Asset since 1990 and has held the position of Chief Investment Officer since March 2014. Prior to that time, Mr. Leech
served as a portfolio manager, Co-Chief Investment Officer and CIO Emeritus at Western Asset.
Carl L. Eichstaedt received an MBA
from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining Western Asset in 1994, Mr. Eichstaedt formerly worked as a
Portfolio Manager at Harris Investment Management. Mr. Eichstaedt also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.*
Mark S. Lindbloom received an MBA
from Pace University and a Bachelor of Science from Rider University. Prior to joining Western Asset in 2005, Mr. Lindbloom was a Portfolio Manager at Citi-group Asset Management.
Julien A. Scholnick is a Portfolio
Manager with Western Asset, and has over 19 years of experience. Prior to joining the Firm in 2003, Mr. Scholnick served as an Associate in the Private Client Group with Salomon Smith Barney, as a Senior Analyst with
Digital Coast Partners, and as a Senior Analyst with Arthur Andersen, LLP. Mr. Scholnick holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an MBA from Cornell University. He also
holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
John L. Bellows,
PhD, is a Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst with Western Asset. Prior to joining the Firm in 2012, Mr. Bellows served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, most recently as the Acting Assistant Secretary for
Economic Policy. At Western Asset, he is a member of the US Broad Strategy Committee and the Global Investment Strategy Committee. Mr. Bellows holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Dartmouth College, where
he graduated Magna Cum Laude, and a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds the CFA designation.
Frederick R. Marki is a Portfolio
Manager with Western Asset and has more than 34 years of experience. Prior to joining the Firm in 2005, Mr. Marki was Senior Portfolio Manager with Citigroup Asset Management, Portfolio Manager with UBS, and Vice
President with Merrill Lynch. He began his career as an Assistant Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Mr. Marki holds a Bachelors of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well
as the CCFA designation.
**It is anticipated that Mr. Eichstaedt will
step down as a member of the Portfolio’s portfolio management team effective on or about December 31, 2018.
AST Western Asset Emerging Markets
Debt Portfolio
The portfolio managers responsible
for management of the Portfolio are S. Kenneth Leech, Gordon S. Brown, Chia-Liang Lian and Kevin J. Ritter.
S. Kenneth Leech is a graduate
from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Leech has been employed by Western Asset since 1990 and has held the position of Chief Investment Officer since March 2014. Prior to that time, Mr. Leech served as a portfolio
manager, Co-Chief Investment Officer and CIO Emeritus at Western Asset.
485
Gordon S. Brown received an MSc in
Investment Analysis from the University of Stirling, an MSc in Business Economics from the University of Strathclyde, and an MA in Economic Science from the University of Aberdeen. Prior to joining Western Asset
Management Limited in 2011, Mr. Brown was a Senior Investment Manager, Emerging Market Rates and Currencies. Mr. Brown is an Associate Member of the UK Society of Investment Professionals.
Chia-Liang Lian is currently Head
of Emerging Markets Debt as of May 2015 at Western Asset. Mr. Lian has 21 years of investment experience, having joined the Firm in 2011 after approximately six years with Pacific Investment Management Company
(PIMCO), where he served as Head of Emerging Asia Portfolio Management. Mr. Lian also spent eight years as a sovereign debt strategist at JPMorgan Chase and Merrill Lynch, and four years at the Monetary Authority of
Singapore (MAS) as a senior economist responsible for formulating exchange rate policy. Under his leadership, Western Asset received Benchmark Magazine’s Best-In-Class House Award in Asia Fixed Income in 2012.
Mr. Lian holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and has an undergraduate degree in Economics from the National University of Singapore where he graduated as part of the MAS scholars program.
Kevin J. Ritter is Portfolio
Manager for Western Asset. Mr. Ritter re-joined Western Asset in 2006 after serving as the Emerging Markets Trader at Payden & Rygel from 2004 to 2005. He started his career in emerging markets in 1998, playing
various roles in the capital markets groups at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein LLC and ING Barings LLC. Before joining Western Asset in 2003 as a Portfolio Analyst, Mr. Ritter worked as a Spring Associate at FH
International Financial Services, Inc. Mr. Ritter is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where he majored in political science. He is also a CFA charter holder.
486
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES OF THE PORTFOLIOS
Purchasing and Redeeming
PORTFOLIO Shares
Investments in a
Portfolio are made through certain variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts. Together with this Prospectus, you should have received a prospectus for such a Contract. You should refer to that prospectus
for further information on investing in the Portfolios. The Trust does not provide investment advice. You should contact your financial advisor for advice regarding selection of Portfolios.
Each Portfolio typically expects
to pay redemption proceeds within three days after receipt of a proper notice of the redemption request. However, it may take a Portfolio up to seven days to pay redemption proceeds. There is no redemption charge. We
may suspend the right to redeem shares or receive payment when the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is closed (other than weekends or holidays), when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as permitted by the SEC.
Under normal circumstances, each
Portfolio typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents or proceeds from the sale of portfolio securities (or a combination of these methods). Each Portfolio reserves the right to use
borrowing arrangements that may be available from time to time. The use of borrowings in order to meet redemption requests is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an
increased portion of a Portfolio’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances. The Portfolios’ use of redemptions in-kind is discussed below.
Redemption in Kind
The Trust may pay
the redemption price to shareholders of record (generally, the participating Insurance Company separate accounts holding Trust shares) in whole or in part by a distribution in-kind of securities from the relevant
investment portfolio of the Trust, in lieu of cash, in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC and procedures adopted by the Board. Securities will be readily marketable and will be valued in the same manner as in
a regular redemption.
If shares are redeemed in kind,
the recipient will incur transaction costs in converting such assets into cash. These procedures govern the redemption by the shareholder of record, generally a participating Insurance Company separate account. The
procedures do not affect payments by a participating Insurance Company to a contract owner under a variable contract.
Frequent Purchases or
Redemptions of Portfolio Shares
The Trust is part of the group of
investment companies advised by PGIM Investments that seeks to prevent patterns of frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by its investors (the PGIM Investment funds). Frequent purchases and redemptions may
adversely affect the investment performance and interests of long-term investors in the Portfolios. When an investor engages in frequent or short-term trading, the PGIM Investment funds may have to sell portfolio
securities to have the cash necessary to pay the redemption amounts. This may cause the PGIM Investment funds to sell Portfolio securities at inopportune times, hurting their investment performance. When large dollar
amounts are involved, frequent trading can also make it difficult for the PGIM Investment funds to use long-term investment strategies because they cannot predict how much cash they will have to invest. In addition,
if a PGIM Investment fund is forced to liquidate investments due to short-term trading activity, it may incur increased transaction and tax costs.
Similarly, the PGIM Investment
funds may bear increased administrative costs as a result of the asset level and investment volatility that accompanies patterns of short-term trading. Moreover, frequent or short-term trading by certain investors may
cause dilution in the value of PGIM Investment fund shares held by other investors. To the extent a Portfolio invests in foreign securities, a Portfolio may be particularly susceptible to frequent trading, because
time zone differences among international stock markets can allow an investor engaging in short-term trading to exploit fund share prices that may be based on closing prices of foreign securities established some time
before the
487
fund calculates its own share price. To the extent
a Portfolio invests in certain fixed income securities, such as high-yield bonds or certain asset-backed securities, a Portfolio may also constitute an effective vehicle for an investor’s frequent trading
strategies.
The Boards of
Directors/Trustees of the PGIM Investment funds, including the Trust, have adopted policies and procedures designed to discourage or prevent frequent trading by investors. The policies and procedures for the Trust are
limited, however, because the Trust does not directly sell its shares directly to the public. Instead, Portfolio shares are sold only to Participating Insurance Company separate accounts that fund variable annuity
contracts and variable life insurance policies. Therefore, Participating Insurance Companies, not the Trust, maintain the individual contract owner account records. Each Participating Insurance Company submits to the
Trust's transfer agent daily aggregate orders combining the transactions of many contract owners. Therefore, the Trust and its transfer agent do not monitor trading by individual contract owners.
Under the Trust's policies and
procedures, the Trust has notified each Participating Insurance Company that the Trust expects the Participating Insurance Company to impose restrictions on transfers by contract owners. The current Participating
Insurance Companies are Prudential and three insurance companies not affiliated with Prudential. The Trust may add additional Participating Insurance Companies in the future. The Trust receives reports on the trading
restrictions imposed by Prudential on variable contract owners investing in the Portfolios, and the Trust monitors the aggregate cash flows received from unaffiliated insurance companies. In addition, the Trust has
entered shareholder information agreements with Participating Insurance Companies as required by Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act. Under these agreements, the Participating Insurance Companies have agreed to: (i) provide
certain information regarding contract owners who engage in transactions involving Portfolio shares and (ii) execute any instructions from the Trust to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Portfolio
shares by contract owners who have been identified by the Trust as having engaged in transactions in Portfolio shares that violate the Trust's frequent trading policies and procedures. The Trust and its transfer agent
also reserve the right to reject all or a portion of a purchase order from a Participating Insurance Company. If a purchase order is rejected, the purchase amount will be returned to the Participating Insurance
Company.
The Trust also employs fair value
pricing procedures to deter frequent trading. Those procedures are described in more detail under “Net Asset Value,” below.
Each of the
Portfolios structured as a fund-of-funds (the Fund of Funds) invests primarily or exclusively in other Portfolios of the Trust that are not operated as Funds of Funds. These portfolios in which the Funds of Funds
invest are referred to as Underlying Fund Portfolios. The policies that have been implemented by the Participating Insurance Companies to discourage frequent trading apply to transactions in Funds of Funds shares.
Transactions by the Funds of Funds in Underlying Fund Portfolio shares, however, are not subject to any limitations and are not considered frequent or short-term trading. For example, the Funds of Funds may engage in
significant transactions in Underlying Fund Portfolio shares in order to: (i) change their investment focus, (ii) rebalance their investments to match the then-current asset allocation mix, (iii) respond to
significant purchases or redemptions of Fund of Funds shares, or (iv) respond to changes required by the underlying contracts. These transactions by the Funds of Funds in Underlying Fund Portfolio shares may be
disruptive to the management of an Underlying Fund Portfolio because such transactions may: (i) cause the Underlying Fund Portfolio to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to have the cash necessary to pay
redemption requests, hurting their investment performance, (ii) make it difficult for the Subadvisers for the Underlying Fund Portfolios to fully implement their investment strategies, and (iii) lead to increased
transaction and tax costs.
The AST Bond Portfolios 2018,
2019, 2020, 2021 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 (the Target Maturity Portfolios), the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio and certain other Portfolios may be used in connection with certain living
benefit programs, including, without limitation, certain “guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit” programs and certain “guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit” programs. In order for the
Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with these benefit programs, the Participating Insurance Companies generally: (i) limit the number and types of variable sub-accounts in
which contract holders may allocate their account values (referred to in this Prospectus as the Permitted Sub-Accounts) and (ii) require
488
contract holders to participate in certain
specialized asset transfer programs. Under these asset transfer programs, the Participating Insurance Companies will monitor each contract owner's account value from time to time and, if necessary, will systematically
transfer amounts among the Permitted Sub-Accounts as dictated by certain non-discretionary mathematical formulas. These mathematical formulas will generally focus on the amounts guaranteed at specific future dates or
the present value of the estimated lifetime payments to be made, as applicable.
As an example of
how these asset transfer programs might operate under certain market environments, a downturn in the equity markets (i.e., a reduction in a contract holder's account value within the Permitted Sub-Accounts) and
certain market return scenarios involving “flat” returns over a period of time may cause Participating Insurance Companies to transfer some or all of such contract owner's account value to a Target
Maturity Portfolio or the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio. In general terms, such transfers are designed to ensure that an appropriate percentage of the projected guaranteed amounts are offset by assets in
investments like the Target Maturity Portfolios or the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio.
The above-referenced asset
transfer programs are an important part of the guarantees offered in connection with the applicable living benefit programs. Such asset transfers may, however, result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the
relevant Portfolios. Such asset transfers could adversely affect a Portfolio's investment performance by requiring the relevant Manager or Subadviser to purchase and sell securities at inopportune times and by
otherwise limiting the ability of the relevant Manager or Subadviser to fully implement the Portfolio's investment strategies. In addition, these asset transfers may result in relatively small asset bases and
relatively high transaction costs and operating expense ratios for a Portfolio compared to other similar funds.
Investors seeking to engage in
frequent trading activities may use a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts of the Trust and the Participating Insurance Companies to prevent such trading, there is no guarantee that the
Trust or the Participating Insurance Companies will be able to identify these investors or curtail their trading practices. Therefore, some Trust investors may be able to engage in frequent trading, and, if they do,
the other Trust investors would bear any harm caused by that frequent trading. The Trust does not have any arrangements intended to permit trading in contravention of the policies described above.
For information about the trading
limitations applicable to you, please see the prospectus for your contract or contact your insurance company.
Net Asset Value
Any purchase or
sale of Portfolio shares is made at the net asset value, or NAV, of such shares. The price at which a purchase or redemption is made is typically based on the next calculation of the NAV after the order is received in
good order. The NAV of each Portfolio is typically determined on each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of the exchange's regular trading session (which is generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The Trust
will not treat an intraday unscheduled disruption in NYSE trading as a closure of the NYSE and will price its shares as of 4:00 p.m. if the particular disruption directly affects only the NYSE. The NYSE is closed on
most national holidays and Good Friday. The Trust does not price, and shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem, the Trust's shares on days when the NYSE is closed but the primary markets for the Trust's
foreign securities are open, even though the value of these securities may have changed. Conversely, the Trust will ordinarily price its shares, and shareholders may purchase and redeem shares, on days that the NYSE
is open but foreign securities markets are closed.
The securities held by each of the
Trust's portfolios are valued based upon market quotations or, if market quotations are not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board. The Trust may use
fair value pricing if it determines that a market quotation for a security is not reliable based, among other things, on market events or conditions that occur after the quotation is derived or after the closing of
the primary market on which the security is traded, but before the time that the NAV is determined. This use of fair value pricing commonly occurs with securities that are primarily traded outside of the US, because
such securities present time-zone arbitrage opportunities when events or conditions affecting the prices of specific securities or the prices of securities traded in such markets generally occur after the close of the
foreign markets but prior to the time that a Portfolio determines its NAV.
489
The Trust may also use fair value
pricing with respect to US traded securities if, for example, trading in a particular security is halted and does not resume before a Portfolio calculates its NAV or the exchange on which a security is traded closes
early. In addition, fair value pricing is used for securities where the pricing agent or principal market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment
of PGIM Investments (or Subadviser) does not represent fair value. Different valuation methods may result in differing values for the same security. The fair value of a portfolio security that a Portfolio uses to
determine its NAV may differ from the security's published or quoted price. If a Portfolio needs to implement fair value pricing after the NAV publishing deadline but before shares of the Portfolio are processed, the
NAV you receive or pay may differ from the published NAV price. For purposes of computing the Trust's NAV, we will value the Trust's futures contracts 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Except
when we fair value securities, we normally value each foreign security held by the Trust as of the close of the security's primary market.
Fair value pricing procedures are
designed to result in prices for a Portfolio's securities and its NAV that are reasonable in light of the circumstances which make or have made market quotations unavailable or unreliable, and to reduce arbitrage
opportunities available to short-term traders. There is no assurance, however, that fair value pricing will more accurately reflect the market value of a security than the market price of such security on that day or
that it will prevent dilution of a Portfolio's NAV by short-term traders.
The NAV for each
of the Portfolios other than the Government Money Market Portfolio is determined by a simple calculation. It's the total value of a Portfolio (assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of shares
outstanding. The NAV for the Government Money Market Portfolio will ordinarily remain at $1 per share (The price of each share remains the same but you will have more shares when dividends are declared). Each business
day, each Portfolio’s current NAV per share is transmitted electronically to Participating Insurance Companies that use the Portfolios as underlying investment options for Contracts.
To determine a Portfolio's NAV,
its holdings are valued as follows:
Equity Securities
for which the primary market is on an exchange (whether domestic or foreign) shall be valued at the last sale price on such exchange or market on the day of valuation or, if there was no
sale on such day, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Securities included within the NASDAQ market shall be valued at
the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP) on the day of valuation, or if there was no NOCP issued, at the last sale price on such day. Securities included within the NASDAQ market for which there is no NOCP and no last
sale price on the day of valuation shall be valued at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Equity securities that are not
sold on an exchange or NASDAQ are generally valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker.
A Portfolio may own securities
that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Portfolios do not price their shares. Therefore, the value of a Portfolio's assets may change on days when shareholders
cannot purchase or redeem Portfolio shares.
Convertible debt securities
that are traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed convertible debt securities for which the primary market is believed by PGIM Investments or a Subadviser, as available, to
be over-the-counter, shall be valued on the day of valuation at an evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing agent or, in the absence of a valuation provided by an independent pricing agent, at the bid
price provided by a principal market maker or primary market dealer.
Other debt securities
—those that are not valued on an amortized cost basis—are valued using an independent pricing service.
Options on stock and stock
indexes
that are traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was no such sale on such day, at the mean between
the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such exchange.
490
Futures contracts and options on
futures contracts
are valued at the last sale price at the close of the commodities exchange or board of trade on which they are traded. If there has been no sale that day, the securities will be valued at
the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on that exchange or board of trade.
Forward currency exchange
contracts
are valued at the cost of covering or offsetting such contracts calculated on the day of valuation. Securities which are valued in accordance herewith in a currency other than US dollars
shall be converted to US dollar equivalents at a rate obtained from a recognized bank, dealer or independent service on the day of valuation.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options
are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by a dealer (which may be the counterparty). A subadviser will monitor the market prices of the securities underlying the OTC
options with a view to determining the necessity of obtaining additional bid and ask quotations from other dealers to assess the validity of the prices received from the primary pricing dealer.
Short-term debt securities
held by the Portfolios, including bonds, notes, debentures and other debt securities, and money market instruments such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers' acceptances
and obligations of domestic and foreign banks for which market quotations are readily available, are valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker (if available, otherwise a primary market
dealer).
All short-term debt securities
held by the Government Money Market Portfolio are valued at amortized cost. The amortized cost valuation method is widely used by mutual funds. It means that the security is valued
initially at its purchase price and then decreases in value by equal amounts each day until the security matures. It almost always results in a value that is extremely close to the actual market value. The Board has
established procedures to monitor whether any material deviation between valuation and market value occurs and if so, will promptly consider what action, if any, should be taken to prevent unfair results to Contract
owners.
For each Portfolio other than the
Government Money Market Portfolio, short-term debt securities, including bonds, notes, debentures and other debt securities, and money market instruments such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers'
acceptances and obligations of domestic and foreign banks for which market quotations are readily available, are valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker (if available, otherwise a primary
market dealer).
Valuation of Private Real
Estate-Related Investments.
Private real estate-related investments owned by the Global Real Estate Portfolio will be fair valued each day using a methodology set forth in Valuation Policies and Procedures adopted by
the Board of the Trust that incorporate periodic independently appraised values of the properties and include an estimate each day of net operating income (which reflects operating income and operating losses) for
each property. Estimates of net operating income are adjusted monthly on a going forward basis as actual net operating income is recognized monthly.
An appraisal is an estimate of
market value and not a precise measure of realizable value. Generally, appraisals will consider the financial aspects of a property, market transactions and the relative yield for an asset measured against comparable
real estate investments. On any day, PGIM Real Estate may recommend to the Board's Valuation Committee an adjustment to the value of a private real estate-related investment based on market events or issuer-specific
events that have increased or decreased the realizable value of the security. For example, adjustments may be recommended by PGIM Real Estate for events indicating an impairment of a borrower's or lessee's ability to
pay amounts due or events which affect property values of the surrounding area. Other major market events for which adjustments may be recommended by PGIM Real Estate include changes in interest rates, domestic or
foreign government actions or pronouncements, suspended trading or closings of stock exchanges, natural disasters or terrorist attacks. There can be no assurance that the factors for which an adjustment may be
recommended by PGIM Real Estate will immediately come to the attention of PGIM Real Estate.
491
Appraised values do not
necessarily represent the price at which real estate would sell since market prices of real estate can only be determined by negotiation between a willing buyer and seller. The realizable market value of real estate
depends to a great extent on economic and other conditions beyond the control of the Global Real Estate Portfolio.
Distributor & DISTRIBUTION
ARRANGEMENTS
The Trust offers
a single class of shares on behalf of each Portfolio. Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. (PAD) serves as the distributor for the shares of each Portfolio of the Trust. The class of shares is offered and redeemed
at its net asset value without any sales load. PAD is an affiliate of PGIM Investments and ASTIS. PAD is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is a member of the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
The Trust has adopted a
Shareholder Services and Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the 12b-1 Plan) for the shares of each Portfolio, with the exception of AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Capital Growth
Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio, and AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio. No 12b-1 fee is charged for the assets of AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio that are
invested in other portfolios of the Trust. Under the 12b-1Plan, the shares of each covered Portfolio are charged an annual fee to compensate PAD and its affiliates for providing various administrative and distribution
services to each covered Portfolio. The maximum annual shareholder services and distribution (12b-1) fee for each covered Portfolio’s shares is 0.25% of the average daily net assets of each Portfolio. Because
these fees are paid out of each covered Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time, the fees will increase your cost of investing and may cost you more than other types of charges.
PAD has contractually agreed to
reduce its 12b-1 fees for each of the AST Bond Portfolio 2018, AST Bond Portfolio 2019, AST Bond Portfolio 2020, AST Bond Portfolio 2021, AST Bond Portfolio 2022, AST Bond Portfolio 2023, AST Bond Portfolio 2024, AST
Bond Portfolio 2025, AST Bond Portfolio 2026, AST Bond Portfolio 2027, AST Bond Portfolio 2028, AST Bond Portfolio 2029 and the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio (collectively, the Bond Portfolios), so that the
effective distribution and service fee rate paid by each Bond Portfolio is reduced based on the average daily net assets of each Bond Portfolio. The contractual waiver does not include an expiration or termination
date as it is contractually guaranteed by PAD on a permanent basis, and the Manager and PAD cannot terminate or otherwise modify the waiver. The contractual waiver is calculated as follows for each Bond Portfolio:
| Average Daily Net Assets of Portfolio | Distribution and Service Fee Rate Including Waiver |
| Up to and including $300 million | 0.25% (no waiver) |
| Over $300 million up to and including $500 million | 0.23% |
| Over $500 million up to and including $750 million | 0.22% |
| Over $750 million | 0.21% |
PAD may receive
payments from certain Subadvisers of the Portfolios or their affiliates to help defray expenses for sales meetings or seminar sponsorships that may relate to the Contracts and/or the Subadvisers’ respective
Portfolios. These sales meetings or seminar sponsorships may provide the Subadvisers with increased access to persons involved in the distribution of the Contracts. PAD also may receive marketing support from the
Subadvisers in connection with the distribution of the Contracts.
492
OTHER INFORMATION
Federal Income Taxes
Each Portfolio currently intends to
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, each Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating
Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes. Distributions may be made to the various separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies in the form of additional shares
(not in cash).
Owners of variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance policies should consult the prospectuses of their respective contracts or policies for information on the federal income tax consequences to such holders. In addition, variable
contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the Trust, including the application of state and local taxes.
Monitoring for Possible
Conflicts
The Trust sells
its shares to fund variable life insurance contracts and variable annuity contracts and is authorized to offer its shares to qualified retirement plans. Because of differences in tax treatment and other
considerations, it is possible that the interest of variable life insurance contract owners, variable annuity contract owners and participants in qualified retirement plans could conflict. The Trust will monitor the
situation and in the event that a material conflict does develop, the Trust would determine what action, if any, to take in response.
Disclosure of Portfolio
Holdings
A description of the Trust's
policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Portfolio's portfolio securities is included in the SAI and on the Trust's website at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios.
Payments to Affiliates
PGIM Investments and ASTIS and
their affiliates, including a subadviser or PAD, may compensate affiliates of PGIM Investments and ASTIS, including the insurance companies issuing variable annuity or variable life contracts by providing
reimbursement, defraying the costs of, or paying directly for, among other things, marketing and/or administrative services and/or other services they provide in connection with the variable annuity and/or variable
life contracts which offer the Portfolios as investment options. These services may include, but are not limited to: sponsoring or co-sponsoring various promotional, educational or marketing meetings and seminars
attended by distributors, wholesalers, and/or broker dealer firms' registered representatives, and creating marketing material discussing the contracts, available options, and the Portfolios.
The amounts paid depend on the
nature of the meetings, the number of meetings attended by PGIM Investments or ASTIS, the subadviser, or PAD, the number of participants and attendees at the meetings, the costs expected to be incurred, and the level
of PGIM Investments’, ASTIS’, subadviser's or PAD’s participation. These payments or reimbursements may not be offered by all advisers, subadvisers, or PAD and the amounts of such payments may vary
between and among each adviser, subadviser and PAD depending on their respective participation.
With respect to variable annuity
contracts, the amounts paid under these arrangements to Prudential-affiliated insurers are set forth in the prospectuses for the variable annuity contracts which offer the Portfolios as investment options.
493
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Introduction
The financial highlights which
follow will help you evaluate the financial performance of each Portfolio available under your Contract. The total return in each chart represents the rate that a shareholder earned on an investment in that share
class of the Portfolio, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions. The charts do not reflect any charges under any variable contract. Because Contract charges are not included, the actual return
that you will receive will be lower than the total return in each chart.
The financial
highlights for the periods in the five years ended December 31, 2017 are derived from each Portfolio’s financial statements, which were audited by KPMG LLP, the Trust's independent registered public accounting
firm, whose reports thereon were unqualified. The Trust’s financial statements are included in the Trust’s annual reports to shareholders, which are available upon request.
| AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $13.43 | $12.63 | $13.05 | $12.57 | $11.43 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.03 | 0.01 | (0.01) | 0.02 | –(d) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.66 | 0.79 | (0.41) | 0.46 | 1.14 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.69 | 0.80 | (0.42) | 0.48 | 1.14 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(d) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $15.12 | $13.43 | $12.63 | $13.05 | $12.57 |
| Total Return(a) | 12.58% | 6.33%(f) | (3.22)% | 3.82% | 9.97% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $5,725.8 | $5,438.3 | $5,799.8 | $7,320.2 | $7,926.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement(g) | 0.80% | 0.84% | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.86% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement(g) | 0.81% | 0.84% | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.86% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.21% | 0.05% | (0.04)% | 0.09% | (0.03)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(h) | 140% | 130% | 71% | 65% | 72% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Less than $0.005 per share.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The
expense ratio includes dividend expense and broker fees and expenses on short sales of 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.05%, 0.06% and 0.09% for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
(h) The Portfolio accounts for mortgage
dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
494
| AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $16.13 | $15.05 | $14.94 | $14.08 | $12.08 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.27 | 0.26 | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.45 | 0.81 | (0.08) | 0.68 | 1.86 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.72 | 1.07 | 0.11 | 0.86 | 2.00 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $18.85 | $16.13 | $15.05 | $14.94 | $14.08 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.86% | 7.18%(e) | 0.74% | 6.11% | 16.56% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $9,272.5 | $8,475.4 | $8,472.7 | $8,895.8 | $8,426.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.87% | 0.88% | 0.88% | 0.89% | 0.90% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.90% | 0.91% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.93% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.52% | 1.68% | 1.28% | 1.25% | 1.10% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 232% | 207% | 138% | 140% | 148% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 7.11%.
495
| AST AQR EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
February 25,
2013(c) through December 31, 2013 |
||||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | 2014(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $9.50 | $8.38 | $9.92 | $10.24 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.13 | 0.09 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.19 | 1.03 | (1.64) | (0.44) | 0.11 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.32 | 1.12 | (1.54) | (0.32) | 0.24 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.82 | $9.50 | $8.38 | $9.92 | $10.24 |
| Total Return(a) | 34.95% | 13.37%(g) | (15.52)% | (3.13)% | 2.40% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $271.0 | $162.6 | $158.9 | $263.8 | $174.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.39% | 1.45% | 1.37% | 1.35% | 1.40%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.39% | 1.45% | 1.37% | 1.35% | 1.40%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.13% | 0.99% | 1.04% | 1.16% | 1.31%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 114% | 81% | 59% | 69% | 109%(i) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) Not annualized.
496
| AST AQR LARGE-CAP PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 29,
2013(c) through December 31, 2013 |
||||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | 2014 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $15.00 | $13.55 | $13.32 | $11.77 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.21 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.17 | 0.09 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.11 | 1.25 | 0.03 | 1.38 | 1.68 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.32 | 1.45 | 0.23 | 1.55 | 1.77 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $18.32 | $15.00 | $13.55 | $13.32 | $11.77 |
| Total Return(a) | 22.13% | 10.70%(g) | 1.73% | 13.17% | 17.70% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $2,649.3 | $2,949.6 | $2,912.3 | $2,791.3 | $2,615.1 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.73% | 0.66% | 0.58% | 0.61% | 0.69%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.82% | 0.82% | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.83%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.30% | 1.48% | 1.46% | 1.25% | 1.24%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 76% | 63% | 81% | 61% | 42%(i) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) Not annualized.
497
| AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $15.70 | $14.77 | $14.70 | $13.80 | $11.73 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.01) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.02) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.35 | 0.95 | 0.09 | 0.92 | 2.09 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.34 | 0.93 | 0.07 | 0.90 | 2.07 |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $18.04 | $15.70 | $14.77 | $14.70 | $13.80 |
| Total Return(a) | 14.90% | 6.30% | 0.48% | 6.52% | 17.65% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $11,444.6 | $10,593.7 | $10,497.4 | $11,009.6 | $10,590.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.04)% | (0.10)% | (0.14)% | (0.14)% | (0.15)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 15% | 18% | 25% | 16% | 47% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
498
| AST BLACKROCK GLOBAL STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.45 | $11.64 | $12.00 | $11.45 | $10.32 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.20 | 0.17 | 0.13 | 0.12 | 0.09 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.38 | 0.64 | (0.49) | 0.43 | 1.04 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.58 | 0.81 | (0.36) | 0.55 | 1.13 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $14.03 | $12.45 | $11.64 | $12.00 | $11.45 |
| Total Return(a) | 12.69% | 6.96%(f) | (3.00)% | 4.80% | 10.95% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,501.9 | $ 2,277.0 | $2,221.5 | $2,325.9 | $2,207.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.11% | 1.12%(g) | 1.10% | 1.11% | 1.10% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.12% | 1.12%(g) | 1.10% | 1.11% | 1.11% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.50% | 1.42% | 1.05% | 1.01% | 0.98% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 250% | 280% | 253% | 266% | 380% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The expense ratio includes interest
expense on short sales of 0.01% for the year ended December 31, 2016.
499
| AST BLACKROCK/LOOMIS SAYLES BOND PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $13.07 | $12.54 | $12.81 | $12.29 | $12.52 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.34 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.22 | 0.18 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.23 | 0.22 | (0.58) | 0.30 | (0.41) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.57 | 0.53 | (0.27) | 0.52 | (0.23) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $13.64 | $13.07 | $12.54 | $12.81 | $12.29 |
| Total Return(a) | 4.36% | 4.23% | (2.11)% | 4.23% | (1.84)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $3,789.3 | $3,635.4 | $3,773.4 | $4,050.1 | $7,045.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.80%(d) | 0.73%(d) | 0.71%(d) | 0.73% | 0.72% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.84%(d) | 0.77%(d) | 0.75%(d) | 0.73% | 0.73% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.52% | 2.34% | 2.41% | 1.75% | 1.46% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 350% | 349% | 570% | 280% | 348% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d)
Includes interest expense on short sales and reverse repurchase agreements of 0.11%, 0.03% and 0.01% for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
500
| AST BLACKROCK LOW DURATION BOND PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014(c) | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $10.56 | $10.39 | $10.34 | $10.35 | $10.58 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.18 | 0.13 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | – | 0.04 | (0.04) | (0.16) | (0.36) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.05 | (0.01) | (0.23) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $10.74 | $10.56 | $10.39 | $10.34 | $10.35 |
| Total Return(a) | 1.70% | 1.64% | 0.48% | (0.10)% | (2.17)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $638.0 | $643.5 | $863.1 | $918.7 | $1,052.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.72% | 0.71% | 0.74% | 0.77% | 0.76% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.78% | 0.77% | 0.77% | 0.77% | 0.76% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.70% | 1.22% | 0.87% | 1.48% | 1.09% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 306% | 355% | 389% | 278% | 85% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
501
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2018 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.64 | $12.44 | $12.34 | $12.02 | $12.41 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.10 | 0.13 | 0.10 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.03) | 0.11 | –(e) | 0.19 | (0.49) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.09 | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.32 | (0.39) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $12.73 | $12.64 | $12.44 | $12.34 | $12.02 |
| Total Return(a) | 0.71% | 1.61% | 0.81% | 2.66% | (3.14)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $174.1 | $119.8 | $141.2 | $167.8 | $248.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.83% | 0.78% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.83% | 0.79% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.95% | 0.70% | 0.80% | 1.09% | 0.83% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(d) | 83% | 151% | 90% | 111% | 311% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
502
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2019 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $10.53 | $10.38 | $10.27 | $9.85 | $10.35 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.09 | 0.06 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.01 | 0.13 | 0.08 | 0.33 | (0.56) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.11 | 0.42 | (0.50) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $10.61 | $10.53 | $10.38 | $10.27 | $9.85 |
| Total Return(a) | 0.76% | 1.45% | 1.07% | 4.26% | (4.83)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $43.0 | $59.6 | $69.4 | $74.3 | $116.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.96% | 0.94% | 0.84% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.01% | 0.96% | 0.96% | 0.94% | 0.84% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.69% | 0.22% | 0.26% | 0.86% | 0.60% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(d) | 78% | 193% | 153% | 153% | 351% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
503
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2020 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $6.78 | $6.65 | $6.55 | $6.17 | $6.60 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.07 | 0.03 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.02) | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.31 | (0.46) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.06 | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.38 | (0.43) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $6.84 | $6.78 | $6.65 | $6.55 | $6.17 |
| Total Return(a) | 0.88% | 1.95% | 1.53% | 6.16% | (6.52)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $58.1 | $120.4 | $156.5 | $163.7 | $238.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.91% | 0.84% | 0.85% | 0.84% | 0.85% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.91% | 0.84% | 0.85% | 0.84% | 0.85% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.11% | 0.89% | 0.54% | 1.08% | 0.47% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(d) | 57% | 111% | 157% | 214% | 415% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
504
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2021 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $14.56 | $14.27 | $14.02 | $13.01 | $14.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.20 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.20 | 0.17 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.03 | 0.13 | 0.11 | 0.81 | (1.16) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.23 | 0.29 | 0.25 | 1.01 | (0.99) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $14.79 | $14.56 | $14.27 | $14.02 | $13.01 |
| Total Return(a) | 1.58% | 2.03% | 1.78% | 7.76% | (7.07)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $112.0 | $205.7 | $272.2 | $268.0 | $111.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.84% | 0.79% | 0.80% | 0.83% | 0.82% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.84% | 0.79% | 0.80% | 0.83% | 0.82% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.34% | 1.08% | 0.97% | 1.43% | 1.26% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(d) | 62% | 137% | 169% | 281% | 341% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
505
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2022 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $13.39 | $13.15 | $12.88 | $11.67 | $12.93 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.15 | 0.11 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.16 | 1.06 | (1.37) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 1.21 | (1.26) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $13.60 | $13.39 | $13.15 | $12.88 | $11.67 |
| Total Return(a) | 1.57% | 1.83% | 2.10% | 10.37% | (9.74)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $87.7 | $175.6 | $195.1 | $78.3 | $109.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.88% | 0.80% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.81% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.88% | 0.80% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.81% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.18% | 0.98% | 0.85% | 1.22% | 0.87% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(d) | 54% | 186% | 178% | 325% | 404% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
506
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2023 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $11.21 | $11.01 | $10.70 | $9.51 | $10.59 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.11 | 0.03 | –(d) | 0.12 | 0.08 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.31 | 1.07 | (1.16) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.31 | 1.19 | (1.08) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $11.40 | $11.21 | $11.01 | $10.70 | $9.51 |
| Total Return(a) | 1.69% | 1.82% | 2.90% | 12.51% | (10.20)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $35.2 | $59.6 | $37.3 | $244.9 | $586.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.91% | 0.78% | 0.77% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.07% | 1.07% | 0.97% | 0.79% | 0.78% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.97% | 0.27% | 0.04% | 1.18% | 0.83% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(e) | 54% | 153% | 323% | 132% | 434% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Less
than $0.005 per share.
(e) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
507
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2024 | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
January 2,
2013(c) through December 31, 2013 |
||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.70 | $10.49 | $10.21 | $8.91 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.11 | 0.09 | 0.02 | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.07 | 0.12 | 0.26 | 1.19 | (1.16) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.18 | 0.21 | 0.28 | 1.30 | (1.09) |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.88 | $10.70 | $10.49 | $10.21 | $8.91 |
| Total Return(a) | 1.68% | 2.00%(g) | 2.74% | 14.59% | (10.90)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $78.8 | $8.0 | $13.1 | $208.3 | $259.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.82% | 0.82%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.18% | 1.80% | 1.05% | 0.82% | 0.82%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.05% | 0.80% | 0.22% | 1.14% | 0.82%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate(i) | 113% | 119% | 270% | 165% | 462%(j) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e)
Represents payment received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year
includes the impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
(j) Not annualized.
508
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2025 | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
January 2,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $12.03 | $11.74 | $11.51 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.11 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.06 | 0.15 | 0.09 | 1.40 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.22 | 0.29 | 0.23 | 1.51 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.25 | $12.03 | $11.74 | $11.51 |
| Total Return(a) | 1.83% | 2.47% | 2.00% | 15.10% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $13.3 | $33.0 | $567.5 | $106.4 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.79% | 0.77% | 0.99%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.64% | 0.79% | 0.77% | 1.11%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.27% | 1.08% | 1.19% | 1.04%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 97% | 131% | 313% | 325%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown.Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e)
Annualized.
(f) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
(g) Not annualized.
509
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2026 | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
January 2,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.33 | $10.12 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.13 | 0.11 | 0.10 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.12 | 0.10 | 0.02 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.12 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.58 | $10.33 | $10.12 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.42% | 2.08% | 1.20% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $215.0 | $340.6 | $115.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.81% | 0.81% | 0.89%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.81% | 0.81% | 0.91%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.28% | 0.99% | 1.03%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 67% | 203% | 283%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown.Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) The
Portfolio accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
(g) Not annualized.
510
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2027 | ||
|
Year
Ended December 31, 2017 |
January 4,
2016(c) through December 31, 2016 |
|
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | ||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.06 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.14 | 0.08 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.12 | (0.02) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.26 | 0.06 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.32 | $10.06 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.58% | 0.60% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $257.3 | $399.1 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.80% | 0.84%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.80% | 0.84%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.34% | 0.77%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 65% | 175%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) The
Portfolio accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
(g) Not annualized.
511
| AST BOND PORTFOLIO 2028 | |
|
January 3,
2017(c) through December 31, 2017 |
|
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.12 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.10 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.22 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.22 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.20% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $12.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 2.42%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.23%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 140%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) The
Portfolio accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
(g) Not annualized.
512
| AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $16.10 | $15.07 | $14.99 | $14.01 | $11.42 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | –(d) | (0.01) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.03) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.88 | 1.04 | 0.10 | 1.00 | 2.62 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.88 | 1.03 | 0.08 | 0.98 | 2.59 |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $18.98 | $16.10 | $15.07 | $14.99 | $14.01 |
| Total Return(a) | 17.89% | 6.83% | 0.53% | 7.00% | 22.68% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $14,539.0 | $12,752.6 | $12,583.3 | $12,999.8 | $12,055.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.15% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.03)% | (0.09)% | (0.14)% | (0.14)% | (0.15)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 17% | 21% | 23% | 13% | 57% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Less
than $(0.005) per share.
513
| AST CLEARBRIDGE DIVIDEND GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
February 25,
2013(c) through December 31, 2013 |
||||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | 2014 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $14.89 | $12.96 | $13.44 | $11.83 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.23 | 0.21 | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.17 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.51 | 1.72 | (0.70) | 1.39 | 1.66 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.74 | 1.93 | (0.48) | 1.61 | 1.83 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $17.63 | $14.89 | $12.96 | $13.44 | $11.83 |
| Total Return(a) | 18.40% | 14.89%(g) | (3.57)% | 13.61% | 18.30% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $1,693.2 | $1,491.7 | $731.7 | $1,554.6 | $1,396.4 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.84% | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 0.87%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.94%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.40% | 1.49% | 1.65% | 1.69% | 1.72%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 16% | 13% | 17% | 17% | 15%(i) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) Not annualized.
514
| AST COHEN & STEERS REALTY PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $10.89 | $10.39 | $9.91 | $7.57 | $7.34 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.18 | 0.13 | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.03 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.50 | 0.37 | 0.36 | 2.20 | 0.20 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.68 | 0.50 | 0.48 | 2.34 | 0.23 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $11.57 | $10.89 | $10.39 | $9.91 | $7.57 |
| Total Return(a) | 6.24% | 4.81%(f) | 4.84% | 30.91% | 3.13% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $655.8 | $675.6 | $759.1 | $857.4 | $677.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.04% | 1.03% | 1.03% | 1.00% | 1.04% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.11% | 1.11% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.63% | 1.19% | 1.14% | 1.46% | 0.45% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 79% | 88% | 59% | 48% | 77% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
515
| AST FIDELITY INSTITUTIONAL AM SM QUANTITATIVE PORTFOLIO* | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.75 | $12.23 | $12.11 | $11.74 | $10.23 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.20 | 0.18 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.92 | 0.35 | (0.04) | 0.17 | 1.33 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.10 | 0.52 | 0.12 | 0.37 | 1.51 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $14.85 | $12.75 | $12.23 | $12.11 | $11.74 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.47% | 4.25%(f) | 0.99% | 3.15% | 14.76% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $5,303.7 | $4,791.5 | $4,819.7 | $4,929.2 | $5,030.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.94% | 0.87% | 0.80% | 0.82% | 0.89% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.93% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.33% | 1.34% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.79% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 152% | 174% | 125% | 241% | 69% |
*The AST Fidelity
Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio was formerly named the AST FI Pyramis® Quantitative Portfolio.
(a) Total return is calculated assuming a
purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return
does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years shown. Performance
figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total
returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
516
| AST GLOBAL REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $11.30 | $11.20 | $11.21 | $9.84 | $9.43 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.24 | 0.18 | 0.16 | 0.19 | 0.12 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.99 | (0.10) | (0.17) | 1.18 | 0.29 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.23 | 0.08 | (0.01) | 1.37 | 0.41 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.02 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $12.53 | $11.30 | $11.20 | $11.21 | $9.84 |
| Total Return(a) | 10.88% | 0.89%(e) | (0.09)% | 13.92% | 4.35% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $430.0 | $415.9 | $535.7 | $654.4 | $595.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.14% | 1.14% | 1.14% | 1.13% | 1.14% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.14% | 1.14% | 1.14% | 1.13% | 1.14% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.99% | 1.61% | 1.44% | 1.62% | 1.21% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 68% | 84% | 69% | 57% | 41% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 0.71%.
517
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014(c) | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $28.32 | $25.39 | $26.62 | $23.53 | $17.62 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.42 | 0.46 | 0.33 | 0.27 | 0.24 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.34 | 2.44 | (1.56) | 2.82 | 5.67 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.76 | 2.90 | (1.23) | 3.09 | 5.91 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.03 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $31.08 | $28.32 | $25.39 | $26.62 | $23.53 |
| Total Return(a) | 9.75% | 11.54%(e) | (4.62)% | 13.13% | 33.54% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,221.1 | $1,781.8 | $2,124.9 | $1,732.7 | $1,652.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.81% | 0.82% | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.84% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 0.84% | 0.85% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.42% | 1.80% | 1.24% | 1.09% | 1.05% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 153% | 132% | 113% | 74% | 111% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 11.42%.
518
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS MID-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $7.42 | $7.30 | $7.74 | $6.94 | $5.25 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.03) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.03 | 0.13 | (0.42) | 0.82 | 1.72 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.01 | 0.11 | (0.44) | 0.80 | 1.69 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $9.43 | $7.42 | $7.30 | $7.74 | $6.94 |
| Total Return(a) | 27.09% | 1.64%(e) | (5.68)% | 11.53% | 32.19% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,437.0 | $1,182.8 | $1,330.1 | $712.6 | $638.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.98% | 0.98% | 1.03% | 1.03% | 1.07% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.08% | 1.08% | 1.10% | 1.11% | 1.12% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.25)% | (0.21)% | (0.29)% | (0.25)% | (0.24)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 57% | 71% | 128% | 71% | 51% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 1.50%.
519
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS MULTI-ASSET PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.62 | $11.99 | $12.10 | $11.63 | $10.59 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.07 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.35 | 0.48 | (0.25) | 0.33 | 0.97 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.55 | 0.63 | (0.11) | 0.47 | 1.04 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $14.17 | $12.62 | $11.99 | $12.10 | $11.63 |
| Total Return(a) | 12.28% | 5.25%(f) | (0.91)% | 4.04% | 9.82% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $3,244.3 | $2,585.9 | $2,665.8 | $3,000.0 | $2,930.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.94% | 0.90% | 0.84% | 0.86% | 0.69% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.07% | 1.09% | 1.07% | 1.07% | 0.84% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.45% | 1.26% | 1.16% | 1.17% | 0.66% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 191% | 234% | 253% | 218% | 339% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
520
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS SMALL-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $21.17 | $17.03 | $18.02 | $16.81 | $12.11 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.11 | 0.13 | 0.11 | 0.10 | 0.08 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.47 | 4.00 | (1.10) | 1.11 | 4.62 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.58 | 4.13 | (0.99) | 1.21 | 4.70 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $23.75 | $21.17 | $17.03 | $18.02 | $16.81 |
| Total Return(a) | 12.19% | 24.31%(e) | (5.49)% | 7.20% | 38.81% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,024.5 | $933.3 | $800.7 | $924.0 | $877.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.03% | 1.04% | 1.04% | 1.05% | 1.06% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.04% | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.06% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.49% | 0.71% | 0.60% | 0.55% | 0.64% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 56% | 70% | 47% | 48% | 75% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 24.25%.
521
| AST GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) and realized gain (loss) | –(b) | –(b) | –(b) | –(b) | –(b) |
| Less Dividends and Distributions: | –(b) | – | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Total Return(a) | 0.34% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $865.7 | $997.4 | $1,075.2 | $1,106.4 | $1,228.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets: | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.57% | 0.45% | 0.19% | 0.16% | 0.17% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.59% | 0.59% | 0.59% | 0.60% | 0.60% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.33% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Less than $0.005 per share.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
522
| AST HIGH YIELD PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $9.37 | $8.12 | $8.42 | $8.21 | $7.66 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.56 | 0.55 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 0.48 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.14 | 0.70 | (0.78) | (0.28) | 0.07 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.70 | 1.25 | (0.30) | 0.21 | 0.55 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $10.07 | $9.37 | $8.12 | $8.42 | $8.21 |
| Total Return(a) | 7.47% | 15.39%(f) | (3.56)% | 2.56% | 7.18% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $957.9 | $1,192.2 | $1,372.4 | $1,169.9 | $1,563.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.79% | 0.76% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.86% | 0.86% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 5.69% | 6.30% | 5.63% | 5.74% | 6.07% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(g) | 52% | 47% | 49% | 52% | 63% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The
Portfolio accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
523
| AST HOTCHKIS & WILEY LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $24.96 | $20.83 | $22.59 | $19.86 | $14.20 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.38 | 0.34 | 0.35 | 0.62 | 0.27 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 4.42 | 3.75 | (2.11) | 2.11 | 5.39 |
| Total from investment operations | 4.80 | 4.09 | (1.76) | 2.73 | 5.66 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.04 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $29.76 | $24.96 | $20.83 | $22.59 | $19.86 |
| Total Return(a) | 19.23% | 19.83%(e) | (7.79)% | 13.75% | 39.86% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,883.9 | $1,437.7 | $1,489.4 | $1,402.8 | $1,309.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.83% | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.79% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.83% | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.84% | 0.84% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.41% | 1.57% | 1.56% | 2.95% | 1.59% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 33% | 43% | 48% | 43% | 36% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 19.64%.
524
| AST INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $13.24 | $13.76 | $13.34 | $14.12 | $11.86 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.11 | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.07 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 4.58 | (0.64) | 0.33 | (0.87) | 2.19 |
| Total from investment operations | 4.69 | (0.54) | 0.42 | (0.78) | 2.26 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.02 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $17.93 | $13.24 | $13.76 | $13.34 | $14.12 |
| Total Return(a) | 35.42% | (3.78)%(e) | 3.15% | (5.52)% | 19.06% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,577.2 | $1,959.1 | $2,223.8 | $2,721.7 | $2,857.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.08% | 1.09% | 1.09% | 1.08% | 1.11% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.09% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.12% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.67% | 0.78% | 0.64% | 0.66% | 0.52% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 48% | 61% | 50% | 56% | 115% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d)
Represents payment received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been (3.93)%.
525
| AST INTERNATIONAL VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $17.36 | $17.26 | $17.12 | $18.35 | $15.36 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.42 | 0.38 | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.29 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.54 | (0.32) | (0.21) | (1.59) | 2.70 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.96 | 0.06 | 0.14 | (1.23) | 2.99 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.04 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $21.32 | $17.36 | $17.26 | $17.12 | $18.35 |
| Total Return(a) | 22.81% | 0.58%(e) | 0.82% | (6.70)% | 19.47% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,321.7 | $1,908.1 | $2,029.2 | $2,436.4 | $2,544.4 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.11% | 1.10% | 1.11% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.11% | 1.10% | 1.11% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.18% | 2.26% | 1.96% | 2.10% | 1.76% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 21% | 28% | 22% | 79% | 39% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d)
Represents payment received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year
includes the impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 0.35%.
526
| AST INVESTMENT GRADE BOND PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $7.19 | $6.90 | $6.82 | $6.39 | $6.60 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.18 | 0.14 | 0.16 | 0.21 | 0.18 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.13 | 0.15 | (0.08) | 0.22 | (0.39) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.31 | 0.29 | 0.08 | 0.43 | (0.21) |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $7.50 | $7.19 | $6.90 | $6.82 | $6.39 |
| Total Return(a) | 4.31% | 4.20%(f) | 1.17% | 6.73% | (3.18)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,406.4 | $5,109.5 | $4,549.7 | $1,418.2 | $1,321.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.70% | 0.70% | 0.71% | 0.75% | 0.74% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.78% | 0.77% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.41% | 1.95% | 2.28% | 3.13% | 2.75% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(g) | 96% | 551% | 401% | 281% | 656% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment
received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
527
| AST J.P. MORGAN GLOBAL THEMATIC PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $13.92 | $13.23 | $13.37 | $12.57 | $10.81 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.15 | 0.19 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.17 | 0.51 | (0.29) | 0.61 | 1.63 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.36 | 0.69 | (0.14) | 0.80 | 1.76 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $16.28 | $13.92 | $13.23 | $13.37 | $12.57 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.95% | 5.22%(f) | (1.05)% | 6.36% | 16.28% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $3,457.5 | $2,977.8 | $2,949.2 | $3,146.7 | $3,000.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 1.06% | 1.06% | 1.06% | 1.07% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 1.06% | 1.06% | 1.06% | 1.07% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.27% | 1.38% | 1.09% | 1.43% | 1.22% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 58% | 87% | 56% | 59% | 68% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
528
| AST J.P. MORGAN INTERNATIONAL EQUITY PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $23.76 | $23.31 | $23.98 | $25.61 | $22.20 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.43 | 0.42 | 0.41 | 0.72 | 0.38 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 6.61 | (0.02) | (1.08) | (2.35) | 3.03 |
| Total from investment operations | 7.04 | 0.40 | (0.67) | (1.63) | 3.41 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.05 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $30.80 | $23.76 | $23.31 | $23.98 | $25.61 |
| Total Return(a) | 29.63% | 1.93%(e) | (2.79)% | (6.36)% | 15.36% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $481.2 | $359.2 | $389.2 | $427.7 | $467.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.01% | 1.03% | 1.02% | 1.02% | 1.03% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.01% | 1.03% | 1.02% | 1.02% | 1.03% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.57% | 1.81% | 1.63% | 2.84% | 1.60% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 18% | 24% | 13% | 12% | 15% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d)
Represents payment received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 1.72%.
529
| AST J.P. MORGAN STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014(c) | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $17.05 | $16.42 | $16.45 | $15.60 | $14.05 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.27 | 0.24 | 0.20 | 0.21 | 0.18 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.80 | 0.39 | (0.23) | 0.64 | 1.37 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.07 | 0.63 | (0.03) | 0.85 | 1.55 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $19.12 | $17.05 | $16.42 | $16.45 | $15.60 |
| Total Return(a) | 12.14% | 3.84%(f) | (0.18)% | 5.45% | 11.03% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,601.0 | $2,514.4 | $2,666.8 | $2,978.4 | $3,019.1 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.11% | 1.15%(g) | 1.21%(g) | 1.22%(g) | 1.26%(g) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.12% | 1.16%(g) | 1.22%(g) | 1.22%(g) | 1.27%(g) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.49% | 1.44% | 1.18% | 1.34% | 1.21% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 70% | 90% | 69% | 61% | 75% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefitted Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The
expense ratio includes interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short and broker fees and expenses on short sales of 0.04%, 0.10%, 0.10% and 0.12% for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013,
respectively.
530
| AST JENNISON LARGE-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $22.86 | $23.20 | $20.97 | $19.15 | $14.03 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.03) | (0.03) | (0.06) | (0.05) | (0.03) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 8.22 | (0.31) | 2.29 | 1.87 | 5.15 |
| Total from investment operations | 8.19 | (0.34) | 2.23 | 1.82 | 5.12 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(d) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year. | $31.05 | $22.86 | $23.20 | $20.97 | $19.15 |
| Total Return(a) | 35.83% | (1.47)%(f) | 10.63% | 9.50% | 36.49% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,152.0 | $784.0 | $1,097.4 | $711.3 | $815.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.01% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.12)% | (0.15)% | (0.27)% | (0.24)% | (0.19)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 61% | 42% | 36% | 34% | 46% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Less than $0.005 per share.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
531
| AST LOOMIS SAYLES LARGE-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $37.50 | $35.52 | $32.27 | $29.18 | $21.36 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.18 | 0.22 | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.01 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 12.19 | 1.71 | 3.08 | 2.93 | 7.81 |
| Total from investment operations | 12.37 | 1.93 | 3.25 | 3.09 | 7.82 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.05 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $49.87 | $37.50 | $35.52 | $32.27 | $29.18 |
| Total Return(a) | 32.99% | 5.57%(e) | 10.07% | 10.59% | 36.61% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,954.2 | $2,292.9 | $2,434.0 | $2,957.4 | $2,156.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.91% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.96% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.97% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.99% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.41% | 0.61% | 0.49% | 0.53% | 0.05% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 13% | 13% | 10% | 37% | 146% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 5.43%.
532
| AST LORD ABBETT CORE FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.23 | $11.92 | $11.98 | $11.27 | $11.50 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.22 | 0.21 | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.16 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.19 | 0.10 | (0.26) | 0.52 | (0.39) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.41 | 0.31 | (0.06) | 0.71 | (0.23) |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $12.64 | $12.23 | $11.92 | $11.98 | $11.27 |
| Total Return(a) | 3.35% | 2.60%(f) | (0.50)% | 6.30% | (2.00)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,798.1 | $2,029.3 | $1,532.4 | $2,348.7 | $1,587.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.74% | 0.61% | 0.59% | 0.58% | 0.65% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.75% | 0.86% | 0.89% | 0.89% | 0.89% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.74% | 1.69% | 1.71% | 1.61% | 1.37% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(g) | 459% | 518% | 543% | 550% | 625% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The
Portfolio accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
533
| AST MFS GLOBAL EQUITY PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $16.57 | $15.47 | $15.70 | $15.15 | $11.87 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.15 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.11 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.80 | 0.95 | (0.36) | 0.41 | 3.17 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.95 | 1.08 | (0.23) | 0.55 | 3.28 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.02 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $20.52 | $16.57 | $15.47 | $15.70 | $15.15 |
| Total Return(a) | 23.84% | 7.11%(e) | (1.46)% | 3.63% | 27.63% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $753.5 | $614.9 | $619.9 | $643.9 | $594.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.11% | 1.13% | 1.12% | 1.13% | 1.14% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.11% | 1.13% | 1.12% | 1.13% | 1.14% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.81% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 0.96% | 0.80% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 10% | 28% | 17% | 11% | 13% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 6.98%.
534
| AST MFS GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $18.14 | $17.80 | $16.59 | $15.27 | $11.17 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.02) | (0.03) | (0.02) | (0.01) | –(d) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 5.59 | 0.36 | 1.23 | 1.33 | 4.10 |
| Total from investment operations | 5.57 | 0.33 | 1.21 | 1.32 | 4.10 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $23.71 | $18.14 | $17.80 | $16.59 | $15.27 |
| Total Return(a) | 30.71% | 1.91%(f) | 7.29% | 8.64% | 36.71% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,217.1 | $1,069.7 | $1,182.3 | $1,417.5 | $1,371.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.89% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 1.00% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.11)% | (0.16)% | (0.12)% | (0.08)% | (0.02)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 29% | 29% | 30% | 37% | 42% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Less than $0.005 per share.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 1.85%.
535
| AST MFS LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $17.13 | $15.10 | $15.21 | $13.80 | $10.26 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.22 | 0.28 | 0.17 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.73 | 1.79 | (0.33) | 1.13 | 3.37 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.97 | 2.03 | (0.11) | 1.41 | 3.54 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $20.10 | $17.13 | $15.10 | $15.21 | $13.80 |
| Total Return(a) | 17.34% | 13.44%(f) | (0.72)% | 10.22% | 34.50% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,579.2 | $1,160.4 | $587.6 | $626.4 | $559.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.96% | 0.97% | 0.97% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.96% | 0.97% | 0.98% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.29% | 1.47% | 1.45% | 2.01% | 1.45% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 16% | 33% | 17% | 14% | 50% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on
average shares outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
536
| AST NEUBERGER BERMAN/LSV MID-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $30.68 | $25.95 | $27.50 | $24.07 | $16.95 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.40 | 0.34 | 0.39 | 0.27 | 0.31 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.83 | 4.36 | (1.94) | 3.16 | 6.81 |
| Total from investment operations | 4.23 | 4.70 | (1.55) | 3.43 | 7.12 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.03 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $34.91 | $30.68 | $25.95 | $27.50 | $24.07 |
| Total Return(a) | 13.79% | 18.23%(e) | (5.64)% | 14.25% | 42.01% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,009.1 | $918.5 | $810.2 | $993.2 | $945.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.01% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.01% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.23% | 1.25% | 1.43% | 1.04% | 1.47% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 27% | 30% | 22% | 20% | 29% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 18.11%.
537
| AST NEW DISCOVERY ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $13.28 | $12.73 | $12.89 | $12.26 | $10.31 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.11 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.02 | 0.38 | (0.30) | 0.51 | 1.84 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.19 | 0.54 | (0.16) | 0.63 | 1.95 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $15.47 | $13.28 | $12.73 | $12.89 | $12.26 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.49% | 4.32%(e) | (1.24)% | 5.14% | 18.91% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $871.2 | $748.2 | $744.1 | $753.0 | $659.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.97% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.03% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.98% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.01% | 1.03% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.19% | 1.29% | 1.07% | 1.00% | 1.08% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 58% | 97% | 86% | 105% | 60% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on
average shares outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 4.24%.
538
| AST PARAMETRIC EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $8.00 | $7.12 | $8.55 | $8.97 | $8.95 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.12 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.10 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.99 | 0.78 | (1.55) | (0.54) | (0.08) |
| Total from investment operations | 2.11 | 0.88 | (1.43) | (0.42) | 0.02 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $10.11 | $8.00 | $7.12 | $8.55 | $8.97 |
| Total Return(a) | 26.38% | 12.36%(f) | (16.73)% | (4.68)% | 0.22% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $510.5 | $411.7 | $401.9 | $583.9 | $682.4 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.39% | 1.48% | 1.45% | 1.42% | 1.41% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.39% | 1.48% | 1.45% | 1.42% | 1.42% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.30% | 1.28% | 1.42% | 1.31% | 1.16% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 13% | 34% | 12% | 9% | 28% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
539
| AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $14.70 | $13.94 | $13.92 | $13.16 | $12.05 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.01) | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.01) | (0.02) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.50 | 0.78 | 0.04 | 0.77 | 1.13 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.49 | 0.76 | 0.02 | 0.76 | 1.11 |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $16.19 | $14.70 | $13.94 | $13.92 | $13.16 |
| Total Return(a) | 10.14% | 5.45% | 0.14% | 5.78% | 9.21% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $6,996.2 | $6,601.5 | $6,781.4 | $7,488.2 | $7,669.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.06)% | (0.11)% | (0.14)% | (0.15)% | (0.15)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 16% | 17% | 29% | 19% | 30% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
540
| AST PRUDENTIAL CORE BOND PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $11.64 | $11.17 | $11.20 | $10.56 | $10.81 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.29 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.24 | 0.22 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.37 | 0.19 | (0.28) | 0.40 | (0.47) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.66 | 0.47 | (0.03) | 0.64 | (0.25) |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $12.30 | $11.64 | $11.17 | $11.20 | $10.56 |
| Total Return(a) | 5.67% | 4.21%(h) | (0.27)% | 6.06% | (2.31)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $3,008.4 | $3,139.3 | $3,410.2 | $3,994.4 | $3,204.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.74% | 0.76% | 0.78% | 0.78% | 0.79% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.41% | 2.37% | 2.19% | 2.23% | 2.11% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(g) | 188% | 172% | 310% | 327% | 667% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment
received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
541
| AST PRUDENTIAL GROWTH ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $14.29 | $12.98 | $13.06 | $11.96 | $10.22 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.16 | 0.15 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.10 | 1.12 | (0.24) | 0.95 | 1.61 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.30 | 1.31 | (0.08) | 1.10 | 1.74 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $16.59 | $14.29 | $12.98 | $13.06 | $11.96 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.10% | 10.09%(f) | (0.61)% | 9.20% | 17.03% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $20,624.6 | $11,314.4 | $10,796.4 | $7,157.2 | $6,379.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.87% | 0.90% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.92% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.87% | 0.91% | 0.92% | 0.93% | 0.94% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.32% | 1.41% | 1.21% | 1.28% | 1.28% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 157% | 143% | 211% | 153% | 288% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
542
| AST QMA LARGE-CAP PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 29,
2013(c) through December 31, 2013 |
||||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | 2014 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $15.32 | $13.82 | $13.61 | $11.81 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.16 | 0.10 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.11 | 1.31 | 0.01 | 1.64 | 1.71 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.28 | 1.50 | 0.21 | 1.80 | 1.81 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $18.60 | $15.32 | $13.82 | $13.61 | $11.81 |
| Total Return(a) | 21.41% | 10.85%(g) | 1.54% | 15.24% | 18.10% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $2,653.6 | $2,946.6 | $2,904.4 | $2,791.5 | $2,622.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.81% | 0.80% | 0.81% | 0.81% | 0.82%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.82% | 0.82% | 0.82% | 0.83% | 0.83%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.05% | 1.34% | 1.45% | 1.19% | 1.34%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 87% | 90% | 96% | 89% | 77%(i) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) Not annualized.
543
| AST QMA US EQUITY ALPHA PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $24.99 | $21.76 | $21.11 | $18.01 | $13.60 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.13 | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 5.43 | 3.00 | 0.43 | 2.98 | 4.28 |
| Total from investment operations | 5.56 | 3.22 | 0.65 | 3.10 | 4.41 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $30.55 | $24.99 | $21.76 | $21.11 | $18.01 |
| Total Return(a) | 22.25% | 14.84%(e) | 3.08% | 17.21% | 32.43% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $737.7 | $654.8 | $582.7 | $590.5 | $479.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.61%(f) | 1.67%(f) | 1.54%(f) | 1.51%(f) | 1.60%(f) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.61%(f) | 1.67%(f) | 1.54%(f) | 1.51%(f) | 1.60%(f) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.49% | 0.97% | 1.01% | 0.74% | 0.84% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(g) | 89% | 94% | 105% | 103% | 103% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total
return for the year includes the impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(f) The expense ratio includes dividend
expense and broker fees and expenses on short sales of 0.51%, 0.56%, 0.42%, 0.38% and 0.47% for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
(g) The Portfolio accounts for mortgage
dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
544
| AST QUANTITATIVE MODELING PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $14.13 | $13.29 | $13.27 | $12.46 | $10.18 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.04) | (0.04) | (0.04) | (0.03) | (0.05) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments. | 2.60 | 0.88 | 0.06 | 0.84 | 2.33 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.56 | 0.84 | 0.02 | 0.81 | 2.28 |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $16.69 | $14.13 | $13.29 | $13.27 | $12.46 |
| Total Return(a) | 18.12% | 6.32% | 0.15% | 6.50% | 22.40% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,281.7 | $1,025.6 | $893.8 | $658.5 | $430.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.26% | 0.26% | 0.27% | 0.28% | 0.30% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.26% | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.28% | 0.30% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.26)% | (0.26)% | (0.27)% | (0.28)% | (0.30)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 20% | 64% | 63% | 22% | 46% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
545
| AST RCM WORLD TRENDS PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.63 | $12.05 | $12.07 | $11.49 | $10.21 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.18 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.07 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.87 | 0.41 | (0.16) | 0.44 | 1.21 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.05 | 0.57 | (0.02) | 0.58 | 1.28 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $14.68 | $12.63 | $12.05 | $12.07 | $11.49 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.23% | 4.81%(e) | (0.17)% | 5.05% | 12.54% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $5,642.7 | $5,074.9 | $5,229.6 | $4,655.1 | $4,457.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.02% | 1.03% | 1.00% | 0.74% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.03% | 1.03% | 1.04% | 0.82% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.30% | 1.30% | 1.15% | 1.20% | 0.73% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 48% | 41% | 51% | 34% | 153% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 4.73%.
546
| AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014(c) | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $35.92 | $32.05 | $31.80 | $30.63 | $22.66 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.19) | (0.10) | (0.20) | (0.16) | (0.07) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 8.78 | 3.96 | 0.45 | 1.33 | 8.04 |
| Total from investment operations | 8.59 | 3.86 | 0.25 | 1.17 | 7.97 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $44.51 | $35.92 | $32.05 | $31.80 | $30.63 |
| Total Return(a) | 23.91% | 12.07%(e) | 0.79% | 3.82% | 35.17% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $884.2 | $756.0 | $737.4 | $866.6 | $894.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.01% | 1.01% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.01% | 1.00% | 1.01% | 1.01% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.49)% | (0.31)% | (0.59)% | (0.52)% | (0.29)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 60% | 91% | 46% | 87% | 63% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment
received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 12.04%.
547
| AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $15.53 | $14.41 | $14.23 | $13.56 | $9.63 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.08) | (0.04) | (0.04) | (0.03) | (0.05) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 4.37 | 1.15 | 0.22 | 0.70 | 3.98 |
| Total from investment operations | 4.29 | 1.11 | 0.18 | 0.67 | 3.93 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $19.82 | $15.53 | $14.41 | $14.23 | $13.56 |
| Total Return(a) | 27.62% | 7.77%(e) | 1.26% | 4.94% | 40.81% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $852.4 | $722.2 | $746.8 | $801.8 | $827.1 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 1.06% | 1.05% | 1.07% | 1.08% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 1.06% | 1.05% | 1.07% | 1.09% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.47)% | (0.27)% | (0.24)% | (0.12)% | (0.44)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 57% | 71% | 69% | 184% | 84% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment
received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 7.70%.
548
| AST SMALL-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014(c) | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $26.68 | $20.65 | $21.58 | $20.50 | $14.92 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.15 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.82 | 5.88 | (1.08) | 0.96 | 5.44 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.96 | 5.99 | (0.93) | 1.08 | 5.58 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.04 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $28.64 | $26.68 | $20.65 | $21.58 | $20.50 |
| Total Return(a) | 7.35% | 29.20%(e) | (4.31)% | 5.27% | 37.40% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $978.6 | $1,065.6 | $940.6 | $1,156.7 | $1,220.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.01% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.53% | 0.49% | 0.72% | 0.57% | 0.73% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 50% | 52% | 63% | 36% | 65% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 29.01%.
549
| AST T. ROWE PRICE ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $25.38 | $23.60 | $23.59 | $22.28 | $19.07 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.45 | 0.41 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.33 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.46 | 1.36 | (0.35) | 0.95 | 2.88 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.91 | 1.77 | 0.01 | 1.31 | 3.21 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $29.29 | $25.38 | $23.60 | $23.59 | $22.28 |
| Total Return(a) | 15.41% | 7.54%(e) | 0.04% | 5.88% | 16.83% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $15,569.1 | $14,207.5 | $13,822.8 | $11,096.7 | $10,345.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.88% | 0.87% | 0.88% | 0.87% | 0.89% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.89% | 0.89% | 0.90% | 0.91% | 0.92% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.64% | 1.68% | 1.52% | 1.61% | 1.58% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 66% | 95% | 94% | 66% | 54% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 7.50%.
550
| AST T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
February 10,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $11.42 | $10.83 | $10.67 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.11 | 0.10 | 0.08 | 0.01 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.22 | 0.49 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.33 | 0.59 | 0.16 | 0.67 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $13.75 | $11.42 | $10.83 | $10.67 |
| Total Return(a) | 20.40% | 5.45%(g) | 1.50% | 6.70% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $1,400.3 | $838.4 | $566.5 | $303.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.07% | 1.13% | 1.60%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.03% | 1.07% | 1.13% | 1.60%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.88% | 0.94% | 0.75% | 0.29%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 56% | 80% | 55% | 41%(i) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) Not annualized.
551
| AST T. ROWE PRICE LARGE-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $25.13 | $24.47 | $22.33 | $20.61 | $14.31 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.02) | (0.01) | (0.07) | (0.07) | (0.05) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 9.54 | 0.65 | 2.21 | 1.79 | 6.35 |
| Total from investment operations | 9.52 | 0.64 | 2.14 | 1.72 | 6.30 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.02 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $34.65 | $25.13 | $24.47 | $22.33 | $20.61 |
| Total Return(a) | 37.88% | 2.70%(e) | 9.58% | 8.35% | 44.03% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $2,621.5 | $1,663.8 | $1,978.9 | $1,796.0 | $1,884.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.92% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.94% | 0.96% | 0.96% | 0.97% | 0.97% |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.08)% | (0.06)% | (0.31)% | (0.34)% | (0.29)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 41% | 42% | 47% | 52% | 44% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 2.62%.
552
| AST T. ROWE PRICE LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year . | $12.99 | $12.24 | $13.03 | $12.83 | $9.53 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.23 | 0.20 | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.92 | 0.54 | (0.95) | 0.04 | 3.17 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.15 | 0.74 | (0.79) | 0.20 | 3.30 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.01 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $15.14 | $12.99 | $12.24 | $13.03 | $12.83 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.55% | 6.13%(e) | (6.06)% | 1.56% | 34.63% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $1,272.0 | $860.7 | $708.5 | $827.4 | $855.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.83% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 0.86% | 0.94% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.94% | 0.96% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.97% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.65% | 1.63% | 1.27% | 1.22% | 1.18% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 41% | 167% | 63% | 62% | 138% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 6.05%.
553
| AST T. ROWE PRICE NATURAL RESOURCES PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014 | 2013(c) | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $20.96 | $16.82 | $20.83 | $22.73 | $19.70 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.41 | 0.21 | 0.17 | 0.15 | 0.11 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.75 | 3.90 | (4.18) | (2.05) | 2.92 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.16 | 4.11 | (4.01) | (1.90) | 3.03 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.03 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $23.12 | $20.96 | $16.82 | $20.83 | $22.73 |
| Total Return(a) | 10.31% | 24.61%(e) | (19.25)% | (8.36)% | 15.38% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $543.1 | $528.5 | $416.5 | $579.4 | $665.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.03% | 1.04% | 1.02% | 1.02% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.03% | 1.04% | 1.02% | 1.02% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.94% | 1.09% | 0.85% | 0.55% | 0.51% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 84% | 93% | 87% | 68% | 65% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 24.43%.
554
| AST TEMPLETON GLOBAL BOND PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017(c) | 2016(c) | 2015(c) | 2014(c) | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance: | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $10.78 | $10.33 | $10.83 | $10.77 | $11.19 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.42 | 0.28 | 0.21 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.20) | 0.17 | (0.71) | (0.12) | (0.57) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.22 | 0.45 | (0.50) | 0.06 | (0.42) |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $11.00 | $10.78 | $10.33 | $10.83 | $10.77 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.04% | 4.36%(f) | (4.62)% | 0.56% | (3.75)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $360.8 | $340.5 | $352.6 | $661.2 | $578.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.95% | 0.98% | 0.97% | 0.96% | 0.95% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.95% | 0.98% | 0.97% | 0.97% | 0.98% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 3.80% | 2.69% | 1.98% | 1.62% | 1.58% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 36% | 68% | 60% | 54% | 139% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
555
| AST WEDGE CAPITAL MID-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $21.75 | $19.08 | $20.43 | $17.77 | $13.41 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.17 | 0.25 | 0.20 | 0.11 | 0.13 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.86 | 2.39 | (1.55) | 2.55 | 4.23 |
| Total from investment operations | 4.03 | 2.64 | (1.35) | 2.66 | 4.36 |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | 0.03 | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $25.78 | $21.75 | $19.08 | $20.43 | $17.77 |
| Total Return(a) | 18.53% | 13.99%(e) | (6.61)% | 14.97% | 32.51% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $426.2 | $373.2 | $359.5 | $459.3 | $436.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.06% | 1.06% | 1.07% | 1.08% | 1.07% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.07% | 1.07% | 1.07% | 1.08% | 1.07% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.74% | 1.29% | 0.96% | 0.56% | 0.87% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 27% | 35% | 58% | 21% | 21% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Total return for the year includes the
impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 13.83%.
556
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
557
| AST WESTERN ASSET CORE PLUS BOND PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $12.05 | $11.45 | $11.33 | $10.56 | $10.72 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.28 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.37 | 0.22 | (0.22) | 0.45 | (0.44) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.76 | 0.60 | 0.12 | 0.77 | (0.16) |
| Capital Contributions(d) | – | –(e) | – | – | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $12.81 | $12.05 | $11.45 | $11.33 | $10.56 |
| Total Return(a) | 6.31% | 5.24%(f) | 1.06% | 7.29% | (1.49)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $3,070.8 | $3,053.7 | $3,358.7 | $3,797.8 | $3,131.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.74% | 0.66% | 0.58% | 0.61% | 0.72% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.78% | 0.78% | 0.78% | 0.79% | 0.79% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 3.13% | 3.15% | 2.95% | 2.94% | 2.60% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(g) | 214% | 155% | 170% | 245% | 284% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the year.
(d) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(g) The
Portfolio accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
558
| AST WESTERN ASSET EMERGING MARKETS DEBT PORTFOLIO | |||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Per Share Operating Performance:(c) | |||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of year | $10.43 | $9.43 | $9.73 | $9.60 | $10.45 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.55 | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 0.42 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.42 | 0.49 | (0.74) | (0.36) | (1.27) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.97 | 1.00 | (0.30) | 0.13 | (0.85) |
| Net Asset Value, end of year | $11.40 | $10.43 | $9.43 | $9.73 | $9.60 |
| Total Return(a) | 9.30% | 10.60% | (3.08)% | 1.35% | (8.13)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
| Net assets, end of year (in millions) | $97.6 | $163.0 | $148.9 | $421.1 | $274.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.95% | 0.96% |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.10% | 1.04% | 1.04% | 1.00% | 1.01% |
| Net investment income (loss) | 4.94% | 4.94% | 4.57% | 4.88% | 4.26% |
| Portfolio turnover rate(d) | 42% | 42% | 51% | 35% | 35% |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all years
shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Calculated based on
average shares outstanding during the year.
(d) The Portfolio accounts
for mortgage dollar roll transactions, when applicable, as purchases and sales which, as a result, can increase its portfolio turnover rate.
559
GLOSSARY: PORTFOLIO INDEXES
Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Year US
Government/Credit Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Year US Government/Credit Bond Index includes all medium and larger issues of US government, investment-grade corporate, and investment-grade international
dollar-denominated bonds that have maturities of between 1 and 3 years and are publicly issued. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and
would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays 5-10 Year US
Government/Credit Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays 5-10 Year US Government/Credit Bond Index includes all medium and larger issues of US government, investment-grade corporate, and investment-grade international
dollar-denominated bonds that have maturities between 5 and 10 years and are publicly issued. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would
be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity
Zero Coupon Swaps Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays Fixed Maturity Zero Coupon Swaps Index reflects the returns of nominal zero-coupon bonds that are priced in the relevant swap curve. A zero coupon bond is a bond
that makes no periodic interest payments, but rather sells at a deep discount from its face value. Upon maturity, the owner receives the face value of the bond. The index is expected to mature on or about the end of
the year identified as the specific index for given portfolio. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these
effects.
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate
US Dollar Hedged Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index provides a broad-based measure of global investment-grade fixed-income markets hedged back to the US Dollar. The
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index contains three major components: the US Aggregate Index, the Pan-European Aggregate Index, and the Asian-Pacific Aggregate Index. In addition to
securities from these three benchmarks (94.4% of the overall Global Aggregate market value), the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index includes Global Treasury, Eurodollar, Euro-Yen,
Canadian, and Investment-Grade 144A index-eligible securities not already in the three regional aggregate indices. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond
Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index of investment-grade securities issued by the US Government and its agencies and by corporations with between one and
ten years remaining to maturity. It gives a broad look at how short- and intermediate-term bonds have performed. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays US
Government/Credit Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index is the non-securitized component of the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index. The Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index
includes Treasuries (i.e., public obligations of the US Treasury that have remaining maturities of more than one year), Government-Related issues (i.e., agency, sovereign, supranational, and local authority debt), and
Corporates. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays US High Yield 2%
Issuer Capped Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays US High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index is made up of over 700 non-investment grade bonds. However, the representation of any single bond issuer is restricted to a
maximum of 2% of the total index. The index is an unmanaged index that includes the reinvestment of all interest but does not reflect the payment of transaction costs and advisory fees associated with an investment in
the Portfolio. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
560
Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS
Index
. The Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS Index includes all publicly issued, US Treasury inflation-protected securities that have at least one year remaining to maturity, are rated investment
grade, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included
these effects.
Bloomberg Commodity Index Total
Return.
The Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return is made up of 22 exchange-traded futures on physical commodities. It currently represents the total return of 20 commodities, which are weighted
to account for economic significance and market liquidity. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these
effects.
Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill
Index.
Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index is derived from secondary market Treasury bill rates published by the Federal Reserve Bank. These returns do not include the effect of any
operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Citigroup World Government Bond
Index.
The Citigroup World Government Bond Index is an unhedged and unmanaged market capitalization-weighted index consisting of the government bond markets of 21 countries, which are selected
based on market capitalization and investability criteria. All issues have a remaining maturity of at least one year. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable
by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Real
Estate Net Index.
The FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Real Estate Net Index reflects the stock performance of companies engaged in specific aspects of the major real estate markets/regions of the world. These
returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
ICE BofAML 1-3 Year
Treasury Index.
The ICE BoAML 1-3 Year Treasury Index is a sub-index of the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Treasury Master Index. It includes issues in the form of publicly placed, coupon-bearing US
Treasury debt. Issues must carry a term to maturity of at least one year. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they
included these effects.
ICE BofAML Three-Month US Treasury
Bill Index.
The ICE BoAML Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index is an unmanaged market index of US Treasury securities maturing in 90 days that assumes reinvestment of all income. These returns do not
include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
ICE BofAML US High Yield Master II
Index.
The ICE BoAML US High Yield Master II Index is an unmanaged index that tracks the performance of below-investment grade US dollar-denominated corporate bonds publicly issued in the US
domestic market. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Bond
Index (EMBI) Global.
The J.P. Morgan EMBI Global tracks total returns for traded external debt instruments in the emerging markets. The J.P. Morgan EMBI Global includes US dollar-denominated Brady Bonds, loans
and Eurobonds with an outstanding face value of at least $500 million. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they
included these effects.
Lipper Global Natural Resources
Funds Index.
The Lipper Global Natural Resources Funds Index is an unmanaged index of the 10 largest global natural resources funds. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of
a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
561
Lipper US Government Money Market
Funds Average.
The Lipper US Government Money Market Funds Average is an arithmetic average of the total return of the 30 largest mutual funds in the Lipper US Government Money Market Funds category.
These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI)
(GD).
The MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global developed and emerging
markets. The GD (gross dividends) version of the MSCI ACWI does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect of any
operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far
East (EAFE) Index (GD).
The MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index is a weighted, unmanaged index of performance that reflects stock price movements in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. The GD
(gross dividends) version of the MSCI EAFE Index does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect of any operating
expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI Emerging Markets Index
(GD).
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The GD (gross
dividends) version of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or
taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI World Index (GD).
The MSCI World Index is a weighted index comprised of approximately 1,500 companies listed on the stock exchanges of the US, Europe, Australasia and the Far East hedged back to the US
Dollar. The GD (gross dividends) version of the MSCI World Index does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect
of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell 1000 Index.
The Russell 1000 Index is an unmanaged index that consists of the 1,000 largest securities in the Russell 3000 Index. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a
mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell 1000 Growth Index.
The Russell 1000 Growth Index contains those securities in the Russell 1000 Index with an above-average growth orientation. Companies in this index tend to exhibit higher price-to-book and
price-to-earnings ratios, lower dividend yields and higher forecasted growth rates. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower
if they included these effects.
Russell 1000 Value Index.
The Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. These returns do not include the
effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell 2000 Index.
The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the US equity universe. The Index is a subset of the Russell 3000 Index representing approximately 10% of the
total market capitalization of that index. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership. These returns do not include the effect of
any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
562
Russell 2000 Growth Index.
The Russell 2000 Growth Index measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the US equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 companies with higher price-to-book ratios
and higher forecasted growth values. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell 2000 Value Index.
The Russell 2000 Value Index contains those securities in the Russell 2000 Index with a below average growth orientation. Companies in this Index generally have low price-to-book and
price-to-earnings ratios, higher dividend yields and lower forecasted growth. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they
included these effects.
Russell 3000 Index.
The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the largest 3,000 US companies representing approximately 98% of the investable US equity market. The Russell 3000 Index is constructed
to provide a comprehensive, unbiased and stable barometer of the broad market and is completely reconstituted annually to ensure new and growing equities are reflected. These returns do not include the effect of any
operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell Midcap Index.
The Russell Midcap Index is a market capitalization weighted index representing the smallest 800 companies in the Russell 1000 Index. The average Russell Midcap Index member has a market
cap of $8 billion to $10 billion, with a median value of $4 billion to $5 billion. The index is reconstituted annually so that stocks that have outgrown the index can be removed and new entries can be added. These
returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell Midcap Growth Index.
The Russell Midcap Growth Index is a market value-weighted index that tracks those Russell Midcap companies with high price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. These
returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell Midcap Value Index.
The Russell Midcap Value Index measures the performance of those Russell Midcap companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The stocks are also members of
the Russell 1000 Value Index. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
S&P 500
Index.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index is an unmanaged index of over 500 stocks of large US public companies. It gives a broad look at how stock prices in the United
States have performed. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
S&P MidCap 400 Index.
The Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index is an unmanaged index of 400 stocks chosen based on market capitalization, liquidity and industry representation. The index contains firms that
are situated in size between the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Standard & Poor's SmallCap 600 Index. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Wilshire US REIT Total Return
Index.
The Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index seeks to provide a broad representation of the US real estate securities markets. In order to be included in the Index, a company must be an equity
owner and operator of commercial or residential real estate and must generate at least 75% of its revenue from such assets. It also must meet minimum requirements for market capitalization and liquidity. Certain types
of securities, such as mortgage REITs, are excluded, as are companies with more than 25% of their assets in direct mortgage investments. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual
fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
563
AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (20%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (20%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (28%), Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return (8%), Bank
of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month US Treasury Bill Index (15%) and Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index (9%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have
been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio
Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (40%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (20%), Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index (30%) and the Custom Extended
Markets Index (10%). The Custom Extended Markets Index is comprised of equal weightings of the Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS Index, Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return, and Wilshire US REIT Total Return Index. These
returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Balanced Asset Allocation
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (48%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%) and MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (12%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST BlackRock Global Strategies
Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the MSCI ACWI (GD) (40%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%), Bloomberg Barclays US High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index (15%), Wilshire US REIT
Total Return Index (10%) and the Bloomberg Commodity Total Return Index (5%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the
effect of these expenses.
AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (60%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (15%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (25%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Fidelity
Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (27%), Russell 2000 Index (5.5%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (32.5%), and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index
(35%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (50%) and MSCI World Index (50%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management
expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the MSCI World Index (GD) (65%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index (35%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management
expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST J.P. Morgan Strategic
Opportunities Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (27%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (50%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (13%) and Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index (10%).
These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST New Discovery Asset Allocation
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (50%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%) and MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (20%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
564
AST Preservation Asset Allocation
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (28%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (7%), and Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index (65%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Prudential Growth Allocation
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (55%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (30%) and MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (15%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio
Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (60%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (15%), and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (25%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST RCM World Trends Portfolio
Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the MSCI ACWI (GD) (42.5%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%) and S&P 500 Index (17.5%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (45%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (15%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST T. Rowe Price Growth
Opportunities Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (60%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (25%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (15%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Wellington Management Hedged
Equity Portfolio Current Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (50%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (20%) and Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month Treasury Bill Index (30%). These returns do not include
the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
565
INVESTOR INFORMATION
SERVICES:
Shareholder inquiries should be
made by calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to Advanced Series Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Additional information about the Portfolios is included in the SAI, which is incorporated by
reference into this Prospectus. Additional information about the Portfolio’s investments is available in the Portfolio's annual and semi-annual report to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolio's performance during its last fiscal year. The SAI and additional copies of the annual and semi-annual report are
available without charge by calling the above number. The SAI and the annual and semi-annual report are also available without charge on the Trust’s website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
Delivery of Prospectus and Other
Documents to Households
. To lower costs and eliminate duplicate documents sent to your address, the Trust, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, may begin mailing only one copy of the Trust's
prospectus, prospectus supplements, annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements and information statements, or any other required documents to your address even if more than one shareholder lives there. If you
have previously consented to have any of these documents delivered to multiple investors at a shared address, as required by law, and you wish to revoke this consent or would otherwise prefer to continue to receive
your own copy, you should call the number above, or write to the Trust at the above address. The Trust will begin sending individual copies to you within thirty days of revocation.
The information in the Trust's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the SAI) is available from the SEC. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of duplicating fees, by electronic request to
publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-0102. The information can also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC.
Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Finally, information about the Trust is available on the EDGAR database on the SEC's internet site at
www.sec.gov.
Investment Company File Act
No. 811-05186
ASTFUNDPROS
ADVANCED SERIES
TRUST
PROSPECTUS
• April 30, 2018
The Advanced Series Trust (the Trust) is an
investment vehicle for life insurance companies (the Participating Insurance Companies) writing variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (each, a Contract and together, the Contracts). Shares of
the Trust may also be sold directly to certain tax-deferred retirement plans. Each Contract involves fees and expenses not described in this prospectus (the Prospectus). Please read the prospectus of your
Contract for information regarding the Contract, including its fees and expenses. The portfolios offered in this Prospectus are set forth on this cover (each, a Portfolio and together, the Portfolios).
These securities have not been
approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission or the SEC) or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) nor has the Commission or the CFTC passed upon the accuracy or
adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prudential, the Prudential logo,
and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.
AST AB Global Bond
Portfolio
AST American
Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio
AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation
Portfolio
AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio
AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio
AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income
Portfolio
AST Jennison Global Infrastructure
Portfolio
AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio
AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio
AST Managed Equity Portfolio
AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio
AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio
AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio
AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy
Portfolio
AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio
AST Wellington Management Global Bond
Portfolio
AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio
Table of Contents
SUMMARY: AST AB GLOBAL BOND PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to generate current income consistent with preservation of capital.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.62% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.90% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | $92 | $287 | $498 | $1,108 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 99% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income
securities.
The Portfolio invests in a broad
range of fixed income securities in both developed and emerging markets (in at least three countries), with investments denominated in either local currency or the US dollar. The percentage of the Portfolio’s
assets invested in a particular country or denominated in a particular currency vary in accordance with assessments of the relative yield and appreciation potential of various securities and currencies relative to the
US dollar. The Portfolio invests at least 40% of its assets in non-US companies under normal circumstances. In determining whether a company is a non-US company, the subadviser will evaluate the issuer’s
“country of risk.” The issuer’s “country of risk” will be determined based on a number of criteria, including its country of domicile, the primary stock exchange on which it trades, the
location from which the majority of its revenue comes, and its reporting currency. The Portfolio can invest across all fixed income sectors, including US and non-US government securities, and across a range of
maturities. The Portfolio may use borrowings or other leverage for investment purposes.
1
Under normal circumstances, the
Portfolio invests at least 75% of its net assets in fixed income securities rated investment grade at the time of investment, and may invest up to 25% of its net assets in below investment grade fixed income
securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”).
The subadviser
actively manages the Portfolio’s assets in relation to market conditions and general economic conditions and adjusts the Portfolio’s investments in an effort to best enable the Portfolio to achieve its
investment objective. Based on the subadviser’s investment criteria, the Portfolio invests in higher spread products relative to its benchmark index and, depending on market conditions, may underperform the
benchmark during times of “risk-off” environments.
The Portfolio may invest in
mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, loan participations, inflation-protected securities, structured securities, variable, floating, and inverse floating-rate instruments and preferred stock, and may
use other investment techniques. The Portfolio may, among other things, enter into transactions such as reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls.
The Portfolio may invest, without
limit, in derivatives including, but not limited, to futures (including bond, currency, equity, index and interest rate futures), currency forwards, options (swap options, options on currencies and options on
currencies) and swaps (including credit default, credit default swap index, interest rate and total return swaps). The Portfolio may invest in derivatives for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, including, for
example, seeking to enhance returns or as a substitute for a position in an underlying asset.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to
2
honor its financial obligation; leverage created
by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or
otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional
equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than
those of more developed countries.
For example, the economies
of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation.
Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.
Emerging market countries may have
policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign
investors from withdrawing their money at
will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
3
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.17% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -1.49% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 2.55% | 3.44% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.70% | 2.82% |
4
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | AllianceBernstein L.P. | Scott DiMaggio, CFA | Director and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 |
| Matthew Sheridan, CFA | Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| Douglas J. Peebles | Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| Paul DeNoon | Director and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
5
SUMMARY: AST
AMERICAN FUNDS GROWTH ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to achieve long-term growth of capital and secondarily to generate income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) (1) | |
| Management Fees | 0.68% |
| Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| Other Expenses (2) | 0.06% |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.32% |
| Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.31% |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.39)% |
| Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (3) | 0.92% |
(1)
The Portfolio commenced operations on or about April 30, 2018.
(2) Estimate based in part on assumed average daily net assets of $250 million for the Portfolio for the fiscal period ending December 31, 2018.
(2) Estimate based in part on assumed average daily net assets of $250 million for the Portfolio for the fiscal period ending December 31, 2018.
(3)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee equal to the subadvisory fee waiver due to investments in the Underlying Portfolios
until June 30, 2019. The decision to renew, modify or discontinue the arrangement after June 30, 2019 will be subject to review and approval by the Board. The Manager has also contractually agreed to waive a portion
of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio’s investment management fee (after management fee waiver) and other expenses (including net distribution
fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying portfolios of the Trust and underlying portfolios managed or subadvised by the subadviser, and excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions,
and any other acquired fund fees and expenses not mentioned above) do not exceed 0.92% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior
to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such
waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation | $94 | $377 | $681 | $1,545 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. No portfolio turnover rate is presented for the Portfolio
because it is new.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund-of-funds.” This means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in one or more mutual funds in accordance with the Portfolio’s
asset allocation strategy, subject to a portion of the Portfolio invested in the liquidity strategy described below. The mutual funds in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the
“Underlying Portfolios” and the risks discussed in this Prospectus may
6
also be applicable to the Underlying Portfolios.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio will invest in a mix of Underlying Portfolios managed by an affiliate of the subadviser in different combinations and weightings. Underlying Portfolios will be
managed solely in accordance with their respective prospectuses, as may be amended from time to time.
Under normal circumstances, the
Underlying Portfolios of the Portfolio in the aggregate will invest 70% of their assets in equity and equity-related securities, and approximately 30% of their assets in fixed income and fixed income-related
securities including the liquidity strategy described below. This mix may vary over short time periods; the portion invested in equity and equity-related securities may range between 60 and 80% and the portion
invested in fixed income and fixed income-related securities may range between 20 and 40%.
With respect to its equity
investments, the Portfolio will seek to generate some of its income from investments in Underlying Portfolios that invest in common stock of companies that have the potential to pay dividends in the future. The
Portfolio may invest in Underlying Portfolios with exposure to issuers domiciled outside the United States, including those domiciled in emerging markets. The Portfolio may also invest in Underlying Portfolios with
exposure to small-capitalization stocks.
With respect to its fixed income
investments, the Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests may hold debt securities with a wide range of quality and maturities. The Portfolio may invest in Underlying Portfolios with significant exposure
to lower quality, higher yielding debt securities rated Ba1 or below and BB+ or below by Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations designated by the subadviser, or unrated but determined by the subadviser
to be of equivalent quality. Securities rated BB+ or below and Ba1 or below are sometimes referred to as “high yield bonds” or “junk bonds.” Such securities may include securities backed by
mortgages or other assets and would be subject to the limitations of the Underlying Portfolios.
The Underlying Portfolios may hold
securities issued and guaranteed by the US government and securities issued by federal agencies and instrumentalities. The Underlying Portfolios may also invest in the debt securities of governments, agencies,
corporations and other entities domiciled outside the United States.
The asset allocation strategy will
be determined by the subadviser. The subadviser will seek to create combinations of Underlying Portfolios that complement each other with a goal of achieving the Portfolio’s investment objective of providing
long-term growth of capital while providing current income. The subadviser may make adjustments to Underlying Portfolio holdings by adjusting the percentage of individual Underlying Portfolios within the Portfolio, or
by adding or removing Underlying Portfolios. The subadviser may also determine not to change the Underlying Portfolio allocations, particularly in response to short term market movements.
The Portfolio also includes a
liquidity strategy that will be implemented once the Portfolio reaches certain asset levels. Once implemented, the subadviser will allocate up to 15% of the Portfolio’s net assets to the liquidity strategy
depending on asset levels. The liquidity strategy is expected to be invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options
thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to
satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may deviate from the allocation range
indicated, including being as low as 0%, due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
7
Asset Allocation
Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
8
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with
unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Inflation-Protected Securities
Risk.
Inflation-protected debt securities tend to react to changes in real interest rates (i.e., nominal interest rates minus the expected impact of inflation). In general, the price of such
securities falls when real interest rates rise, and rises when real interest rates fall. Interest payments on these securities will vary and may be more volatile than interest paid on ordinary bonds. In periods of
deflation, the Portfolio may have no income at all from such investments.
Investment Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Liquidity Allocation Risk
. The Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in individual securities and an increase in the amount invested in
derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of this strategy.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
9
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC.
Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact
the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the “full
faith and credit” of the US Government.
Past Performance.
No performance history is presented for this Portfolio, because it does not yet have a full calendar year of performance.
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Capital International, Inc. | Wesley K.-S. Phoa | Portfolio Manager | April 2018 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
10
SUMMARY: AST COLUMBIA ADAPTIVE RISK ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to pursue consistent total returns by seeking to allocate risks across multiple asset classes.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.94% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.83% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.18% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.20% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.82)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.38% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio’s
investment management fee (after management fee waiver) and other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying portfolios of the Trust and underlying
portfolios managed or subadvised by the subadviser, and excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, and any other acquired fund fees and expenses not mentioned above) do not exceed 1.28% of the Portfolio’s
average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed
by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of
the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | $140 | $609 | $1,105 | $2,470 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 378% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio, under normal circumstances, seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating portfolio risk across multiple asset classes in US and non-US markets with the goal of
generating consistent risk-adjusted returns. For these purposes, risk is the expected volatility (i.e., dispersion of returns) of a security, market, index or asset class, as determined by the Portfolio’s
subadviser.
11
The Portfolio employs quantitative
and fundamental methods to identify distinct market environments and creates a strategic risk allocation for each environment that is intended to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns in that environment.
Allocations of risk to asset classes may differ significantly across market environments. In addition to strategic risk allocations based on the market environment, the subadviser may make tactical adjustments within
and among asset classes and pursue opportunistic strategies in response to changing market, economic or other conditions.
The Portfolio may use a variety of
security and instrument types to gain exposure to equity securities, inflation-hedging assets, and fixed income securities (generally consisting of fixed income securities issued by governments, which are referred to
as interest rate assets, and other fixed income securities, which are referred to as spread assets).
The Portfolio may
invest in securities and instruments issued by both US and non-US entities, including issuers in emerging market countries. The Portfolio may also invest in currencies. The Portfolio may invest in companies that have
market capitalizations of any size.
The Portfolio may invest in fixed
income securities of any maturity (and does not seek to maintain a particular dollar-weighted average maturity) and of any credit quality, including investments that are rated below investment-grade or are deemed to
be of comparable quality (commonly referred to as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”).
The Portfolio may invest in
privately placed and other securities or instruments that are purchased and sold pursuant to Rule 144A or other exemptions under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), subject to liquidity
determinations and certain regulatory restrictions.
The Portfolio may invest in
derivatives, including forward contracts (including forward foreign currency contracts), futures (including currency, equity, index, interest rate and other bond futures), options and swaps (including credit default
swaps, credit default swaps indexes, interest rate swaps and total return swaps).
The Portfolio may hold a
significant amount of cash, money market instruments (which may include investments in one or more affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds or similar vehicles), other high-quality, short-term investments, or
other liquid assets for investment purposes or to meet its segregation obligations as a result of its investments in derivatives. In certain market conditions, the Portfolio may have no market positions (i.e., the
Portfolio may hold only cash and cash equivalents) when the subadviser believes it is in the best interests of the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may invest in the
securities and instruments described herein directly or indirectly through investments in other mutual funds, real estate investment trusts, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) (including both leveraged
and inverse ETFs) managed by third parties or the subadviser or its affiliates. Depending on current and expected market and economic conditions, the Portfolio may invest all of its assets in underlying funds.
The Portfolio’s investment
strategy may involve the frequent trading of portfolio securities.
The Portfolio is classified as
non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940 which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
12
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Exchange-Traded Notes Risk.
Because exchange-traded notes (ETNs) are unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities, an investment in an ETN exposes the Portfolio to the risk that an ETN’s issuer may be unable to
pay. In addition, the Portfolio will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the ETN, which may cause the Portfolio’s operating expenses to be higher and its performance to be lower.
13
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Inflation-Protected Securities
Risk.
Inflation-protected debt securities tend to react to changes in real interest rates (i.e., nominal interest rates minus the expected impact of inflation). In general, the price of such
securities falls when real interest rates rise, and rises when real interest rates fall. Interest payments on these securities will vary and may be more volatile than interest paid on ordinary bonds. In periods of
deflation, the Portfolio may have no income at all from such investments.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a
14
portfolio that focuses on securities issued by
larger companies. Small-sized companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition,
smaller companies are typically more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Restricted Securities Risk.
The Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on resale. Restricted securities are not traded on established
markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Portfolio.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
15
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the “full
faith and credit” of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) (GD) (60%) and Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index
(40%). PGIM Investments LLC determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.25% | 4 th Quarter 2017 | -1.49% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 13.72% | 7.74% |
| Index | ||
| MSCI ACWI Index (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 24.62% | 10.68% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 17.46% | 7.99% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC | Jeffrey Knight, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director, Global Head of Investment Solutions and Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation | July 2015 |
| Joshua Kutin, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | December 2015 |
16
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
17
SUMMARY: AST EMERGING MANAGERS DIVERSIFIED
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.74% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 2.14% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.33% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 3.46% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (2.06)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.40% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.070% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30,
2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the
Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal
year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | $143 | $871 | $1,621 | $3,601 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 32% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
In seeking to achieve its investment objective, the Portfolio allocates its assets across various investment strategies to provide exposure to a mix of domestic and international equity
and fixed income markets, as well as alternative investments. Under normal circumstances, approximately 48% of the Portfolio’s net assets are allocated to equity market strategies and approximately 32% of the
Portfolio’s net assets are allocated to fixed income market strategies, with the remaining approximately 20% of the Portfolio’s net assets to be allocated to alternative strategies.
18
The Portfolio is
designed to provide access to institutional investment strategies managed by emerging manager investment firms. In selecting subadvisers for the Portfolio, PGIM Investments LLC (the Manager) focuses on smaller or
mid-size subadvisers and/or those subadvisers that are female or minority owned, but does not apply any quantitative limits on a subadviser’s total assets under management or on the subadviser’s assets
under management within a specific investment strategy. In determining whether to retain a subadviser after the subadviser’s assets under management have increased, either generally or within a specific
investment strategy, the Manager considers a variety of factors, including transition costs and available options. The Manager may recommend replacement of a subadviser due to an increase in assets under management,
but is not required to do so.
Approximately 60-70% of the
Portfolio’s assets are currently allocated to two subadvisers, each of which is an emerging manager and each of which provides a distinct investment strategy. The Manager manages the remaining 30-40% of the
Portfolio’s assets.
The Portfolio
currently has four strategies: a domestic large-cap core strategy, subadvised by Dana Investment Advisors, Inc., a core plus fixed income strategy, subadvised by Longfellow Investment Management Co., an international
equity strategy, managed by the Manager, and an alternative strategy, also managed by the Manager. When the Portfolio’s asset size increases, it is expected to have four strategies that invest in equity
securities (large cap core, large cap value, large cap growth and small cap core), two strategies that primarily invest in international equities, one fixed income strategy (core plus fixed income), and two
alternative strategies.
The Manager manages the
international equity strategy and an alternative strategy. The Manager seeks to provide exposure to these strategies by investing in non-US equity and alternative exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other pooled vehicles
in a manner consistent with the Portfolio’s investment objectives, policies, and restrictions. Investments in ETFs and other pooled vehicles will subject these Portfolio strategies to the risks associated with
the ETFs and other pooled investment vehicles.
As the Portfolio’s asset
size increases, the Manager will select subadvisers to actively manage each of these investment strategies. It is expected that as the Portfolio’s assets grow the Portfolio will be nearly fully allocated to
emerging subadvisers and the allocation to the Manager will be minimal. Depending on market conditions and the strategy of the selected subadviser, it is possible for the Portfolio to perform better or worse when it
is actively managed versus managed by investing in ETFs and other pooled investment vehicles. In connection with a subadviser transition, the Manager may temporarily allocate assets away from the outgoing subadviser,
but still maintain exposure, such as through ETFs and other pooled investment vehicles.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
19
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose
20
of determining the Portfolio’s net asset
value. In such cases, investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices
accurately reflect the value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (40%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%) and MSCI Europe,
Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (20%). PGIM Investments LLC determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.97% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | 0.00% | 1 st Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 14.30% | 5.86% |
| Index | ||
| S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 13.28% |
21
| Index | ||
| Blended Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 14.66% | 7.75% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | July 2015 | |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | July 2015 | ||
| Dana Investment Advisors, Inc. | Duane R. Roberts, CFA | Director of Equities and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | |
| Greg Dahlman, CFA | Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| David M. Stamm, CFA | Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| Michael Honkamp, CFA | Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| David Weinstein | Equity Analyst | July 2015 | ||
| J. Joseph Veranth, CFA | Chief Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC. | Barbara J. McKenna, CFA | Managing Principal, Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | |
| David C. Stuehr, CFA | Principal, Portfolio Manager and Senior Analyst | July 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
22
SUMMARY: AST FQ ABSOLUTE RETURN CURRENCY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek absolute returns not highly correlated with any traditional asset class.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.83% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 1.27% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.38% |
| -Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (1.13)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.25% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses including distribution fees (exclusive, in all cases of,
interest,
brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as
dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales, and acquired fund fees and expenses) do not exceed 1.220% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may
not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal
year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | $127 | $634 | $1,168 | $2,630 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 0% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies
. The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by implementing a tactical currency allocation strategy that seeks to maximize returns by making diversified investments in global
currency-related investments in order to take advantage of market anomalies. The multi-strategy nature of the tactical currency allocation strategy allows the Portfolio’s subadviser to take advantage of price
inefficiencies and investor irrationality that often result from market volatility.
23
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in currency-related investments.
The Portfolio invests primarily in
currency-related investments of developed countries. The Portfolio may also invest in emerging market currency-related investments considered to be liquid. Currency-related investments may include all currency
purchased on the spot market, forwards, swaps, futures, and options as well as US and foreign government and agency bills, notes and securities. The Portfolio seeks to generate total returns with low correlation to
other asset classes.
The Portfolio may also invest in
derivative instruments as a means of hedging risk and/or for investment purposes, which may include altering the Portfolio’s exposure to interest rates, sectors and individual issuers. These derivative
instruments may include futures, forward foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The Portfolio may also invest in high quality (being
rated BBB or above or equivalent by a recognized rating agency) short-term money market instruments such as bank deposits, fixed or floating rate instruments (including but not limited to commercial paper), floating
rate notes, certificates of deposit, debentures, asset backed securities and government or corporate bonds, cash and cash equivalents (including but not limited to treasury bills).
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk.
The risks of foreign investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully
developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low
trading volumes may result in
24
a lack of
liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by non-US investors, or that prevent non-US investors from withdrawing their money at will. Countries with emerging
markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
25
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.77% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -7.59% | 1 st Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | -3.02% | 0.70% |
| Index | ||
| Citigroup 1-Month US Treasury Bill Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.80% | 0.28% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | First Quadrant, L.P. | Dori Levanoni | Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
| Jeppe Ladekarl | Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
26
influencing the broker-dealer or other
intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Contract over another investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit
your financial intermediary's website for more information.
27
SUMMARY: AST FRANKLIN TEMPLETON K2 GLOBAL ABSOLUTE
RETURN PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek capital appreciation with reduced market correlation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.78% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.92% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.09% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.04% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.86)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.18% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying portfolios of the Trust and underlying portfolios managed or subadvised by the
subadviser)
(exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales, and any other acquired fund fees and expenses not mentioned above) do not exceed 1.170% of the
Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses
waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in
effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | $120 | $556 | $1,019 | $2,300 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio employs a flexible global asset allocation approach that aims to invest at least 40% of its assets in investments that are economically tied to a number of countries
throughout the world. Under normal market conditions, the subadvisers may seek to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective by: (1) investing in a diversified core portfolio of equity, fixed income, and
alternative investments; and (2) strategically adjusting the Portfolio’s exposure to certain asset classes independent of the investment strategies that comprise the
28
diversified core portfolio in a manner consistent
with the Portfolio’s conditional risk overlay strategy. The Portfolio may invest in traditional asset classes, such as equity and fixed income investments, and certain alternative investment strategies,
including, but not limited to, a hedge fund replication strategy and a risk premia strategy.
The Portfolio may invest in
varying combinations of assets, including: (i) securities, including, without limitation, common stocks, preferred stocks, and bonds; (ii) other pooled investment vehicles, including, without limitation, open-end or
closed-end investment companies, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and unit investment trusts (collectively referred to herein as Underlying Portfolios); (iii) certain structured notes and financial and derivative
instruments, including total return swaps and futures contracts; and (iv) cash or cash-related instruments. Derivative instruments in which the Portfolio and Underlying Portfolios may invest include futures, foreign
currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and structured notes including, without limitation, currency index structured notes, risk premia structured
notes, and risk premia exchange traded notes. The Portfolio’s net obligations with respect to all swap agreements (i.e., the aggregate net amount owned by the Portfolio) may exceed 15% of its net assets.
Investment Process.
K2/D&S Management Co., L.L.C. (K2) is responsible for managing the Portfolio’s tactical asset allocation, re-balancing the Portfolio’s allocations to the various asset
classes and investment strategies described below, and cash management. K2 has discretion to change the targets and ranges set forth below, and also to determine whether to implement an investment strategy by
investing directly in securities or by investing in Underlying Portfolios and/or ETFs. The investment strategies and the targets and ranges (expressed as a percentage of the Portfolio’s assets) for allocating
the Portfolio’s assets among the investment strategies are as follows:
| Investment Strategy | Target | Range |
| Global Equity Strategy | 45% | 20-60% |
| Multi-Sector Fixed Income Strategy | 22% | 20-50% |
| Hedge Fund Replication Strategy | 18% | 10-30% |
| Risk Premia Strategy | 15% | 10-30% |
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing
29
directly in securities, including the risk that:
the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be
difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may
reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Emerging Markets
Risk.
The risks of foreign investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully
developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low
trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by non-US investors, or that prevent non-US investors from withdrawing their
money at will. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and
Africa.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
30
Futures and Forward Contracts
Risk
. In the event the market value of portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract increases rather than decreases, the Portfolio will realize a loss on the futures position and a
lower return on the portfolio holdings than would have been realized without the purchase of the futures contract. Additionally, in the event that such securities decline in value or the Portfolio determines not to
complete an anticipatory hedge transaction relating to a futures contract, the Portfolio may realize a loss relating to the futures position.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Investment Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions. At times
when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that use different investment styles.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically
more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
31
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.37% | 3 rd Quarter 2016 | -4.86% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 7.51% | 0.83% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 12.34% |
| Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.84% | 0.32% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | K2/D&S Management Co., L.L.C. | Brooks Ritchey | Senior Managing Director | April 2014 |
| Templeton Global Advisers Limited | Norman J. Boersma | Portfolio Manager | April 2014 | |
| Franklin Advisers, Inc. | Roger Bayston | Portfolio Manager | February 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
32
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS GLOBAL GROWTH
ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return made up of capital appreciation and income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.78% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.58% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.38% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.99% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.76)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.23% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses(including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to underlying investments in Portfolios of the Trust and underlying portfolios managed or subadvised by the
subadviser)
(exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes,
stamp duty and deferred tax expenses),
extraordinary expenses,
and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.190% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets
through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be
recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for
that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | $125 | $551 | $1,002 | $2,256 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 21% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio employs a flexible, global asset allocation approach. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio seeks to invest approximately 40% of its total assets in countries other than
the United States (and typically invests no less than 25% of its total assets in such countries), however these amounts may vary based on the subadviser’s views on investment opportunities and market outlook. It
seeks to meet its investment objective through exposure to traditional asset classes, such as equity and fixed income investments, as well as alternative asset classes, such as investments in real estate, commodities,
unconstrained multi-sector fixed income
33
and alternative
strategies (e.g., quantitative trend following managed futures). In addition, the Portfolio has a strategic long-term overweight to international, emerging and growth markets (such as China, India, Brazil, Russia,
South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey). Under normal circumstances, approximately 50-90% of the Portfolio’s assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities, equity strategies, or other
strategies seeking a similar return as determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser. In addition, approximately 10-40% of the Portfolio’s assets are invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities,
fixed income strategies, or other asset classes and strategies that seek to mitigate risk, as determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser. These ranges relate to the Portfolio’s invested assets and do not
include cash holdings. These exposures may be obtained through (i) investments in affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies (Underlying Portfolios), including exchange-traded funds (ETFs); (ii) the purchase of
physical securities (such as common stocks and bonds); and (iii) the use of derivatives (such as futures contracts, currency forwards, equity index options and interest rate options). Derivative instruments of the
Portfolio and Underlying Portfolios and ETFs may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The specific allocation of
assets among equity and fixed income asset classes will vary from time to time, as determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser and reflect short- to medium-term tactical views. Each asset class or strategy may be
either actively managed or fulfilled with Underlying Portfolios and ETFs based on the current asset size of the Portfolio and based on the discretion of the Portfolio’s subadviser.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
34
Commodity Risk
. The value of a commodity-linked investment is affected by, among other things, overall market movements, factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, and changes in interest and
exchange rates and may be more volatile than traditional equity and debt securities.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk.
The risks of foreign investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully
developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low
trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by non-US investors, or that prevent non-US investors from withdrawing their
money at will. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and
Africa.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
35
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically
more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the MSCI World Index (GD) (USD hedged) (60%), MSCI Emerging Markets Index (GD) (USD unhedged) (10%),
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (20%) and 1-Month USD LIBOR (10%). PGIM Investments LLC determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
36
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.57% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -6.99% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 16.71% | 6.42% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 12.34% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 16.07% | 7.96% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
37
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS GLOBAL INCOME
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek high total return, emphasizing current income and, to a lesser extent, providing opportunities for capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | $94 | $293 | $509 | $1,131 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 182% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a portfolio of fixed income
instruments of US and foreign issuers (measured at the time of purchase).
The Portfolio also enters into
transactions in currencies (including foreign currencies), typically through the use of forward contracts and swap contracts to seek to enhance returns and to seek to hedge its portfolio against currency exchange rate
fluctuations. The Portfolio also may invest in other derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes. Derivatives are instruments that have a value based on another instrument, exchange rate, interest rate or
index. The Portfolio’s investments in derivatives may include futures, swaps (including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility, interest rate and currency swaps), to-be-announced contracts
(TBAs), forward rate agreements
38
(FRAs), repurchase agreements and options and
currency forwards. The Portfolio may use derivatives instead of buying and selling bonds to manage duration, to gain exposure or to short individual securities or to gain exposure to a credit or asset backed index.
The Portfolio may also employ
money market instruments and affiliated mutual funds for cash management and asset allocations to specific sectors of the bond market.
Under normal market conditions,
the Portfolio invests at least 40% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) in foreign securities. Foreign securities include securities of issuers located
outside of the securities quoted or denominated in a currency other than the US dollar.
The Portfolio is classified as
non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
39
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
Economic and Market Events
Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
40
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the “full
faith and credit” of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 2.47% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -2.05% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
41
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
42
SUMMARY: AST GOLDMAN SACHS STRATEGIC INCOME
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.71% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.09% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.05% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | $107 | $334 | $579 | $1,283 |
Portfolio
Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 146% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in US and foreign investment grade and non-investment grade fixed income investments (commonly known as
“junk bonds”). The Portfolio seeks both current income and capital appreciation as elements of total return. The Portfolio attempts to exploit pricing anomalies throughout the global fixed income and
currency markets. Additionally, the Portfolio uses short positions and derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes. The Portfolio may sell investments that the subadviser believes are no longer favorable with
regard to these factors.
The Portfolio invests primarily
in: US Government securities (such as US Treasury securities or Treasury inflation protected securities); non-US sovereign debt; agency securities; corporate debt securities; agency and non-agency mortgage-backed
securities; asset-backed securities; custodial receipts; municipal securities; loans and loan participations; and convertible securities. The Portfolio’s investments in loans and loan participations may include,
but are not limited to: (a) senior secured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt; (b) second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt; and (c) other types of secured or
unsecured loans with fixed, floating or variable interest rates. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity.
43
“
Strategic” in the Portfolio’s name means that the Portfolio seeks both current income and capital appreciation as elements of total return. The Portfolio’s investments in derivatives may include, in
addition to forward currency exchange contracts, futures contracts (including interest rate futures and treasury and sovereign bond futures), options (including options on futures contracts, swaps, bonds, stocks and
indexes), swaps (including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility and currency swaps), and other forward contracts.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including
actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
44
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Loan Risk
. Investments in loans rated below investment grade, or unrated securities of similar quality, not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or listed on a securities exchange
may be less liquid and more difficult to value than investments in instruments for which a trading market exists. Such investments are also subject to interest rate risk. Additionally, established settlement standards
or remedies do not exist for portfolio transactions in loans.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
45
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the “full
faith and credit” of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 2.03% | 3 rd Quarter 2016 | -1.57% | 1 st Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | -0.31% | -1.05% |
| Index | ||
| ICE BofAML US Dollar Three-Month LIBOR-Constant Maturity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.10% | 0.58% |
| Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.54% | 2.70% |
46
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Jonathan Beinner | Chief Investment Officer | April 2014 |
| Michael Swell | Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
47
SUMMARY: AST JENNISON GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.83% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 1.15% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.23% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.97)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.26% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive,
in all
cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and
expenses
and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.260% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets
through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be
recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for
that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | $128 | $604 | $1,106 | $2,489 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 60% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities of US and
foreign (non-US based) infrastructure companies.
The Portfolio defines an
infrastructure company as any company that is categorized, based on Global Industry Classification Standards (GICS) industry classifications, as they may be amended from time to time, within the following industries:
Aerospace and Defense, Air Freight and Logistics, Airlines, Building Products, Commercial Services and Supplies, Communications Equipment, Construction and Engineering, Construction Equipment, Diversified
Telecommunication Services, Electric Utilities, Electrical Equipment, Energy Equipment and Services, Gas
48
Utilities, Health Care Providers and Services,
Independent Power Producers and Energy Traders, Industrial Conglomerates, Machinery, Marine, Metals and Mining, Multi-Utilities, Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels, Rail and Road, Transportation Infrastructure, Water
Utilities and Wireless Telecommunication Services, and the following infrastructure related real estate investment trusts (REITs) identified under GICS Sub-Industry classifications: Industrial REITs, Health Care
REITs, and Specialized REITs. The Portfolio’s subadviser also may amend from time to time the GICS industries that are included in the Portfolio’s definition of an infrastructure company. Examples of
assets held by infrastructure companies include toll roads, airports, rail track, shipping ports, telecom infrastructure, hospitals, schools, utilities such as electricity, gas distribution networks and water, and oil
& gas pipelines.
The
Portfolio’s investments in securities include, but are not limited to, common stocks, preferred stock, listed and unlisted American Depositary Receipts and similar receipts, rights, warrants, securities of
REITs, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), other registered investment companies, convertible securities, investments in various types of business ventures, including partnerships and joint ventures, master limited
partnerships (MLPs) and MLP-related securities, and income and royalty trusts.
The Portfolio may invest in
companies of any size. The Portfolio may invest without limitation in US companies and foreign companies (US and non-US dollar-denominated). The Portfolio typically invests in a number of different countries and may
invest without limitation in companies domiciled in, that do business in or that trade in emerging markets. Under normal market circumstances, the Portfolio typically seeks to invest in at least three different
countries and approximately 40% of total assets in countries other than the United States, however, this amount may vary based on the subadviser’s views on the investment opportunities and market outlook. The
Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its total assets in structured notes. The Portfolio may not invest more than 25% of its net assets in derivative instruments. Derivative instruments of the Portfolio and underlying
funds and ETFs may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in
MLPs and MLP-related securities. Depending on sector and regional allocations, the Portfolio may at times have a more volatile risk profile than its benchmark index or industry peers.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
49
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Master Limited Partnership
(MLP) Risk.
Investments in securities of MLPs involve 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, cash flow risks, dilution risks and risks related to the MLP general partner’s right to require
unitholders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
50
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small and Medium Sized Company
Risk
. The shares of small and medium sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price and liquidity
of these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than investments in larger
companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.21% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -10.84% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 18.85% | 5.18% |
| Index | ||
| S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 12.34% |
| S&P Global Infrastructure Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 20.13% | 6.04% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Jennison Associates LLC | Shaun Hong | Managing Director | April 2014 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka | Managing Director | April 2014 | |
| Brannon P. Cook | Managing Director | July 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to
51
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax
purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for
federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
52
SUMMARY: AST LEGG MASON DIVERSIFIED GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek high risk-adjusted returns compared to its blended index.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.73% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.13% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.12% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.23% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.16)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.07% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying Portfolios of the Trust and underlying portfolios managed or subadvised by the
subadviser)
(exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes,
stamp duty and deferred tax expenses),
extraordinary expenses,
and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.070% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets
through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be
recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for
that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | $109 | $374 | $660 | $1,475 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio seeks to meet its investment goals by allocating its assets among a number of different investment strategies implemented by multiple affiliated subadvisers. QS Investors,
LLC (“QS Investors”), one of the Portfolio’s subadvisers, is responsible for allocating the Portfolio’s assets among the strategies and the subadvisers as well as for implementing the
Portfolio’s liquidity strategy described below. The Portfolio utilizes a “multi-manager” approach, whereby each subadviser provides day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio allocated to
it. Each subadviser uses different investment strategies in managing Portfolio assets, acts
53
independently
from the others and uses its own methodologies for selecting investments. With the exception of QS Investors, no more than 30% of the Portfolio’s assets will be allocated by QS Investors to any single
subadviser. QS Investors also may invest the Portfolio’s assets in pooled investment vehicles in order to gain exposure to particular asset classes.
Over time the Portfolio’s
assets may be allocated to the following subadvisers to be managed in the strategies listed below:
The Portfolio allocates, under
normal circumstances, approximately 85% of its net assets to equity strategies and 15% of its net assets to fixed income strategies. This mix may vary over shorter time periods under normal circumstances; the equity
portion may range between 80- 90% of the Portfolio’s total assets and the fixed income portion between 10-20% of the Portfolio’s total assets. The Portfolio’s equity investments include “common
stock” investments in larger, more established companies as well as in small and medium-sized companies in both developed and emerging economies. Up to 40% of the equity portion of the Portfolio may be allocated
to investment strategies that are invested primarily in foreign (non-US dollar denominated) equity securities. The fixed income portion of the Portfolio may be allocated among investment grade securities; high yield
or “junk” bonds; foreign (non-US dollar denominated) high quality debt securities and emerging market debt securities; and cash reserves. Cash reserves may consist of investments denominated in US-dollar
and non US-dollar currencies. The subadvisers seek exposure to the relevant asset classes by investing the Portfolio’s assets in varying combinations of: (i) securities, including, without limitation, common
stocks, preferred stocks, and bonds; (ii) other pooled investment vehicles, including, without limitation, open-end or closed-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs); and (iii) certain structured
notes and financial and derivative instruments, including swap agreements. Derivative instruments of the Portfolio and underlying funds and ETFs may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps,
such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps.
The Portfolio’s equity
portion also includes an allocation to a liquidity strategy to provide liquid exposure to applicable equity benchmark indices. QS Investors typically allocates approximately 10% of the Portfolio’s total net
assets to the liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy’s investments may include (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to-be-announced”
mortgage derivatives), swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents,
short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds in order to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for futures contracts and other liquidity strategy investments and to provide
additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily deviate from the
10% allocation due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
54
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk.
The risks of foreign investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully
developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low
trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by non-US investors, or that prevent non-US investors from withdrawing their
money at will. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and
Africa.
55
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced
56
management, narrower product lines, more limited
financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be
difficult to trade.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (52%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (15%) and MSCI Europe,
Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (GD) (33%). PGIM Investments LLC determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 4.56% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -5.63% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
57
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/24/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 14.60% | 6.96% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 10.99% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 19.80% | 8.30% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | QS Investors | Thomas Picciochi, CAIA | Head of Multi-Asset Portfolio Management | November 2014 |
| Adam Petryk, CFA | Head of Multi-Asset and Solutions | June 2016 | ||
| Stephen A. Lanzendorf, CFA | Portfolio Manager | November 2014 | ||
| Russell Shtern, CFA | Head of Equity Portfolio Management | December 2016 | ||
| Brandywine Global | November 2014 | |||
| ClearBridge | November 2014 | |||
| Western Asset | November 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
58
SUMMARY: AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation with a focus on downside protection.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage,
taxes
(such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest
expense and broker charges on short sales) plus acquired fund fees and expenses (excluding dividends on securities sold short and brokers fees and expenses on short sales ) do not exceed 1.470% of the
Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses
waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in
effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. The waiver in the table above is 1.58%, rather than 1.69%, because the waiver does not apply to 0.11% of the acquired fund fees and expenses, which accounts
for dividend expenses and broker fees and expenses on short sales at the acquired fund
level.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio | $161 | $826 | $1,517 | $3,357 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 8% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in a combination of underlying investment companies (the Underlying
Portfolios). Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio allocates its assets among Underlying Portfolios that employ liquid alternative investment strategies. Liquid alternative strategies are those that do not
purely pursue long-only investing in equities
59
or debt instruments, and engage in techniques or
asset classes that differentiate them from fully-paid-for long-security investments. The Underlying Portfolios primarily include other portfolios of the Trust, but may also include, to a lesser extent, other
affiliated and unaffiliated open-end funds, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objective by allocating its assets among asset classes and investment strategies that typically have had a low correlation to each other and to traditional equity and fixed income asset classes. The
Portfolio allocates its assets among the following Underlying Portfolios of the Trust:
(1)
The allocations referenced in this table may change over time.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be
60
difficult to terminate or otherwise offset;
derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt
securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
61
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the “full
faith and credit” of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
62
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 1.56% | 4 th Quarter 2016 | -0.94% | 2 nd Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 2.56% | 0.08% |
| Index | ||
| Citigroup 1-Month US Treasury Bill Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.80% | 0.41% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | July 2015 | |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | July 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
63
SUMMARY: AST MANAGED EQUITY PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to provide capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.15% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | None |
| + Other Expenses | 0.51% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 1.05% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.71% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.46)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.25% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (including acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying Portfolios of the Trust)
(exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.250% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may
not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal
year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | $127 | $494 | $885 | $1,981 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 3% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset
allocation strategy. The other mutual funds in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally
invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity and equity-related securities, including exchange-traded funds
(ETFs).
64
Under normal
circumstances, the Portfolio invests: 10-90% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in domestic equity and equity-related securities; 10-90% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest
primarily in international equity and equity-related securities; and up to 30% of its assets in other Underlying Portfolios, such as portfolios that invest globally in equity securities of companies in particular
sectors or industries.
The Portfolio may also invest up
to 10% of its assets in an overlay sleeve to provide particular exposures such as to sectors, countries or industries, and also to provide liquidity. The overlay sleeve may invest directly in securities, ETFs and
other instruments, including swaps, options or futures on a security, a commodity, or an index of securities or commodities, or enter into forward foreign currency transactions (collectively, derivatives). In
addition, the Underlying Portfolios and ETFs in which the Portfolio invests, may, to varying degrees, also invest in derivatives.
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser. The Portfolio’s subadviser may allocate the Portfolio’s investments among various asset classes in different proportions at different times. The
Portfolio’s subadviser exercises a dynamic tactical allocation strategy in the investment of the various asset and sub-asset classes based upon market and economic conditions. The selection of specific
combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally is determined by the Portfolio’s investment manager. The Portfolio’s investment manager employs various quantitative and qualitative
research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the asset allocation strategy for the Portfolio.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
65
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
66
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 6.54% | 1st Quarter 2017 | -9.46% | 3rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 24.18% | 8.07% |
| Index | ||
| MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 24.62% | 8.73% |
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 12.34% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2014 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2014 | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | April 2014 | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | April 2014 | ||
| Peter Vaiciunas, CFA | Portfolio Manager | April 2018 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
67
SUMMARY: AST MANAGED FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.15% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | None |
| + Other Expenses | 0.42% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.75% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.32% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.07)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.25% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio’s
investment management fee (after management fee waiver) and other expenses (including acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying portfolios of the Trust, and excluding taxes, interest and
brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.25% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval
of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be
realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | $127 | $411 | $717 | $1,584 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
The Portfolio is a “fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset
allocation strategy. The other mutual funds in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally
invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in fixed income
assets.
68
Under normal
circumstances, the Portfolio invests 50-100% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in core bonds and up to 50% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in other fixed income
securities. Underlying Portfolios may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may also invest up
to 10% of its assets in an overlay sleeve to provide particular exposures such as to sectors, countries or industries and to provide liquidity. The overlay sleeve may invest directly in fixed income instruments,
exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other instruments, including swaps, options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into forward foreign currency transactions (previously defined as derivatives).
In addition, the portfolios and ETFs in which the Underlying Portfolio invests, may, to varying degrees, also invest in derivatives.
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser. The Portfolio's subadviser may allocate the Portfolio's investments among various asset classes in different proportions at different times. The Portfolio's subadviser
exercises a dynamic tactical allocation strategy in the investment of the various asset and sub-asset classes based upon market and economic conditions. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios
for the Portfolio is generally determined by the Portfolio’s investment manager. The Portfolio’s investment manager employs various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted
combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the asset allocation strategy for the Portfolio.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
69
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
70
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 2.62% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -2.75% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 3.90% | 1.75% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.54% | 2.70% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | Senior Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2014 | |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | Vice President, Strategic Investment Research Group | April 2014 | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Edward L. Campbell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director | April 2014 | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | April 2014 | ||
| Marcus M. Perl | Portfolio Manager, Vice President | April 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
71
influencing the broker-dealer or other
intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Contract over another investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit
your financial intermediary's website for more information.
72
SUMMARY: AST MORGAN STANLEY MULTI-ASSET
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 1.04% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 3.15% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.07% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 4.51% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (3.02)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.49% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.420% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30,
2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the
Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal
year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | $152 | $1,090 | $2,037 | $4,447 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 404% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
To pursue its investment objective, the Portfolio seeks to emphasize positive absolute return while actively controlling downside portfolio risk. The Portfolio takes long and short
positions in a range of securities, other instruments and asset classes to express its investment themes. The Portfolio may implement these positions either directly by purchasing securities or through the use of
derivatives.
The Portfolio may at times invest
a substantial portion of its assets in one or more countries (including emerging market countries) or regions. The Portfolio's investments may be US and non-US dollar denominated.
73
The Portfolio may invest in real
estate investment trusts (REITs) and similar entities established outside the United States. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or
supranational organizations or any of their instrumentalities, including debt obligations of governmental issuers located in emerging market or developing countries and sovereign debt, as well as fixed income
securities that are rated below “investment grade” or are not rated, but are of equivalent quality. These fixed income securities are often referred to as “high yield securities” or “junk
bonds.”
The Portfolio may
invest in asset-backed securities. The Portfolio may also invest restricted securities. The Portfolio may also invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The Portfolio uses derivative
instruments for a variety of purposes, including as part of its investment strategies, for hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. The Portfolio's use of derivatives may involve the purchase
and sale of derivative instruments such as futures, options, swaps (including primarily total return swaps, interest rate swaps, and credit default swaps), structured investments (including commodity-linked notes) and
other related instruments and techniques. The Portfolio may also invest in currency derivatives, including, but not limited to, foreign currency forward exchange contracts, and currency and currency index futures and
options contracts for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The use of these currency derivatives may allow the Portfolio to obtain net long or net negative (short) exposure to selected currencies. At times, the Portfolio
may enter into “cross-currency” transactions involving currencies other than those in which securities held or proposed to be purchased are denominated. Derivative instruments used by the Portfolio are
counted toward the Portfolio's exposure in the types of securities listed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to such securities.
The Portfolio is classified as
non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
74
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
75
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Non-Diversification
Risk
. The Portfolio is a non-diversified portfolio, and therefore, it can invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified portfolio. Because a non-diversified portfolio is more likely
to experience large market price fluctuations, the Portfolio may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
76
Restricted
Securities Risk.
The Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on resale. Restricted securities are not traded on established
markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Portfolio.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the “full
faith and credit” of the US Government.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 2.97% | 2 nd Quarter 2017 | -5.41% | 2 nd Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 0.00% | -3.32% |
| Index | ||
| ICE BofAML US Dollar 1-Month LIBID Average Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 0.94% | 0.53% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. | Cyril Moullé-Berteaux | Managing Director | July 2015 |
| Mark Bavoso | Managing Director | July 2015 | ||
| Sergei Parmenov | Managing Director | July 2015 |
77
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
78
SUMMARY: AST NEUBERGER BERMAN LONG/SHORT
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The primary investment objective of
the Portfolio is to seek long term capital appreciation with a secondary objective of principal preservation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 1.04% | |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% | |
|
+ Other Expenses
Dividend Expense and Broker Fees and Expenses on Short Sales Remainder of Other Expenses |
0.38% 0.76% |
1.14%
|
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.01% | |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.44% | |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.63)% | |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.81% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage,
taxes
(such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses and certain other Portfolio
expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.420% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or
modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such
waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | $184 | $700 | $1,244 | $2,729 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 95% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objectives primarily by taking long and short positions in the global securities markets. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio uses
long or short positions in common and preferred equity securities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and fixed income securities. The Portfolio also uses derivatives, including long and short positions from futures
contracts on securities and indices, swaps, including total return and credit default swaps, on individual securities and indices, foreign currency forward
79
contracts and
call and put options on individual securities and indices. Short positions involve selling a security the Portfolio does not own or buying a derivative on a security in anticipation that the security’s price
will decline. The Portfolio may invest in securities of, and derivative contracts on, US and non-US companies. Futures, swaps, forwards or options may be used in an attempt to increase returns and/or reduce risks. The
equity securities in which the Portfolio invests are generally those of companies with market capitalizations of at least $250 million, measured at the time the Portfolio first invests in them. The Portfolio may
continue to hold or add to a position in a stock after the company’s market value has fallen below $250 million. The Portfolio’s typical investment exposure ranges from net long exposure of 150% of net
asset value (NAV) to net short exposure of 20% of NAV.
With respect to any portion of the
Portfolio’s assets invested in long equity positions, the subadviser generally invests in companies which it believes are undervalued and possess one or more of the following characteristics: (i) companies with
strong competitive positions in industries with attractive growth prospects; (ii) companies with the ability to generate sustainable cash flows which are growing at a modest rate over the long-term; (iii) companies
whose market price is below the subadviser’s estimate of the company’s intrinsic value; and (iv) companies with the potential for a catalyst, such as a merger, liquidation, spin off, or management change.
The subadviser’s estimate of a company’s intrinsic value represents its view of the company’s true, long-term economic value (the value of both its tangible and intangible assets), which may be
currently distorted by market inefficiencies. In establishing long equity positions, the Portfolio may utilize stock index futures and total return swaps and options on individual securities and indices.
With respect to any portion of the
Portfolio’s assets invested in short equity or fixed income positions, the subadviser employs short positions in an attempt to increase returns and/or to reduce risk. The subadviser’s use of short
positions to increase returns and/or reduce certain risks may include, among others: (i) short sales of ETFs representing macro-economically challenged markets, industries or geographies; (ii) short sales of equity or
fixed income securities of companies that the subadviser expects to decline in price, lose economic value or generally underperform; or (iii) short positions designed to offset cyclical, currency, or country-specific
risks. The Portfolio may employ derivatives in establishing short positions, including, but not limited to, short positions in stock and fixed income index futures, total return and/or credit default swaps
establishing short positions on individual securities and indices, and options on individual securities and indices.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio;
80
derivatives may be difficult or impossible for the
Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the
price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
81
Investment Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions. At times
when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that use different investment styles.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
82
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.84% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | 0.41% | 2 nd Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 13.14% | 4.66% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 13.28% |
| HFRX Equity Hedge Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 9.98% | 1.98% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | Charles C. Kantor | Managing Director | July 2015 |
| Marc Regenbaum | Managing Director | May 2017 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
83
SUMMARY: AST PRUDENTIAL FLEXIBLE MULTI-STRATEGY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to provide capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Management Fees | 0.98% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.34% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.79% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.36% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.87)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.49% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to a voluntary fee and/or expense waiver arrangement, which is not reflected in the table
above.
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment
management fee plus other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying Portfolios of the Trust)
(exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.480% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement
may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same
fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | $152 | $653 | $1,182 | $2,629 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 39% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio seeks its investment objective by investing in a combination of global equity and equity-related securities, real assets, debt obligations, absolute return strategies and
money market instruments. The Portfolio gains exposure to these categories and investment strategies by utilizing, in varying combinations and percentages, the following tools: (i) investment in other pooled
investment vehicles, including other portfolios of the Trust and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) (collectively referred to as Underlying Portfolios); (ii) subadvisers to directly manage investments in securities
including, but not limited to equity and equity-related
84
securities, debt, derivatives and money market
instruments; and (iii) investment in certain financial and derivative instruments. The Portfolio may invest a substantial portion of its assets in Underlying Portfolios, particularly other portfolios of the Trust.
The asset
allocation strategy is determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser. The Portfolio’s subadviser exercises a flexible strategy in the selection of asset classes and/or strategies, and the Portfolio is not
required to allocate its investments among stocks and bonds in any fixed proportion, nor is it limited by investment style or by the issuer’s location, size, market capitalization or industry sector. The
Portfolio may have none, some, or all of its assets invested in each asset class and/or strategy, as listed below, in relative proportions that change over time based upon market and economic conditions.
| Strategy | Description |
| Equities | |
| US Equity 130-30 | This strategy utilizes a long/short investment approach. The strategy shorts a portion of the Portfolio and uses the proceeds of the shorts, or other borrowings, to purchase additional stocks long. The strategy normally invests (take long positions) at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of US issuers. The strategy targets approximately 100% net market exposure, similar to a “long-only” strategy, to US equities. |
| Market Participation Strategy | This strategy is designed to provide upside equity participation, while seeking to reduce downside risk over the course of a full market cycle. The strategy does not invest directly in equity securities but gains equity exposure through investments in options and futures. |
| Europe, Australia, Far East (EAFE) All Cap Strategy | This strategy invests in equity and equity-related securities of international equity companies across all market capitalizations. The Portfolio’s subadviser employs a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process. |
| Emerging Markets | This strategy involves investments in equity and equity-related securities of emerging market companies. Emerging market companies are those relating to issuers: (i) located in emerging market countries or (ii) included (or scheduled for inclusion by the index provider) as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices. |
| Fixed Income | |
| Core Bonds | This strategy invests in intermediate and long-term debt obligations and high quality money market instruments debt obligations including, without limitation, US Government securities, mortgage-related securities (including commercial mortgage-backed securities), asset-backed securities, bank loans by assignment as well as through loan participations, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds. |
| High Yield Bonds | This strategy seeks to outperform the BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Master II Constrained Bond® Index by investing in domestic high-yield corporate bonds and, to a lesser extent, in bank loans and preferred and convertible securities.The Portfolio’s subadviser emphasizes sector valuation and individual security selection in constructing this segment of the Portfolio, and focus on the less efficient, middle-tier section of the high-yield market while selectively investing in lower rated issuers. The high-yield bond segment of the Portfolio is designed to be well diversified across sectors, capital structure, and issuers. |
| Global Aggregate Plus | This strategy seeks total return through a diversified portfolio participating in a wide array of global fixed income sectors, interest rates, currencies and derivatives, using the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index as a benchmark. |
| Real Assets | |
| Global Real Estate | This strategy invests in in equity-related securities of real estate companies including companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from the ownership, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate or companies that have at least 50% of their assets in these types of real estate-related areas. |
| Infrastructure | This is a multi-cap, core strategy with an absolute return focus. This strategy focuses on investments in infrastructure companies and infrastructure-related companies located throughout the world. Infrastructure companies are involved in providing the foundation of basic services, facilities and institutions upon which the growth and development of a community depends. |
| Global Natural Resources | This strategy seeks to invest in global natural resources companies. Natural resource companies are US and foreign (non-US based) companies that own, explore, mine, process or otherwise develop, or provide goods and services with respect to, natural resources. |
85
| Strategy | Description |
| Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) | This strategy seeks to invest in MLP investments. MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs structured as LPs or LLCs; MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; I-Units issued by MLP affiliates; parent companies of MLPs; shares of companies owning MLP general partnership interests and other securities representing indirect beneficial ownership interests in MLP common units; “C” corporations that hold significant interests in MLPs; and other equity and fixed income securities and derivative instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and ETPs, that provide exposure to MLP investments. |
| Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) | The TIPS strategy seeks to achieve excess return through security selection by employing a conservative, quantitatively-driven strategy that obtains exposure to the TIPS asset class through bonds or derivative instruments, with minimal risk, versus the Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Inflation Protected Index. |
| Alternatives | |
| Market Neutral | The Market Neutral strategy uses an objective, quantitative approach designed to exploit persistent mispricings among stocks and other related securities. The objective of this investment strategy is to provide consistent performance that is uncorrelated with the performance of the stock market. The portfolio holdings for this investment strategy consist primarily of a broad universe of stocks. |
| Global Absolute Return | Unconstrained by a benchmark, the strategy seeks positive returns over the long term, regardless of market conditions, by participating in a wide range of global fixed income sectors, interest rates, currencies and derivatives. |
| Overlay | |
| Overlay Tactical Sleeve Strategy | A Portfolio overlay sleeve utilized for liquidity and allocation changes |
Each asset class and/or strategy
may be either actively managed or fulfilled with Underlying Portfolios based on current asset size of the Portfolio and based on the discretion of the subadviser.
The Portfolio may
buy or sell swaps, options or futures on a security, a commodity, or an index of securities or commodities, or enter into forward foreign currency transactions.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely
86
affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile,
expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s
ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows
may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained,
the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk.
The risks of foreign investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully
developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low
trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by non-US investors, or that prevent non-US investors from withdrawing their
money at will. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and
Africa.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements
87
comparable to, US markets; foreign financial
reporting standards usually differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign
holdings may be subject to special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Fund of Funds
Risk
. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the underlying portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance
of the underlying portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its investment manager(s) and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio. Moreover, the
Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the underlying portfolios’ expenses, which will reduce the Portfolio’s
performance.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically
more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Master Limited Partnership
(MLP) Risk.
Investments in securities of MLPs involve 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, cash flow risks, dilution risks and risks related to the MLP general partner’s right to require
unitholders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
88
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Short Sale Risk
. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio
will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the
cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) (GD) (60%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%).
PGIM Investments LLC determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.29 % | 1 st Quarter 2015 | -3.69% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 16.96% | 8.09% |
| Index | ||
| MSCI ACWI (GD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 24.62% | 8.73% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 15.77% | 6.41% |
89
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
*PGIM Limited, an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, Inc., serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio.
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
90
SUMMARY: AST QMA INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)* | |
| Acquired Management Fees | 0.72% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.05% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | None |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 1.02% |
*Differences in the Total
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses shown in the table above and in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights are attributable to changes in management fees, fee waivers and/or expense limitations during the most
recently completed fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | $104 | $325 | $563 | $1,248 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 108% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related
securities, including but not limited to common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable for stock, rights, warrants, depository receipts for those securities, exchange-traded funds, futures
and swaps of or relating to issuers that are: (i) located, organized or headquartered in developed market countries outside of the US or (ii) included (or scheduled for inclusion by the index provider) as developed
market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices.
The Portfolio employs an equity
investment strategy using a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process based on fundamental insights. The stock selection process utilizes an adaptive model that evaluates stocks differently based on their
characteristics. The Portfolio’s subadviser constructs a portfolio that seeks to maximize the Portfolio's investment in the most attractive stocks identified by the model subject to risk constraints.
91
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
92
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Quantitative Model Risk.
The Portfolio and certain underlying portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative
methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each
factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 7.02% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -3.44% | 1 st Quarter 2016 |
93
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(01/05/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 24.59% | 8.53% |
| Index | ||
| MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (ND) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 25.03% | 7.80% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Jacob Pozharny, PhD |
Managing Director,
Portfolio Manager |
January 2015 |
| Wen Jin, PhD |
Managing Director,
Portfolio Manager |
January 2015 | ||
| John Van Belle, PhD |
Managing Director,
Portfolio Manager |
January 2015 | ||
| Vlad Shutoy | Principal, Portfolio Manager | October 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
94
SUMMARY: AST T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED REAL GROWTH
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation and secondarily, income.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.73% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.97% |
| + Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.06% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.01% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.96)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.05% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.010% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion
of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and
expenses due to investments in underlying Portfolios of the Trust and underlying portfolios managed or subadvised by the subadviser)
(exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and
certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales, and any other acquired fund fees and expenses not mentioned above) do not exceed 1.050% of the
Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses
waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in
effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | $107 | $538 | $994 | $2,261 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 44% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio invests primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances,
approximately 75% of its total assets in equity securities and 25% in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods; under normal circumstances, the equity portion may range between 60-90% and
the fixed income portion may range between 10-40%. The Portfolio invests primarily in common stock of larger, more established companies, which are defined as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion.
The Portfolio may also invest in
95
securities of
smaller-sized companies. Larger, more established companies are defined as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion, whereas small and medium-sized companies are defined as having a maximum market
capitalization of $3 billion. Up to 40% of the total Portfolio may be invested in non-US dollar denominated equity securities. Up to 20% of the total Portfolio may be allocated to a real assets equity segment. The
real assets equity segment invests in stocks of companies that derive a significant portion of their income from real assets. Real assets are characterized by the fact that they are tangible, such as commodities. The
fixed income portion of the Portfolio is allocated among investment grade securities (50-100% of the bond portion). The Portfolio may also invest up to 50% of the fixed income portion in a combination of high yield or
“junk” bonds, non-US dollar denominated bonds and/or emerging market debt securities. A portion of the fixed income holdings may also include TIPS, or Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, TBAs
(“to be announced”) and various investment companies in accordance with regulatory limits. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of the total portfolio in cash reserves. Cash reserves may consist of US-dollar
and non US-dollar denominated securities and money market vehicles. The Portfolio’s maximum combined exposure to non-US dollar denominated equity and fixed income securities is 50% of the Portfolio’s net
assets. The Portfolio may also invest in derivative instruments for both investment and hedging purposes.
The Portfolio’s use of
options often involves writing (i.e., selling) index call options on a US large-cap stock index in an effort to enhance risk-adjusted returns, although the portfolio may buy or sell options for other purposes. This
index option overlay strategy is generally designed to provide less overall risk than a pure equity portfolio.
As part of the
Portfolio’s index option overlay strategy, the Portfolio writes short-term S&P 500 Index call options in an effort to lower direct equity exposure and enhance risk adjusted returns, and the Portfolio may
manage this equity exposure through the use of equity index futures.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk.
The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
96
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk.
The risks of foreign investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully
developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Low
trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by non-US investors, or that prevent non-US investors from withdrawing their
money at will. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and
Africa.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
97
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently (i.e., better or worse than other segments of, or the overall, stock market) depending on
market and economic conditions and investor sentiment. At times when the investment style is out of favor, the Portfolio may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but use different investment
styles.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically
more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be difficult to trade.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
Real Asset Risk.
Investments in real asset industries and commodities may subject the Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The Portfolio’s investments in real
asset industries and commodities may lose value as a result of adverse changes in, among other things, exploration and production spending, tax laws and government regulations, natural forces, global economic cycles,
and international politics.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
98
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Russell 3000 Index (52%), Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index (25%), and MSCI All Country
World ex-US Index (GD) (23%). PGIM Investments LLC determined the weight of each index comprising the custom blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.75% | 1 st Quarter 2017 | -6.90% | 3 rd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(04/28/14) |
|
| Portfolio | 18.67% | 7.89% |
| Index | ||
| Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 21.82% | 12.34% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 18.11% | 8.18% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.; T. Rowe Price International, Ltd; T. Rowe Price Japan, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Hong Kong, Limited | Charles M. Shriver, CFA | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
| Toby M. Thompson, CFA, CAIA | Vice President and Portfolio Manager | April 2014 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase your
Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract,
the selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
99
SUMMARY: AST WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT GLOBAL BOND
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to provide consistent excess returns over the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.62% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.90% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | $92 | $287 | $498 | $1,108 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal
Investment Strategies.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income
securities.
The Portfolio invests, under
normal circumstances, in fixed income securities of companies located in at least three countries. The Portfolio seeks to generate excess returns relative to the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged
Bond Index. The Portfolio’s global aggregate strategy seeks to generate excess returns through the combination of lowly correlated investment strategies developed by highly specialized analysts. Each analyst has
a specialized area of focus which is sector, region, or investment style based. The investment universe includes fixed income securities denominated in various currencies and issued by government, government-related,
corporate, and securitized issuers from around the world.
The Portfolio invests in debt
securities of issuers domiciled around the world. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio will invest its assets in securities of issuers located in the United States and at least three other countries (based on
country of domicile and inclusive of non-currency derivatives). The Portfolio may buy and sell bonds issued by government, agency, and supranational issuers; mortgage, commercial mortgage, and asset-backed securities;
corporate and real estate investment trust (REIT) debt; credit-linked, index-linked, and capital securities
100
(securities that combine the features of bonds and
preferred stock); loan participation securities that qualify as an eligible investment by the Portfolio (including, but not limited to, trade finance loan participations) and, in addition, bank loan assignments that
qualify as money market instruments; as well as other debt securities issued by public or private issuers, both fixed and floating-rate, including forward contracts on such securities.
Currency exposure may be taken on
an opportunistic basis. Currency exposure, including cross-currency positions which are not related to the Portfolio’s bond and cash equivalent positions, may be assumed.
Investments represent a broad
credit spectrum, including issues rated below investment-grade. There is no minimum credit rating for individual securities. The Portfolio is diversified by country, and issuer. The Portfolio makes use of derivatives
to implement active positions as well as hedge exposure. Derivative instruments may include, but are not limited, to futures (on asset classes or indices including volatility indices), forwards, options, swaps
(currency swaps, interest rate swaps, total rate of return swaps, and credit default swaps), to-be-announced securities (TBAs), structured notes and spot transactions for both active management and hedging purposes.
The high liquidity of derivative instruments assists the portfolio management team in quickly and efficiently managing portfolio exposure in the context of continually changing market environments.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be
101
difficult to terminate or otherwise offset;
derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt
securities.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
102
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Sovereign Debt Securities
Risk.
Investing in foreign sovereign debt securities exposes the Portfolio to direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
The consequences include the risk that the issuer or governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, that
the foreign government may default on its debt securities, and that there may be no bankruptcy proceeding by which the defaulted sovereign debt may be collected.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 3.06% | 1 st Quarter 2016 | -2.62% | 4 th Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 2.40% | 2.58% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 3.70% | 2.82% |
103
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Wellington Management Company LLP | Mark Sullivan, CFA, CMT | Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 |
| John Soukas | Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 | ||
| Edward Meyi, FRM | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | July 2015 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
104
SUMMARY: AST WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT REAL TOTAL
RETURN PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek long-term real total return.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 1.04% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 1.39% |
| + Acquired Portfolio Fees and Expenses | 0.06% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 2.74% |
| - Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (1.26)% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | 1.48% |
(1)
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.133% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a
portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes
(such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense
and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.420% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the
prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such
recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year.
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | $151 | $731 | $1,337 | $2,978 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 134% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its objective by actively allocating the Portfolio’s assets to multiple global asset classes, including fixed income, currencies, commodities, and
equities, that the subadviser believes exhibit attractive valuations and attractive technical characteristics. In addition, the Portfolio allocates a portion of its assets to specialized investment teams within the
subadviser that the subadviser believes will generate attractive total returns that are uncorrelated to one another. The Portfolio also seeks to actively manage the overall
105
risk of the Portfolio in an effort to provide
consistent positive total returns that outpace inflation over the long term, with moderate volatility and low correlation to equities, as represented by the S&P 500 Index, over a full market cycle. There is no
guarantee that the Portfolio will achieve its goal of positive total returns.
The Portfolio may invest in fixed
income securities and cash and cash equivalents, including, but not limited to, sovereign debt, agency securities, supranational investments, mortgage-backed securities, “to-be-announced” securities,
corporate debt, asset-backed securities, bank loans, convertible bonds, and other fixed-income instruments, as well as derivatives related to interest rates and fixed-income securities. These fixed-income instruments
could include non-investment grade debt obligations (also known as “junk bonds”) and emerging market debt obligations. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity or duration.
The Portfolio may also invest
directly in listed and unlisted equity and equity related securities, including, but not limited to, common stock, preferred stock, depositary receipts inclusive of commodity indexes (including American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs)), index-related securities (including exchange-traded funds) and exchange traded notes (ETNs), real estate investment structures (including real estate investment
trusts)), convertible bonds, convertible preferred stock, rights, warrants, and similarly liquid equity equivalents. The Portfolio may invest in equity securities of issuers with any market capitalization.
The Portfolio may make significant
use of derivative transactions. The Portfolio uses derivatives in pursuit of its investment objective, to manage portfolio risk and/or to replicate securities the Portfolio could buy directly. The Portfolio may
actively manage market exposure through the use of derivatives, which may include futures (on asset classes or indices including volatility indices), forwards, options, swaps (total return swaps, credit default swaps,
interest rate swaps, and swap options), structured notes and spot transactions. Derivatives will be used to obtain long or short exposure to a particular security, asset class, region, industry, currency, commodity,
or index, or to other securities, groups of securities, or events.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in
connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later
than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed
by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.
Asset Transfer Program Risk
. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
106
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
Equity Securities Risk
. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)
Risk
. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, the
market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the
prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated
with rising interest rates are currently heightened because interest rates in the US are near historic lows.
Interest rates may continue to increase in the future,
possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the
Portfolio’s investments in fixed income
securities.
Focus Risk
. The Portfolio focuses or may focus its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and may accumulate large positions in such areas. As a
result, the Portfolio’s performance may be more sensitive to a small group of related holdings and adverse developments in such areas than a portfolio more broadly invested.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
107
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Leverage Risk
. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been
leveraged.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Mid-Sized Company Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing and volatility of these
securities and on the Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Real Estate Risk
. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate-linked derivative instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate.
Poor performance by the manager of the REIT and adverse changes to or inability to qualify with favorable tax laws will adversely affect the Portfolio. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they
invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Redemption Risk.
A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such
investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.
Regulatory
Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
108
Small Sized Company Risk
. The shares of small sized companies tend to be less liquid than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these securities and on the
Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. The market price of such investments also may rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure and be more volatile than
investments in larger companies.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 2.12% | 3 rd Quarter 2016 | -6.16% | 1 st Quarter 2016 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(07/13/15) |
|
| Portfolio | 1.43% | -3.28% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays 1-10 Year US TIPS Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.90% | 1.71% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Manager | Subadviser | Portfolio Manager | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Wellington Management Company LLP | Steve Gorman, CFA | Senior Managing Director; Director, Tactical Asset Allocation, Global Multi-Asset Strategies; and Portfolio Manager | April 2016 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should
consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
109
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
110
ABOUT THE TRUST
About the TRUST and its
Portfolios
This Prospectus
provides information about the Trust and its separate portfolios. The Portfolios of the Trust which are discussed in this Prospectus are identified on the front cover and in the table of contents. Each Portfolio is a
diversified investment company as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act), unless herein noted otherwise.
PGIM Investments LLC (PGIM
Investments), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial), serves as the sole investment manager of the Portfolios covered by this Prospectus, other than the following Portfolios,
for which PGIM Investments and AST Investment Services, Inc. (ASTIS), also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, serve as overall investment managers:
| ■ | AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio |
PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve
as overall investment managers of the Portfolios not covered by this Prospectus, other than the following Portfolios, for which PGIM Investments serves as the sole investment manager:
| ■ | AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
Prudential Financial, which is
incorporated in the United States, has its principal place of business in the United States. Neither Prudential Financial nor any of its subsidiaries are affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company
incorporated in the United Kingdom.
When used in this Prospectus, the
“Manager” refers to (a) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, collectively, with respect to the AST Managed Equity Portfolio, the AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio and the AST Jennison Global Infrastructure
Portfolio; and (b) PGIM Investments with respect to all other Portfolios covered by this Prospectus. The Manager has retained one or more subadvisers (each, a Subadviser), to manage the day-to-day investment of the
assets of each Portfolio in a manager-of-managers structure.
More information about the
Manager, each Subadviser and the manager-of-managers structure is included in “How the Trust is Managed” later in this Prospectus.
The Trust offers one class of
shares in each Portfolio. As of the date of this prospectus, shares of the Portfolios of the Trust are sold only to separate accounts of Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, The Prudential Insurance
Company of America, Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Pramerica of Bermuda Life Assurance Company, Ltd. (collectively,
Prudential), Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York as investment options under variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts.
Shares of the Trust may be sold directly to certain qualified retirement plans.
Additional information about each
Portfolio is set forth in the following sections, and is also provided in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
111
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW THE PORTFOLIOS
INVEST
Introduction
In addition to
each Portfolio's summary section, each Portfolio's investment objective and policies are described in more detail on the following pages. Certain investment instruments that appear in bold lettering below are
described in the section entitled
More Detailed Information About Other Investments and Strategies Used by the Portfolios
.
Although the Portfolios make every
effort to achieve their investment objectives, there can be no guarantee of success and it is possible that you could lose money by investing the Portfolios. Each Portfolio's investment objective is a non-fundamental
investment policy and, therefore, may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. A Portfolio will provide written notice to shareholders prior to, or concurrent with, any such change as required
by applicable law.
An investment in a Portfolio is
not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
The Portfolios have investment
strategies and policies that include percentage estimates and limitations. Those percentages are generally applied at the time the Portfolio makes an investment. As a result, a Portfolio generally may continue to hold
positions that met a particular investment policy or limitation at the time the investment was made but subsequently do not meet the investment policy or limitation. A Portfolio may have a policy to invest 80% at
least of its assets in a particular category of investments suggested by the name of the Portfolio. For any Portfolio that is subject to Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act, this 80% policy relates to the Portfolio’s
net assets plus borrowings, if any, for investment purposes. The 80% requirement is applied at the time the Portfolio makes an investment. These 80% policies are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without
shareholder approval. A Portfolio, however, will provide 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders of any change in an 80% policy based on the Portfolio’s name if required by applicable rules.
A change in the securities held by
a Portfolio is known as “portfolio turnover.” A Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of over 100% annually.
Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance. If a Portfolio realizes capital gains when it sells investments, it generally must pay those
gains to shareholders, increasing its taxable distributions. The Financial Highlights tables at the end of this Prospectus show each Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate during the past fiscal years.
Temporary Defensive Instruments.
In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, each Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of
its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations,
repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in money market securities may limit a Portfolio’s ability
to pursue or achieve its investment objective and could reduce the benefit to the Portfolio from any upswing in the market, but can help to preserve the value of the Portfolio's assets when markets are
unstable.
AST AB GLOBAL BOND PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek to
generate current income consistent with preservation of capital.
Principal Investment Policies
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed-income securities.
The Portfolio invests in a broad
range of fixed-income securities in both developed and emerging markets (in at least three countries), with investments denominated in either local currency or the US dollar. The percentage of the Portfolio’s
assets invested in a particular country or denominated in a particular currency vary in accordance with
112
assessments of
the relative yield and appreciation potential of various securities and currencies relative to the US dollar. The Portfolio invests at least 40% of its assets in non-US companies under normal circumstances. In
determining whether a company is a non-US company, the subadviser will evaluate the issuer’s “country of risk.” The issuer’s “country of risk” will be determined based on a number
of criteria, including its country of domicile, the primary stock exchange on which it trades, the location from which the majority of its revenue comes, and its reporting currency. The Portfolio can invest across all
fixed-income sectors, including US and non-US government securities, and across a range of maturities. The Portfolio may use borrowings or other leverage for investment purposes.
Under normal circumstances, the
Portfolio invests at least 75% of its net assets in fixed income securities rated investment grade at the time of investment, and may invest up to 25% of its net assets in below investment grade fixed income
securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”).
The Subadviser selects securities
for purchase or sale based on its assessment of the securities’ risk and return characteristics as well as the securities’ impact on the overall risk and return characteristics of the Portfolio. In making
this assessment, the Subadviser takes into account various factors, including the credit quality and sensitivity to interest rates of the securities under consideration and of the Portfolio’s other holdings.
The Subadviser
actively manages the Portfolio’s assets in relation to market conditions and general economic conditions and adjusts the Portfolio’s investments in an effort to best enable the Portfolio to achieve its
investment objective. Thus, the percentage of the Portfolio’s assets invested in a particular country or denominated in a particular currency vary in accordance with assessment of the relative yield and
appreciation potential of such securities and the relationship of the country’s currency to the US dollar. Based on the subadviser’s investment criteria, the Portfolio invests in higher spread products
relative to its benchmark index and, depending on market conditions, may underperform the benchmark during times of “risk-off” environments.
The Portfolio may invest in
mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, loan participations, inflation-protected securities, structured securities, variable, floating, and inverse floating-rate instruments and preferred stock, and may
use other investment techniques. The Portfolio may, among other things, enter into transactions such as reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls.
The Portfolio may invest, without
limit, in derivatives including, but not limited to futures (including bond, currency, equity, index and interest rate futures), currency forwards, options (swap options, options on currencies and options on
currencies) and swaps (including credit default, credit default swap index, interest rate and total return swaps). The Portfolio may invest in derivatives for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, including, for
example, seeking to enhance returns or as a substitute for a position in an underlying asset. The Portfolio may invest in derivatives to manage the Portfolio’s overall risk exposure. The Portfolio also uses
derivatives to obtain leverage (market exposure in excess of the Portfolio’s assets). In seeking to manage foreign currency exposure, the Portfolio may utilize forward contracts and option contracts, both
written and purchased, either to increase or decrease exposure to a given currency. In seeking to manage event risks, the Portfolio may utilize short futures on commodities, as well as on foreign and domestic equity
indexes and option contracts, both written and purchased, on individual equity securities owned by the Portfolio.
AST American
funds growth allocation Portfolio
Investment Objective:
The investment objective of the Portfolio will be to seek to achieve long-term growth of capital and secondarily to generate income.
Principal Investment Policies:
The Portfolio is a “fund-of-funds.” This means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in one or more mutual funds in accordance with the Portfolio’s
asset allocation strategy, subject to a portion of the Portfolio invested in the liquidity strategy described below. The mutual funds in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the
“Underlying Portfolios” and the risks discussed in this Prospectus may also be applicable to the Underlying Portfolios. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio will invest in a mix of
Underlying Portfolios managed by an affiliate of the Subadviser in different combinations and
weightings.
113
Under normal
circumstances, the Underlying Portfolios of the Portfolio in the aggregate will invest approximately 70% of their assets in equity and equity-related securities, and approximately 30% of their assets in fixed income
and fixed income-related securities, including the liquidity strategy described below. This mix may vary over short time periods; the portion invested in equity and equity-related securities may range between 60 and
80% and the portion invested in fixed income and fixed income-related securities may range between 20 and 40%.
With respect to its equity
investments, the Portfolio will seek to generate some of its income from investments in Underlying Portfolios that invest in common stock of companies that have the potential to pay dividends in the future. The
Portfolio may invest in Underlying Portfolios with exposure to issuers domiciled outside the United States, including those domiciled in emerging markets. While the Underlying Portfolios may vary on what is considered
an emerging market, generally, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index reflects the market sectors and securities for which the Underlying Portfolios will invest. The Subadviser believes that exposure to issuers domiciled
outside the United States can help provide diversification when seeking long-term growth of capital and current income. The Portfolio may also invest in Underlying Portfolios with exposure to small-capitalization
stocks.
With respect to its fixed income
investments, the Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests may hold debt securities with a wide range of quality and maturities. The Portfolio may invest in Underlying Portfolios with significant exposure
to lower quality, higher yielding debt securities rated Ba1 or below and BB+ or below by Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations designated by the Subadviser, or unrated but determined by the Subadviser
to be of equivalent quality. Securities rated BB+ or below and Ba1 or below are sometimes referred to as “high yield bonds” or “junk bonds.” Such securities may include securities backed by
mortgages or other assets and would be subject to the limitations of the Underlying Portfolios.
The Underlying Portfolios may hold
securities issued and guaranteed by the US government, securities issued by federal agencies and instrumentalities and securities backed by mortgages or other assets. The Underlying Portfolios may also invest in the
debt securities of governments, agencies, corporations and other entities domiciled outside the United States.
The asset allocation strategy will
be determined by the Subadviser. The Subadviser will seek to create combinations of Underlying Portfolios that complement each other with a goal of achieving the Portfolio’s investment objective of providing
long-term growth of capital while providing current income. In making this determination, the Subadviser will consider the historical volatility and returns of the Underlying Portfolios and how various combinations
would have behaved in past market environments. While past performance may not be indicative of future results, the Subadviser believes that analyzing historical returns and volatility may aid in determining Portfolio
allocations. The Subadviser will also consider, among other topics, current market conditions and the investment positions of the Underlying Portfolios.
The Subadviser will monitor and
review the investment strategies and asset mix of the Underlying Portfolios. The Subadviser will also consider whether overall market conditions would favor a change in the exposure of the Portfolio to various asset
types or geographic regions. Based on these considerations, the Subadviser may make adjustments to Underlying Portfolio holdings by adjusting the percentage of individual Underlying Portfolios within the Portfolio, or
by adding or removing Underlying Portfolios. The Subadviser may also determine not to change the Underlying Portfolio allocations, particularly in response to short-term market movements, if in its opinion the
combination of Underlying Portfolios is appropriate to meet the Portfolio’s investment objective. The Underlying Portfolios anticipated to be utilized by the Portfolio at inception are as follows:
114
| Fund Name | Investment Objective |
| AF Bond Fund of America (Class R-6) | Provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital. |
The Portfolio will also include a
liquidity strategy that will be implemented once the Portfolio reaches certain asset levels. Once implemented, the Subadviser will allocate up to 15% of the Portfolio’s net assets to the liquidity strategy
depending on asset levels. The liquidity strategy is expected to be invested primarily in (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts, and options
thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds to
satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the swap, forward, and futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may deviate from the
allocation range indicated, including being as low as 0%, due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process.
Temporary Defensive
Instruments.
In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, the Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of
its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations,
repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in money market securities limits our ability to pursue or
achieve our investment objective, but can help to preserve the value of the Portfolio’s assets when markets are unstable.
AST COLUMBIA ADAPTIVE RISK
ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek to
pursue consistent total returns by allocating risks across multiple asset classes.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio, under normal
circumstances, seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating portfolio risk across multiple asset classes in US and non-US markets with the goal of generating consistent risk-adjusted returns. For these
purposes, risk is the expected volatility (i.e., dispersion of returns) of a security, market, index, or asset class, as determined by the Portfolio’s Subadviser.
The Subadviser
employs quantitative and fundamental methods to identify distinct market environments and creates a strategic risk allocation for each environment that is intended to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns in that
environment. Allocations of risk to asset classes may differ significantly across market environments. In addition to strategic risk allocations based on the market environment, the Subadviser may make tactical
adjustments within and among asset classes and pursue opportunistic strategies in response to changing market, economic, or other conditions.
The Subadviser may use a variety
of security and instrument types to gain exposure to equity securities, inflation-hedging assets, and fixed income securities (generally consisting of fixed income securities issued by governments, which are referred
to as interest rate assets, and other fixed income securities, which are referred to as spread assets). The equity securities in which the Portfolio may invest include direct or indirect investments in common stocks,
preferred stocks, and convertible securities. The inflation-hedging assets in which the Portfolio may invest include direct or indirect investments in commodity-related investments, including certain types of
commodities-linked derivatives or notes, inflation-linked bonds and real estate investment trusts. The fixed income assets in which the Portfolio may invest include direct and indirect investments in corporate bonds,
structured securities (including asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, and collateralized loan obligations), securities in the to-be-announced market, dollar rolls, exchange-traded notes (including both
leveraged and inverse notes), equity- or index-linked notes, sovereign debt obligations (including emerging market sovereign debt obligations), US Government securities, repurchase agreements, and reverse repurchase
agreements. The Subadviser determines, in its discretion, the categorization of any investment (or portion thereof) within one or more of the general asset class categories.
115
The Portfolio may invest in
securities and instruments issued by both US and non-US entities, including issuers in emerging market countries. The Portfolio may also invest in currencies. The Portfolio may invest in companies that have market
capitalizations of any size. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity (and does not seek to maintain a particular dollar-weighted average maturity) and of any credit quality, including
investments that are rated below investment-grade or are deemed to be of comparable quality (commonly referred to as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”).
The Portfolio may
invest in privately placed and other securities or instruments that are purchased and sold pursuant to Rule 144A or other exemptions under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), subject to liquidity
determinations and certain regulatory restrictions.
The Portfolio may invest in
derivatives, such as forward contracts (including forward foreign currency contracts), futures (including currency, equity, index, interest rate and other bond futures), options and swaps (including credit default
swaps, credit default swaps indexes, interest rate swaps and portfolio and total return swaps). The Portfolio may invest in derivatives for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, including, for example, seeking to
enhance returns or as a substitute for a position in an underlying asset. The Portfolio may invest in derivatives to manage the Portfolio’s overall risk exposure. The Portfolio also uses derivatives to obtain
leverage (market exposure in excess of the Portfolio’s assets). The Portfolio may utilize significant amounts of leverage within certain asset classes and during certain market environments in order to maintain
attractive expected risk-adjusted returns while adhering to the Portfolio’s risk allocation framework. The Subadviser anticipates that the Portfolio’s net notional investment exposure will be approximately
150% of the net assets of the Portfolio in the market environment that the Subadviser expects to be the most frequent, although leverage may be significantly higher or lower in other market environments or when the
Subadviser otherwise believes conditions so warrant.
The Portfolio may also take short
positions, for hedging or investment purposes. When the Portfolio takes a short position, it typically sells a currency, security or other asset that it has borrowed in anticipation of a decline in the price of the
asset. To close out a short position, the Portfolio buys back the same security or other asset in the market and returns it to the lender. If the price of the security or other asset falls sufficiently, the Portfolio
will make money. If it instead increases in price, the Portfolio will lose money.
The Portfolio may hold a
significant amount of cash, money market instruments (which may include investments in one or more affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds or similar vehicles), other high-quality, short-term investments, or
other liquid assets for investment purposes or to meet its segregation obligations as a result of its investments in derivatives. In certain market conditions, the Portfolio may have no market positions (i.e., the
Portfolio may hold only cash and cash equivalents) when the Subadviser believes it is in the best interests of the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may invest in the
securities and instruments described herein directly or indirectly through investments in other mutual funds, real estate investment trusts, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) (including both leveraged
and inverse ETFs) managed by third parties or the subadviser or its affiliates. In particular, the Portfolio invests significantly in Columbia Commodity Strategy Fund and Columbia Real Estate Equity Fund but may also
invest significantly in other underlying funds. Depending on current and expected market and economic conditions, the Portfolio may invest all of its assets in underlying funds.
The Portfolio’s investment
strategy may involve the frequent trading of portfolio securities.
The Portfolio is non-diversified
under the 1940 Act and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
AST EMERGING MANAGERS
DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek total
return.
116
Principal Investment Policies
In seeking to achieve its
investment objective, the Portfolio allocates its assets across various investment strategies to provide exposure to a mix of domestic and international equity and fixed income markets, as well as alternative
investments. Under normal circumstances, approximately 48% of the Portfolio’s net assets are allocated to equity market strategies and approximately 32% of the Portfolio’s net assets are allocated to fixed
income market strategies, with the remaining approximately 20% of the Portfolio’s net assets allocated to alternative strategies. The Portfolio is designed to provide access to institutional investment
strategies managed by emerging manager investment firms. In selecting subadvisers for the Portfolio, the Portfolio's Manager focuses on smaller or mid-size subadvisers and/or those subadvisers that are female or
minority owned, but does not apply any quantitative limits on a subadviser’s total assets under management or on the subadviser’s assets under management within a specific investment strategy. In
determining whether to retain a subadviser after the subadviser’s assets under management have increased, either generally or within a specific investment strategy, the Manager considers a variety of factors,
including transition costs and available options. The Manager may recommend replacement of a subadviser due to an increase in assets under management, but is not required to do so. In connection with a subadviser
transition, the Manager may temporarily allocate assets away from the outgoing subadviser, but still maintain market exposure, such as through ETFs and other pooled investment vehicles.
Approximately 60-70% of the
Portfolio’s assets are currently allocated to two Subadvisers, each of which is an emerging manager and each of which provides a distinct investment strategy. The Manager manages the remaining 30-40% of the
Portfolio’s assets.
The Portfolio has
four strategies: a domestic large-cap core strategy, subadvised by Dana Investment Advisors, Inc. (Dana), a core plus fixed income strategy, subadvised by Longfellow Investment Management Co. (Longfellow), an
international equity strategy, managed by the Manager, and an alternative strategy, also managed by the Manager. When the Portfolio’s asset size increases, it is expected to have four strategies that invest in
equity securities (large cap core, large cap value, large cap growth and small cap core), two strategies that invest in primarily international equities, one fixed income strategy (core plus fixed-income), and two
alternative strategies.
The Manager manages the
international equity strategy and an alternative strategy. The Manager seeks to provide exposure to these strategies by investing in non-US equity, and alternative ETFs and other pooled vehicles in a manner consistent
with the Portfolio’s investment objectives, policies, and restrictions. Investments in ETFs and other pooled vehicles will subject these Portfolio strategies to the risks associated with the ETFs and other
pooled investment vehicles. As the Portfolio’s asset size increases, the Manager will select subadvisers to actively manage each of these investment strategies. It is expected that as the Portfolio’s
assets grow the Portfolio will be nearly fully allocated to emerging subadvisers and the allocation to the Manager will be minimal. Depending on market conditions and the strategy of the selected subadviser, it is
possible for the Portfolio to perform better or worse when it is actively managed versus managed by investing in ETFs and other pooled investment vehicles.
The asset strategies of the
Portfolio are described below:
1.
Domestic Large-Cap Core Strategy:
Dana manages this strategy for the Portfolio.
The domestic large-cap core strategy seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation and income with lower volatility than traditional equity portfolios, seeking to combine risk
management with upside return potential. Dana employs a hybrid investment approach consisting of sector-relative quantitative modeling and fundamental analysis. Dana’s investment process is a sector-neutral
relative-value approach that seeks to minimize volatility. Dana employs a risk-controlled relative-value equity strategy. The strategy is designed to resemble the broad market, add value above market returns through
superior stock selection, yet exhibit lower volatility than the market. The starting universe used to select equity securities is the largest 700 companies listed on major US exchanges, based on market capitalization.
Large cap companies are defined as companies having a market capitalization of over $5 billion at the time of purchase. Individual securities in the strategy are chosen after rigorous fundamental research to identify
companies with attractive valuations relative to peer companies, relative to the broader economic sector in which companies are members, and relative to the historical and forecasted growth the companies may
exhibit.
117
2.
Core Plus Fixed Income Strategy:
Longfellow manages this strategy for the Portfolio.
Longfellow’s overall objectives are to preserve capital, minimize volatility and earn attractive risk-adjusted returns. Longfellow’s philosophy is based on the premise
that upside is limited in fixed income. Downside risk, however, is substantial, so fixed income management should focus on evaluating risk. Longfellow seeks to produce incremental return by investing in undervalued
sectors of the fixed income market and mispriced securities within these sectors. Longfellow evaluates sectors and individual securities by attributing yield spread to the various risk elements: credit risk, call
risk, event risk and liquidity to identify “cheap” sectors and securities. The objective is to identify those investments that offer incremental return after all the risks are identified. Cheap sectors and
securities exist because several non-economic factors affect pricing, including supply/demand imbalances, analytical and/or administrative complexity, size constraints, and investor biases.
3.
International Equity Strategy:
The Manager is responsible for the Portfolio’s international equity strategy. The Manager manages the international equity strategy as a
completion strategy to the Portfolio and, consistent with the Portfolio’s investment objectives, policies, and restrictions, attains exposures to non-US markets via investment in ETFs and other pooled
investments. The allocation to the international equity strategy is managed commensurate with the international equity allocation found in the Portfolio’s blended benchmark index and across moderate allocation
fund peers. The allocation among ETFs and other pooled investments within this segment is based on multiple factors, including index tracking, cost, liquidity, and relative market and country exposures found among
non-US equity peers. As such, a portion of assets may be invested in other funds tracking emerging market equity indices or country-regional equity indices. It is expected that as the Portfolio grows and additional
subadvisers are identified and introduced onto the Portfolio that the Manager’s role within the international component will diminish.
4.
Fixed Income Credit Strategy:
The Manager is responsible for the Portfolio’s fixed-income credit strategy. The Manager manages the fixed-income credit Sleeve as a completion
sleeve to the Portfolio in conjunction with the Longfellow-managed core plus fixed-income strategy. In this capacity, the Manager invests in fixed income pooled vehicles looking to attain exposure to investment grade
and high yield credit markets, assisting the Portfolio in gaining credit exposures commensurate with the Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index and core bond manager peers. The allocation among pooled investments
within this strategy is based on multiple factors including index tracking, cost, liquidity, and relative market and sector exposures found among core bond peers. As such, a portion of the assets may be invested in
vehicles exposed to high yield fixed income markets. It is expected that as the Portfolio grows and additional exposures are attainable by subadvisers, the Manager’s role within the fixed income credit strategy
will diminish.
5.
Alternative Strategy:
The Manager, consistent with the Portfolio’s objectives, policies, and restrictions, is responsible for investing in alternative investments through other
pooled vehicles and ETFs. The Manager identifies and invests in liquid alternative strategies that provide diversification and potential equity downside protection during extreme events. Allocations among alternative
ETFs and other pooled vehicles will change as a result of strategy allocation decisions by the Manager or the addition of other emerging manager subadvisers. It is expected that as the Portfolio grows and additional
subadvisers are identified and introduced onto the Portfolio that the Manager’s role within the alternative strategy will diminish.
AST FQ ABSOLUTE RETURN CURRENCY
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek
absolute returns not highly correlated with any traditional asset class
.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objective by implementing a tactical currency allocation strategy that seeks to maximize returns by making diversified investments in global currency-related investments in order to take advantage of market
anomalies. The multi-strategy nature of tactical currency allocation strategy allows the Portfolio’s subadviser to take advantage of price inefficiencies and investor irrationality that often result from market
volatility.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in currency-related investments. The Portfolio invests primarily in currency-related
investments of developed countries. The Portfolio may also invest in emerging market
118
currency-related investments considered to be
liquid. Currency-related investments may include all currency purchased on the spot market, forwards, swaps, futures, and options as well as US and foreign government and agency bills, notes and securities. The
Portfolio seeks to generate total returns with low correlation to other asset classes.
The Portfolio may also invest in
derivative instruments as a means of hedging risk and/or for investment purposes, which may include altering the Portfolio’s exposure to interest rates, sectors and individual issuers. These derivative
instruments may include futures, forward foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The Portfolio may also invest in high quality (being
rated BBB or above or equivalent by a recognized rating agency) short-term money market instruments such as bank deposits, fixed or floating rate instruments (including but not limited to commercial paper), floating
rate notes, certificates of deposit, debentures, asset backed securities and government or corporate bonds, cash and cash equivalents (including but not limited to treasury bills).
The Portfolio’s subadviser
may consider selling a security for several reasons, including when (1) its fundamentals deteriorate or its price appears overvalued relative to other currencies; (2) its security price appears to be overvalued; or
(3) a more attractive investment opportunity is identified. The Portfolio’s investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the Portfolio may not be
invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. The Portfolio may also invest in securities and other investments as described in the Portfolio’s Statement of Additional Information. Any
percentage limitations with respect to assets of the Portfolio are applied at the time of purchase. The Portfolio may invest in cash or money market instruments for the purpose of meeting redemption requests or making
other cash payments.
The Portfolio may invest up to
100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments, or other investment-grade short-term securities, for the purpose of protecting the Portfolio in the event the subadviser determines that market, economic,
political, or other conditions warrant a defensive posture. To the extent that the Portfolio is in a defensive position, its ability to achieve its investment objective will be limited.
In abnormal circumstances, the
Portfolio may temporarily invest extensively in investment-grade short term securities. In these and other cases, the Portfolio might not achieve its investment objective.
AST FRANKLIN TEMPLETON K2
GLOBAL ABSOLUTE RETURN PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek capital
appreciation with reduced market correlation
.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio will employ a
flexible global asset allocation approach that aims to invest at least 40% of its assets in investments that are economically tied to a number of countries throughout the world. Under normal market conditions, the
subadvisers may seek to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective by: (1) investing in a diversified core portfolio of equity, fixed income, and alternative investments; and (2) strategically adjusting
the Portfolio’s exposure to certain asset classes independent of the investment strategies that comprise the diversified core portfolio in a manner consistent with the Portfolio’s conditional risk overlay
strategy (CRO Strategy). The Portfolio may invest in traditional asset classes, such as equity and fixed income investments, and certain alternative investment strategies, including, but not limited to, a hedge fund
replication strategy (Hedge Fund Replication Strategy) and a risk premia strategy (Risk Premia Strategy).
The Portfolio may invest in
varying combinations of assets, including: (i) securities, including, without limitation, common stocks, preferred stocks, and bonds; (ii) other pooled investment vehicles, including, without limitation, open-end or
closed-end investment companies, exchange-traded funds, and unit investment trusts (collectively referred to herein as Underlying Portfolios) which may be managed by the subadviser or its affiliates; (iii) certain
structured notes and financial and derivative instruments, including total return swaps, options and futures contracts; and (iv) cash or cash-related instruments. Derivative instruments of the Portfolio and Underlying
Portfolios may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps,
119
interest rate swaps and structured notes
including, without limitation, currency index structured notes, risk premia structured notes, and risk premia exchange traded notes. The Portfolio’s net obligations with respect to all swap agreements (i.e., the
aggregate net amount owned by the Portfolio) may exceed 15% of its net assets.
Investment Process.
K2 is responsible for managing the Portfolio’s tactical asset allocation, re-balancing the Portfolio’s allocations to the various asset classes and investment strategies
described below, and cash management. K2 has discretion to change the targets and ranges set forth below, and also to determine whether to implement an investment strategy by investing directly in securities or by
investing in Underlying Portfolios and/or ETFs. The investment strategies and the targets and ranges (expressed as a percentage of the Portfolio’s assets) for allocating the Portfolio’s assets among the
investment strategies are as follows:
| Investment Strategy | Target | Range |
| Global Equity Strategy | 45% | 20-60% |
| Multi-Sector Fixed Income Strategy | 22% | 20-50% |
| Hedge Fund Replication Strategy | 18% | 10-30% |
| Risk Premia Strategy | 15% | 10-30% |
Global Equity Strategy:
Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio allocates a portion of its assets to a global equity strategy. This strategy may be pursued through
investments in Underlying Portfolios (including ETFs) or through management by Templeton Global Equity Group which under normal market conditions, invests primarily in the equity securities of companies located
anywhere in the world, including emerging markets. Such equity securities are common stock. Although the Global Equity Strategy seeks investments across a number of countries and sectors, from time to time, based on
economic conditions, this strategy may have significant positions in particular countries or sectors.
When choosing equity investments
for the Global Equity Strategy, Templeton Global applies a “bottom-up,” value-oriented, long-term approach, focusing on the market price of a company’s securities relative to the investment
manager’s evaluation of the company’s long-term earnings, asset value and cash flow potential. Templeton Global will also consider a company’s price/earnings ratio, price/cash flow ratio, profit
margins and liquidation value.
Income Strategy:
Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio allocates a portion of its assets to the multi-sector fixed income strategy. This strategy may be pursued
through investments in Underlying Portfolios (including ETFs) or through management by Franklin Advisers, which will, under normal market conditions invest at least 65% of its assets in US and foreign debt securities,
including those in emerging markets. Debt securities include all varieties of fixed and floating rate income securities, including bonds, bank loans (and loan participations), convertible securities, mortgage-backed
securities (including commercial mortgage backed securities and residential mortgage backed securities) and other asset-backed securities, and municipal securities. The Income Strategy shifts its investments among
various classes of debt securities and at any given time may have a substantial amount of its assets invested in any one of such classes.
The Income Strategy may invest up
to 100% of its assets in high yield, lower-quality debt securities (also known as junk bonds). The below-investment grade debt securities in which the Income Strategy invests are generally rated at least Caa by
Moody’s or CCC by S&P
®
or are unrated securities that Franklin Advisers determines are of comparable quality.
The Income Strategy may also
invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the US government or by non-US governments or their respective agencies or instrumentalities, including mortgage-backed securities and inflation-indexed securities issued
by the US Treasury.
The Income Strategy may enter into
various currency-related transactions involving derivative instruments, including currency and cross currency forwards, currency swaps, and currency and currency index futures contracts and currency options. The
Income Strategy may also enter into interest rate and credit-related transactions involving derivative instruments, including interest rate and credit default swaps and bond/ interest rate futures contracts. The
120
Income Strategy may also enter into options on
credit default swaps, inflation linked instruments, credit structured notes and collateralized debt obligations. The use of these derivative instruments may allow the Income Strategy to obtain net long or net short
exposures to selected currencies, interest rates, or obtain exposure to various market sectors.
Franklin Advisers uses a
“top-down” analysis of macroeconomic trends combined with a “bottom-up” fundamental analysis of market sectors, industries, and issuers to try to take advantage of varying sector reactions to
economic events. Franklin Advisers will evaluate country risk, business cycles, yield curves, and values between and within markets.
Hedge Fund Replication Strategy:
Under normal market conditions, K2 may directly manage a portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a manner it believes to be consistent with
its hedge fund replication strategy. This strategy seeks to achieve investment returns over a full market cycle that approximate the risk and return characteristics of a diversified pool of hedge fund investments. The
Hedge Fund Replication Strategy may try to achieve its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of instruments that K2 believes may provide exposure to the market risk (or beta) of a diversified pool of hedge
fund investments based upon K2’s proprietary hedge fund index.
The Hedge Fund Replication
Strategy is based on the belief that one can largely recreate the “beta” of a hedge fund index or other diversified pool of hedge fund investments. Beta, for these purposes, is the systemic return from the
market and not a return from investment skill of one or more managers or “alpha.” The investment strategy seeks to provide the beta return of a benchmark hedge fund index, group of hedge fund indices or
other large pool of hedge funds that is diversified across a large number of hedge fund managers, while providing a more liquid portfolio. Thus, by using derivative and other instruments to recreate the beta
sensitivity profile of a hedge fund index or a diversified portfolio of hedge fund managers, as a group, the Hedge Fund Replication Strategy is attempting to approximate those returns.
The Hedge Fund Replication
Strategy’s investment methodology is based on attempting to recreate the estimated beta profile a diversified pool of hedge fund investments. The Hedge Fund Replication Strategy may seek to accomplish this by
using K2’s proprietary algorithmic regression techniques in an attempt to infer the K2 proprietary hedge fund index’s exposure to various risk factors or market exposures and then may invest in a portfolio
of instruments designed to achieve exposure to those markets.
The Hedge Fund Replication
Strategy may establish long or short positions in a variety of market exposures, including but not limited to: US and non-US equity indices (including emerging markets), US and non-US fixed income indices, credit
indices, interest rates, the US dollar index, foreign currency exchange rates, and commodity indices.
The Hedge Fund Replication
Strategy may invest in a variety of derivative and other instruments including, but not limited to, the following seeking to achieve such market exposures: futures (including equity index futures, interest rate
futures, bond futures, US dollar index futures, and commodity futures), ETFs, swaps (including total return swaps on indices), listed options on indices, structured notes including, without limitation, currency index
structured notes, risk premia structured notes, and risk premia exchanged traded notes, and such other instruments as K2 determines in its discretion. The Hedge Fund Replication Strategy may also invest in US
government securities and other high quality debt securities, cash, and cash equivalents.
Risk Premia Strategy:
K2 may directly implement or allocate a portion of the Portfolio’s assets to risk premia strategies. Risk premia investing seeks to access
investable systematic strategies that have low correlation to traditional beta investments. These “alternative beta” strategies are designed to be liquid, and transparent, and potentially offer an
alternative source of return to complement a traditional asset class range. By designating a portion of the Portfolio to risk premia strategies, K2 is seeking to capture the excess return associated with each
investment, while also enhancing the risk-return profile of the overall Portfolio.
121
The Risk Premia Strategy may be
accessed through derivative instruments, including, but not limited to, structured notes and/or total return swaps. The Risk Premia Strategy may invest any amount in structured notes including, without limitation,
currency index structured notes, risk premia structured notes, and risk premia exchange traded notes; structured notes may be used for any purpose including hedging or to seek investment gains. In addition, the Risk
Premia Strategy may also invest in US government securities and other high quality debt securities, cash, and cash equivalents.
CRO Strategy:
From time to time, K2 may directly implement its CRO Strategy. The objective of the CRO Strategy is to hedge selectively against undesirable market sensitivities
which may exist in the Portfolio in an attempt to enhance performance relative to risk by investing in a portfolio of securities, options, derivatives, or other instruments. When implemented, the CRO Strategy is
intended to take short-term, relatively liquid positions in an effort to mitigate or otherwise hedge undesirable portfolio sensitivities in the Portfolio. K2 intends for the CRO Strategy to act as a hedge against
negative market events.
The CRO Strategy may invest in a
wide range of derivative contracts, including, but not limited to, options, futures, swaps, forwards and other instruments as K2 determines in its discretion. The CRO Strategy may also invest in US government
securities (including agency debentures) and other high quality debt securities, cash, and cash equivalents.
K2 evaluates the exposure of the
Portfolio to a number of variables, including equities, bonds, currencies, and commodities. K2 evaluates these components to estimate whether the market environment is perceived as favorable or unfavorable to the
Portfolio. If K2 determines that an outlook is unfavorable, K2 may enter into one or more transactions to mitigate such risk of loss conditions.
AST Goldman sachs global growth
allocation portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek total
return made up of capital appreciation and income.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio employs a flexible,
global asset allocation approach. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio seeks to invest approximately 40% of its total assets in countries other than the United States (and typically invests no less than 25% of
its total assets in such countries), however these amounts may vary based on the Subadviser’s views on investment opportunities and market outlook. It seeks to meet its investment objective through exposure to
traditional asset classes, such as equity and fixed-income investments, as well as alternative asset classes, such as investments in real estate, commodities, unconstrained multi-sector fixed income and alternative
strategies (e.g., quantitative trend following managed futures). In addition, the Portfolio has a strategic long-term overweight to international, emerging and growth markets (such as China, India, Brazil, Russia,
South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey). Under normal circumstances, approximately 50-90% of the Portfolio’s assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities, equity strategies, or other
strategies seeking a similar return as determined by the Subadviser. In addition, approximately 10-40% of the Portfolio’s assets are invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities, fixed income
strategies, or other asset classes and strategies that seek to mitigate risk, as determined by the Subadviser. These ranges relate to the Portfolio’s invested assets and do not include cash holdings. These
exposures may be obtained through (i) investments in affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs); (ii) the purchase of “physical” securities (such as common
stocks and bonds); and (iii) the use of derivatives (such as futures contracts, currency forwards, equity index options and interest rate options). Derivative instruments of the Portfolio and underlying funds and ETFs
may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return on swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The specific allocation of assets among equity and fixed income asset
classes will vary from time to time, as determined by the Subadviser’s short- to medium-term tactical views.
The Portfolio is a risk aware
diversified portfolio of long-only asset classes and liquid hedge fund-like exposures. The Portfolio uses an unconstrained, return-oriented strategy that seeks capital appreciation throughout investment cycles by
playing on global growth themes. While the Portfolio spans across asset classes and allocates to several risk
122
factors, it also has a strategic long-term
overweight to international, emerging and growth markets. The dynamic nature of this less benchmark-aware portfolio will allow the Portfolio to be tilted into the international, emerging and growth markets as market
opportunities arise.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management,
L.P. (GSAM) uses a four-step approach in seeking to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective:
| ■ | GSAM utilizes a strategic asset allocation process to allocate risk across the underlying asset classes and strategies. The strategic asset allocation will be periodically reviewed and adjusted based on the market views of GSAM in order to react to changes in the macro-economic environment. |
| ■ | GSAM implements tactical market views with the goal of improving the Portfolio’s risk-adjusted return. (The risk-adjusted return on an investment takes into account the risk associated with that investment relative to other potential investments). The Portfolio’s positioning may change over time based on short- to medium-term market views on market dislocations and attractive investment opportunities. These views may impact the relative weighting across asset classes as well as the allocation to securities, sectors and industries and the overall level of Portfolio risk. Market views may be developed from multiple sources, including fundamental analysis of the economy, the market cycle, asset class valuation, regulatory and policy action, and market technical or trading factors. |
| ■ | GSAM’s specialist teams select the investments for the Portfolio including the asset class index exposure. |
| ■ | As part of the risk management process, GSAM seeks to assess and adjust portfolio risk using its systems and infrastructure and will attempt to design and implement strategies that may mitigate potential losses. GSAM monitors the potential for market drawdowns using a broad suite of portfolio management tools and infrastructure. |
GSAM reviews the policy, strategy
mix, and asset allocation on at least an annual basis to determine any necessary changes. Throughout the year, GSAM will monitor the Portfolio to ensure it is operating within the investment guidelines and limits. On
an ongoing basis, the portfolio management team will test the Portfolio for unintended deviations from capital allocation, risk allocation, and asset class strategy targets. Additionally, GSAM due diligence teams
monitor individual managers for volatility, drawdown, beta, and correlation. GSAM also analyzes portfolio-level concentration in individual positions as well as each strategy’s compliance with stated objectives
and guidelines. Lastly, GSAM will perform stress testing on the Portfolio by modeling the performance of alternative portfolios under various market scenarios, for example, GSAM will look at “baseline”
assumptions next to bullish and bearish equity markets. These stress tests provide a solid sense of the “worst case” outcomes so that there is a transparent understanding of potential performance in
extreme market environments. The portfolio management team will maintain regular dialogue and ensure close coordination and continuous monitoring of the Portfolio’s performance objectives, risk tolerance, and
exposure sensitivities.
Throughout the investment process,
portfolio risk is monitored and managed across multiple dimensions. GSAM applies a comprehensive top-down and bottom-up approach to monitoring the Portfolio (e.g., total portfolio, underlying strategy specific,
security and factor risk). GSAM specifically looks at factor risk attribution to equity, rates, emerging markets, convexity (credit), momentum and active risk on a long-term and short-term basis. In addition, it looks
at the Portfolio’s expected and realized absolute and relative volatility to a variety of different benchmarks to capture asset allocation decisions from a top-down perspective and portfolio make-up from a
bottom-up perspective. This entails measuring the Portfolio’s short term risk attribution and comparing to the target risk budget to understand which investments are experiencing higher/lower volatility as well
as higher/lower correlation than expected.
Temporary Defensive
Investments.
In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, the Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of
its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations,
repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in these securities will limit the Subadviser’s ability to
pursue or achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective, but can help to preserve Portfolio assets.
123
AST Goldman sachs global INCOME
portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek high
total return, emphasizing current income and, to a lesser extent, providing opportunities for capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a portfolio of fixed income instruments of US and foreign issuers (measured at the time
of purchase). There is no limit on the extent to which countries, currencies, and non-investment grade credit securities may be included in the Portfolio.
The Portfolio also enters into
transactions in currencies (including foreign currencies), typically through the use of forward contracts and swap contracts to seek to enhance returns and to seek to hedge its portfolio against currency exchange rate
fluctuations. The Portfolio also may invest in other derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes. Derivatives are instruments that have a value based on another instrument, exchange rate, interest rate or
index. The Portfolio’s investments in derivatives may include futures, swaps (including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility, interest rate and currency swaps), to-be-announced contracts
(TBAs), forward rate agreements (FRAs), repurchase agreements and options and currency forwards. The Portfolio may use derivatives instead of buying and selling bonds to manage duration, to gain exposure or to short
individual securities or to gain exposure to a credit or asset backed index.
The fixed income instruments in
which the Portfolio may invest include:
| ■ | Securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises and custodial receipts therefor |
| ■ | Securities issued or guaranteed by a foreign government or any of its political subdivisions, authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or by supranational entities |
| ■ | Corporate debt securities |
| ■ | Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances issued or guaranteed by, or time deposits maintained at, US or foreign banks (and their branches wherever located) having total assets of more than $1 billion; |
| ■ | Commercial paper |
| ■ | Privately issued adjustable rate and fixed rate mortgage loans or other mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities |
| ■ | Non-investment grade fixed income securities and unrated securities of comparable credit quality (commonly known as “junk bonds”) |
| ■ | Other mutual funds |
| ■ | Collateralized Loan Obligations, Collateralized Debt Obligations, and Collateralized Bond Obligations; |
| ■ | Covered Bonds |
| ■ | Municipal securities, including both taxable and tax-exempt securities |
| ■ | Mortgage-backed securities |
| ■ | TBAs |
| ■ | Sovereign and corporate debt securities and other instruments of issuers in emerging market countries |
The Portfolio may also invest in
equity securities received as part of a conversion or restructuring.
Under normal market conditions,
the Portfolio invests at least 40% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) in foreign securities. Foreign securities include securities of issuers located
outside of the US or securities quoted or denominated in a currency other than the US dollar.
The Portfolio is non-diversified
under the 1940 Act and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
AST GOLDMAN SACHS STRATEGIC
INCOME PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek total
return.
124
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio
seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in US and foreign investment grade and non-investment grade fixed income investments (commonly known as “junk bonds”). The Portfolio seeks
both current income and capital appreciation as elements of total return. The Portfolio attempts to exploit pricing anomalies throughout the global fixed income and currency markets. Additionally, the Portfolio uses
short positions and derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes. The Portfolio may sell investments that the Portfolio’s subadviser believes are no longer favorable with regard to these factors.
The Portfolio invests primarily
in: US Government securities (such as US Treasury securities or Treasury inflation protected securities); non-US sovereign debt; agency securities; corporate debt securities; agency and non-agency mortgage-backed
securities; asset-backed securities; custodial receipts; municipal securities; loans and loan participations; and convertible securities. The Portfolio’s investments in loans and loan participations may include,
but are not limited to: (a) senior secured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt; (b) second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt; and (c) other types of secured or
unsecured loans with fixed, floating or variable interest rates. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity.
“Strategic” in the
Portfolio’s name means that the Portfolio seeks both current income and capital appreciation as elements of total return. The Portfolio’s investments in derivatives may include, in addition to forward
currency exchange contracts, futures contracts (including interest rate futures and treasury and sovereign bond futures), options (including options on futures contracts, swaps, bonds, stocks and indexes), swaps
(including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility and currency swaps), and other forward contracts. The Portfolio may sell investments that the portfolio managers believe are no longer favorable with
regard to these factors.
The Portfolio may invest in
non-investment grade fixed income securities which are securities rated BB+, Ba1 or below by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or, if unrated, determined by the Portfolio’s subadviser to
be of comparable credit quality.
The Portfolio may invest in
sovereign and corporate debt securities and other instruments of issuers in emerging market countries. Such investments may include sovereign debt issued by emerging countries that have sovereign ratings below
investment grade or that are unrated. There is no limitation to the amount the Portfolio invests in non-investment grade or emerging market securities. From time to time, the Portfolio may also invest in preferred
stock. The Portfolio’s investments may be denominated in currencies other than the US dollar.
The Portfolio may engage in
forward foreign currency transactions for both investment and hedging purposes. The Portfolio also intends to invest in other derivative instruments. Derivatives are instruments that have a value based on another
instrument, exchange rate, interest rate or index. The Portfolio’s investments in derivatives may include, in addition to forward foreign currency exchange contracts, futures contracts (including interest rate
futures and treasury and sovereign bond futures), options (including options on futures contracts, swaps, bonds, stocks and indexes), swaps (including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility and
currency swaps), and other forward contracts. The Portfolio may use derivatives instead of buying and selling bonds to manage duration, to gain exposure or to short individual securities or to gain exposure to a
credit or asset backed index.
The Portfolio may implement short
positions and may do so by using swaps or futures, or through short sales of any instrument that the Portfolio may purchase for investment. For example, the Portfolio may enter into a futures contract pursuant to
which it agrees to sell an asset (that it does not currently own) at a specified price at a specified point in the future. This gives the Portfolio a short position with respect to that asset. The Portfolio will
benefit to the extent the asset decreases in value (and will be harmed to the extent the asset increases in value) between the time it enters into the futures contract and the agreed date of sale. Alternatively, the
Portfolio may sell an instrument (e.g., a bond, or a futures contract) it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the instrument, and then borrow the instrument to make delivery to the buyer.
In these transactions, the Portfolio is obligated to replace the instrument borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement.
125
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
AST JENNISON GLOBAL
INFRASTRUCTURE PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek total
return.
Principal Investment Policies
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities of US and foreign (non-US based) infrastructure companies.
The Portfolio defines an
infrastructure company as any company that is categorized, based on Global Industry Classification Standards (GICS) industry classifications, as they may be amended from time to time, within the following industries:
Aerospace and Defense, Air Freight and Logistics, Airlines, Building Products, Commercial Services and Supplies, Communications Equipment, Construction and Engineering, Construction Equipment, Diversified
Telecommunication Services, Electric Utilities, Electrical Equipment, Energy Equipment and Services, Gas Utilities, Health Care Providers and Services, Independent Power Producers and Energy Traders, Industrial
Conglomerates, Machinery, Marine, Metals and Mining, Multi-Utilities, Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels, Rail and Road, Transportation Infrastructure, Water Utilities and Wireless Telecommunication Services, and the
following infrastructure related real estate investment trusts (REITs) identified under GICS Sub-Industry classifications: Industrial REITs, Health Care REITs, and Specialized REITs. The subadviser also may amend from
time to time the GICS industries that are included in the Portfolio’s definition of an infrastructure company. Examples of assets held by infrastructure companies include toll roads, airports, rail track,
shipping ports, telecom infrastructure, hospitals, schools, utilities such as electricity, gas distribution networks and water, and oil & gas pipelines.
The
Portfolio’s investments in securities include, but are not limited to, common stocks, preferred stock, listed and unlisted American Depositary Receipts and similar receipts, rights, warrants, securities of
REITs, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), other registered investment companies, convertible securities, investments in various types of business ventures, including partnerships and joint ventures, Master Limited
Partnerships (MLPs) and MLP-related securities, and income and royalty trusts.
The Portfolio may invest in
companies of any size. The Portfolio may invest without limitation in US companies and foreign companies (US and non-US dollar-denominated). The Portfolio typically invests in a number of different countries and may
invest without limitation in companies domiciled in, that do business in or that trade in emerging markets. Under normal market circumstances, the Portfolio typically seeks to invest in at least three different
countries and approximately 40% of total assets in countries other than the United States, however, this amount may vary based on the subadviser’s views on the investment opportunities and market outlook. The
Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its total assets in structured notes. The Portfolio may not invest more than 25% of its net assets in derivative instruments. Derivative instruments of the Portfolio and underlying
funds and ETFs may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in
MLPs and MLP-related securities. Depending on sector and regional allocations, the Portfolio may at times have a more volatile risk profile than its benchmark index or industry peers.
AST legg mason diversified
growth portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek high
risk-adjusted returns compared to the Portfolio’s blended index.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio seeks to meet its
investment goals by allocating its assets among a number of different investment strategies implemented by multiple affiliated subadvisers. QS Investors, LLC (“QS Investors”), one of the Portfolio’s
subadvisers, is responsible for allocating the Portfolio’s assets among the strategies and the subadvisers as well as for implementing the Portfolio’s liquidity strategy described below. The Portfolio
utilizes a “multi-manager” approach, whereby each subadviser provides day-to-day management of the portion of the Portfolio allocated to it. Each subadviser uses different investment strategies in managing
Portfolio assets, acts independently from the others and
126
uses its own methodologies for selecting
investments. QS Investors also may invest the Portfolio’s assets in pooled investment vehicles, as described below, in order to gain exposure to particular asset classes. With the exception of QS Investors, no
more than 30% of the Portfolio’s assets will be allocated by QS Investors to any single subadviser.
Over time the Portfolio’s
assets may be allocated to the following subadvisers to be managed in the strategies listed below:
The strategies available to the
Portfolio are described in more detail below.
The Portfolio invests, under
normal circumstances, approximately 85% of its net assets in equity securities and 15% of its net assets in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods under normal circumstances; the equity
portion may range between 80- 90% of the Portfolio’s total assets and the fixed income portion between 10-20% of the Portfolio’s total assets. The Portfolio’s equity investments include common stock
investments in larger, more established companies as well as in small and medium-sized companies in both developed and emerging economies. Up to 40% of the equity portion of the Portfolio may be allocated to
investment strategies that are invested primarily in foreign (non-US dollar denominated) equity securities. The fixed income portion of the Portfolio may be allocated among investment grade securities; high yield or
“junk” bonds; foreign (non-US dollar denominated) high quality debt securities and emerging market debt securities; and cash reserves. Cash reserves may consist of investments denominated in US-dollar and
non US-dollar currencies. The subadvisers will seek exposure to the relevant asset classes by investing the Portfolio’s assets in varying combinations of (i) securities, including, without limitation, common
stocks, preferred stocks, and bonds; (ii) other pooled investment vehicles, including, without limitation, open-end or closed-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds; and (iii) certain structured notes and
financial and derivative instruments, including swap agreements. Derivative instruments of the Portfolio and underlying funds and ETFs may include futures, foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total
return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps.
The Portfolio’s equity
portion also includes an allocation to a liquidity strategy to provide liquid exposure to applicable equity benchmark indices. QS Investors typically allocates approximately 10% of the Portfolio’s total net
assets to the liquidity strategy. The liquidity strategy’s investments may include (i) derivative instruments including, but not limited to, mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to be announced”
mortgage derivatives), swaps, forwards, index futures, other futures contracts and options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity benchmark indices; and (ii) cash, money market equivalents,
short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt funds in order to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for futures contracts and other liquidity strategy investments and to provide
additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions. The liquidity strategy may also invest in exchange traded funds for additional exposure to relevant markets. The liquidity strategy may temporarily
deviate from the 10% allocation due to redemptions in the Portfolio or other circumstances relevant to the Portfolio’s overall investment process. Additionally, depending upon market, economic, and financial
conditions at the effective date of the Portfolio, and the ability of the Trust and the subadvisers to implement certain legal agreements, the liquidity strategy may not be immediately implemented in the Portfolio.
QS Investors International Equity
Income Strategy
127
This strategy seeks to provide
long-term capital appreciation and income with lower volatility than traditional equity portfolios, seeking to combine risk management with upside return potential. The strategy focuses its investments on equity
securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of non-US companies, including those in developed or emerging markets, in any market capitalization range that are expected to pay dividends. Both
statistical and fundamental risk measures are used to seek to create a diversified portfolio with a lower-than-market risk profile by selecting companies that offer a combination of attractive yields, a record of
increasing dividends and the cash flow to support dividend payments.
QS Investors US Large Cap Equity
Income Strategy
This strategy seeks to provide
long-term capital appreciation and income with lower volatility than traditional equity portfolios, seeking to combine risk management with upside return potential. The strategy focuses its investments on equity
securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of US companies with large market capitalizations that are expected to pay dividends. Both statistical and fundamental risk measures are used to
seek to create a diversified portfolio with a lower-than-market risk profile by selecting companies that offer a combination of attractive yields, a record of increasing dividends and the cash flow to support dividend
payments.
QS Investors US Small Cap Equity
Income Strategy
This strategy seeks to provide
long-term capital appreciation and income with lower volatility than traditional equity portfolios, seeking to combine risk management with upside return potential. The strategy focuses its investments on equity
securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of companies with relatively small market capitalizations domiciled, or having their principal activities in, the US that are expected to pay
dividends. Both statistical and fundamental risk measures are used to seek to create a diversified portfolio with a lower-than-market risk profile by selecting companies that offer a combination of attractive yields,
a record of increasing dividends and the cash flow to support dividend payments.
QS Investors Emerging Markets Equity
Income Strategy
This strategy seeks to provide
long-term capital appreciation and income with lower volatility than traditional equity portfolios, seeking to combine risk management with upside return potential. The strategy focuses its investments on equity
securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of emerging markets issuers in any market capitalization range that are expected to pay dividends. Both statistical and fundamental risk measures
are used to seek to create a diversified portfolio with a lower-than-market risk profile by selecting companies that offer a combination of attractive yields, a record of increasing dividends and the cash flow to
support dividend payments.
Brandywine Dynamic Large Cap Value
Strategy
This strategy seeks to outpace the
long-term total returns of a value-oriented large-cap benchmark, such as the Russell 1000 Value Index, by investing in large-cap stocks with low price/earnings or price/book ratios and attractive quantitative
rankings. To the universe of domestic equities, the subadviser applies capitalization and current valuation screens to identify stocks with market capitalizations among top 1000, P/E ratios or P/B ratios in the bottom
half or quartile, and high multifactor scores. Through extensive quantitative back-testing and the use of sophisticated simulation tools, Brandywine has developed a proprietary multifactor ranking methodology for the
purpose of identifying securities with the potential for outperformance. Factors are dynamically selected based on prevailing market conditions and include balance sheet and income statement data utilized to determine
efficiency of capital deployment by management, earnings quality analysis aimed at discerning between inorganic and organic growth, quantitative measure of investor sentiment, profitability analysis, balance sheet
accrual efficiency, and focus on conservative valuation practices.
Brandywine Global Opportunities Bond
Strategy
128
This strategy focuses its
investments in fixed income securities of issuers located in developed market countries. The strategy invests in both investment grade and below investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as “high
yield debt” or “junk bonds”), although the subadviser does not intend to invest a significant amount of the strategy’s investments in junk bonds. The strategy may invest a portion of its assets
in convertible debt securities. The strategy invests in currency forwards in order to hedge its currency exposure in bond positions or to gain currency exposure. In addition, the strategy may invest in bond futures,
interest rate futures, swaps (including interest rate and total return swaps), and credit default swaps. Derivative investments may be significant at times.
ClearBridge Aggressive Growth
Strategy
This strategy focuses its
investments in common stocks of companies the subadviser believes are experiencing, or will experience, growth in earnings exceeding the average rate of earnings growth of the companies which comprise the S&P 500
Index. The strategy may invest in the securities of large, well-known companies offering prospects of long-term earnings growth. However, because higher earnings growth rates are often achieved by small to medium
capitalization companies, a significant portion of the strategy’s assets may be invested in the securities of such companies. The strategy may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities.
ClearBridge Small Cap Value
Strategy
This strategy focuses its
investments in common stocks and other equity securities of small capitalization companies. The strategy may invest a portion of its assets in shares of companies with larger market capitalizations. The subadviser
emphasizes individual security selection while spreading the strategy’s investments among industries and sectors. The subadviser uses fundamental analysis, supplemented by quantitative methods, to identify
stocks of smaller capitalization companies the subadviser believes have a high probability of outperforming other stocks in the same industry or sector.
ClearBridge International Value
Equity Strategy
This strategy seeks to provide a
value-based, international equity strategy that will outperform the MSCI EAFE Index (net) over a full market cycle of 3-5 years. Investments are made from a universe of approximately 6,500 non-US publicly traded
securities with a market capitalization greater than $100 million. The strategy typically invests in securities from developed and emerging markets diversified across both market sectors and capitalizations.
Western Asset High Yield Bond
Strategy
This strategy focuses its
investments in US dollar denominated debt or fixed income securities that are rated below investment grade. In deciding among the securities in which the strategy may invest, the subadviser takes into account the
credit quality, country of issue, interest rate, liquidity, maturity and yield of a security as well as other factors, including the strategy’s effective duration and prevailing and anticipated market
conditions. The strategy may invest a portion of its total assets in non-US dollar denominated non-US securities. The strategy may also enter into various derivative transactions including, but not limited to,
futures, options, swaps and foreign currency futures, forwards and options. In particular, the strategy may use interest rate swaps, credit default swaps (on individual securities and/or baskets of securities),
options (including options on credit default swaps), futures contracts and/or mortgage-backed securities to a significant extent, although the amounts invested in these instruments may change from time to time. Other
instruments may also be used to a significant extent from time to time.
Western Asset Core
Plus Bond Strategy
This strategy seeks to maximize
total return via an actively managed, well-diversified core fixed income strategy that includes limited exposure to opportunistic debt sectors. As a core fixed income solution focusing on capital preservation and
positive risk-adjusted returns over the long term, the strategy aims to exceed the performance of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index while approximating its level of overall risk. Average effective
duration is maintained to within 30% of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, generally ranging
129
between 2.5 to 7 years. The strategy may allocate
up to 25% in non-U.S. domiciled issues and up to 20% in both below investment grade allocations and non-U.S. dollar allocations. The strategy may also enter into various exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivative
transactions for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, including for purposes for enhancing returns. These derivative transactions include, but are not limited to, futures, options, swaps, foreign currency futures
and forwards.
Principal Investments of the
Portfolio
While the Portfolio is anticipated
to invest primarily in equity securities, the precise mix of equity and fixed income investments will depend on QS Investors’ outlook for the markets. When deciding upon asset allocations, QS Investors may
increase investments in equity securities when strong economic growth is expected, subject to the equity and fixed-income allocation ranges described in “Principal Investment Policies” above. The opposite
may be true if QS Investors believes that the economy is expected to slow sufficiently enough to hurt corporate profit growth. The Portfolio's investments in foreign equity and debt securities will be intended to
provide additional diversification.
Securities may be sold for a
variety of reasons, such as to effect a change in asset allocation, to seek to secure gains or limit losses, or to re-deploy assets into more promising opportunities.
As a portfolio that invests
primarily in equity securities, the Portfolio's risk of loss and share price fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be greater than funds investing in with a lower percentage allocation to equity and funds
investing primarily in fixed income securities. Of course, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Equity Securities.
When selecting particular stocks to purchase, the relevant subadviser may consider relative values and prospects among growth and value-oriented stocks,
domestic and international stocks, and small to large-cap stocks. Investments in non-US dollar denominated stocks may be made solely for capital appreciation or solely for income or any combination of both for the
purpose of seeking a higher overall return. Stocks of companies in developing or emerging markets countries may also be included. The equity portion of the Portfolio also may include convertible securities, preferred
stocks and warrants.
Fixed Income Securities.
Bond investments will be primarily investment grade (top four credit ratings) and are chosen from across the entire government and corporate bond
markets. A portion of the Portfolio's fixed income assets may be invested in high yield bonds, in non-US dollar denominated debt securities and in emerging markets debt securities. A significant portion of the
Portfolio's fixed income investments may be in mortgage-related securities (including mortgage dollar rolls, collateralized mortgage obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities) and asset-backed securities.
Bank debt and loan participations and assignments may also be purchased. Maturities and duration of the fixed income portion of the Portfolio will reflect the relevant subadviser’s outlook for interest rates.
The cash reserves component will consist of high quality domestic and foreign money market instruments.
Other Investments:
Swap Agreements.
The Portfolio may enter into interest rate, index, total return, credit default and currency exchange rate swap agreements. Swaps can be used for a variety of
purposes, including: to manage exposure to changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or
total return or protect the value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk exposure.
Futures and Options.
The Portfolio may enter into stock index, interest rate or currency futures contracts (or options thereon) for hedging purposes or to provide an efficient
means of adjusting the Portfolio's exposure to the equity and fixed income markets. The Portfolio may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies, securities, and financial
indices. The Portfolio may also invest up to 10% of its total assets in hybrid instruments, which generally combine the characteristics of stocks, bonds, futures and options. Additionally, the Portfolio may enter into
forward foreign currency exchange contracts in connection with its foreign investments.
130
Temporary Defensive
Investments.
In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, the Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of
its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations,
repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in these securities will limit the Subadviser’s ability to
pursue or achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective, but can help to preserve Portfolio assets.
AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation with a focus on downside protection.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio operates as a
“fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in a combination of underlying investment companies (the Underlying Portfolios). Under normal market conditions, the
Portfolio allocates its assets among Underlying Portfolios that employ liquid alternative investment strategies. Liquid alternative strategies are those that do not purely pursue long-only investing in equities or
debt instruments, and engage in techniques or asset classes that differentiate them from fully-paid-for long security investments. The Underlying Portfolios primarily include other portfolios of the Trust, but may
also include, to a lesser extent, other affiliated and unaffiliated open-end funds, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objective by allocating its assets among asset classes and investment strategies that typically have had a low correlation to each other and to traditional equity and fixed-income asset classes. The
Portfolio allocates its assets among Underlying Portfolios that employ the following liquid alternative investment strategies:
| ■ | Global macro strategies; |
| ■ | Long/short equity strategies; |
| ■ | Absolute return real asset strategies; and |
| ■ | Unconstrained bond strategies. |
The Manager may change the
Underlying Portfolios – whether affiliated or unaffiliated – from time to time without notice to shareholders. The current investment strategies, allocation ranges (expressed as a percentage of the
Portfolio’s assets), and Underlying Portfolios of the Trust are as follows:
| Underlying Portfolio | Principal Investments | Allocation (1) | Traditional Investment Category |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency | The investment objective of the AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio (the FQ Portfolio) is to seek absolute returns not highly correlated with any traditional asset class. The FQ Portfolio seeks to implement a tactical currency allocation strategy that seeks to maximize returns by making diversified investments in global currency-related investments in order to take advantage of market anomalies. The FQ Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in currency-related investments. The FQ Portfolio invests primarily in currency-related investments of developed countries and may also invest in emerging market currency-related investments considered to be liquid. | 15% | Long/Short Macro Currency |
131
| Underlying Portfolio | Principal Investments | Allocation (1) | Traditional Investment Category |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income | The investment objective of the AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio (the GS Portfolio) is to seek total return. The GS Portfolio seeks both current income and capital appreciation as elements of total return. The GS Portfolio invests primarily in US and foreign investment grade and non-investment grade fixed income investments. The GS Portfolio attempts to exploit pricing abnormalities throughout the global fixed income and currency markets. The GS Portfolio uses short positions and derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes. | 18% | Unconstrained Bond |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset | The investment objective of the AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio (the MS Portfolio) is to seek total return. The MS Portfolio seeks to emphasize positive absolute return while actively controlling downside portfolio risk in order to seek total return. To implement this approach, Morgan Stanley will take long and short positions in a range of securities, other instruments and asset classes to express its investment themes. The MS Portfolio may implement these positions either directly by purchasing securities or through use of derivatives. | 19% | Global Macro |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short | The investment objective of the AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio (the NB Portfolio) is to seek long term capital appreciation with a secondary objective of principal preservation. The NB Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by taking long and short positions in the global securities markets. The NB Portfolio uses long or short positions in common and preferred equity securities, exchange traded funds, fixed income securities, futures contracts on individual securities and indices, swaps, including total return and credit default swaps, foreign currency forward contracts and call and put options on individual securities and indices. | 22% | Long/Short Equity |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return | The investment objective of the AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio (the Wellington Portfolio) is to seek long-term real total return. The Wellington Portfolio seeks to achieve its objective by actively allocating the Wellington Portfolio’s assets to multiple global asset classes that Wellington believes provide attractive valuations and attractive technical characteristics, and, in the aggregate, create a portfolio designed to have low correlation to the equities as represented in the S&P 500 Index. | 18% | Real Asset Absolute Return |
| Cash | 1% |
(1)
The allocation referenced in this table may change over time.
The allocation strategy for the
Portfolio is determined by the Manager’s Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). SIRG may allocate the Portfolio’s assets among these various Underlying Portfolios in different proportions at different
times. SIRG, in its sole discretion, exercises a dynamic tactical allocation strategy in the investment of the various strategies and sub-strategies based upon the risk environment as well as market and economic
conditions. The day-to-day management of the Underlying Portfolios is the responsibility of the relevant subadviser.
SIRG’s Strategy Allocation
Process.
Using a risk-based investment approach, SIRG determines the use of liquid alternative investment strategies and establishes Underlying Portfolio allocation targets based on a collaborative
assessment of the risk environment and each alternative strategy’s exposures. The following summarizes this approach:
132
| ■ | SIRG Manager Research is focused on identifying asset managers skilled in liquid alternatives strategy investment. SIRG Manager Research also provides robust ongoing analysis and insights into portfolio manager performance, positioning, trends and risks inherent with investing in each of the active asset managers. |
| ■ | SIRG Investment Strategy analyzes the market environment to identify potential opportunities and highlight potential risks currently facing active investment managers and strategies. |
| ■ | SIRG Portfolio Construction uses holdings and returns-based analysis and characteristics to identify core exposures of each investment. The group then applies a contribution to risk framework in setting target manager/fund allocations. Using risk parity analysis, drawdown and scenario analysis helps inform the final portfolio allocations. Concurrently, the group overlays common sense diversification and comprehensive analytics-based internal risk controls to ensure proper sizing and compliance with investment guidelines. |
| ■ | Opportunistically, the Portfolio may invest in Underlying Funds or ETFs to help manage overall equity or bond beta, enhance diversification or take advantage of significant market mispricings. This component is driven by both quantitative and qualitative analysis of market opportunities not adequately represented in Underlying Portfolios of the Trust. |
The Portfolio maintains a small
amount of cash to assist with daily fund activity and daily cash flows are used to assist with liquidity, rebalancing the Portfolio to allocation targets, and ensuring compliance with the Portfolio‘s investment
objective and policies. SIRG adjusts the percentage of the Portfolio assets in each strategy in accordance with its expectations regarding the different strategies, and as market conditions or strategy specific issues
warrant.
AST Managed equity portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
provide capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio is
a “fund-of-funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. The other mutual funds in which
the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any
borrowings made for investment purposes) in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity and equity-related securities, including ETFs.
Under normal circumstances, the
Portfolio invests: 10-90% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in domestic equity and equity-related securities; 10-90% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in
international equity and equity-related securities; and up to 30% of its assets in other Underlying Portfolios, such as portfolios that invest globally in equity securities of companies in particular sectors or
industries. Underlying Portfolios may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio.
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by the Subadviser. The Subadviser may allocate the Portfolio's investments among these various asset classes in different proportions at different times. The Subadviser exercises a dynamic tactical
allocation strategy in the investment of the various asset and sub-asset classes based upon market and economic conditions. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally
is determined by the Manager. The Manager employs various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the asset allocation
strategy for the Portfolio.
QMA’s Asset Allocation
Process
QMA typically follows a team
approach to the asset allocation strategy of the Portfolio. QMA identifies investment opportunities by blending the output from quantitatively driven analyses with seasoned portfolio management judgment of its
investment professionals. These analyses incorporate salient insights from academic theory and behavioral finance to identify when asset classes seem mispriced. QMA seeks to add value by tactically overweighting or
underweighting asset classes based on opportunities identified both by the investment processes as well as the insights of the portfolio management team. It may actively change allocations among the underlying asset
classes based on changing market and economic conditions, and may also periodically rebalance asset allocation portfolios to target asset class weights.
133
The Portfolio may also invest up
to 10% of its assets in an overlay sleeve (QMA Overlay Management) to provide particular exposures such as to sectors, countries or industries, and also to provide liquidity. The overlay sleeve may invest directly in
securities, ETFs and other instruments, including swaps, options or futures on a security, a commodity, or an index of securities or commodities, or enter into forward foreign currency transactions (collectively,
derivatives). In addition, the Underlying Portfolios and ETFs in which the Portfolio invests may, to varying degrees, also invest in derivatives.
The Underlying Portfolios as of
the date of this prospectus are as follows:
| Underlying Portfolio | Principal Investments | Asset Category |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio | US Large Cap Core | Domestic Equities |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | US Large Cap Core | Domestic Equities |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | US Large Cap Growth | Domestic Equities |
| AST Large-Cap Value Portfolio | US Large Cap Value | Domestic Equities |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | US Mid Cap Growth | Domestic Equities |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | US Mid Cap Value | Domestic Equities |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio | US Small Cap Value | Domestic Equities |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | US Small Cap Growth | Domestic Equities |
| AST International Value Portfolio | International Stocks | Non-US Equities |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | International Stocks | Non-US Equities |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | Emerging Market Equity | Non-US Equities |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | Other/Global Equity | Other |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | Other/Global Real Estate | Other |
Other Investments
The Portfolio is not limited to
investing exclusively in shares of the Underlying Portfolios. The Portfolio is permitted under current law to invest in “securities” as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act and SEC exemptive
relief, the Portfolio (among others) may invest in ”securities“ (e.g. common stocks, bonds, etc.) and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swap agreements, and other financial and derivative
instruments that are not ”securities“ within the meaning of the 1940 Act. Up to approximately 10% of the Portfolio’s net assets may be allocated to: (i) index futures, other futures contracts, and
options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt
funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions and any variation margin calls with respect to the futures
contracts. This Portfolio may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets.
AST managed fixed income
portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek total
return.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio is
a ”fund-of-funds.“ That means that the Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. The other mutual funds in which
the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any
borrowings made for investment purposes) in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in fixed income assets.
Under normal circumstances, the
Portfolio invests 50-100% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in core bonds and up to 50% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in other fixed income securities.
Underlying Portfolios may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio.
134
The asset allocation strategy is
determined by Subadviser. The Subadviser may allocate the Portfolio's investments among these various asset classes in different proportions at different times. The Subadviser will exercise a dynamic tactical
allocation strategy in the investment of the various asset and sub-asset classes based upon market and economic conditions. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally
will be determined by the Manager. The Manager will employ various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the asset
allocation strategy for the Portfolio.
QMA’s Asset Allocation
Process
QMA typically follows a team
approach in the asset allocation of the Portfolio. QMA identifies investment opportunities by blending the output from quantitatively driven analyses with seasoned portfolio management judgment of its investment
professionals. These analyses incorporate salient insights from academic theory and behavioral finance to identify when asset classes seem mispriced. QMA seeks to add value by tactically overweighting or
underweighting asset classes based on opportunities identified both by the investment processes as well as the insights of the portfolio management team. It may actively change allocations among the underlying asset
classes based on changing market and economic conditions, and may also periodically rebalance asset allocation portfolios to target asset class weights.
The Portfolio may also invest up
to 10% of its assets in an overlay sleeve (QMA Overlay Management) to provide particular exposures such as to sectors, countries or industries and also to provide liquidity. The overlay sleeve may invest directly in
securities, ETFs and other instruments, including swaps, options or futures on a security, a commodity, or an index of securities or commodities, or enter into forward foreign currency transactions (collectively,
derivatives). In addition, the Underlying Portfolios and ETFs in which the Portfolio invests, may, to varying degrees, also invest in derivatives.
The Underlying Portfolios as of
the date of this prospectus are as follows:
Other Investments
The Portfolio is not limited to
investing exclusively in shares of the Underlying Portfolios. The Portfolio is permitted under current law to invest in “securities” as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act and SEC exemptive
relief, the Portfolio (among others) may invest in ”securities“ (e.g. common stocks, bonds, etc.) and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swap agreements, and other financial and derivative
instruments that are not ”securities“ within the meaning of the 1940 Act. Up to approximately 10% of the Portfolio’s net assets may be allocated to: (i) index futures, other futures contracts, and
options thereon to provide liquid exposure to the applicable equity and fixed income benchmark indices and (ii) cash, money market equivalents, short-term debt instruments, money market funds, and short-term debt
funds to satisfy all applicable margin requirements for the futures contracts and to provide additional portfolio liquidity to satisfy large-scale redemptions and any variation margin calls with respect to the futures
contracts. This Portfolio may also invest in ETFs for additional exposure to relevant markets.
AST MORGAN STANLEY MULTI-ASSET
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek total
return.
135
Principal Investment Policies
To pursue its objective, the
Portfolio seeks to emphasize positive absolute return while actively controlling downside portfolio risk. The Portfolio takes long and short positions in a range of securities, other instruments and asset classes to
express its investment themes. The Portfolio may implement these positions either directly by purchasing securities or through the use of derivatives. There is no guarantee that the Portfolio will achieve its goal of
positive absolute return.
The Subadviser’s top-down
investment approach focuses on asset class, sector, region, country and currency selection as opposed to individual security selection. The Portfolio's allocations are the result of relative value and/or directional
views of the markets or individual asset classes taken by the Subadviser based on the results of its fundamental and quantitative research. The Portfolio may at times invest a substantial portion of its assets in one
or more countries (including emerging market countries) or regions. The Portfolio's investments may be US and non-US dollar denominated.
The Portfolio may
invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and similar entities established outside the United States. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments
or supranational organizations or any of their instrumentalities, including debt obligations of governmental issuers located in emerging market or developing countries and sovereign debt, as well as fixed income
securities that are rated below ”investment grade“ or are not rated, but are of equivalent quality. These fixed income securities are often referred to as ”high yield securities“ or ”junk
bonds.“ High yield securities are fixed income securities rated below Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) or below BBB by S&P Global Ratings. (S&P), or if unrated considered by the
Subadviser to be an appropriate investment for the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may invest in
asset-backed securities. The Portfolio may also invest in restricted securities. The mortgage-backed securities in which the Portfolio may invest include mortgage pass-through securities which represent a
participation interest in a pool of mortgage loans originated by US governmental or private lenders such as banks. The Portfolio may also invest in other investment companies, including ETFs.
The Portfolio uses derivative
instruments for a variety of purposes, including as part of its investment strategies, for hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. The Portfolio's use of derivatives may involve the purchase
and sale of derivative instruments such as futures, options, swaps (including primarily total return swaps, interest rate swaps, and credit default swaps), structured investments (including commodity-linked notes) and
other related instruments and techniques. The Portfolio may also invest in currency derivatives, including, but not limited to, foreign currency forward exchange contracts, and currency and currency index futures and
options contracts for hedging and non-hedging purposes. The use of these currency derivatives may allow the Portfolio to obtain net long or net negative (short) exposure to selected currencies. At times, the Portfolio
may enter into ”cross-currency“ transactions involving currencies other than those in which securities held or proposed to be purchased are denominated. Derivative instruments used by the Portfolio will be
counted toward the Portfolio's exposure in the types of securities listed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to such securities.
The Portfolio is non-diversified
under the 1940 Act and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
The Portfolio may engage in active
and frequent trading of portfolio securities to try to achieve its investment objective.
AST NEUBERGER BERMAN LONG/SHORT
PORTFOLIO
Investment Objectives: to seek
long-term capital appreciation and secondarily seek principal preservation.
136
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objectives primarily by taking long and short positions in the global securities markets. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio uses long or short positions in common and preferred equity
securities, ETFs and fixed income securities. The Portfolio also uses derivatives, including long and short positions from futures contracts on securities and indices, swaps, including total return and credit default
swaps, on individual securities and indices, foreign currency forward contracts and call and put options on individual securities and indices. Short positions involve selling a security the Portfolio does not own or
buying a derivative on a security in anticipation that the security’s price will decline. The Portfolio may invest in securities of, and derivative contracts on, US and non-US companies. Futures, swaps, forwards
or options may be used in an attempt to increase returns and/or reduce risks. The equity securities in which the Portfolio invests are generally those of companies with market capitalizations of at least $250 million,
measured at the time the Portfolio first invests in them. The Portfolio may continue to hold or add to a position in a stock after the company’s market value has fallen below $250 million. The Portfolio’s
typical investment exposure ranges from net long exposure of 150% of net asset value (NAV) to net short exposure of 20% of NAV. For example, if the Portfolio’s long portfolio provides long investment exposure of
70% of its NAV and its short portfolio provides short investment exposure of 40% of its NAV, the Portfolio would have a net long exposure of 30% of NAV. With a few exceptions, the Portfolio may sell short any
instrument in which it can invest long.
With respect to any portion of the
Portfolio’s assets invested in long equity positions, the Subadviser invests in companies which it believes are undervalued and possess one or more of the following characteristics: (i) companies with strong
competitive positions in industries with attractive growth prospects; (ii) companies with the ability to generate sustainable cash flows which are growing at a modest rate over the long-term; (iii) companies whose
market price is below the Subadviser’s estimate of the company’s intrinsic value; and (iv) companies with the potential for a catalyst, such as a merger, liquidation, spin off, or management change. The
Subadviser’s estimate of a company’s intrinsic value represents its view of the company’s true, long-term economic value (the value of both its tangible and intangible assets), which may be currently
distorted by market inefficiencies. In establishing long equity positions, the Portfolio may utilize stock index futures and total return swaps and options on individual securities and indices.
With respect to any portion of the
Portfolio’s assets invested in short equity or fixed income positions, the Subadviser employs short positions in an attempt to increase returns and/or to reduce risk. The Subadviser’s use of short
positions to increase returns and/or reduce certain risks may include, among others: (i) short sales of ETFs representing macro-economically challenged markets, industries or geographies; (ii) short sales of equity or
fixed income securities of companies that the Subadviser expects to decline in price, lose economic value or generally underperform; or (iii) short positions designed to offset cyclical, currency, or country-specific
risks. The Portfolio may employ derivatives in establishing short positions, including, but not limited to, short positions in stock and fixed income index futures, total return and/or credit default swaps
establishing short positions on individual securities and indices, and options on individual securities and indices.
The Subadviser’s investment
process involves identifying companies for further analysis based on a variety of factors, including quantitative screens. Once a company is identified, in-depth research about the company is conducted, which may
include building financial models, conducting interviews with management or reviewing publicly available information, such as management’s compensation incentives. The Subadviser combines this research with
various valuation methodologies in selecting long and short positions for the Portfolio.
The Subadviser may make a decision
to sell a security, or with respect to a short position, a decision to exit a short position, based on changes at either a macro-economic or general market level or at a specific issuer. This may include changes in
global politics and economics, regulation or legislation by a country, or industry structure. The Subadviser may also sell a security or exit a short position when other opportunities appear more attractive in the
Subadviser’s opinion, when a company demonstrates an inability to execute a business plan, or when a company has poor capital allocation, poor earnings quality, or increased risks to the company’s cash
flows.
137
The Portfolio also typically
invests in long positions in fixed income securities, which may include securities issued by the US government and its agencies and instrumentalities, bank certificates of deposit, mortgage- and asset-backed
securities, and securities issued by US and non-US companies. The Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities may include below investment grade securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”).
The Portfolio considers fixed income securities to be investment grade if, at the time of investment, they are rated within the four highest categories by at least one independent credit rating agency or, if unrated,
are determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality. In selecting long positions in fixed income securities issued by companies, the Subadviser generally looks for securities issued by companies that the
Subadviser believes has strong management and compelling valuation. In doing so, the Subadviser analyzes such factors as: ability to generate free cash flow; a demonstrated commitment to use that cash flow to pay down
existing debt; and an improving credit profile. As such, the Subadviser focuses on securities issued by companies that the Subadviser believes have demonstrated improvements in their leverage and asset coverage
ratios, are not unreasonably constrained by their existing financing arrangements and have debt with manageable payment schedules.
The Subadviser allocates
investments to sectors without reference to any benchmark; rather, sector allocations are based on the Subadviser’s assessment of which sectors offer the most attractive risk-adjusted returns. Although the
Portfolio does not seek to be market neutral, depending on market conditions, the Portfolio’s long investment exposure may equal the Portfolio’s short investment exposure.
The Portfolio may invest in a
limited number of industries or industry sectors.
In an effort to achieve its goal,
the Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading.
AST prudential Flexible
multi-strategy PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek to
provide capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio seeks its investment
objective by investing in a combination of global equity and equity-related securities, real assets, debt obligations, absolute return strategies and money market instruments. The Portfolio gains exposure to these
categories and investment strategies by utilizing, in varying combinations and percentages, the following tools: (i) investment in other pooled investment vehicles, including other portfolios of the Trust and ETFs
(collectively referred to as Underlying Portfolios); (ii) subadvisers to directly manage investments in securities including, but not limited to equity and equity-related securities, debt, derivatives and money market
instruments; and (iii) investment in certain financial and derivative instruments. The Portfolio may invest a substantial portion of its assets in Underlying Portfolios, particularly other portfolios of the Trust.
The asset allocation strategy for
the Portfolio is determined by QMA. QMA exercises a flexible strategy in the selection of asset classes and/or strategies, and the Portfolio is not required to allocate its investments among stocks and bonds in any
fixed proportion, nor is it limited by investment style or by the issuer’s location, size, market capitalization or industry sector.
The Portfolio may have none, some
or all of its assets invested in each asset class and/or strategies, as listed below, in relative proportions that change over time based upon market and economic conditions.
138
| Strategy | Description |
| Europe, Australia, Far East (EAFE) All Cap Strategy | This strategy invests in equity and equity-related securities of international equity companies across all market capitalizations. The Portfolio’s subadviser employs a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process. |
| Emerging Markets | This strategy involves investments in equity and equity-related securities of emerging market companies. Emerging market companies are those relating to issuers: (i) located in emerging market countries or (ii) included (or scheduled for inclusion by the index provider) as emerging market issuers in one or more broad-based market indices. |
| Fixed Income | |
| Core Bonds | This strategy invests in intermediate and long-term debt obligations and high quality money market instruments debt obligations including, without limitation, US Government securities, mortgage-related securities (including commercial mortgage-backed securities), asset-backed securities, bank loans by assignment as well as through loan participations, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds. |
| High Yield Bonds | This strategy seeks to outperform the BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Master II Constrained Bond® Index by investing in domestic high-yield corporate bonds and, to a lesser extent, in bank loans and preferred and convertible securities.The Portfolio’s subadviser emphasizes sector valuation and individual security selection in constructing this segment of the Portfolio, and focus on the less efficient, middle-tier section of the high-yield market while selectively investing in lower rated issuers. The high-yield bond segment of the Portfolio is designed to be well diversified across sectors, capital structure, and issuers. |
| Global Aggregate Plus | This strategy seeks total return through a diversified portfolio participating in a wide array of global fixed income sectors, interest rates, currencies and derivatives, using the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index as a benchmark. |
| Real Assets | |
| Global Real Estate | This strategy invests in in equity-related securities of real estate companies including companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from the ownership, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate or companies that have at least 50% of their assets in these types of real estate-related areas. |
| Infrastructure | This is a multi-cap, core strategy with an absolute return focus. This strategy focuses on investments in infrastructure companies and infrastructure-related companies located throughout the world. Infrastructure companies are involved in providing the foundation of basic services, facilities and institutions upon which the growth and development of a community depends. |
| Global Natural Resources | This strategy seeks to invest in global natural resources companies. Natural resource companies are US and foreign (non-US based) companies that own, explore, mine, process or otherwise develop, or provide goods and services with respect to, natural resources. |
| Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) | This strategy seeks to invest in MLP investments. MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs structured as LPs or LLCs; MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; I-Units issued by MLP affiliates; parent companies of MLPs; shares of companies owning MLP general partnership interests and other securities representing indirect beneficial ownership interests in MLP common units; “C” corporations that hold significant interests in MLPs; and other equity and fixed income securities and derivative instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and ETPs, that provide exposure to MLP investments. |
| Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) | The TIPS strategy seeks to achieve excess return through security selection by employing a conservative, quantitatively-driven strategy that obtains exposure to the TIPS asset class through bonds or derivative instruments, with minimal risk, versus the Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Inflation Protected Index. |
| Alternatives | |
| Market Neutral | The Market Neutral strategy uses an objective, quantitative approach designed to exploit persistent mispricings among stocks and other related securities. The objective of this investment strategy is to provide consistent performance that is uncorrelated with the performance of the stock market. The portfolio holdings for this investment strategy consist primarily of a broad universe of stocks. |
| Global Absolute Return | Unconstrained by a benchmark, the strategy seeks positive returns over the long term, regardless of market conditions, by participating in a wide range of global fixed income sectors, interest rates, currencies and derivatives. |
| Overlay | |
| Overlay Tactical Sleeve Strategy | A Portfolio overlay sleeve utilized for liquidity and allocation changes |
Each asset class and/or strategy
may be either actively managed or fulfilled with Underlying Portfolios based on current asset size of the Portfolio and based on the discretion of the subadviser.
139
The Portfolio may buy or sell
swaps, options or futures on a security, a commodity, or an index of securities or commodities, or enter into forward foreign currency transactions (collectively, derivatives). The Portfolio may utilize derivatives
for liquidity and allocation changes. The Portfolio may also use derivatives to enhance return or gain exposure to various markets, in which case their use may involve leveraging risk. In addition, the Underlying
Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests may, to varying degrees, also invest in derivatives. Derivatives may include mortgage TBAs (mortgage TBAs are “to be announced” mortgage derivatives), swaps,
forwards, index, futures, other futures contracts and options thereon. The Portfolio or the Underlying Portfolios may engage in short selling.
Asset Allocation Process.
QMA typically follows a team approach in the asset allocation of the Portfolio. QMA identifies investment opportunities by blending the output from
quantitatively driven analyses with seasoned portfolio management judgment of its investment professionals. These analyses incorporate salient insights from academic theory and behavioral finance to identify when
asset classes seem mispriced. QMA seeks to add value by tactically overweighting or underweighting asset classes based on opportunities identified both by the investment processes as well as the insights of the
portfolio management team. It may actively change allocations among the underlying asset classes based on changing market and economic conditions, and may also periodically rebalance the Portfolio to target asset
class weights.
Equities Portfolio Management Process.
QMA manages part of the equity portion of the Portfolio. QMA typically follows a team approach and uses a disciplined investment process
based on fundamental data, driven by its quantitative investment models. QMA incorporates into its investment process insights gained from its original research and the seasoned judgment of its portfolio managers and
analysts.
Global Natural Resources Investment Process.
Jennison Associates LLC (Jennison) manages the Global Natural Resources Sleeve of the Portfolio. Natural resource companies are US
and foreign (non-US based) companies that own, explore, mine, process or otherwise develop, or provide goods and services with respect to, natural resources. Asset-based securities are securities, the values of which
are related to the market value of a natural resource. Jennison takes a contrarian approach—looking for inexpensive securities and sectors. Jennison looks to invest in areas where commodity prices are
temporarily low leading to temporary sub-par financial performance, but which may offer great opportunities for the patient investor. Jennison also looks for speculative exploration and development companies to
participate in the potential price appreciation that these companies often experience. In selecting securities for the Portfolio, Jennison uses a bottom-up approach based on a company’s growth potential. From
time to time, Jennison may supplement its fundamental investment process with quantitative analytics designed to evaluate the Portfolio’s holdings in order to optimize portfolio construction, and to create an
enhanced liquidity profile for the sleeve while maintaining investment strategy integrity.
Master Limited Partnership Process.
Jennison manages the Master Limited Partnership sleeve of the Portfolio. MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs
structured as LPs or LLCs; MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; I-Units issued by MLP affiliates; parent companies of MLPs; shares of companies owning MLP general partnership interests and other
securities representing indirect beneficial ownership interests in MLP common units; “C” corporations that hold significant interests in MLPs; and other equity and fixed income securities and derivative
instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and ETPs, that provide exposure to MLP investments. MLPs generally own and operate assets that are used in the energy sector, including assets used in exploring,
developing, producing, generating, transporting (including marine), transmitting, terminal operation, storing, gathering, processing, refining, distributing, mining or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids,
crude oil, refined products, coal or electricity, or that provide energy related equipment or services. The Portfolio’s MLP investments may be of any capitalization size. In deciding which stocks to buy,
Jennison’s portfolio management team relies on proprietary fundamental research, focused on the discovery of quality companies with predictable and sustainable cash flows. In narrowing the investment universe,
the investment team compares prospective candidates’ competitive positioning, including strategically located assets; distribution coverage ratios; organic growth opportunities; expected dividend or distribution
growth; the quality of the management team; balance sheet strength; and the support of the general partner. Valuation and the stock’s degree of liquidity factor into the portfolio managers’ decision
calculus, as well. The team also monitors wider industry dynamics and interacts continually with Jennison’s Natural Resources
140
investment professionals to gain insights into
emerging trends, such as the anticipation of an acceleration or reduction in production of particular oil and gas plays or a shift in regulatory or tax policy, which could affect potential or current positions.
Fixed Income Investment Process.
PGIM Fixed Income manages certain fixed income portions of the Portfolio. PGIM Fixed Income’s process is research-driven and
relative-value oriented. All country, sector, and individual bond allocations are made based on internal research. The Team follows a four-step investment process that includes:
| ■ | Top-Down Risk Allocation – PGIM Fixed Income assesses global appetite for risk to determine portfolio risk profile, levering its extensive global macroeconomic, fundamental and quantitative resources |
| ■ | Asset Allocation Global Rates, FX and Spread Sector Allocation – PGIM Fixed Income determines country/term structure, currency, and sector positioning; emphasizing ideas from sector specialists |
| ■ | Security Selection and Relative Value – PGIM Fixed Income utilizes bottom-up research-based approach. Sector specialists and research analysts are aligned by sector/industry; and |
| ■ | Risk Management – PGIM Fixed Income employs a rigorous process to tightly monitor risk at all levels and uses proprietary tools to verify performance achieved is appropriate for risk taken. |
In managing the Portfolio’s
US fixed income segment, PGIM Fixed Income uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down
economic analysis, PGIM Fixed Income develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic
analysis is integrated into PGIM Fixed Income’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom up research, PGIM Fixed Income develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating
and outlook is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
PGIM Fixed Income
may also consider factors such as yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. PGIM Fixed Income may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather
than the yield of such security. PGIM Fixed Income may also utilize proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to
support risk management.
Overlay Tactical Sleeve Strategy.
A portion of the Portfolio’s net assets are allocated to the Overlay investment category subadvised by QMA. QMA uses a top-down
approach to establish long and short allocations among asset classes including equities, fixed income, and non-traditional assets. The overlay may consist of futures, ETFs, ETNs, options, swaps, FX forwards, cash,
cash equivalents, and short-term debt instruments.
AST QMA INTERNATIONAL CORE
EQUITY PORTFOLIO
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Policies
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities, including but not limited to common stock,
preferred stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable for stock, rights, warrants, depository receipts for those securities, exchange-traded funds, futures and swaps of or relating to issuers that are: (i)
located, organized or headquartered in developed market countries outside of the US or (ii) included (or scheduled for inclusion by the index provider) as developed market issuers in one or more broad-based market
indices.
The Portfolio employs an equity
investment strategy using a quantitatively driven, bottom up investment process based on fundamental insights. The stock selection process utilizes an adaptive model that evaluates stocks differently based on their
characteristics. The Portfolio’s subadviser constructs a portfolio that seeks to maximize the Portfolio's investment in the most attractive stocks identified by the model subject to risk constraints.
Other Investments and Strategies of
the Portfolio
141
In addition to the principal
investment strategies, the Portfolio may also invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase the Portfolio’s return or protect its assets if market
conditions warrant:
| ■ | Convertible Preferred Stock |
| ■ | Depositary Receipts |
| ■ | Derivatives |
| ■ | Exchange Traded Funds |
| ■ | Foreign Currency Forward Contracts |
| ■ | Futures Contracts |
| ■ | Illiquid Securities |
| ■ | Participation Notes |
| ■ | Real Estate Investment Trusts |
| ■ | Small Companies |
| ■ | Swaps |
| ■ | Temporary Defensive Investments |
Temporary Defensive Investments.
In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, the Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of
its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations,
repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in these securities will limit the Subadviser’s ability to
pursue or achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective, but can help to preserve Portfolio assets.
Additional Strategies
The Portfolio follows certain
policies when it borrows money (the Portfolio can borrow up to 33 1∕3% of the value of its total assets); purchases shares of other investment companies; lends its securities to others (the Portfolio can lend up
to 33 1∕3% of the value of its total assets); and holds illiquid securities (the Portfolio may hold up to 15% of its net assets (assets less liabilities) in illiquid securities, including securities with legal
or contractual restrictions on resale, those without a readily available market and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days). The Portfolio is subject to certain other investment restrictions that
are Portfolio fundamental policies, which means they cannot be changed without shareholder approval. For more information about these restrictions, see the SAI.
AST T. Rowe price diversified
real growth portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term capital appreciation and secondarily, income.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio invests primarily in
a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities. In pursuing its investment objective, the Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, approximately 75% of its total assets in equity securities and
25% in fixed income securities. This mix may vary over shorter time periods; under normal circumstances, the equity portion may range between 60-90% and the fixed income portion may range between 10-40%. The Portfolio
invests primarily in common stock of larger, more established companies, which are defined as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion. The Portfolio may also invest in securities of small and
medium-sized companies. Larger, more established companies are defined as companies with a market capitalization above $3 billion whereas smaller-sized companies are defined as having a maximum market capitalization
of $3 billion. Up to 40% of the total Portfolio may be invested in non-US dollar denominated equity securities. Up to 20% of the total Portfolio may be allocated to a real assets equity segment. The real assets equity
segment invests in stocks of companies that derive a significant portion of their income from real assets. Real assets are characterized by the fact that they are tangible, such as commodities. The fixed income
portion of the Portfolio is allocated among investment grade securities (50-100% of the bond portion). The Portfolio may also invest up to 50% of the fixed income portion in a combination of high yield or
“junk” bonds, non-US dollar denominated bonds and/or emerging market debt securities. A portion of the fixed income holdings may also include TIPS, or Treasury
142
Inflation-Protected Securities, TBAs (“to be
announced”) and various investment companies in accordance with regulatory limits. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of the total portfolio in cash reserves. Cash reserves may consist of US-dollar and non
US-dollar denominated securities and money market vehicles. The Portfolio’s maximum combined exposure to non-US dollar denominated equity and fixed income securities is 50% of the Portfolio’s net assets.
The Portfolio may also invest in derivative instruments for both investment and hedging purposes. The Portfolio’s investments in derivatives may include futures, equity and fixed income futures, foreign currency
contracts, options and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The portfolio’s use of options typically involves writing (i.e., selling) index call options on a US
large-cap stock index in an effort to generate additional income and more broadly diversify the portfolio, although the Portfolio may buy or sell options for other purposes. This index option overlay strategy is
generally designed to provide less overall risk than a pure equity portfolio.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the Portfolio believes will provide an opportunity for substantial
appreciation. These situations might arise when the Portfolio believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including an extraordinary corporate event, a new product introduction or innovation,
a favorable competitive development, or a change in management.
Other Investments:
Hybrid Instruments.
These derivative instruments can combine the characteristics of securities, futures, and options. For example, the principal amount, redemption, or conversion terms of a security could be
related to the market price of some commodity, currency, securities, or securities index. Such securities may or may not bear interest or pay dividends. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could
be zero. Hybrids can have volatile prices and limited liquidity, and their use may not be successful. Portfolio investments in hybrid instruments are limited to 10% of total assets.
Investment Process of the
Portfolio
The Portfolio invests in a mix of
equity and fixed income investments based upon the subadviser’s outlook for the markets. When deciding upon asset allocations, the subadviser may increase investments in equity securities when strong economic
growth is expected, for example. The opposite may be true if the subadviser believes that the economy is expected to slow sufficiently enough to hurt corporate profit growth. The Portfolio’s investments in
non-US dollar denominated securities and money market vehicles, including stocks and bonds, is intended to provide additional diversification. Securities may be sold for a variety of reasons, such as to effect a
change in asset allocation, to secure gains or limit losses, or to re-deploy assets into more promising opportunities.
As part of the
Portfolio’s index option overlay strategy, the Portfolio may write short-term S&P 500 Index call options in an effort to lower direct equity exposure and improve risk adjusted returns, and the Portfolio may
manage this equity exposure through the use of equity index futures. The strategy provides the Portfolio with additional income and diversification, and is designed to help to reduce the overall risk profile of the
Portfolio’s US equity investments by providing an income stream that over time can offset losses in the stock market. As the seller of an index call option, the Portfolio receives a premium from the purchaser,
who has the right to any appreciation in the value of the index over a fixed price (the “strike price”) on a certain date in the future (the “expiration date”). If the purchaser does not
exercise the option, the Portfolio retains the premium and, if the purchaser exercises the option, the Portfolio pays the purchaser the difference between the value of the index and the exercise price of the option.
The options written by the Portfolio are typically rolled over on a monthly basis – for example, by purchasing a previously written option (which closes an existing option position) and writing a new option. In
addition to writing index call options, the Portfolio’s option overlay strategy could also involve the buying or selling of both put and call options. The strategy may also buy or sell equity index futures to
manage the overall equity exposure.
143
AST WELLINGTON Management
gLOBAL BOND Portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek to
provide consistent excess returns over the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index.
Principal Investment Policies:
In pursuing its
investment objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in fixed income securities.
The Portfolio seeks to generate
excess returns relative to the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index. The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, in fixed income securities of companies located in at least three
countries. The Portfolio’s global aggregate strategy seeks to generate excess returns through the combination of lowly correlated investment strategies developed by highly specialized analysts. Each analyst has
a specialized area of focus which is sector, region, or investment style based. The investment universe includes fixed income securities denominated in various currencies and issued by government, government-related,
corporate, and securitized issuers from around the world.
The Portfolio invests in debt
securities of issuers domiciled around the world. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio will invest its assets in securities of issuers located in the United States and at least three other countries (based on
country of domicile and inclusive of non-currency derivatives). The Portfolio may buy and sell bonds issued by government, agency, and supranational issuers; mortgage, commercial mortgage, and asset-backed securities;
corporate and real estate investment trust (REIT) debt; credit-linked, index-linked, and capital securities (securities that combine the features of bonds and preferred stock); loan participation securities that
qualify as an eligible investment by the Portfolio (including, but not limited to, trade finance loan participations) and, in addition, bank loan assignments that qualify as money market instruments; as well as other
debt securities issued by public or private issuers, both fixed and floating-rate, including forward contracts on such securities.
Currency exposure may be taken on
an opportunistic basis. Currency exposure, including cross-currency positions which are not related to the Portfolio’s bond and cash equivalent positions, may be assumed.
Investments represent a broad
credit spectrum, including issues rated below investment-grade. There is no minimum credit rating for individual securities or currencies. The Portfolio is generally diversified by country, currency, and issuer
relative to the global bond market.
The Portfolio makes use of
derivatives to implement active positions as well as hedge exposure. Derivative instruments may include, but are not limited, to futures (on asset classes or indices including volatility indices), forwards, options,
swaps (currency swaps, interest rate swaps, total rate of return swaps, and credit default swaps), to-be-announced securities (TBAs), structured notes and spot transactions for both active management and hedging
purposes. The high liquidity of derivative instruments assists the portfolio management team in quickly and efficiently managing portfolio exposure in the context of continually changing market environments.
Derivative instruments are
primarily used in the same way and with the same objectives as traditional securities:
| ■ | to hedge portfolio risk; |
| ■ | to position the portfolio to profit from an expected change in market prices; and |
| ■ | to manage portfolio liquidity. |
AST wellington management real
total return portfolio
Investment Objective: to seek
long-term real total return.
Principal Investment Policies
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
objective by actively allocating the Portfolio’s assets to multiple global asset classes, including fixed income, currencies, commodities, and equities, that the Subadviser believes exhibit attractive valuations
and attractive technical characteristics. In addition, the Portfolio allocates a portion of its assets to specialized investment teams within the Subadviser that the Subadviser believes will generate attractive total
returns
144
that are uncorrelated to one another. The
Subadviser also seeks to actively manage the Portfolio’s overall risk in an effort to provide attractive real total returns with moderate volatility and low correlation to equities as represented by the S&P
500 Index, over a full market cycle. There is no guarantee that the Portfolio will achieve its goal of positive total returns. As used herein, “real total returns” means consistent total returns that
outpace inflation over the long term.
The Portfolio may invest in fixed
income securities and cash and cash equivalents, including, but not limited to, sovereign debt, agency securities, supranational investments, mortgage-backed securities, “to-be-announced” securities,
corporate debt, asset-backed securities, bank loans, convertible bonds, and other fixed income instruments, as well as derivatives related to interest rates and fixed income securities. These fixed income instruments
could include non-investment grade debt obligations (also known as “junk bonds”) and emerging market debt obligations. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity or duration.
The Portfolio may also invest
directly in listed and unlisted equity and equity related securities, including, but not limited to, common stock, preferred stock, depositary receipts inclusive of commodity indexes (including American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs)), index-related securities (including ETFs) and exchange traded notes (“ETNs”), real estate investment structures (including REITs)), convertible
bonds, convertible preferred stock, rights, warrants, and similarly liquid equity equivalents. The Portfolio may invest in equity securities of issuers with any market capitalization.
The Portfolio normally allocates
its investments across different countries and regions, but the Portfolio may invest a large percentage of its assets in issuers in a single country, a small number of countries, or a particular geographic region.
The Portfolio may make significant
use of derivative transactions. The Portfolio uses derivatives in pursuit of its investment objective, to manage portfolio risk and/or to replicate securities the Portfolio could buy directly. The Portfolio may
actively manage market exposure through the use of derivatives, which may include futures (on asset classes or indices including volatility indices), forwards, options, swaps (total return swaps, credit default swaps,
interest rate swaps, and swap options), structured notes and spot transactions. Derivatives are used to obtain long or short exposure to a particular security, asset class, region, industry, currency, commodity, or
index, or to other securities, groups of securities, or events.
145
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER INVESTMENTS
& STRATEGIES USED BY THE PORTFOLIOS
Additional Investments &
Strategies
As indicated in the descriptions of
the Portfolios above, the Portfolios may invest in the following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase a Portfolio's return or protect its assets if market conditions
warrant.
American Depositary Receipts
(ADRs)
—Certificates representing the right to receive foreign securities that have been deposited with a US bank or a foreign branch of a US bank.
Asset-Backed Securities
—An asset-backed security is a type of pass-through instrument that pays interest based upon the cash flow of an underlying pool of assets, such as automobile loans or credit card
receivables. Asset-backed securities may also be collateralized by a portfolio of corporate bonds, including junk bonds, or other securities.
Collateralized Debt Obligations
(CDOs)
—A CDO is a security backed by an underlying portfolio of debt obligations, typically including one or more of the following types of investments: high yield securities, investment
grade securities, bank loans, futures or swaps. A CDO provides a single security that has the economic characteristics of a diversified portfolio. The cash flows generated by the collateral are used to pay interest
and principal to investors.
Collateralized Loan Obligations
(CLOs)—
This type of asset-backed security is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured
loans, and subordinate corporate loans, as well as loans rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the quality of the underlying loans and may be
characterized by the Portfolio as illiquid securities.
Convertible Debt and Convertible
Preferred Stock
—A convertible security is a security—for example, a bond or preferred stock—that may be converted into common stock, the cash value of common stock or some other security
of the same or different issuer. The convertible security sets the price, quantity of shares and time period in which it may be so converted. Convertible stock is senior to a company's common stock but is usually
subordinated to debt obligations of the company. Convertible securities provide a steady stream of income which is generally at a higher rate than the income on the company's common stock but lower than the rate on
the company's debt obligations. At the same time, convertible securities offer—through their conversion mechanism—the chance to participate in the capital appreciation of the underlying common stock. The
price of a convertible security tends to increase and decrease with the market value of the underlying common stock.
Credit Default Swaps
—In a credit default swap, a Portfolio and another party agree to exchange payment of the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation in the event of a default on
that debt obligation in return for a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided no event of default has occurred. See also “Swaps” defined below.
Credit-Linked Securities
—Credit linked securities are securities that are collateralized by one or more credit default swaps on corporate credits. A Portfolio has the right to receive periodic interest
payments from the issuer of the credit-linked security at an agreed-upon interest rate, and a return of principal at the maturity date. See also “Credit Default Swaps” defined above.
Depositary Receipts
—A Portfolio may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts
may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are receipts or shares
typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a
similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement.
146
Generally, ADRs and ADSs, in registered form, are
designed for use in the US securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use
throughout the world. A Portfolio may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore,
there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts are generally subject to
the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into or for which they may be converted or exchanged.
Derivatives
—A derivative is an instrument that derives its price, performance, value, or cash flow from one or more underlying securities or other interests. Derivatives involve costs and can be
volatile. With derivatives, the Subadviser tries to predict whether the underlying interest—a security, market index, currency, interest rate or some other benchmark—will go up or down at some future date.
A Portfolio may use derivatives to try to reduce risk or to increase return consistent with a Portfolio's overall investment objective. The adviser will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding whether to
employ any particular strategy, or use any particular instrument. Any derivatives we use may not fully offset a Portfolio's underlying positions and this could result in losses to the Portfolio that would not
otherwise have occurred.
Dollar Rolls
—Dollar rolls involve the sale by a Portfolio of a security for delivery in the current month with a promise to repurchase from the buyer a substantially similar—but not
necessarily the same—security at a set price and date in the future. During the “roll period,” the Portfolio does not receive any principal or interest on the security. Instead, it is compensated by
the difference between the current sales price and the price of the future purchase, as well as any interest earned on the cash proceeds from the original sale.
Energy Companies
—Companies that are involved in oil or gas exploration, production, refining or marketing, or any combination of the above are greatly affected by the prices and supplies of raw
materials such as oil or gas. The earnings and dividends of energy companies can fluctuate significantly as a result of international economics, politics and regulation.
Equity Swaps
—In an equity swap, a Portfolio and another party agree to exchange cash flow payments that are based on the performance of equities or an equity index. See also “Swaps”
defined below.
Event-Linked Bonds
—Event-linked bonds are fixed income securities for which the return of principal and payment of interest is contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific “trigger”
event, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or other physical or weather-related phenomenon. If a trigger event occurs, a Portfolio may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. Event-linked bonds often
provide for an extension of maturity to process and audit loss claims where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. Event-linked bonds may also expose the
Portfolio to certain unanticipated risks including credit risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, and adverse tax consequences. Event-linked bonds may also be subject to liquidity risk.
Exchange Traded Funds
—An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional mutual fund (i.e., one that is not exchange traded) that has the same investment
objective, strategies and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate up or down, and a Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, ETFs may be
subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional mutual funds: (i) the market price of an ETF's shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF's shares
may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading of an ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange's officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange or the activation of
market-wide “circuit breakers'' (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally.
Financial Services Companies
—Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation that may affect their profitability in many ways, including by limiting the amount and types of loans and
other commitments they can make, and the interest rates and fees they can charge. A financial services company’s
147
profitability, and therefore its stock prices, is
especially sensitive to interest rate changes as well as the ability of borrowers to repay their loans. Changing regulations, continuing consolidations, and development of new products and structures all are likely to
have a significant impact on financial services companies.
Foreign Currency Forward
Contracts
—A foreign currency forward contract is an obligation to buy or sell a given currency on a future date at a set price. When a Portfolio enters into a contract for the purchase or sale
of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or when a Portfolio anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of dividends or interest payments on a security which it holds, the Portfolio may desire to
”lock-in“ the US dollar price of the security or the US dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for a fixed amount of dollars, for
the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, the Portfolio will be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship
between the US dollar and the foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such
payments are made or received. At the maturity of a forward contract, a Portfolio may either sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency or it may retain the security and terminate its contractual
obligation to deliver the foreign currency by purchasing an ”offsetting“ contract with the same currency trader obligating it to purchase, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the foreign
currency.
Futures Contracts
—A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of an underlying product at a future date, or to make or receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities
index. When a futures contract is entered into, each party deposits with a futures commission merchant (or in a segregated account) approximately 5% of the contract amount. This is known as the ”initial
margin.“ Every day during the futures contract, either the buyer or the seller will make payments of ”variation margin.“ In other words, if the value of the underlying security, index or interest
rate increases, then the seller will have to add to the margin account so that the account balance equals approximately 5% of the value of the contract on that day. The next day, the value of the underlying security,
index or interest rate may decrease, in which case the seller would receive money from the account equal to the amount by which the account balance exceeds 5% of the value of the contract on that day. A stock index
futures contract is an agreement between the buyer and the seller of the contract to transfer an amount of cash equal to the daily variation margin of the contract. No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the
index is made.
Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs)
—GDRs are receipts issued by a non-US financial institution evidencing ownership of
underlying foreign securities and are usually denominated in foreign currencies. They may not be denominated in the same currency as the securities they represent. Generally, GDRs are
designed for use in the foreign securities markets. Investments in GDRs involve certain risks unique to foreign investments. These risks are set forth in the section entitled “Foreign and Emerging Markets
Risk” above.
Illiquid Securities
—An illiquid security is one that may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price used to determine the Portfolio's net
asset value. Each Portfolio generally may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Each Portfolio may purchase certain restricted securities that can be resold to institutional investors and which
may be determined to be liquid pursuant to the procedures of the Portfolios. Those securities are not subject to the 15% limit. The 15% limit is applied as of the date the Portfolio purchases an illiquid security. In
the event the market value of a Portfolio's illiquid securities exceeds the 15% limit due to an increase in the aggregate value of its illiquid securities and/or a decline in the aggregate value of its other
securities, the Portfolio: (i) will not purchase additional illiquid securities and (ii) will take other appropriate steps to maintain adequate liquidity, including, without limitation, reducing its holdings of
illiquid securities in an orderly fashion.
Inflation-Indexed Securities
—Inflation-indexed securities have a tendency to react to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates represent nominal (stated) interest rates lowered by the anticipated
effect of inflation. In general, the price of an inflation-indexed security can decrease when real interest rates increase, and can increase when real interest rates decrease. Interest payments on inflation indexed
securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest
148
is adjusted for inflation and can be
unpredictable. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-protected debt security will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors, such as the Portfolio, do not receive their principal
until maturity.
Interest Rate Swaps
—In an interest rate swap, the Portfolio and another party agree to exchange interest payments. For example, the Portfolio may wish to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed
rate. See also “Swaps” defined below.
Joint Repurchase Account
—In a joint repurchase transaction, uninvested cash balances of various Portfolios are added together and invested in one or more repurchase agreements. Each of the participating
Portfolios receives a portion of the income earned in the joint account based on the percentage of its investment.
Loans and Assignments
—Loans are privately negotiated between a corporate borrower and one or more financial institutions. The Portfolio acquires interests in loans directly (by way of assignment from the
selling institution) or indirectly (by way of the purchase of a participation interest from the selling institution. Purchasers of loans depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of
interest and repayment of principal. If scheduled interest or principal payments are not made, the value of the instrument may be adversely affected. Interests in loans are also subject to additional liquidity risks.
Loans are not generally traded in organized exchange markets but are traded by banks and other institutional investors engaged in loan syndications. Consequently, the liquidity of a loan will depend on the liquidity
of these trading markets at the time that the Portfolio sells the loan.
In assignments, the Portfolio will
have no recourse against the selling institution, and the selling institution generally makes no representations about the underlying loan, the borrowers, the documentation or the collateral. In addition, the rights
against the borrower that are acquired by the Portfolio may be more limited than those held by the assigning lender.
MLPs
– MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs structured as LPs or LLCs; MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; I-Units issued by MLP affiliates; parent
companies of MLPs; shares of companies owning MLP general partnership interests and other securities representing indirect beneficial ownership interests in MLP common units; “C” corporations that hold
significant interests in MLPs; and other equity and fixed income securities and derivative instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and ETPs, that provide exposure to MLP investments. MLPs generally own and
operate assets that are used in the energy sector, including assets used in exploring, developing, producing, generating, transporting (including marine), transmitting, terminal operation, storing, gathering,
processing, refining, distributing, mining or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, coal or electricity, or that provide energy related equipment or services. A Portfolio’s
MLP investments may be of any capitalization size.
Mortgage-Related Securities
—Mortgage-related securities are usually pass-through instruments that pay investors a share of all interest and principal payments from an underlying pool of fixed or adjustable rate
mortgages. The Portfolios may invest in mortgage-related securities issued and guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies and mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) such as
Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae and Freddie Mac. GSE debt may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The Portfolios may also invest in private mortgage-related securities that are not guaranteed by US
Governmental entities generally have one or more types of credit enhancement to ensure timely receipt of payments and to protect against default. The Portfolios may invest in mortgage-related securities that are
backed by a pool or pools of loans that are originated and/or serviced by an entity affiliated with the Investment Manager or Subadviser.
Mortgage-related securities
include collateralized mortgage obligations, multi-class pass through securities and stripped mortgage-backed securities. A collateralized mortgage-backed obligation (CMO) is a security backed by an underlying
portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities that may be issued or guaranteed by entities such as banks, US Governmental entities or broker-dealers. A multi-class pass-through security is an equity interest in
a trust composed of underlying mortgage assets.
149
Payments of principal and interest
on the mortgage assets and any reinvestment income provide the money to pay debt service on the CMO or to make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through security. A stripped mortgage-backed security (MBS
strip) may be issued by US Governmental entities or by private institutions. MBS strips take the pieces of a debt security (principal and interest) and break them apart. The resulting securities may be sold separately
and may perform differently. MBS strips are highly sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates.
Non-Voting Depositary Receipts
(NVDRs
)—NVDRs are listed securities on the Stock Exchange of Thailand through which investors receive the same financial benefits as those who invest directly in a company’s ordinary
shares; however, unlike ordinary shareholders, NVDR holders cannot be involved in company decision-making. NVDRs are designed for use in the Thailand securities market. Investments in NVDRs involve certain risks
unique to foreign investments. These risks are set forth in the section entitled “Foreign and Emerging Markets Risk” above.
Options
—A call option on stock is a short-term contract that gives the option purchaser or “holder” the right to acquire a particular equity security for a specified price at any
time during a specified period. For this right, the option purchaser pays the option seller a certain amount of money or “premium” which is set before the option contract is entered into. The seller or
“writer” of the option is obligated to deliver the particular security if the option purchaser exercises the option. A put option on stock is a similar contract. In a put option, the option purchaser has
the right to sell a particular security to the option seller for a specified price at any time during a specified period. In exchange for this right, the option purchaser pays the option seller a premium. Options on
debt securities are similar to stock options except that the option holder has the right to acquire or sell a debt security rather than an equity security. Options on stock indexes are similar to options on stocks,
except that instead of giving the option holder the right to receive or sell a stock, it gives the holder the right to receive an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index is greater than (in the case of
a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash the holder will receive is determined by multiplying the difference between the index's closing price and the option's
exercise price, expressed in dollars, by a specified “multiplier.” Unlike stock options, stock index options are always settled in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the stock market
generally (or a particular market segment, depending on the index) rather than the price movement of an individual stock.
Participation Notes (P-Notes)
—P-Notes are a type of equity-linked derivative which generally are traded over-the-counter. Even though a P-Note is intended to reflect the performance of the underlying equity
securities, the performance of a P-Note will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the P-Note seeks to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. Investments in P-Notes
involve risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the P-Notes
will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with a Portfolio.
Prepayment
—Debt securities are subject to prepayment risk when the issuer can “call” the security, or repay principal, in whole or in part, prior to the security’s maturity.
When the Portfolio reinvests the prepayments of principal it receives, it may receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the existing security, potentially lowering the Portfolio’s income, yield
and its distributions to shareholders. Securities subject to prepayment may offer less potential for gains during a declining interest rate environment and have greater price volatility. Prepayment risk is greater in
periods of falling interest rates.
Private Investments in Public Equity
(PIPEs)
—A PIPE is an equity security in a private placement that are issued by issuers who have outstanding, publicly-traded equity securities of the same class. Shares in PIPEs generally
are not registered with the SEC until after a certain time period from the date the private sale is completed. This restricted period can last many months. Until the public registration process is completed, PIPEs are
restricted as to resale and a Portfolio cannot freely trade the securities. Generally, such restrictions cause the PIPEs to be illiquid during this time. PIPEs may contain provisions that the issuer will pay specified
financial penalties to the holder if the issuer does not publicly register the restricted equity securities within a specified period of time, but there is no assurance that the restricted equity securities will be
publicly registered, or that the registration will remain in effect.
150
Real Estate Investment Trusts
(REITs)
—A REIT is a company that manages a portfolio of real estate to earn profits for its shareholders. Some REITs acquire equity interests in real estate and then receive income from
rents and capital gains when the buildings are sold. Other REITs lend money to real estate developers and receive interest income from the mortgages. Some REITs invest in both types of interests.
Repurchase Agreements
—In a repurchase transaction, the Portfolio agrees to purchase certain securities and the seller agrees to repurchase the same securities at an agreed upon price on a specified date.
This creates a fixed return for the Portfolio.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
—In a reverse repurchase transaction, the Portfolio sells a security it owns and agrees to buy it back at a set price and date. During the period the security is held by the other
party, the Portfolio may continue to receive principal and interest payments on the security.
Short Sales
—In a short sale, we sell a security we do not own to take advantage of an anticipated decline in the stock's price. The Portfolio borrows the stock for delivery and if it can buy the
stock later at a lower price, a profit results. A Portfolio that sells a security short in effect borrows and then sells the security with the expectation that it will later repurchase the security at a lower price
and then return the amount borrowed with interest. In contrast, when a Portfolio buys a security long, it purchases the security with cash with the expectation that it later will sell the security at a higher price. A
Portfolio that enters into short sales exposes the Portfolio to the risk that it will be required to buy the security sold short (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when the security
has appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Portfolio. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited. Although a Portfolio may try to reduce risk by holding both long and short positions at
the same time, it is possible that the Portfolio's securities held long will decline in value at the same time that the value of the Portfolio's securities sold short increases, thereby increasing the potential for
loss.
Short Sales Against-the-Box
—A short sale against the box involves selling a security that the Portfolio owns, or has the right to obtain without additional costs, for delivery at a specified date in the future.
A Portfolio may make a short sale against the box to hedge against anticipated declines in the market price of a portfolio security. If the value of the security sold short increases instead, the Portfolio loses the
opportunity to participate in the gain.
Swap Options
—A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a swap agreement or to shorten, extend cancel or otherwise modify an existing
swap agreement at some designated future time on specified terms. See also “Options” defined above.
Swaps
—Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap”
transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor.
Credit Default Swaps, Equity Swaps, Interest Rate Swaps and Total Return Swaps are four types of swap agreements.
Temporary Defensive
Investments
— In response to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions or to satisfy redemptions, a Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to
100% of its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and
corporations, repurchase agreements, or hold up to 100% of the Portfolio's assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in these securities will limit the
subadviser’s ability to pursue or achieve a Portfolio’s investment objective, but can help to preserve Portfolio assets. The use of temporary defensive investments may be inconsistent with a
Portfolio’s investment objectives.
Total Return Swaps
—In a total return swap, payment (or receipt) of an index's (published or customized) total return is exchanged for the receipt (or payment) of a floating interest rate. See also
“Swaps” defined above.
151
Unrated Debt Securities
—Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which the Portfolio may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such
rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Utilities Industry
—Utility company equity securities, which are generally purchased for their dividend yield, historically have been sensitive to interest rate movements: when interest rates have
risen, the stock prices of these companies have tended to fall. In some states, utility companies and their rates are regulated; other states have moved to deregulate such companies thereby causing non-regulated
companies’ returns to generally be more volatile and more sensitive to changes in revenue and earnings. Certain utilities companies face risks associated with the operation of nuclear facilities for electric
generation, including, among other considerations, litigation, the problems associated with the use of radioactive materials and the effects of natural or man-made disasters. In general, all utility companies may face
additional regulation and litigation regarding their power plant operations; increased costs from new or greater regulation of these operations; the need to purchase expensive emissions control equipment or new
operations due to regulations, and the availability and cost of fuel, all of which may lower their earnings.
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery
Securities
—With when-issued or delayed delivery securities, the delivery and payment can take place a month or more after the date of the transaction. A Portfolio will make commitments for
when-issued transactions only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities. A Portfolio's custodian will maintain in a segregated account, liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than such
commitments. If the Portfolio chooses to dispose of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition, it could, as with the disposition of any other security, incur a gain or loss.
152
PRINCIPAL RISKS
An investment or
type of security specifically identified in this prospectus generally reflects a principal investment. The Portfolio also may invest in or use certain other types of investments and investing techniques that are
described in the SAI. An investment or type of security only identified in the SAI typically is treated as a non-principal investment. The risks identified below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolios.
The Summary section for each Portfolio lists the principal risks applicable to that Portfolio. This section provides more detailed information about each risk. Each Portfolio may be subject to additional risks other
than those identified and described below because the types of investments made by a Portfolio can change over time.
All investments have risks to some
degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the Portfolios. An investment in a Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolios make every effort to achieve their objectives, the Portfolios cannot guarantee success.
In addition, each Portfolio
reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time, to merge or reorganize itself, or to cease operations and liquidate at any time.
Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed
Securities Risk
. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans on residential and/or commercial real estate. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk and liquidity risk, which are further
described under Fixed Income Securities Risk.
Asset-backed and mortgage-backed
securities may also be subject to prepayment and extension risks. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may repay principal on mortgages or other loan obligations underlying a security more quickly than
anticipated, which may require a Portfolio to reinvest the repayment proceeds in securities that pay lower interest rates (prepayment risk). In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments may occur at a slower rate
than expected, which may prevent a Portfolio from reinvesting repayment proceeds in securities that pay higher interest rates (extension risk). The more a Portfolio invests in longer-term securities, the more likely
it will be affected by changes in interest rates, which may result in lower than anticipated yield-to-maturity and expected returns as well as reduced market value of such securities.
The risks associated with
investments in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, particularly credit risk, are heightened in connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers or borrowers with blemished credit
histories. Some mortgage-backed securities receive government or private support, but there is no assurance that such support will remain in place.
Mortgage-backed securities are a
specific type of asset-backed security—one backed by mortgage loans on residential and/or commercial real estate. Therefore, they also have risks related to real estate, including significant sensitivity to
changes in real estate prices and interest rates and, in the case of commercial mortgages, office and factory occupancy rates. Moreover, securities backed by mortgages issued by private, non-government issuers may
experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than government issued mortgages because private issuer mortgage loans often do not meet the underwriting standards of government-issued mortgages.
Private issuer mortgage-backed securities may include loans on commercial or residential properties.
A Portfolio may invest in
securities issued or guaranteed by the US government or its agencies and instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), or
the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Unlike Ginnie Mae securities, securities issued or guaranteed by US government-related organizations such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are not backed by the
full faith and credit of the US government, and no assurance can be given that the US government would provide financial support to such securities.
153
Asset Allocation Risk.
A Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio to
underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. For Portfolios that have larger allocations to equity securities relative to their fixed income allocations, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset Transfer Program Risk.
The Portfolios may be used in connection with certain benefit programs under the Contracts. In order for the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection
with these benefit programs, the Participating Insurance Companies generally require Contract owners to participate in certain specialized asset transfer programs under which the Participating Insurance Companies will
monitor each Contract owner’s account value and, if necessary, will systematically transfer amounts among investment options. The transfers are based on pre-determined, non-discretionary mathematical formulas
which generally focus on the amounts guaranteed at specific future dates or the present value of the estimated lifetime payments to be made.
As an example of how the asset
transfer formulas operate under certain market environments, a downturn in the equity markets (i.e., a reduction in a Contract owner’s account value within the selected investment options) and certain market
return scenarios involving “flat” returns over a period of time may cause the Participating Insurance Companies to transfer some or all of such Contract owner’s account value to a fixed income
investment option. In general terms, such transfers are designed to ensure that an appropriate percentage of the projected guaranteed amounts are supported by fixed income investments. The formulas may also trigger
transfers from a fixed income investment option back to selected equity and asset allocation options. Under some benefits using bond investment options with specific maturities, the transfer formulas may transfer
account value among bond investment options with differing maturities based on guarantee calculations, not necessarily market movements. For more information on the benefit programs and asset transfer formulas, please
see your Contract prospectus.
These formulas
may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolios, which, in certain instances, could adversely affect the Portfolios, including their risk profiles, expenses and performance. For example, the asset
flows may adversely affect performance by requiring a Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting a Subadviser’s ability to fully implement a Portfolio’s investment
strategies, or by requiring a Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may cause high turnover, which can result in transaction costs.
The asset flows may also result in low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for a Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of
the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the assets flows may not operate as intended. For example, it is possible that illiquid markets or other market stress could cause
delays in the transfer of cash from one Portfolio to another Portfolio, which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Commodity Risk
. A commodity-linked derivative instrument is a financial instrument, the value of which is determined by the value of one or more commodities, such as precious metals and agricultural
products, or an index of various commodities. The prices of these instruments historically have been affected by, among other things, overall market movements or fluctuations, such as demand, supply disruptions and
speculation, and changes in interest and exchange rates. The prices of commodity-linked derivative instruments also may be more volatile than the prices of investments in traditional equity and debt
securities.
Correlation Risk
. The effectiveness of a Portfolio’s equity index option overlay strategy may be reduced if the Portfolio’s equity portfolio holdings do not sufficiently correlate to that of
the index underlying its option positions.
Currency Management
Strategies Risk
. Currency management strategies may substantially change a Portfolio’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Portfolio if currencies do not perform as
the Manager expects. In addition, currency management strategies, to the extent that they reduce the Portfolio’s exposure to currency risks, may also reduce a Portfolio’s ability to benefit from favorable
changes in currency exchange rates.
154
Using currency management strategies for purposes
other than hedging further increases a Portfolio’s exposure to foreign investment losses. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate
significantly over short periods of time, and can reduce returns.
Derivatives
Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index, and
may relate to stocks, bonds, interest rates, currencies, and currency exchange rates. Derivatives in which the Portfolios may invest include exchange-traded instruments as well as privately negotiated instruments,
also called over-the-counter instruments. Examples of derivatives include options, futures, forward agreements, interest rate swap agreements, credit default swap agreements, and credit-linked securities. A Portfolio
may, but is not required to, use derivatives to seek to earn income or enhance returns, manage or adjust its risk profile, replace more traditional direct investments, or obtain exposure to certain markets. The use of
derivatives to seek to earn income or enhance returns may be considered speculative.
The use of derivatives is a highly
specialized activity that involves a variety of risks and costs that are different from, or possibly greater than, investing directly in traditional equity and debt securities, including:
| ■ | Counterparty credit risk . There is a risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to a Portfolio. This risk is especially important in the context of privately negotiated instruments. For example, a Portfolio would be exposed to counterparty credit risk to the extent it enters into a credit default swap, that is, it purchases protection against a default by a debt issuer, and the swap counterparty does not maintain adequate reserves to cover such a default. |
| ■ | Leverage risk . Certain derivatives and related trading strategies create debt obligations similar to borrowings, and therefore create, leverage. Leverage can result in losses to a Portfolio that exceed the amount the Portfolio originally invested. To mitigate leverage risk, a Portfolio will segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover the transactions that may give rise to such risk. The use of leverage may cause a Portfolio to liquidate Portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation or coverage requirements. |
| ■ | Liquidity and valuation risk . Certain exchange-traded derivatives may be difficult or impossible to buy or sell at the time that the seller would like, or at the price that the seller believes the derivative is currently worth. Privately negotiated instruments may be difficult to terminate, and from time to time, a Portfolio may find it difficult to enter into a transaction that would offset the losses incurred by another derivative that it holds. Derivatives, and especially privately negotiated instruments, also involve the risk of incorrect valuation (that is, the value assigned to the derivative may not always reflect its risks or potential rewards). |
| ■ | Hedging risk . Hedging is a strategy in which a Portfolio uses a derivative to offset the risks associated with its other portfolio holdings. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or magnify losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by the Portfolio. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match the value of the holdings being hedged, to the extent expected by the Portfolio, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced and in fact may be increased. No assurance can be given that any hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective. A Portfolio is not required to use hedging and may choose not to do so. |
Economic and Market
Events Risk.
Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a
market or a segment of a market, which
could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income
markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Emerging Markets Risk
. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less
fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or
deflation. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors
from withdrawing their money at will.
155
Equity Securities Risk.
There is a risk that the value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by a Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in
the issuer’s financial condition. In addition to an individual stock losing value, the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets in which a Portfolio invests could go down. A Portfolio’s
holdings can vary from broad market indexes, and the performance of a Portfolio can deviate from the performance of such indexes. Different parts of a market can react differently to adverse issuer, market,
regulatory, political and economic developments. Such events may result in losses to a Portfolio. Preferred stock generally pays dividends at a specified rate and has preference over common stock in the payment of
dividends and the liquidation of assets, but does not ordinarily carry voting rights. The price of a preferred stock is generally determined by earnings, type of products or services, projected growth rates,
experience of management, liquidity, and general market conditions of the markets on which the stock trades. The most significant risks associated with investments in preferred stock include the risk of losses
attributable to adverse changes in interest rates, broader market conditions and the financial condition of the stock’s issuer. Equity securities may have greater price volatility than other types of
investments. These risks are generally magnified in the case of equity investments in distressed companies.
Exchange-Traded Funds Risk
. A Portfolio may invest in ETFs as an efficient means of carrying out its investment strategies. As with mutual funds (i.e., funds that are not exchange-traded), ETFs charge asset-based
fees and other expenses that a Portfolio will indirectly bear as a result of its investment in an ETF. ETFs are traded on stock exchanges or on the over-the-counter market. ETFs do not charge initial sales charges or
redemption fees and investors pay only customary brokerage fees to buy and sell ETF shares.
An investment in an ETF generally
presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, ETFs may be subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an
ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted if
the listing exchange’s officials deem such an action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in
stock prices) halts stock trading generally. The price of an ETF can fluctuate, and a Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.
Exchange-Traded Notes Risk.
Exchange-traded notes (ETNs) are subject to the credit risk of the issuer, and the value of the ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit rating, despite the underlying
market benchmark or assets remaining unchanged. The value of an ETN may also be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market,
changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political, or geographic events that affect the referenced underlying market or assets. ETNs are also subject to the risk that the other party to the
contract will not fulfill its contractual obligations, which may cause losses or additional costs to the Portfolio. When the Portfolio invests in ETNs it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses
borne by the ETN.
Expense Risk
. Your actual cost of investing in a Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, portfolio
operating expense ratios may be higher than those shown if a Portfolio’s average net assets decrease, fee waivers or expense limitations change, or the Portfolio incurs more expenses than expected.
Fixed Income Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including credit risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk.
| ■ | Credit risk . Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able or willing to make required principal and interest payments. The downgrade of the credit of a security held by a Portfolio may decrease its value. Credit ratings are intended to provide a measure of credit risk. However, credit ratings are only the opinions of the credit rating agency issuing the ratings and are not guarantees as to quality. The lower the rating of a debt security held by a Portfolio, the greater the degree of credit risk that is perceived to exist by the credit rating agency with respect to that security. Increasing the |
156
| amount of Portfolio assets allocated lower-rated securities generally will increase the credit risk to which a Portfolio is subject. Information on the ratings issued to debt securities by certain credit rating agencies is included in Appendix I to the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). Not all securities are rated. In the event that the relevant credit rating agencies assign different ratings to the same security, a Portfolio’s Subadviser may determine which rating it believes best reflects the security’s quality and risk at that time. A Portfolio will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. Some but not all US government securities are insured or guaranteed by the US government, while others are only insured or guaranteed by the issuing agency, which must rely on its own resources to repay the debt. Although credit risk may be lower for US government securities than for other investment-grade securities, the return may be lower. |
| ■ | Liquidity risk . Liquidity risk is the risk that a Portfolio may not be able to sell some or all of the securities it holds, either at the price it values the security or at any price. Liquidity risk also includes the risk that there may be delays in selling a security, if it can be sold at all, which could prevent a Portfolio from taking advantage of other investment opportunities. A rise in interest rates may result in periods of volatility and increased redemptions, which may cause a Portfolio to have to liquidate portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices or times, which could reduce the returns of a Portfolio. The reduction in dealer market-making capacity in the fixed income markets that has occurred in recent years also has the potential to decrease liquidity. |
| ■ | Interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of an investment may go down in value when interest rates rise. The prices of fixed income securities generally move in the opposite direction to that of market interest rates. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of a Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities. The risks associated with rising interest rates are heightened given that interest rates are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and a Portfolio’s investments. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that a Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. A wide variety of factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policies and inflation rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed income security, the greater is the decline in its value when rates increase. As a result, portfolios with longer durations and longer weighted average maturities generally have more volatile share prices than portfolios with shorter durations and shorter weighted average maturities. Certain securities acquired by a Portfolio may pay interest at a variable rate or the principal amount of the security periodically adjusts according to the rate of inflation or other measure. In either case, the interest rate at issuance is generally lower than the fixed interest rate of bonds of similar seniority from the same issuer; however, variable interest rate securities generally are subject to a lower risk that their value will decrease during periods of increasing interest rates and increasing inflation. Decreases in interest rates create the potential for a decrease in income earned by a Portfolio. |
Focus Risk
. To the extent that a Portfolio focuses its investments in particular countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments from time to time, the Portfolio may be subject to
greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a portfolio that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors, or investments. As a result, a Portfolio may accumulate larger
positions in such countries, regions, industries, sectors, or types of investments and its performance may be tied more directly to the success or failure of a smaller group of related portfolio holdings than a
portfolio that invests more broadly.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investment in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers. Foreign securities include investments in securities of foreign issuers
denominated in foreign currencies, as well as securities of foreign issuers denominated in US dollars and American Depositary Receipts.
Foreign investment risk includes
the following risks:
| ■ | Currency risk . Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign securities held by a Portfolio. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the actions of the US and non-US governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is different from the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign securities held by a Portfolio. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the US dollar, the value of securities denominated in that foreign currency generally decreases in terms of US dollars. If a Portfolio does not correctly anticipate changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a result. A Portfolio may from time to time attempt to hedge a portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques, including currency futures, forwards, |
157
| and options. However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and in certain cases a Portfolio may be exposed to losses that are greater than the amount originally invested. For most emerging market currencies, suitable hedging instruments may not be available. | |
| ■ | Emerging market risk . Countries in emerging markets (e.g., South America, Eastern and Central Europe, Africa and the Pacific Basin countries) may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a limited number of securities. Economic, business, political, or social instability may affect investments in emerging markets differently, and often more severely, than investments in development markets. Securities of issuers located in these countries tend to have volatile prices and offer the potential for substantial loss as well as gain. In addition, these securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than investments in more established markets as a result of inadequate trading volume or restrictions on trading imposed by the governments of such countries. Emerging markets may also have increased risks associated with clearance and settlement. Delays in settlement could result in periods of uninvested assets, missed investment opportunities or losses for a Portfolio. |
| ■ | Foreign market risk . Foreign markets tend to be more volatile than US markets and are generally not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to those in the US. In addition, foreign markets are subject to differing custody and settlement practices. Foreign markets are subject to bankruptcy laws different than those in the US, which may result in lower recoveries for investors. |
| ■ | Information risk . Financial reporting standards for companies based in foreign markets usually differ from those in the US. |
| ■ | Liquidity and valuation risk . Stocks that trade less frequently can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell, than more liquid or active stocks. This liquidity risk is a function of the trading volume of a particular stock, as well as the size and liquidity of the entire local market. On the whole, foreign exchanges are smaller and less liquid than US markets. This can make buying and selling certain securities more difficult and costly. Relatively small transactions in some instances can have a disproportionately large effect on the price and supply of securities. In certain situations, it may become virtually impossible to sell a security in an orderly fashion at a price that approaches an estimate of its value. |
| ■ | Political and social risk . Political or social developments may adversely affect the value of a Portfolio’s foreign securities. In addition, some foreign governments have limited the outflow of profits to investors abroad, extended diplomatic disputes to include trade and financial relations, and imposed high taxes on corporate profits. A Portfolio’s investments in foreign securities also may be subject to the risk of nationalization or expropriation of a foreign corporation’s assets, imposition of currency exchange controls, or restrictions on the repatriation of non-US currency, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability and adverse diplomatic developments. These risks are heightened in all respects with respect to investments in foreign securities issued by foreign corporations and governments located in developing countries or emerging markets. |
| ■ | Regulatory risk . Some foreign governments regulate their exchanges less stringently than the US, and the rights of shareholders may not be as firmly established as in the US. In general, less information is publicly available about foreign corporations than about US companies. |
| ■ | Taxation risk . Many foreign markets are not as open to foreign investors as US markets. A Portfolio may be required to pay special taxes on gains and distributions that are imposed on foreign investors. Payment of these foreign taxes may reduce the investment performance of a Portfolio. |
Fund of Funds Risk
. A Portfolio that is structured as a “fund of funds” invests primarily in a combination of underlying investment companies which we refer to as “Underlying
Portfolios.” In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the Underlying Portfolios, these Portfolios are subject to the following risks:
| ■ | To the extent that a Portfolio concentrates its assets among Underlying Portfolios that invest principally in one or several asset classes, a Portfolio may from time to time underperform mutual funds exposed primarily to other asset classes. For example, a Portfolio may be overweighed in the equity asset class when the stock market is falling and the fixed income market is rising. Likewise, a Portfolio may be overweighted in the fixed income asset class when the fixed income market is falling and the stock market is rising. |
| ■ | The ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objective depends on the ability of the selected Underlying Portfolios to achieve their investment objectives. There is a risk that the selected Underlying Portfolios will underperform relevant markets, relevant indices, or other portfolios with similar investment objectives and strategies. |
158
| ■ | A Portfolio will incur its pro rata share of the expenses of an Underlying Portfolio in which the Portfolio invests, such as investment advisory and other management expenses, and shareholders incur the operating expenses of these Underlying Portfolios. |
| ■ | The performance of a Portfolio may be affected by large purchases and redemptions of Underlying Portfolio shares. For example, large purchases and redemptions may cause an Underlying Portfolio to hold a greater percentage of its assets in cash than other portfolios pursuing similar strategies, and large redemptions may cause an Underlying Portfolio to sell assets at inopportune times. Underlying Portfolios that have experienced significant redemptions may, as a result, have higher expense ratios than other portfolios pursuing similar strategies. The Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) seek to minimize the impact of large purchases and redemptions of Underlying Portfolio shares, but their abilities to do so may be limited. |
| ■ | There is a potential conflict of interest between a Portfolio and its Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s). Because the amount of the investment management fees to be retained by the Manager and their affiliates may differ depending upon which Underlying Portfolios are used in connection with a Portfolio, there is a potential conflict of interest for the Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) in selecting the Underlying Portfolios. In addition, the Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) may have an incentive to take into account the effect on an Underlying Portfolio in which the Portfolio may invest in determining whether, and under what circumstances, to purchase or sell shares in that Underlying Portfolio. Although the Manager and a Portfolio’s Subadviser(s) take steps to address the potential conflicts of interest, it is possible that the potential conflicts could impact the Portfolios. |
Futures and Forward Contracts
Risk
. A Portfolio may engage in transactions in futures and options thereon. Futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts which obligate a purchaser to take delivery, and a seller to
make delivery, of a specific amount of an asset at a specified future date at a specified price. No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Rather, upon purchasing or selling a futures contract a
Portfolio is required to deposit collateral (margin) equal to a percentage (generally less than 10%) of the contract value. Each day thereafter until the futures position is closed, the Portfolio will pay additional
margin representing any loss experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day or be entitled to a payment representing any profit experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day. Futures
involve substantial leverage risk.
The sale of a futures contract
limits a Portfolio’s risk of loss through a decline in the market value of portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract prior to the futures contract’s expiration date. In the event the market
value of the portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract increases rather than decreases, however, a Portfolio will realize a loss on the futures position and a lower return on the portfolio holdings than
would have been realized without the purchase of the futures contract.
The purchase of a futures contract
may protect a Portfolio from having to pay more for securities as a consequence of increases in the market value for such securities during a period when the Portfolio was attempting to identify specific securities in
which to invest in a market the Portfolio believes to be attractive. In the event that such securities decline in value or a Portfolio determines not to complete an anticipatory hedge transaction relating to a futures
contract, however, the Portfolio may realize a loss relating to the futures position.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in high-yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”) may be subject to
greater levels of interest rate, credit and liquidity risk than investments in investment grade securities. High-yield securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing
ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than other types of securities. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for high-yield
securities and reduce a Portfolio’s ability to sell its high-yield securities at an advantageous time or price. In addition, the market for lower-rated bonds may be thinner and less active than the market for
higher-rated bonds, and the prices of lower-rated bonds may fluctuate more than the prices of higher-rated bonds, particularly in times of market stress. High yield securities frequently have redemption features that
permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Portfolio prior to maturity, which may result in the Portfolio having to reinvest the proceeds in other high yield securities or similar instruments that may pay
lower interest rates.
159
Inflation-Protected Securities
Risk.
Inflation-protected debt securities tend to react to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates can be described as nominal interest rates minus the expected impact of inflation.
In general, the price of an inflation-protected debt security falls when real interest rates rise, and rises when real interest rates fall. Interest payments on inflation-protected debt securities will vary as the
principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and may be more volatile than interest paid on ordinary bonds. In periods of deflation, a Portfolio may have no income at all from such investments. Income earned by
a shareholder depends on the amount of principal invested.
Investment
Style Risk
. Securities of a particular investment style, such as growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions and investor
sentiment, and tend to go through cycles of performing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the overall stock market. As a result, a Portfolio’s performance may at times be
worse than the performance of other portfolios that invest in similar asset classes but employ different investment styles.
Due to their relatively high
valuations, growth stocks are typically more volatile than value stocks. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, share prices may
decline significantly, even if earnings do increase. Further, growth stocks may not pay dividends or may pay lower dividends than value stocks. This means they depend more on price changes for returns and may be more
adversely affected in a down market compared to value stocks that pay higher dividends.
There is a risk that the value
investment style may be out of favor for a period of time, that the market will not recognize a security’s intrinsic value for a long time or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately
priced. Historically, value stocks have performed best during periods of economic recovery.
Large Company Risk.
Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing a Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.
Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges, including changes to technology or consumer tastes, and may grow more slowly than smaller companies, especially during market cycles
corresponding to periods of economic expansion. Market capitalizations of companies change over time.
Leverage Risk.
Leverage is the investment of borrowed cash. When using leverage, a Portfolio receives any profit or loss on the amount borrowed and invested, but remains obligated to repay the amount
borrowed plus interest. The effect of using leverage is to amplify a Portfolio’s gains and losses in comparison to the amount of a Portfolio’s assets (that is, assets other than borrowed assets) at risk,
thus causing the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been leveraged. Certain transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Examples of such transactions include borrowing, reverse
repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment contracts. Certain types of leveraging transactions could theoretically be subject to unlimited
losses in cases where a Portfolio, for any reason, is unable to close out the transaction. To mitigate leverage risk, a Portfolio may segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover the transactions that may give rise to
such risk. The use of leverage may cause a Portfolio to liquidate Portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation or coverage requirements.
Liquidity
Allocation Risk.
A Portfolio’s liquidity strategy will result in a decrease in the amount of the Portfolio’s assets held in Underlying Portfolios or individual securities, as applicable, and an
increase in the amount invested in derivatives (e.g., futures and options) and in short-term money market instruments. Under certain market conditions, short-term performance may be adversely affected as a result of
this strategy.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. From time to time, a Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. In those cases, a
Portfolio may have difficulty determining the values of those securities for the purpose of determining a Portfolio’s net asset value. A Portfolio also may have difficulty disposing of those securities at an
advantageous time or at the values determined by the Portfolio for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value, especially during periods of significant net redemptions of Portfolio shares. As a
result, a Portfolio may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to
160
certain issuers,
asset classes or sectors. Private equity investments and private real estate-related investments are generally considered illiquid and generally cannot be readily sold. As a result, private real estate-related
investments owned by a Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Portfolio’s Board of Trustees. Fair value determinations are inherently subjective and reflect good faith
judgments based on available information. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the price a Portfolio would receive upon the sale of the investment. A Portfolio’s
ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Portfolios with principal
investment strategies that involve foreign securities, private placement investments, derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity and valuation
risk.
Loan Risk
. The loans in which a Portfolio may invest are typically rated below investment grade or are unrated securities of similar quality. The loans in which a Portfolio may invest may not be (i)
rated at the time of investment, (ii) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or (iii) listed on a securities exchange. The amount of public information available with respect to such loans may be less
extensive than that available for more widely rated, registered or exchange-listed securities. Because no active trading market may exist for some of the loans in which a Portfolio may invest, such loans may be less
liquid and more difficult to value than more liquid instruments for which a trading market does exist. Portfolio transactions may take up to two or three weeks to settle, and in some cases much longer. Unlike the
securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. As a result, sale proceeds potentially
will not be available to a Portfolio to make additional investments or to use proceeds to meet its current redemption obligations. A Portfolio thus is subject to the risk of selling other investments at
disadvantageous times or prices or taking other actions necessary to raise cash to meet its redemption obligations. Because the interest rates of floating-rate loans in which a Portfolio may invest may reset
frequently, if market interest rates fall, the loans’ interest rates will be reset to lower levels, potentially reducing a Portfolio’s income.
Loan interests may not be
considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as a Portfolio, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. A Portfolio may be in possession of
material non-public information about a borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or security of such borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities of issuers while in possession
of such information, a Portfolio may be unable to enter into a transaction in a loan or security of such a borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.
Market and Management Risk
. Market risk is the risk that the markets in which a Portfolio invests will experience market volatility and go down in value, including the possibility that a market will go down sharply
and unpredictably. All markets go through cycles, and market risk involves being on the wrong side of a cycle. Factors affecting market risk include political events, broad economic and social changes, and the mood of
the investing public. If investor sentiment turns negative, the price of all securities may decline. Market risk also includes the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt the economy on a national or global level.
For instance, terrorism, market manipulation, government defaults, government shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, and natural/environmental disasters can all negatively impact the securities
markets, which could cause a Portfolio to lose value. Management risk is the risk that the investment strategy or the Manager or a Subadviser will not work as intended. All decisions by the Manager or a Subadviser
require judgment and are based on imperfect information. In addition, if a Portfolio is managed using an investment model it is subject to the risk that the investment model may not perform as expected. Moreover,
regulatory restrictions, actual or potential conflicts of interest or other considerations may cause the Manager or a Subadviser to restrict or prohibit participation in certain investments. There is no guarantee that
the investment objective of a Portfolio will be achieved.
Market Capitalization Risk.
Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment. Because
the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by small-cap companies, it is likely to be more volatile than a portfolio that focuses on securities issued by larger companies. Small-sized
companies often have less experienced
161
management, narrower product lines, more limited
financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. In addition, smaller companies are typically more sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions and their securities may be
difficult to trade.
Mid-Sized Company
Risk
. The shares of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and
on a Portfolio’s ability to sell the securities. Changes in the demand for these securities generally have a disproportionate effect on their market price, tending to make prices rise more in response to buying
demand and fall more in response to selling pressure. Such investments also may be more volatile than investments in larger companies, as mid-sized companies generally experience higher growth and failure rates, and
typically have less access to capital.
Master Limited Partnerships
Risk.
A Portfolio may invest in MLPs. An MLP is an investment that combines the tax benefits of a limited partnership with the liquidity of publicly-traded securities. The risks of
investing in an MLP are generally those involved in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing
corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation. Investments held by MLPs may be relatively illiquid, limiting the MLPs’ ability to vary
their portfolios promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. MLPs may have limited financial resources, their securities may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to
more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly-based companies. An investment in MLPs also subjects the Portfolio to the risks associated with the specific industry or industries in
which the MLPs invest, 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,
cash flow risks, dilution risks and risks related to the general partner’s right to require unit-holders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price. MLPs are generally considered interest-rate
sensitive investments. During periods of interest rate volatility, these investments may not provide attractive returns.
Non-Diversification Risk
. A Portfolio is considered “diversified” if, with respect to 75 percent of its total assets, it invests no more than 5 percent of its total assets in the securities of one
issuer, and its investments in such issuer represent no more than 10 percent of that issuer’s outstanding voting securities. To the extent that a Portfolio is not diversified, there is a risk that the Portfolio
may be adversely affected by the performance of relatively few securities or the securities of a single issuer, including changes in the market value of a single issuer’s securities and unfavorable market and
economic developments. A non-diversified Portfolio is therefore more exposed to losses caused by a smaller group of portfolio holdings than a diversified portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover
Risk.
A Subadviser generally does not consider the length of time a Portfolio has held a particular security in making investment decisions. In fact, a Subadviser may engage in active and
frequent trading on behalf of a Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of its securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities or yield differentials. A Portfolio’s turnover rate
may be higher than that of other mutual funds due to a Subadviser’s investment strategies and the above-referenced asset transfer programs. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to a Portfolio,
including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. A Portfolio may experience an increase in its portfolio turnover rate when
the Portfolio’s portfolio is modified in connection with a change in a
Subadviser.
Quantitative Model Risk
. A Portfolio may use quantitative models as part of their investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the
market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each factor, and changing sources of market
returns. Any errors, limitations, or imperfections in the Subadviser’s quantitative analyses or models (for example, software or other technology malfunctions or programming inaccuracies), or in the data on
which they are based, including the Subadviser’s ability to timely update the data, could adversely affect the Subadviser’s effective use of such analyses or models, which in turn could adversely affect a
Portfolio’s performance. A model that has been formulated on the basis of past market data may not be predictive of future price movements. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the
desired results or enable a Portfolio to achieve its objective.
162
Real Asset Risk.
The real asset industries in general can be significantly affected by a variety of factors, including exploration and production spending; government regulation or deregulation; energy
conservation; changes in tax laws and government regulations; raw materials prices, energy prices and the supply and demand for oil and gas; interest rates; commodity prices; international monetary and political
developments such as currency devaluations or revaluations; and central bank movements.
The rate of earnings growth of
natural resource companies may be irregular since these companies are strongly affected by natural forces, global economic cycles, and international politics. For example, stock prices of energy companies can fall
sharply when oil prices fall and mining companies can suffer from resource availability, governmental restrictions, and fluctuations in supply and demand.
Exposure to the commodities
markets may subject a Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The values of investments related directly to commodities may be affected by changes in overall market movements,
commodity index volatility, interest rates, and other factors such as drought, floods, weather, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments.
Real Estate
Risk
. Investments in REITs and real estate-linked derivative instruments will subject a Portfolio to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including losses
from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, operating expenses, overbuilding,
construction delays and the supply of real estate generally, extended vacancies of properties, and the management skill and credit worthiness of the issuer. An investment in a real estate-linked derivative instrument
that is linked to the value of a REIT is subject to additional risks, such as poor performance by the manager of the REIT, adverse changes to the tax laws, or failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free pass-through
of income under the tax laws. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property and, as a result, may be
more exposed to events that adversely affect such properties or areas than REITs that invest more broadly.
Regulatory Risk
. Each Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. Each Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and certain Portfolios are subject to
regulation by the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which a Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable regulation. These laws and regulations are
subject to change. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact a Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market. For example, a change in laws or regulations made by the government or a regulatory body
may impact the ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objective, or may impact a Portfolio’s investment policies and/or strategies, or may reduce the attractiveness of an investment. The SEC’s
rules intended to limit, assess and manage liquidity risk may materially affect the securities in which a Portfolio invests and a Portfolio’s investment strategies and
performance.
Restricted Securities Risk.
A Portfolio may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that cannot be offered for public resale unless registered under the applicable securities laws or
that have a contractual restriction that prohibits or limits their resale. Restricted securities include private placement securities, such as those normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the
Securities Act of 1933.
Restricted securities may be less
liquid and more difficult to value than publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, an insufficient number of eligible buyers interested in purchasing
restricted securities at a particular time could adversely affect their marketability and a Portfolio may be unable to dispose of them promptly or at reasonable prices, subjecting the Portfolio to liquidity risk. A
Portfolio may invest in restricted securities determined to be liquid as well as those determined to be illiquid. Even if determined to be liquid, a Portfolio’s holdings of restricted securities may increase the
level of Portfolio illiquidity to the extent that eligible buyers become unable or unwilling, for a time, to purchase them. Issuers of restricted securities are not subject to the disclosure and other investor
protection requirements that might be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Thus, a Portfolio investing in restricted securities may be less able to predict future losses. In addition, if a
Portfolio’s management receives material nonpublic information about an issuer of a restricted security,
163
the Portfolio may be unable to sell the security
when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so and, as such, could incur a loss. Restricted securities also may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the values of such
securities may have significant volatility. When registration of a security is required, a Portfolio may have to bear all or part of the registration expenses and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the
registration. Certain restricted securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses to the Portfolio.
Short Sale Risk
. A Portfolio that sells a security short in effect borrows and then sells the security with the expectation that it will later repurchase the security at a lower price and then return the
amount borrowed with interest. In contrast, when a Portfolio buys a security long, it purchases the security with cash with the expectation that it later will sell the security at a higher price. A Portfolio that
enters into short sales exposes the Portfolio to the risk that it will be required to buy the security sold short (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when the security has appreciated
in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Portfolio. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited, although for fixed income securities an interest rate of 0% forms an effective limit on how high a
security’s price would be expected to rise. Although a Portfolio may try to reduce risk by holding both long and short positions at the same time, it is possible that the Portfolio’s securities held long
will decline in value at the same time that the value of the Portfolio’s securities sold short increases, thereby increasing the potential for loss.
Small and Medium Sized Company
Risk
. The shares of small and medium sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can have an adverse effect on the price of these
securities and on a Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities. Changes in the demand for these securities generally have a disproportionate effect on their market price, tending to make prices rise more in
response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure. Such investments also may be more volatile than investments in larger companies, as smaller and medium sized companies generally experience
higher growth and failure rates, and typically have less diversified product lines, less experienced senior management, and less access to capital than larger companies. In the case of small sized technology
companies, the risks associated with technology company stocks, which tend to be more volatile than other sectors, are magnified.
Sovereign Debt
Securities Risk.
Investing in sovereign debt securities exposes a Portfolio to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities.
Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price volatility of sovereign debt securities held by a Portfolio. The issuer or governmental authority that controls the
repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or pay interest when it becomes due, due to factors such as debt service burden, political constraints, cash flow problems and other
national economic factors. In addition, foreign governments may default on their debt securities, which may require holders of such securities to participate in debt rescheduling or additional lending to defaulting
governments. Moreover, there is no bankruptcy proceeding by which defaulted sovereign debt may be collected in whole or in
part.
US Government Securities Risk
. US Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the US Government. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and US
Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. For example, securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the
Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Banks are neither insured nor guaranteed by the US Government. These securities may be supported by the ability to borrow from the US Treasury or only by
the credit of the issuing agency, authority, instrumentality or enterprise and, as a result, are subject to greater credit risk than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Treasury. Further, the US Government and
its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and enterprises do not guarantee the market value of their securities; consequently, the value of such securities will fluctuate. This may be the case especially when there
is any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the US Congress to increase the statutory debt ceiling. If the US Congress is unable to negotiate an adjustment to the statutory debt
ceiling, there is also the risk that the US Government may default on payments on certain US Government securities, including those held by a Portfolio (including the AST Government Money Market Portfolio), which
could have a negative impact on the
Portfolio.
164
HOW THE TRUST IS MANAGED
Board of Trustees
The Board oversees the actions of
the investment managers and the Subadvisers and decides on general policies. The Board also oversees the Trust's officers who conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Trust.
Investment Managers
PGIM Investments
LLC
655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey, and
AST Investment Services, Inc.
One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut, serve as co-investment managers of the Trust. PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve as co-investment managers for the AST Jennison Global
Infrastructure Portfolio, the AST Managed Equity Portfolio and the AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio. PGIM Investments serves as the sole investment manager for all other Portfolios covered by this Prospectus. When
used in this Prospectus, the “Manager” refers to (a) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, collectively, with respect to the AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio, the AST Managed Equity Portfolio and the AST
Managed Fixed Income Portfolio; and (b) PGIM Investments with respect to all other Portfolios covered by this Prospectus. ASTIS has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1992. PGIM Investments has
been in the business of providing advisory services since 1996.
PGIM Investments has registered
with the National Futures Association (NFA) as a “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) with respect to AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio, AST Franklin Templeton K2
Global Absolute Return Portfolio, AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio, AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio, AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio, AST
Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio and AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio, and with respect to other portfolios of the Trust not included in this prospectus.
The Trust's Investment Management
Agreements, on behalf of each Portfolio, with ASTIS and PGIM Investments, as applicable, (the Management Agreements), provide that the Manager will furnish each applicable Portfolio with investment advice and
administrative services subject to the supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated policies of the applicable Portfolio. The Manager must also provide, or obtain and supervise, the executive,
administrative, accounting, custody, transfer agent and shareholder servicing services that are deemed advisable by the Board.
The Manager has engaged the
Subadvisers to conduct the investment programs of the Portfolios, including the purchase, retention and sale of portfolio securities and other financial instruments. The Manager is responsible for monitoring the
activities of the Subadvisers and reporting on such activities to the Board. The Trust has obtained an exemption from the SEC that permits the Manager, subject to approval by the Board, to change Subadvisers for a
Portfolio by entering into new subadvisory agreements with affiliated and non-affiliated subadvisers, without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes. This exemption (which is similar to exemptions granted to
other investment companies that are organized in a manner similar to the Trust) is intended to facilitate the efficient supervision and management of the Subadvisers by the Manager and the Board. The Manager also
participates in the day-to-day management of several Portfolios, as noted both in the Summary section for the relevant Portfolios earlier in this Prospectus and the “Portfolio Managers” section later in
this Prospectus.
If there is more than one
Subadviser for a Portfolio, the Manager will determine the division of the assets for that Portfolio among the applicable Subadvisers under normal conditions. All daily cash inflows (that is, purchases and reinvested
distributions) and outflows (that is, redemptions and expense items) will be divided among such Subadvisers as the Manager deem appropriate. The Manager may change the target allocation of assets among Subadvisers,
transfer assets between Subadvisers, or change the allocation of cash inflows or cash outflows among Subadvisers for any reason and at any time without notice. As a consequence, the Manager may allocate assets or cash
flows from a portfolio segment that has appreciated more to another portfolio segment.
Reallocations of assets among the
Subadvisers and the Manager may result in additional costs since sales of securities may result in higher portfolio turnover. Also, because the Subadvisers and the Manager select portfolio securities independently, it
is possible that a security held by a portfolio segment may also be held by another portfolio
165
segment of the Portfolio or that certain
Subadvisers or the Manager may simultaneously favor the same industry. The Manager will monitor the overall portfolio to ensure that any such overlaps do not create an unintended industry concentration. In addition,
if a Subadviser or the Manager buy a security as another Subadviser or the Manager sells it, the net position of the Portfolio in the security may be approximately the same as it would have been with a single
portfolio and no such sale and purchase, but the Portfolio will have incurred additional costs. The Manager will consider these costs in determining the allocation of assets or cash flows. The Manager will consider
the timing of asset and cash flow reallocations based upon the best interests of each Portfolio and its shareholders.
A discussion regarding the basis
for the Board's approval of the Management Agreements and subadvisory agreements is available in the Trust's semi-annual report for the period ended June 30.
Investment Management Fees
Set forth below
are the total effective annualized investment management fees paid (as a percentage of average net assets) net of waivers by each Portfolio of the Trust to the Manager during 2017:
| Portfolio | Total Effective Annualized Investment Management Fees Paid |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | 0.62% |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | 0.09% |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | -%* |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | 0.61% |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | 0.71% |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | 0.61% |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | 0.11% |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | 0.40% |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | 0.26% |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | 0.69% |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | -%* |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | 0.62% |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | -%* |
Notes to Investment Management
Fees Table:
*The
management fee amount waived exceeded the management fee that would otherwise have been payable due to an expense cap.
Note: Fee information is not available for
the AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio, because the Portfolio is new.
166
Investment Subadvisers
The Portfolios each have one more
or more investment Subadvisers providing the day-to-day investment management of each Portfolio. PGIM Investments also participates in the day-to-day management of several Portfolios, as noted in the “Portfolio
Managers” section later in this Prospectus. The Manager pays each investment Subadviser a subadvisory fee out of the fee that the Manager receives from the Trust. The Subadvisers for each Portfolio of the Trust
are described below:
AllianceBernstein,
L.P. (AllianceBernstein)
is a Delaware limited partnership of which AllianceBernstein Corporation, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc. (AXA Financial), is a general partner. AXA Financial is
a wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA S.A., one of the largest global financial services organizations. AllianceBernstein’s principal place of business is located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York
10105. As of December 31, 2017, AllianceBernstein’s assets under management totaled $554.5 billion.
Capital International, Inc. (Capital
International)
is a registered investment advisor, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group International, Inc. that is owned by Capital Research and Management Company, a wholly owned subsidiary
of The Capital Group
Companies, Inc. (CGC).
CGC and its affiliates had approximately $1.78 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017. Capital International is located at 11100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles,
California
90025.
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (Columbia)
is located at 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 and serves as investment adviser and administrator to the Columbia Funds. Columbia is a registered investment adviser and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Columbia's management experience covers all major asset classes, including equity securities, debt instruments and money market instruments. In addition to serving
as an investment adviser to traditional mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds, Columbia acts as an investment adviser for itself, its affiliates, individuals, corporations, retirement plans, private
investment companies and financial intermediaries. As of December 31, 2017, Columbia had approximately $353.4 billion in assets under management.
Dana Investment Advisors, Inc.
(Dana)
was founded in 1980 and is an SEC registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Dana is headquartered at 20700 Swenson Drive, Suite 400, Waukesha, Wisconsin where
all business functions are performed including: Portfolio Management, Trading, Operations and Administration. As of December 31, 2017, Dana was responsible for approximately $7.5 billion dollars of Entity Assets and
manages over $4.8 billion dollars for a broad range of clients located throughout the United States. The company is 100% employee owned and does not maintain any other business affiliations.
First Quadrant L.P. (First
Quadrant),
which maintains its headquarters at 800 E. Colorado Boulevard., Suite 900, Pasadena, California 91101, is an affiliate of Affiliated Managers Group. As of December 31, 2017, First Quadrant
had approximately $26 billion in assets under management, which includes market values for fully funded portfolios and the notional values for margin funded portfolios, all actively managed by First Quadrant and
non-discretionary portfolios managed by strategic partners using First Quadrant, L.P. investment signals. First Quadrant is defined in this context as the combination of all discretionary portfolios of First Quadrant,
L.P. and its partners, but only wherein First Quadrant has full investment discretion over the portfolios.
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Franklin
Advisers)
is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc., a publicly owned company engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2017,
Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates had approximately $753.8 billion in assets under management. Franklin Advisers is located at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403.
K2/D&S Management Co.,
L.L.C. (K2)
is a registered investment adviser and has been in the investment management business since 1994. K2 is a majority-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. K2 is located at 300
Atlantic Street, 12
th
Floor, Stamford, Connecticut 06901.
167
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
(Templeton Global)
has been in the business of providing investment advisory services since 1954. Templeton Global is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. Templeton Global is
located at Lyford Cay, Nassau, Bahamas.
Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P. (GSAM)
has been registered as an investment adviser with the SEC since 1990, is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
LLC (“Goldman Sachs”). As of December 31, 2017, GSAM, including its investment advisory affiliates, had assets under supervision (AUS) of approximately $1.291 trillion. AUS includes assets under management
and other client assets for which Goldman Sachs does not have full discretion. Goldman Sach's address is 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management
International (GSAM International)
is located at River Court 120 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2BE, England. GSAM International is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and has been a registered investment adviser since
1991 and is an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”). As of December 31, 2017, GSAM,
including its investment advisory affiliates, had approximately $1.291 trillion in assets under supervision. Assets under supervision includes assets under management and other client
assets for which Goldman Sachs does not have full discretion.
Jennison Associates LLC
(Jennison)
is organized under the laws of Delaware as single member limited liability company whose sole member is PGIM, Inc., which is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM Holding Company LLC,
which is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. As of December 31, 2017, Jennison managed in excess of $175 billion in assets for institutional, mutual fund and certain other clients.
Jennison's address is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
Longfellow Investment Management Co.
LLC. (Longfellow)
a registered investment adviser located at 20 Winthrop Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. As of December 31, 2017, Longfellow had approximately $11.13 billion in assets under
management.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Inc. (MSIM)
is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley and conducts a worldwide portfolio management business providing a broad range of services to customers in the US and abroad. MSIM is located at 522 Fifth
Avenue, New York, NY 10036. As of December 31, 2017, MSIM together with its affiliated asset management companies had approximately $481.5 billion in assets under management.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC (NBIA).
Is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Neuberger Berman Group LLC (“Neuberger Berman”). As of December 31, 2017, NBIA and its affiliates managed approximately $295 billion
in assets. NBIA's address is 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10104.
PGIM, Inc. (PGIM)
is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. PGIM was formed in June 1984 and was registered with the SEC as an investment adviser in December 1984. The Fixed
Income unit of PGIM (PGIM Fixed Income) is the principal public fixed income asset management unit of PGIM. As of December 31, 2017, PGIM had approximately $1.16 trillion in assets under management. PGIM's address is
655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
PGIM Fixed Income
is the primary public fixed-income asset management unit of PGIM, with $709 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017, and is the unit of PGIM that provides investment
advisory services.
PGIM Fixed Income is organized
into groups specializing in different sectors of the fixed-income market: US and non-US government bonds, mortgages and asset-backed securities, US and non-US investment grade corporate bonds, high-yield bonds,
emerging markets bonds, municipal bonds, and money market securities.
168
PGIM Limited
is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM. PGIM Limited is located at Grand Buildings, 1-3 Strand, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5HR. PGIM Limited provides investment advisory
services with respect to securities in certain foreign markets. As of December 31, 2017, PGIM Limited managed approximately $40.74 billion in assets.
Quantitative Management Associates
LLC (QMA)
is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGIM. QMA manages equity and balanced portfolios for institutional and retail clients. As of December 31, 2017, QMA managed approximately $137.5 billion in
assets, including approximately $51.9 billion that QMA, as a balanced manager, allocated to investment vehicles advised by affiliated and unaffiliated managers. QMA's address is Gateway Center Two, 100 Mulberry
Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
QS Investors LLC (QS
Investors)
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. As of December 31, 2017, QS Investors had approximately $21 billion in assets under management. QS Investors is headquartered at 880 3rd
Avenue, New York, New York 10022.
Brandywine Global Investment
Management, LLC (Brandywine)
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. As of December 31, 2017, Brandywine had approximately $75.5 billion in assets under management. Brandywine’s address is 2929 Arch
Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
ClearBridge Investments, LLC
(ClearBridge)
has offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018 and is an investment adviser that manages US and international equity investment strategies for institutional and individual
investors. ClearBridge has been committed to delivering long-term results through active management for more than 50 years, and bases its investment decisions on fundamental research and the insights of seasoned
portfolio management teams. As of December 31, 2017, ClearBridge’s total assets under management (including assets under management for ClearBridge, LLC, an affiliate of ClearBridge) were approximately $137
billion, including $16.8 billion for which ClearBridge provides non-discretionary investment models to managed account sponsors.
Western Asset Management Company
(Western Asset) & Western Asset Management Company Limited (WAML).
Western Asset, established in 1971 and now a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., acts as investment adviser to institutional accounts, such as corporate pension plans, mutual
funds and endowment funds. Total assets under management by Western Asset and its supervised affiliates were approximately $442.2 billion as of December 31, 2017. Western Asset's address is 385 East Colorado
Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101. WAML, a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., acts as investment adviser to institutional accounts, such as corporate pension plans, mutual funds and endowment funds. WAML
is located at 10 Exchange Place, London, England.
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (T.
Rowe Price)
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. T. Rowe Price and its affiliates managed approximately $991.1 billion in assets as of December 31, 2017. T. Rowe Price's address
is 100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
T. Rowe Price International Ltd (T.
Rowe Price International)
was organized in 2000 as a United Kingdom corporation and is a wholly owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price. In 2010, the corporation changed its name from T. Rowe Price Global Investment
Services Limited to T. Rowe Price International Ltd. T. Rowe Price International is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and is also registered or licensed with
the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau, and the Financial Services Agency of Japan, among other regulators. T. Rowe Price International is headquartered in London at 60 Queen Victoria
Street, London EC4N 4TZ United Kingdom, and has several other branch offices around the
world.
T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited
(Price Hong Kong)
, a wholly owned subsidiary of Price International, was organized as a Hong Kong limited company in 2010. Price Hong Kong is responsible for marketing and client servicing of non-US clients
based in certain Asian countries, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Price Hong Kong is licensed with the SFC and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Price Hong
Kong serves as a subadviser to registered investment companies and other commingled products
169
for which Price International serves as adviser,
and provides investment management services for other clients who seek to primarily invest in securities markets of the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan and Australia). Price Hong Kong’s address is 1
Connaught Place, Room 2101-2120, Jardine House 21st Floor, Central Hong Kong.
T. Rowe Price
Japan, Inc. (T. Rowe Price Japan)
, a wholly owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price International, was organized in 2017 as a Japanese corporation and commenced its operation in 2018. Prior to 2018, T. Rowe Price Japan operated
as a branch of T. Rowe Price International (T. Rowe Price International – Tokyo Branch). T. Rowe Price Japan is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and is
also licensed with the Japan Financial Services Agency. T. Rowe Price Japan serves as a subadviser to registered investment companies and other commingled products for which T. Rowe Price International and its
affiliates serves as adviser, and provides investment management services for other clients who seek to invest in Japanese securities markets. T. Rowe Price Japan is headquartered in Tokyo at 1-9-2, Marunouchi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Wellington Management Company LLP
(Wellington Management)
is a Delaware limited liability partnership. Wellington Management is a professional investment counseling firm which provides investment services to investment companies, employee benefit
plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 80 years. Wellington Management is owned by the
partners of Wellington Management Group LLP, a Massachusetts limited liability partnership. As of December 31, 2017, Wellington Management had investment management authority with respect to approximately $1,080
billion in assets. The address of Wellington Management is 280 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
170
Portfolio Managers
Information about the portfolio
managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolios is set forth below.
In addition to the information set
forth below, the SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager, and each portfolio manager's ownership of shares of the Trust's
Portfolios.
AST AB Global Bond Portfolio
The portfolio managers from
AllianceBernstein that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Scott DiMaggio, Matthew Sheridan, Douglas J. Peebles and Paul DeNoon. Biographies for Messrs. DiMaggio, Sheridan, Peebles and DeNoon
are provided below.
Scott DiMaggio, CFA. Mr. DiMaggio
serves as Director of both Global Fixed Income and Canada Fixed Income, and is a member of the Absolute Return portfolio management team. Prior to joining the Fixed Income team, he performed quantitative investment
analysis, including asset-liability, asset-allocation, return attribution and risk analysis. Before joining the firm in 1999, Mr. DiMaggio was a risk management market analyst at Santander Investment Securities. He
also held positions as a senior consultant at Ernst & Young and Andersen Consulting. Mr. DiMaggio holds a BS in business administration from the State University of New York, Albany, and an MS in finance from
Baruch College. He is a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals and a CFA charterholder.
Matthew Sheridan, CFA. Mr.
Sheridan is a Portfolio Manager and member of the Absolute Return, Global Fixed Income, and Emerging Market Debt portfolio management teams. He primarily focuses on quantitative reporting, duration maintenance, and
short-term cash management. Mr. Sheridan joined Alliance Capital in 1998 and previously worked in the firm’s Structured Asset Securities Group. He holds a BS in finance from Syracuse University and is a CFA
charterholder.
Douglas J. Peebles. Mr. Peebles
joined the firm in 1987 and is the Chief Investment Officer and Head of AllianceBernstein Fixed Income. In this role, he supervises all of the Fixed Income portfolio management research teams globally. In addition,
Mr. Peebles is Chairman of the Interest Rates and Currencies Research Review team, which is responsible for setting interest rate and currency policy for all fixed income portfolios. He has held several leadership
positions within Fixed Income, including director of Global Fixed Income from 1997 to 2004 and co-head of AllianceBernstein Fixed Income from 2004 until 2008. He holds a BA from Muhlenberg College and an MBA from
Rutgers University.
Paul DeNoon. Mr. DeNoon directs
all of AllianceBernstein’s investment activities in emerging market fixed income and is a senior member of the Global Fixed Income and Absolute Return teams. He oversees a variety of global fixed income assets
and plays a key role in the firm’s multi-sector high-income strategies. Mr. DeNoon is also Portfolio Manager for the Next 50 Emerging Markets Fund and a member of the Emerging Markets Multi-Asset Strategy
Committee, the Dynamic Asset Allocation Committee, and a number of other management committees. Prior to joining the firm in 1992, he was a vice president in the Investment Portfolio Group at Manufacturers Hanover
Trust and an economist in the bank’s Financial Markets Research Group, where he was primarily responsible for the analysis of monetary and fiscal policy. Mr. DeNoon began his career as a research analyst at
Lehman Brothers. He holds a BA in economics from Union College and an MBA in finance from New York University.
AST American Funds
Growth Allocation Portfolio
The portfolio manager responsible
for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio is Wesley K. -S. Phoa.
171
Mr. Phoa is a
fixed income portfolio manager for Capital International. As an investment analyst, his research responsibilities cover quantitative research and financial economics. He has over 22 years of investment experience and
has been with Capital International since 1999. Mr. Phoa holds a PhD in pure mathematics from Trinity College at the University of Cambridge and a bachelor’s degree with honors from the Australian National
University. He is an elected member of the Conference of Business Economists and the International Conference of Commercial Bank Economists.
AST Columbia Adaptive Risk
Allocation Portfolio
The portfolio managers from
Columbia that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Jeffrey Knight, CFA and Joshua Kutin, CFA. Biographies for Messrs. Knight and Kutin are provided below.
Jeffrey Knight
joined Columbia in February 2013 as Head of Global Asset Allocation. Prior to joining Columbia, Mr. Knight was at Putnam Investments from 1993 to 2013, most recently as head of global asset allocation. Mr. Knight
began his investment career in 1987 and earned a BA from Colgate University and an MBA from Tuck School of Business.
Joshua Kutin joined Columbia in
2015 as a senior portfolio manager for the Global Investment Solutions Group. Prior to joining Columbia, Mr. Kutin was a portfolio manager on the global asset allocation team at Putnam Investments. Mr. Kutin began his
investment career in 1998 and earned a BS from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MS in finance from Princeton University.
AST Emerging Managers Diversified
Portfolio
PGIM Investments LLC
The portfolio managers from the
Manager that have primary responsibility for managing the International Equity Sleeve, Fixed Income Credit Sleeve and the Alternative Sleeve of the Portfolio are Brian Ahrens and Andrei O. Marinich. Biographies for
Messrs. Ahrens and Marinich are provided below.
Brian Ahrens, Senior Vice
President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. Mr. Ahrens focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees
a staff of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in
Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA
certified.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
Dana Investment Advisors, Inc.
172
The portfolio managers from Dana
that have primary responsibility for managing the Domestic Large Cap Core Sleeve of the Portfolio are Duane R. Roberts, CFA, Greg Dahlman, CFA, David M. Stamm, CFA, Michael Honkamp, CFA, David Weinstein and J. Joseph
Veranth, CFA. Biographies for Messrs. Roberts, Dahlman, Stamm, Honkamp, Weinstein and Veranth are provided below.
Duane Roberts, CFA, Director of
Equities and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Roberts joined Dana in June 1999 and is currently Director of Equities and an equity Portfolio Manager. Mr. Roberts graduated from Rice University with a BS in Electrical
Engineering and Mathematics in 1980. He earned an MS in Statistics from Stanford University in 1981 and an MBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University in 1999. Mr. Roberts is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a
member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Fort Worth.
Greg Dahlman, CFA, Senior Vice
President and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Dahlman joined Dana in March 2006 and is currently a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Dahlman graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
with a BBA in Finance and Economics in 1985. Mr. Dahlman has been managing equity portfolios since 1990 and is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Milwaukee.
David M. Stamm, CFA, Senior Vice
President and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Stamm joined Dana in August 2007 and is currently a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Stamm graduated from Valparaiso University with a BSBA in International
Business in 1997. Mr. Stamm has been in the investment industry since 1997 and managing equity portfolios since 2000. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of
Milwaukee.
Michael Honkamp, CFA, Senior Vice
President and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Honkamp joined Dana in June 1999 and is currently a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Honkamp graduated from Santa Clara University with a BS in Economics in 1991
and earned an MBA from The American School of International Management (Thunderbird) in 1993. Mr. Honkamp has been in the investment industry since 1999 and managing equity portfolios since 2003. He is a Chartered
Financial Analyst and member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Milwaukee.
David Weinstein, Equity Analyst.
Mr. Weinstein joined Dana in May 2013 and is currently an Equity Analyst. Mr. Weinstein graduated from the University of Notre Dame with an Honors Program degree in Political Science in 2005. He graduated cum laude
from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2008 and served as Managing Editor of the Law Review. Mr. Weinstein returned to Notre Dame and received his MBA in Investments in 2012, graduating magna cum laude.
J. Joseph Veranth, CFA, Chief
Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Veranth joined Dana in December 1994 and is currently the Chief Investment Officer and a Portfolio Manager. Joe graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in
Humanities in 1984. He earned an MBA in Finance and International Business from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 1991. Mr. Veranth is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the CFA
Institute and the CFA Society of Milwaukee.
Longfellow Investment Management Co.
LLC
The portfolio managers from
Longfellow that have primary responsibility for managing the Core Plus Fixed Income Sleeve of the Portfolio are Barbara J. McKenna and David C. Stuehr. Biographies for Ms. McKenna and Mr. Stuehr are provided below.
Barbara J. McKenna, CFA, Managing
Principal, Portfolio Manager. Ms. McKenna serves as a Managing Principal and Portfolio Manager. Ms. McKenna leads Intermediate and Core portfolio management and heads credit strategy. Prior to joining Longfellow in
2005, she was a director and senior portfolio Manager at State Street Research (SSR), responsible for $14 billion of institutional fixed income accounts. As director of corporate bond strategy, she was responsible for
the development and implementation of corporate bond strategy across all fixed income mandates. Prior to joining SSR, Barbara was a director and portfolio manager at Standish, Ayer & Wood. She has also held
173
portfolio management and investment banking
positions at BayBank and Massachusetts Capital Resource Company, a private capital firm. Ms. McKenna has over 25 years of experience and holds a MS and BS in Finance from Boston College. Ms. McKenna is a CFA
charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society. She is also a board trustee of the American Beacon Funds.
David C. Stuehr, CFA, Principal,
Portfolio Manager and Senior Analyst. Mr. Stuehr is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Analyst. Mr. Stuehr leads the high yield management strategy for Longfellow and also serves on the portfolio management team for the
Arbitrage strategy. Prior to joining Longfellow in 2009, Mr. Stuehr was a hedge fund portfolio manager and analyst at Hanover Strategic Management. He also previously served as a portfolio manager at Seneca Capital
Management. At Seneca Capital, Mr. Stuehr was responsible for the firm’s high yield investment portfolios and served as the lead manager on the Pacific View Fund, LLC – a corporate bond-oriented hedge
fund. Mr. Stuehr also has significant experience in managing fixed income portfolios for an array of clients including high net worth individuals and insurance companies. Prior to joining Seneca, Mr. Stuehr was a
partner with Standish, Ayer & Wood. During his 12 years at the firm, he served as a portfolio manager and director of corporate bond research – leading a 10-member analyst team. Mr. Stuehr has over 25 years
of investment experience and received his MS in Finance from Boston College and MA in Economics from Bowling Green University. He also received his BS in Business Administration from Bowling Green University. Mr.
Stuehr is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society.
AST FQ Absolute Return Currency
Portfolio
The First Quadrant portfolio
managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Dori Levanoni and Jeppe Ladekarl. Biographies for Messrs. Levanoni and Ladekarl are provided below.
Dori Levanoni is a senior member
of First Quadrant’s investment team. He is involved in all aspects of product development: model building, risk measurement, risk allocation, and portfolio optimization. On joining the investment team in 1998,
Mr. Levanoni was initially focused on tactical asset allocation, currency, and global macro strategies. Mr. Levanoni first joined First Quadrant in 1991 as an intern while studying physics at California Institute of
Technology. He left the firm in 1995 to work in the anatomy and neurobiology department of Washington University in St. Louis. Returning to First Quadrant in 1996 as head of systems, Mr. Levanoni moved to the
investment team two years later. He subsequently served as manager of currency research and director of the currency product.
Jeppe Ladekarl joined First
Quadrant as a member of the investment team in November 2009. Before joining First Quadrant, Mr. Ladekarl was the Principal Portfolio Manager for the currency and global tactical asset allocation portfolios managed by
the World Bank Pension and Endowments Department. Mr. Ladekarl managed the team that allocates funds to external global tactical asset allocation and active currency managers. In addition, he was responsible for the
internally managed global macro strategy investing and traded in a broad array of FX, fixed income, credit and equity markets. Mr. Ladekarl also worked in the World Bank’s Financial Sector Operations and Policy
group conducting financial sector policy research and providing advice to emerging market governments on financial sector issues including debt, equity and mortgage market development. Before joining the World Bank,
Mr. Ladekarl was a Special Advisor at the Danish Central Bank holding various positions in the Monetary Policy and Capital Markets Departments. Mr. Ladekarl has published on various debt management, ALM, mortgage
bonds, currency, emerging markets and international portfolio investment topics. He holds a MSc in economics from the University of Copenhagen.
AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global
Absolute Return Portfolio
Brooks Ritchey is
a senior managing director and head of portfolio construction for K2 Advisors. In his role, he works with various teams to analyze market and macroeconomic conditions, determine tactical asset allocation tilts, and
manage absolute return and risk overlay portfolios.
174
Mr. Ritchey began
his investment career in 1982 as a proprietary trader for the NYSE Specialist Firm of Conklin, Cahill & Co. Since 1987, Mr. Ritchey has successfully managed multi-asset mutual fund and hedge fund portfolios while
located in New York and Paris, France during his employment with organizations including Steinhardt Partners, Citibank, Finch Asset Management, Paribas, AIG, and ING. Mr. Ritchey joined K2 Advisors in 2005.
Mr. Ritchey graduated from
Franklin & Marshall College in 1982.
Norman J. Boersma
is the chief investment officer of Templeton Global Equity Group (TGEG) and president of Templeton Global Advisors. He is also lead portfolio manager for the Templeton Growth Fund, Templeton Growth (Euro) Fund and
Templeton World Fund and related strategies.
Previously, he served as TGEG's
director of research, director of portfolio management, and again, as director of research. After working in the Toronto office for much of his career, Mr. Boersma transitioned to Nassau, Bahamas, in 2011 to take on
the role of lead portfolio manager on the group's flagship fund, Templeton Growth Fund. He entered the financial services industry in 1986.
Prior to joining Franklin
Templeton in 1991, Mr. Boersma was an investment officer with the Ontario Hydro Pension Fund.
Mr. Boersma holds a BA in
economics and political science from York University and an MBA from the University of Toronto. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and a past treasurer and director of the Toronto Society of
Financial Analysts
Roger Bayston is a senior vice
president for the Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group. He is also a senior portfolio manager for several fixed income products and private accounts for Franklin Templeton Investments. Mr. Bayston directs a staff
performing research and trading responsibilities for government-, mortgage- and asset-backed securities. He sits on the Fixed Income Policy Committee and helps set portfolio strategy for multi-sector fixed income
portfolios. In addition, he leads the team responsible for developing and implementing quantitative-based fixed income strategies of Franklin's bond portfolios and fixed income products.
Before joining Franklin Templeton
Investments in 1991, Mr. Bayston managed portfolios of fixed income securities for Bankers Trust Company's Investment Management Group.
Mr. Bayston holds a BS from the
University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of California at Los Angeles. He is a member of the Security Analysts of San Francisco and CFA Institute. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
charterholder.
AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth
Portfolio Allocation
The Portfolio is
managed by GSAM’s multi-asset class investment team that designs investment solutions for a diverse set of clients globally, Global Portfolio Solutions (GPS). The portfolio managers from GSAM that have primary
responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Raymond Chan, Christopher Lvoff, Neill Nuttall, and Lucy Xin.
Raymond Chan is a managing
director in the Global Portfolio Solutions Group (GPS), based in New York. Raymond is head of the Markets team within GPS and is also a senior portfolio manager. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and
solutions for institutional and individual investors, focusing on customized asset allocation, tactical implementation, risk management, and portfolio construction. Previously, Raymond was a member of the Cross Asset
Solutions and Pension Endowment and Foundations groups within the Securities Division, where he developed and implemented customized investing and hedging solutions for institutional clients. Prior to that, he worked
in the Finance and Strategy group of the Investment Management Division. Raymond first joined Goldman Sachs in 2004 as an associate in the Investment Management division. He was named managing director in 2012.
175
Before joining the firm, Raymond worked as a
management consultant specializing in financial services at Oliver, Wyman and Company. Raymond earned an AB magna cum laude in biochemistry from Harvard College, and an MBA in finance from The Wharton School at the
University of Pennsylvania. He is a CFA charterholder.
Christopher Lvoff
is a managing director in the Global Portfolio Solution Group (GPS), based in New York, where he is a senior portfolio manager. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and solutions, focusing on customized
asset allocation, tactical implementation, risk management, and portfolio construction. Previously, Christopher was a member of the Multi-Product Investment Group of the Investment Management Division, where he
focused on portfolio management and implementation for customized multi-asset institutional portfolios as well as commingled investment vehicles. Christopher joined Goldman Sachs in 2007 and was named managing
director in 2016. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Christopher worked as an actuarial consultant at Towers Perrin, focusing on retirement plan design and defined benefit plan asset liability valuation. Christopher
received a BS in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries and a CFA charterholder.
Neill Nuttall is a managing
director and the co-chief investment officer of the Global Portfolio Solutions Group (GPS) in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), based in New York. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and solutions
for institutional and individual investors, focusing on customized asset allocation, tactical implementation, risk management, and portfolio construction. Neill joined Goldman Sachs as a managing director in GSAM in
2014. Prior to joining the firm, Neill worked for almost 30 years at JPMorgan Asset Management (JPMAM) and its heritage firms, based for 14 years in Hong Kong and subsequently in London. From 2006, Neill served as
chief investment officer and head of JPMAM’s Global Multi Asset Group (GMAG) and latterly as head of Asset Allocation for GMAG. Prior to joining GMAG, Neill served as a managing director and senior strategist
within JPMAM’s Currency Group. Previous roles included senior investing positions at Jardine Fleming Investment Management in the International Multi-Asset Portfolios Group. Prior to joining JPMAM, Neill worked
for Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong and Thailand. Neill earned a BA (Hons) in politics from the University of Exeter.
Lucy Xin is a vice president in
the Global Portfolio Solutions Group (GPS), based in New York, where she is a portfolio manager. She focuses on developing customized multi-asset class solutions, portfolio construction and implementation, and risk
management strategies for retail and institutional marketplaces. Lucy is a named portfolio manager on commingled investment vehicles managed and sub-advised by GSAM. Prior joining Goldman Sachs in 2011, she received a
BA in art history and earth sciences from Columbia University.
AST Goldman Sachs Global Income
Portfolio
The portfolio managers from GSAM
International that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Iain Lindsay, PhD, CFA and Hugh Briscoe. Biographies for Messrs. Lindsay and Briscoe are provided below.
Iain Lindsay,
PhD, CFA
Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Portfolio Management
Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Portfolio Management
Iain is the co-head of Global
Portfolio Management within the Global Fixed Income team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). In this role, he is responsible for co-leading the global team of portfolio managers. Previously, Iain was a senior
portfolio manager on the Global Fixed Income and Currency team. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2001 and was named managing director in 2004 and has been an MD ally of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)
Network since 2010. Prior to joining the firm, Iain worked at J.P. Morgan Investment Management as a portfolio manager. Prior to that, he was head of the capital market strategy team at Bank of Montreal in London and
was a senior fixed income strategist at Credit Lyonnais in Paris. Iain earned a BSc in Physics from Heriot-Watt University in 1985, a PhD in Physics from Imperial College in 1988 and an MBA from City University in
1992. He became a CFA charterholder in 2001.
Hugh Briscoe
Managing Director, Global Fixed Income Portfolio Manager
Managing Director, Global Fixed Income Portfolio Manager
176
Hugh is a global
fixed income portfolio manager in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). He is a member of the Investment Committee of the Goldman Sachs UK Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. Previously, Hugh was a portfolio manager in
GSAM’s Global Liquidity Management team. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2005 as an executive director and was named managing director in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, Hugh served in the British Army for 12 years.
Hugh serves on the finance committee of the Special Air Service Association. Hugh earned a BA (Hons) Philosophy from Bristol University in 1992 and a master’s degree in Defense Studies from the College
Interarmées De Défence, Paris in 2003.
AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income
Portfolio
The GSAM
portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Jonathan Beinner and Michael Swell.
Jonathan Beinner
CIO, Co-Head of Global Fixed Income and Liquidity Solutions, Co-Head of Cross-Sector
CIO, Co-Head of Global Fixed Income and Liquidity Solutions, Co-Head of Cross-Sector
Jonathan is chief investment
officer and co-head of the Global Fixed Income and Liquidity Solutions team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), where he oversees about $800 billion in traditional, alternative and money market assets under
management. He is also co-head of the Cross-Sector strategy within the Fixed Income team and is a member of the Investment Management Division (IMD) Client and Business Standards Committee. Jonathan joined GSAM in
1990 and has almost 30 years of industry experience. He was named managing director in 1997 and partner in 2004. Jonathan earned dual BS degrees, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988.
Michael Swell
Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Portfolio Management
Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Portfolio Management
Michael is the co-head of Global
Portfolio Management within the Global Fixed Income team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). In this role, he is responsible for co-leading the global team of portfolio managers that oversee multi-sector
portfolios. Previously, Michael was a senior portfolio manager and co-head of the US Fixed Income group. He joined the firm in GSAM in 2007 as a managing director and head of Structured Products. Michael was named
partner in 2012. Prior to joining the firm, Michael was a senior managing director in charge of Friedman, Billings & Ramsey’s (FBR) Fixed Income Sales & Trading Division. Prior to FBR, he was the vice
president and head of the Securities Sales and Trading Group at Freddie Mac. Michael earned a BA in Politics and Economics from Brandeis University, a General Course Degree from the London School of Economics and an
MA in International Economics and Finance from the Lemberg School at Brandeis University.MA in International Economics and Finance from the Lemberg School at Brandeis University.
AST Jennison Global Infrastructure
Portfolio
Shaun Hong, CFA, Ubong
“Bobby” Edemeka and Brannon P. Cook are the portfolio managers of the Portfolio. Biographies for Messrs. Hong, Edemeka and Cook are provided below:
Shaun Hong, CFA, is a Managing
Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in September 2000. He joined Prudential in 1999 as an analyst responsible for power, natural gas and telecommunications
industries within Prudential’s public equity unit. Mr. Hong began his career in 1992 as a research analyst covering telecommunications and technology companies at Parker/Hunter Inc., a regional brokerage firm
based in Pittsburgh. In 1994, Mr. Hong joined Equinox Capital Management, where he worked for five years researching utility, consumer products, commodities and technology sectors. Mr. Hong received a BS in industrial
management from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and CFA Institute.
177
Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka
is a Managing Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in March 2002. Before joining Jennison, Mr. Edemeka was a sell-side research analyst on the US Power &
Utilities team at Goldman Sachs, for which he covered electric utilities and independent power producers. Prior to Goldman Sachs, he was an analyst on the global utilities team of SSB Citi Asset Management Group, a
division of Citigroup. Mr. Edemeka began his career as an analyst for the Prudential Utility Fund (now Prudential Jennison Utility Fund) at PGIM Investments in 1997 after completing Prudential’s investment
management training program. Mr. Edemeka received a BA in government from Harvard.
Brannon P. Cook is a Managing
Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in May 2008. He joined Jennison after eight years with JPMorgan Chase, where he was a vice president and senior analyst covering
transportation and industrial companies. Before moving to equity research, Mr. Cook worked at JPMorgan Chase as an analyst within the mergers and acquisitions group, where he assessed potential merger feasibility and
valuation. Mr. Cook received a BS in business administration from Washington and Lee University.
The portfolio managers for the
Portfolio are supported by other Jennison portfolio managers, research analysts and investment professionals. Team members conduct research, make securities recommendations and support the portfolio managers in all
activities. Members of the team may change from time to time.
AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth
Portfolio
The portfolio managers from QS
Investors that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio by allocating among various investment strategies are Thomas Picciochi and Adam Petryk. Biographies for Messrs. Picciochi and Petryk are provided
below.
Thomas Picciochi,
CAIA, serves as Head of Multi-Asset Portfolio Management of QS Investors. Mr. Picciochi has been responsible for multi-asset portfolio management and trading at QS Investors since 2010. Mr. Picciochi was formerly a
senior portfolio manager for Deutsche Asset Management’s Quantitative Strategies group, and member of the Global Tactical Asset Allocation Investment Oversight Committee and portfolio manager for Absolute Return
Strategies from 1999 to 2010. Prior to joining Deutsche Asset Management, Mr. Picciochi held various research and analysis positions at State Street Global Advisors, FPL Energy, Barnett Bank, Trade Finance Corporation
and Reserve Financial Management over a 13 year period. Mr. Picciochi received his BA and MBA from the University of Miami.
Adam Petryk, CFA, serves as Head
of Multi-Asset and Solutions of QS Investors. Mr. Petryk is responsible for product development and integration across strategies and asset classes. Mr. Petryk was formerly Chief Investment Officer at Batterymarch
Financial Management, Inc. from 2012 to 2014. At Batterymarch, he also served as Deputy Chief Investment Officer and co-head of the Developed Markets investment team from 2010 to 2012, Senior Director and Global
Investment Strategist on the Developed Markets team from 2008 to 2010 and Global Investment Strategist during 2007. From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Petryk was also the Chief Investment Officer of Legg Mason Canada Inc., an
affiliate of Batterymarch. Prior to joining Batterymarch, he spent eight years at Legg Mason Canada Inc. as Chief Investment officer, Head of the Quantitative Management team and Quantitative Strategist. Before this,
he performed quantitative equity analysis at Scotia Capital Markets. Mr. Petryk received his BS in Computer Engineering and MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
QS Investors’ Active Equity
Portfolio Management Team manages the assets allocated to QS Investors. Members of the investment team may change from time to time. Stephen Lanzendorf and Russell Shtern have strategic investment oversight of these
assets. Biographies for Messrs. Lanzendorf and Shtern are provided below.
Stephen A.
Lanzendorf, CFA, serves as Portfolio Manager for QS Investors since 2010. Formerly, Mr. Lanzendorf was Deputy Chief Investment Officer and head of the Developed Markets team at Batterymarch Financial Management, Inc.
from 2012 to 2014. . At Batterymarch, he also served as co-head of the Developed Markets team from 2010 to 2012 and head of the US investment team from 2006 to 2010. Prior to Batterymarch, he spent six years as the
178
Director of
Quantitative Strategies at Independence Investments, LLC, where he also managed the equity trading desk. He was also a Portfolio Manager and Quantitative Analyst at The Colonial Group for 10 years. He holds a BS and a
MS in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Russell Shtern, CFA, is the Head
of the Equity Portfolio Management team at QS Investors since 2010. Mr. Shtern was formerly portfolio manager for Diversification Based Investing Equity and Tax Managed Equity for Deutsche Asset Management’s
Quantitative Strategies Group, from 2003 to 2010. Prior to this he spent three years at Deutsche Bank Securities supporting equity derivatives and global program trading desks. He has a BBA from Pace University.
AST Managed Alternatives
Portfolio
The portfolio managers from the
Manager that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Brian Ahrens and Andrei O. Marinich. Biographies for Messrs. Ahrens and Marinich are provided below.
Brian Ahrens, Senior Vice
President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. Mr. Ahrens focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees
a staff of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in
Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA
certified.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
AST Managed Equity Portfolio
The QMA portfolio
managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Edward L. Campbell, CFA, Joel M. Kallman, CFA, and Peter Vaiciunas. The PGIM Investments portfolio managers responsible for the Managed Equity
Portfolio are Brian Ahrens and Andrei O. Marinich.
Edward L. Campbell, CFA, is a
Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and investment strategy
research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed was a Partner and Vice
President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational Leadership from NYU's Stern
School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Joel M. Kallman, CFA, is a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He also conducts economic and market valuation research. Previously, Joel held various positions for PGIM Fixed Income in
areas such as high-yield credit analysis and performance reporting. He earned a BS and MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. He is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
179
Peter Vaiciunas,
CFA, is a Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. His responsibilities include conducting macroeconomic, market valuation and quantitative research. Prior to joining QMA, Peter
served as an Investment Analyst for Memorial Sloan Kettering's endowment fund. Previously, he held roles at ITG Investment Research and Liquidnet Inc. in New York, as well as at Speakeasy Investment Group in Toronto.
Peter received his Bachelor of Commerce from University of Toronto and his MBA from McMaster University, DeGroote School of Business. Peter also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice
President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff
of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance
from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, CIMA certified, and
holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
AST Managed Fixed Income
Portfolio
The QMA portfolio managers
responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are Edward L. Campbell, CFA, Joel M. Kallman, CFA, and Marcus M. Perl. The PGIM Investments portfolio managers responsible for the Portfolio are Brian Ahrens
and Andrei O. Marinich.
Edward L.
Campbell, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and
investment strategy research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed
was a Partner and Vice President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational
Leadership from NYU's Stern School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Joel M. Kallman, CFA, is a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He also conducts economic and market valuation research. Previously, Joel held various positions for PGIM Fixed Income in
areas such as high-yield credit analysis and performance reporting. He earned a BS and MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. He is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Marcus M. Perl is a Principal and
Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. His responsibilities include portfolio management, research, strategic asset allocation and portfolio construction. Marcus was a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager at Prudential Investments; earlier, he was a Vice President at FX Concepts Inc. Marcus holds an MA in Economics from the University of Southern California.
180
Brian Ahrens is a Senior Vice
President and Head of the Strategic Investment Research Group of PGIM Investments. He focuses on portfolio risk oversight, manager fulfillment, and the allocation of assets among managers. Mr. Ahrens oversees a staff
of 17 investment professionals who focus on investment consulting, portfolio construction, and risk oversight activities. Mr. Ahrens has been with Prudential for over 15 years. Mr. Ahrens earned his MBA in Finance
from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He graduated from James Madison University with a double major in Finance and German. He is series 7, series 24 and series 63 certified, and CIMA certified.
Andrei Marinich,
Portfolio Manager, serves as Head of Portfolio Construction for PGIM Investments' Strategic Investment Research Group. This team is responsible for the discretionary management and risk oversight of multi-manager
investment solutions. Solutions include; multi-manager single asset class, liquid alternative, multi-asset target risk and outcome oriented allocation portfolios. Prior to joining Prudential in 2000, Andrei worked for
PaineWebber, Inc (UBS). and its subsidiaries as an investment manager research analyst and prior as a senior portfolio analyst at Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management. Andrei began his investment career with Merrill
Lynch in 1991. A member of the CFA Society New York and the CFA Institute, Andrei is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Economics and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Investments & Wealth Institute.
AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset
Portfolio
The portfolio managers from Morgan
Stanley that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Cyril Moullé-Berteaux, Mark Bavoso, and Sergei Parmenov. Biographies for Messrs. Moullé-Berteaux, Bavoso and Parmenov are provided
below.
Cyril
Moulle-Berteaux, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Moullé-Berteaux is head of the Global Multi-Asset team at MSIM. He re-joined the firm in 2011 and has 27 years of financial industry experience.
Before returning to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Moullé-Berteaux was a founding partner and portfolio manager at Traxis Partners, a macro hedge fund firm. At Traxis Partners, Mr. Moullé-Berteaux managed
absolute-return portfolios and was responsible for running the firm’s fundamental and quantitative research effort. Prior to co-founding Traxis Partners, in 2003, he was a managing director at MSIM, initially
running Asset Allocation Research and ultimately heading the Global Asset Allocation team. Previously, Mr. Moullé-Berteaux was an associate at Bankers Trust and worked there from 1991 to 1995 in corporate finance
and as a derivatives trader in the emerging markets group. He received a BA in economics from Harvard University.
Mark Bavoso, Managing Director and
Portfolio Manager. Mr. Bavoso is a senior portfolio manager on the Global Multi-Asset team at MSIM. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1986 and has 35 years of investment experience. Previously, he was a senior vice
president and portfolio manager at Dean Witter InterCapital and a vice president in the Equity Marketing and Research departments of Dean Witter Reynolds. Prior to joining the firm, he was a vice president and equity
research analyst at Sutro & Co. Mr. Bavoso received a BA in both history and political science from the University of California, Davis. In 2008, under his leadership, the Morgan Stanley Strategist Fund was the
recipient of the Lipper Funds Award (presented to the top performing Flexible Portfolio for the trailing three years). Mr. Bavoso is also a member of the Economic Club of New York.
Sergei Parmenov, Managing Director
and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Parmenov is a senior member of the Global Multi-Asset team at MSIM. He re-joined the firm in 2011 and has 22 years of investment experience. Before returning to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Parmenov
was a founder and manager of Lyncean Capital Management, a macro hedge fund. Between 2003 and 2008, Mr. Parmenov was an analyst and a portfolio manager at Traxis Partners, a multi-strategy hedge fund. From 2002 to
2003, Mr. Parmenov was an analyst at a European mid-cap equities hedge fund at J. Rothschild Capital Management in London. Prior to this, he was a vice president in the private equity department of Deutsche Bank and
from 1999 to 2001, Mr. Parmenov was an associate and subsequently vice president at Whitney & Co, focusing on European private equity investments. Mr. Parmenov started his career at MSIM in 1996. He received a BA
in economics from Columbia University.
181
AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short
Portfolio
The portfolio managers that have
primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Charles Kantor and Marc Regenbaum. The biographies for Messrs. Kantor and Regenbaum are provided below.
Charles C. Kantor, is a Managing
Director of NBIA and Senior Portfolio Manager for the NBIA Long Short Strategy. He joined the firm in 2000. Prior to joining the firm, Charles was a managing director of Stern Stewart’s Financial Institutions
division. There he assisted clients with implementing EVA-based financial management systems. Charles is co-author of “EVA for Banks: Value Creation, Risk Management, and Profitability Measurement,”
Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Spring 1996, and a participant in “Roundtable on Corporate Disclosure,” Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Fall 2004. In addition, Charles is a regular commentator
on CNBC, as well as a contributor to Barron’s. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Economics from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and an MBA (with honors) from Harvard University
Graduate School of Business.
Marc Regenbaum is a Managing
Director of NBIA. He joined the firm in 2007 and has been an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Portfolio since May 2017. Prior to being named Associate Portfolio Manager, Mr. Regenbaum was a Senior Research Analyst
for the Long Short and US Equity Team.
AST Prudential Flexible
Multi-Strategy Portfolio
Biographies for each of the
portfolio managers of the Subadvisers that are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are provided below.
QMA (Asset Allocation, Equities and Overlay Tactical Strategies)
Edward L.
Campbell, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. In addition to portfolio management, Ed is a specialist in global macroeconomic and
investment strategy research. He has served as a Portfolio Manager with PGIM Investments, and spent several years as a Senior Analyst with their Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG). Prior to joining PGIM, Ed
was a Partner and Vice President at Trilogy Advisors LLC. He earned a BS in Economics and International Business from The City University of New York and an MBA in Finance, Global Business and Organizational
Leadership from NYU's Stern School of Business. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Devang Gambhirwala is a Principal
and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His responsibilities include managing US Core, Long-Short and Market Neutral strategies. He is also responsible for the management of
structured products. Earlier at PGIM, Inc., Devang worked as a Quantitative Research Analyst and an Assistant Portfolio Manager. He earned a BS in Computer and Information Sciences from the New Jersey Institute of
Technology and an MBA from Rutgers University.
Joel M. Kallman, CFA, is a Vice
President and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He also conducts economic and market valuation research. Previously, Joel held various positions for PGIM Fixed Income in
areas such as high-yield credit analysis and performance reporting. He earned a BS and MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. He is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and holds the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Edward F. Keon, Jr. is a Portfolio
Manager and the Chief Investment Strategist for QMA’s Global Multi-Asset Solutions team. He leads a team of portfolio managers that manages a diverse mix of multi-asset funds encompassing US, International and
Emerging Markets stocks and bonds, as well as real estate, commodities, volatility and other asset classes. Ed has also served as Chief Investment Strategist and Director of Quantitative Research at Prudential Equity
Group, LLC, where he was voted to Institutional Investor’s “All-American Research Team” seven times in the Quant category; and as a Senior Vice President at I/B/E/S International Inc. Ed is a member
of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance, where he heads the committee to develop Sound Practices in Quantitative Investment
182
Management. Ed
appears regularly on CNBC's Squawk Box and other media outlets. He graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Industrial Management from the University of Massachusetts/Lowell and earned an MBA in Finance and Marketing
from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
George Sakoulis, PhD, is a
Managing Director and Head of Global Multi-Asset Solutions for QMA, where he focuses on the research and development of systematic total and absolute return investment solutions. Previously, he headed QMA’s
Global Portfolio Solutions group. Prior to joining QMA, he led quantitative research for the Emerging Markets Equity team at GMO. Prior to that, George served as the Director of European Equity Strategies for Numeric
Investors and was a Director for UBS O’Connor. George earned a BA in Economics and a BS in Statistics from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Economics and a PhD in Financial Econometrics from the
University of Washington.
Jennison (Natural Resources Strategy)
John “Jay” Saunders
and Neil P. Brown, CFA, are the portfolio managers of the Natural Resources segment of the Portfolio.
John “Jay” Saunders is
a Managing Director and a global natural resources equity portfolio manager and equity research analyst of Jennison, which he joined in October 2005. Previously, he was on the global oil team as a vice president at
Deutsche Bank Securities from 2000 to 2005, covering North American integrated oils, independent refiners, and exploration and production companies. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Saunders worked at the Energy Intelligence
Group and became the managing editor for the Oil Market Intelligence newsletter, reporting on a broad range of energy topics. From 1994 to 1997, Mr. Saunders was with Hart Publications/The Oil Daily Co. where he was
an associate editor responsible for oil-related publications. Mr. Saunders received a BA from the College of William and Mary and a masters in communication, print journalism from American University. Mr. Saunders was
ranked the number one refiners analyst by Zacks Investment Research in 2005.
Neil P. Brown, CFA is a Managing
Director and a global natural resources equity portfolio manager and research analyst of Jennison, which he joined in November 2005. He worked on the North American oil and gas exploration and production team as an
equity research associate/analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities from 2000 to 2005. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Brown worked at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette as a research associate covering the exploration
and production sector. Mr. Brown also worked as an analyst in Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s institutional finance department from 1997 to 2000. Mr. Brown received a BA in mathematics and history from
Duke University and is a member of the New York Society of Securities Analysts.
The portfolio managers for the
Natural Resources segment of the Portfolio are supported by other Jennison portfolio managers, research analysts and investment professionals. Team members conduct research, make securities recommendations and support
the portfolio managers in all activities. Members of the team may change from time to time.
Jennison (MLP Strategy)
Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka
and Shaun Hong, CFA are the portfolio managers of the MLP Strategies segment of the Portfolio.
Ubong “Bobby” Edemeka
is a Managing Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in March 2002. Before joining Jennison, Mr. Edemeka was a sell-side research analyst on the US Power &
Utilities team at Goldman Sachs, for which he covered electric utilities and independent power producers. Prior to Goldman Sachs, he was an analyst on the global utilities team of SSB Citi Asset Management Group, a
division of Citigroup. Mr. Edemeka began his career as an analyst for the Prudential Utility Fund (now Prudential Jennison Utility Fund) at PGIM Investments in 1997 after completing Prudential’s investment
management training program. Mr. Edemeka received a BA in government from Harvard.
183
Shaun Hong, CFA, is a Managing
Director and an income and infrastructure portfolio manager of Jennison, which he joined in September 2000. He joined Prudential in 1999 as an analyst responsible for power, natural gas and telecommunications
industries within Prudential’s public equity unit. Mr. Hong began his career in 1992 as a research analyst covering telecommunications and technology companies at Parker/Hunter Inc., a regional brokerage firm
based in Pittsburgh. In 1994, Mr. Hong joined Equinox Capital Management, where he worked for five years researching utility, consumer products, commodities and technology sectors. Mr. Hong received a BS in industrial
management from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and CFA Institute.
The portfolio managers for the MLP
Strategies segment of the Portfolio are supported by other Jennison portfolio managers, research analysts and investment professionals. Team members conduct research, make securities recommendations and support the
portfolio managers in all activities. Members of the team may change from time to time.
PGIM Fixed Income (Fixed Income Investment Strategy)
Michael J.
Collins, CFA, is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for Core, Core Plus, Absolute Return, and other Multi-Sector Fixed Income strategies. Previously, Mr. Collins was a High Yield Portfolio Manager and
Fixed Income Investment Strategist. Earlier he was a credit research analyst, covering investment grade and high yield corporate credits. Additionally, he developed proprietary quantitative international interest rate
and currency valuation models for our global bond unit. Mr. Collins began his career at the Firm in 1986 as a software applications designer. He received a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the State
University of New York at Binghamton and an MBA in Finance from New York University. Mr. Collins holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI). Named
Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Robert Tipp, CFA, is a Managing
Director, Chief Investment Strategist, and Head of Global Bonds for PGIM Fixed Income. In addition to comanaging the Global Aggregate Plus strategy, Mr. Tipp is responsible for global rates positioning for Core Plus,
Absolute Return, and other portfolios. Mr. Tipp has worked at the Firm since 1991, where he has held a variety of senior investment manager and strategist roles. Prior to joining the Firm, he was a Director in the
Portfolio Strategies Group at the First Boston Corporation, where he developed, marketed, and implemented strategic portfolio products for money managers. Before that, Mr. Tipp was a Senior Staff Analyst at the
Allstate Research & Planning Center, and managed fixed income and equity derivative strategies at Wells Fargo Investment Advisors. He received a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of
California, Berkeley. Mr. Tipp holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Named Morningstar’s 2017 Fixed Income Manager of The Year for Prudential Total Return Bond Fund.
Craig Dewling is a Managing
Director and Head of the Multi-Sector and Liquidity Team at PGIM Fixed Income. In this role, Mr. Dewling has portfolio management and trading oversight for US Treasuries and government agency securities,
mortgage-backed securities, structured product securities, and interest rate derivative transactions for all strategies, products, and distribution channels. He is also a senior portfolio manager for US Government,
mortgage-backed securities, insurance strategies, and multi-sector fixed income portfolios. He has specialized in mortgage-backed securities since 1991. Earlier, he was a taxable bond generalist for Prudential's
proprietary accounts, specializing in US Treasuries and agencies. Mr. Dewling joined Prudential Financial in 1987 in the Securities Systems Group. Mr. Dewling received a BS in Quantitative Business Analysis from The
Pennsylvania State University and an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University.
Erik Schiller, CFA, is a Managing
Director and Head of Developed Market Interest Rates for PGIM Fixed Income’s Multi-Sector and Liquidity Team, specializing in government securities, futures, interest rate swaps/derivatives, and agency
debentures. Mr. Schiller holds a senior portfolio management role where he develops portfolio strategy, performs quantitative analysis, and designs and implements risk positions within the liquidity relative value
strategy portfolios, multi-sector fixed income portfolios, liability-driven portfolios, and government securities focused mutual funds. He has held this role since 2006. Formerly, Mr. Schiller was a Vice President for
PGIM Fixed Income's US
184
Liquidity Sector Team, and previously a hedge fund
analyst within the Portfolio Analysis Group. Mr. Schiller joined Prudential Financial in 2000 as an operations associate in the mortgage-backed securities group. He received a BA with high honors in Economics from
Hobart College and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Gary Wu, CFA, is a Principal and a
US Government Portfolio Manager for PGIM Fixed Income's Multi-Sector and Liquidity Team. He has been responsible for managing US Treasury products since joining the Team in 2000. Previously, Mr. Wu was a portfolio
manager on PGIM Fixed Income’s Money Markets Desk. From 1997 to 1999, Mr. Wu was a risk analyst in PGIM Fixed Income’s quantitative research group. Mr. Wu joined the Firm in 1994 in the Guaranteed Products
Unit, where he was responsible for annuity pricing. Mr. Wu received a BS in Business Administration and Mathematics from The State University of New York, at Albany. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
designation.
AST QMA International Core Equity
Portfolio
QMA uses a team
of portfolio managers and analysts to manage the Portfolio. The following portfolio managers have overall responsibility for managing the Portfolio's day-to-day activities:
Jacob Pozharny, PhD, is a Managing
Director for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team, where he heads research and portfolio management for the Non-US Equity strategies. Jacob was previously a Managing Director and Head of International
Quantitative Equity at the TIAA-CREF organization and Teachers Advisors, Inc., where he was responsible for quantitative stock selection and portfolio construction for international portfolios. Earlier in his career,
Jacob held positions at the University of California, Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management and the Federal Reserve. He earned a BA in Economics, an MS in Statistics, an MS in Finance and Applied Economics, and a PhD
in Applied Statistics from the University of California.
Wen Jin, PhD, CFA, is a Managing
Director and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His responsibilities include portfolio management, analysis and research for the Non-US strategies. Prior to joining QMA, he was a
Portfolio Manager and Director of Quantitative Strategy and Trading at Aristeia Capital Management, where he oversaw derivatives valuation, quantitative trading strategy development and portfolio management. Prior to
that, Wen was a Quantitative Strategist in the options trading group at Citadel Investment Group. He earned a BS in Physics from University of Sciences and Technology of China, an MA and PhD in Physics from Columbia
University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
John Van Belle, PhD, is a Managing
Director and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His responsibilities include managing global and non-US portfolios. John has also been a Vice President in Currency Management
Consulting at both Bankers Trust and Citibank. He began his career in the Research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He has taught Economics and Finance at the University of Virginia and Rutgers
Graduate School of Management and has published numerous articles in the fields of Economics and Finance. John earned a BS in Economics from St. Joseph's College and a PhD in Economics from the University of
Virginia.
Vlad Shutoy is a Principal and
Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. His responsibilities include portfolio management, analysis and research for the Non-US strategies. Prior to joining QMA, Vlad worked at
Bloomberg, LP, where he led a team responsible for building predictive equity models for top-tier institutional investors. Prior to that, he was a Quantitative Analyst at Goldman Sachs Asset Management's QIS team
developing proprietary equity models while building short-term trading strategies. Vlad also worked at ING Investment Management, where he was focused on portfolio management of long-short equity while overseeing all
quantitative investment processes. He earned a BS in Computer Engineering and a MS from New York University Tandon School of Engineering where he studied Computer Science and Financial Engineering.
AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real
Growth Portfolio
185
T. Rowe has an
Investment Advisory Committee that is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio and developing and executing the Portfolio’s investment program. Charles M. Shriver, CFA and Toby M. Thompson,
CFA, CAIA are Co-Chairmen of the Investment Advisory Committee and are responsible for implementing and monitoring the Portfolio’s investment strategy, as well as the allocation of the Portfolio’s assets.
Biographies for Messrs. Shriver and Thompson are provided below:
Charles M. Shriver is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is a portfolio manager for several asset allocation portfolios within the Multi-Asset Division. He is the president of the Global
Allocation, Balanced, Spectrum, and Personal Strategy Funds and chairman of their Investment Advisory Committees. Charles is also a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for the Real Assets Fund. He is cochair
of the Asset Allocation Committee and has been with the firm since 1991. Charles earned a BA in economics and rhetoric/communications studies from the University of Virginia, an MSF in finance from Loyola University
Maryland, and a graduate diploma in public economics from Stockholm University. He has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Toby M. Thompson is a vice
president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. He is a portfolio manager within the Multi-Asset Division. He serves as co-portfolio manager of the Managed Volatility Strategy and is a member
of the Investment Advisory Committees of the Global Allocation Fund, Balanced Fund, Personal Strategy Funds, and Spectrum Funds. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, he served as director of investments of the I.A.M.
National Pension Fund. Before joining the I.A.M. National Pension Fund, Toby was a principal with Brown Investment Advisory, where he worked in fixed income research, served as director of open architecture and asset
allocation, and was a member of the firm's Strategic Investment Committee. Toby earned a BS in business and economics from Towson University and an MBA in finance from Loyola University Maryland. He has earned his
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
AST Wellington Management Global
Bond Portfolio
The portfolio managers from
Wellington Management that have primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio are Mark Sullivan, John Soukas and Edward Meyi. Biographies for Messrs. Sullivan, Soukas and Meyi are provided below.
Mark Sullivan,
CFA, CMT, Senior Managing Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager. Mr. Sullivan is a portfolio manager and leader of the Global Bond team. In his role, he focuses on manager selection, allocation, and risk
management across the team’s multi-strategy investment process. As the manager of portfolio managers, he is responsible for the aggregate risk and investment results within portfolios. In addition, he focuses on
business and talent management as the leader of the investment team. Mr. Sullivan joined Wellington in 1999 as a project analyst in Global Relationship Management before becoming a quantitative analyst in the Fixed
Income Group. He has been a member of the Global Bond team since 2002. Mark received his BA from Colgate University in 1999. In addition, he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Market
Technician designations.
John Soukas, Senior Managing
Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager. Mr. Soukas is a fixed income portfolio manager and a senior member of Wellington’s Global Fixed Income investment team. As part of this role, he is a
member of the Global Risk Committee, which is responsible for allocating capital to the investment team and managing risk across the entire business. He is an experienced investor with a proven track record in
developing and implementing quantitative investment strategies. Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Mr. Soukas was managing partner at Fairlane Asset Management in Toronto, where he was responsible for global
fixed income (2003-2006). Before that, he was a government bond portfolio manager focusing on relative value strategies at West End Capital Management (2002-2003), head of Canadian Government Bond Trading at
Deutsche Bank Securities (1997-2002), and a senior economist at RBC Capital Markets (1994-1997). Mr. Soukas earned his MA in economics with a focus on econometrics and international finance from the University
of Toronto in 1993 and his BA from the University of Western Ontario in 1991.
186
Edward Meyi, FRM, Managing
Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager. Mr. Meyi is a fixed income portfolio manager and member of Wellington’s Global Bond Team. He manages global fixed income portfolios for clients worldwide,
including central bank, sovereign wealth fund, pension fund, and mutual fund clients of the firm. Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Mr. Meyi worked at Putnam, BlackRock, Scudder Kemper, and Investors Bank &
Trust. Mr. Meyi earned his BA in history from Middlebury College in 1996 and is certified by the Global Association of Risk Professionals as a Financial Risk Manager (FRM).
AST Wellington Management Real Total
Return Portfolio
The portfolio manager from
Wellington that has primary responsibility for managing the Portfolio is Steve Gorman. The biography for Mr. Gorman is provided below.
Steve Gorman, CFA. Senior Managing
Director; Director, Tactical Asset Allocation, Global Multi-Asset Strategies; and Portfolio Manager. Steve is the director of the Tactical team within Global Multi-Asset Strategies and a portfolio manager focusing on
risk-balanced, alternative beta, and diversified growth approaches, including our Global Managed Risk and Multi-Asset Absolute Return portfolios.
Prior to joining Wellington
Management in 2008, Steve worked as chief investment officer and director of research at 2100 Capital Group (2004 – 2008). Before that, he held a variety of positions, including co-head of Asset Allocation, at
Putnam Investments (1994 – 2003). Before joining Putnam, he held financial analyst positions at Pell Rudman, Applied Economics, and Investment Dealers’ Digest.
Steve earned his MBA, with high
distinction, from Dartmouth College (Tuck, 1994) and his BA in economics, magna cum laude, from the College of the Holy Cross (1989). He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA
Institute and the Research Review Team for the Research Foundation of CFA Institute. He is also a member of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance. Additionally, he has authored or co-authored a number of articles on
multi-asset-related topics, including “Conditional Distribution in Portfolio Theory” (Financial Analysts Journal), “International Benchmarks: In Support of a 50% Hedge Ratio” (Journal of
Investing), and “The International Equity Commitment” (Research Foundation of CFA Institute Monograph).
187
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES OF THE PORTFOLIOS
Purchasing and Redeeming
PORTFOLIO Shares
Investments in a
Portfolio are made through certain variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts. Together with this Prospectus, you should have received a prospectus for such a Contract. You should refer to that prospectus
for further information on investing in the Portfolios. The Trust does not provide investment advice. You should contact your financial advisor for advice regarding selection of Portfolios.
Each Portfolio typically expects
to pay redemption proceeds within three days after receipt of a proper notice of the redemption request. However, it may take a Portfolio up to seven days to pay redemption proceeds. There is no redemption charge. We
may suspend the right to redeem shares or receive payment when the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is closed (other than weekends or holidays), when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as permitted by the SEC.
Under normal circumstances, each
Portfolio typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents or proceeds from the sale of portfolio securities (or a combination of these methods). Each Portfolio reserves the right to use
borrowing arrangements that may be available from time to time. The use of borrowings in order to meet redemption requests is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an
increased portion of a Portfolio’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances. The Portfolios’ use of redemptions in-kind is discussed below.
Redemption in Kind
The Trust may pay
the redemption price to shareholders of record (generally, the participating Insurance Company separate accounts holding Trust shares) in whole or in part by a distribution in-kind of securities from the relevant
investment portfolio of the Trust, in lieu of cash, in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC and procedures adopted by the Board. Securities will be readily marketable and will be valued in the same manner as in
a regular redemption.
If shares are redeemed in kind,
the recipient will incur transaction costs in converting such assets into cash. These procedures govern the redemption by the shareholder of record, generally a participating Insurance Company separate account. The
procedures do not affect payments by a participating Insurance Company to a contract owner under a variable contract.
Frequent Purchases or
Redemptions of Portfolio Shares
The Trust is part of the group of
investment companies advised by PGIM Investments that seeks to prevent patterns of frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by its investors (the PGIM Investment funds). Frequent purchases and redemptions may
adversely affect the investment performance and interests of long-term investors in the Portfolios. When an investor engages in frequent or short-term trading, the PGIM Investment funds may have to sell portfolio
securities to have the cash necessary to pay the redemption amounts. This may cause the PGIM Investment funds to sell Portfolio securities at inopportune times, hurting their investment performance. When large dollar
amounts are involved, frequent trading can also make it difficult for the PGIM Investment funds to use long-term investment strategies because they cannot predict how much cash they will have to invest. In addition,
if a PGIM Investment fund is forced to liquidate investments due to short-term trading activity, it may incur increased transaction and tax costs.
Similarly, the PGIM Investment
funds may bear increased administrative costs as a result of the asset level and investment volatility that accompanies patterns of short-term trading. Moreover, frequent or short-term trading by certain investors may
cause dilution in the value of PGIM Investment fund shares held by other investors. To the extent a Portfolio invests in foreign securities, a Portfolio may be particularly susceptible to frequent trading, because
time zone differences among international stock markets can allow an investor engaging in short-term trading to exploit fund share prices that may be based on closing prices of foreign securities established some time
before the
188
fund calculates its own share price. To the extent
a Portfolio invests in certain fixed income securities, such as high-yield bonds or certain asset-backed securities, a Portfolio may also constitute an effective vehicle for an investor’s frequent trading
strategies.
The Boards of
Directors/Trustees of the PGIM Investment funds, including the Trust, have adopted policies and procedures designed to discourage or prevent frequent trading by investors. The policies and procedures for the Trust are
limited, however, because the Trust does not directly sell its shares directly to the public. Instead, Portfolio shares are sold only to Participating Insurance Company separate accounts that fund variable annuity
contracts and variable life insurance policies. Therefore, Participating Insurance Companies, not the Trust, maintain the individual contract owner account records. Each Participating Insurance Company submits to the
Trust's transfer agent daily aggregate orders combining the transactions of many contract owners. Therefore, the Trust and its transfer agent do not monitor trading by individual contract owners.
Under the Trust's policies and
procedures, the Trust has notified each Participating Insurance Company that the Trust expects the Participating Insurance Company to impose restrictions on transfers by contract owners. The current Participating
Insurance Companies are Prudential and three insurance companies not affiliated with Prudential. The Trust may add additional Participating Insurance Companies in the future. The Trust receives reports on the trading
restrictions imposed by Prudential on variable contract owners investing in the Portfolios, and the Trust monitors the aggregate cash flows received from unaffiliated insurance companies. In addition, the Trust has
entered shareholder information agreements with Participating Insurance Companies as required by Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act. Under these agreements, the Participating Insurance Companies have agreed to: (i) provide
certain information regarding contract owners who engage in transactions involving Portfolio shares and (ii) execute any instructions from the Trust to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Portfolio
shares by contract owners who have been identified by the Trust as having engaged in transactions in Portfolio shares that violate the Trust's frequent trading policies and procedures. The Trust and its transfer agent
also reserve the right to reject all or a portion of a purchase order from a Participating Insurance Company. If a purchase order is rejected, the purchase amount will be returned to the Participating Insurance
Company.
The Trust also employs fair value
pricing procedures to deter frequent trading. Those procedures are described in more detail under “Net Asset Value,” below.
Each of the Portfolios structured
as a fund-of-funds (the Funds of Funds) invests primarily or exclusively in other Portfolios of the Trust that are not operated as Funds of Funds. These portfolios in which the Funds of Funds invest are referred to as
Underlying Fund Portfolios. The policies that have been implemented by the Participating Insurance Companies to discourage frequent trading apply to transactions in Funds of Funds shares. Transactions by the Funds of
Funds in Underlying Fund Portfolio shares, however, are not subject to any limitations and are not considered frequent or short-term trading. For example, the Funds of Funds may engage in significant transactions in
Underlying Fund Portfolio shares in order to: (i) change their investment focus, (ii) rebalance their investments to match the then-current asset allocation mix, (iii) respond to significant purchases or redemptions
of Fund of Funds shares, or (iv) respond to changes required by the underlying contracts. These transactions by the Funds of Funds in Underlying Fund Portfolio shares may be disruptive to the management of an
Underlying Fund Portfolio because such transactions may: (i) cause the Underlying Fund Portfolio to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to have the cash necessary to pay redemption requests, hurting their
investment performance, (ii) make it difficult for the Subadvisers for the Underlying Fund Portfolios to fully implement their investment strategies, and (iii) lead to increased transaction and tax costs.
Certain Portfolios may be used in
connection with certain living benefit programs, including, without limitation, certain “guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit” programs and certain “guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit”
programs. In order for the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with these benefit programs, the Participating Insurance Companies generally: (i) limit the number and types
of variable sub-accounts in which contract holders may allocate their account values (referred to in this Prospectus as the Permitted Sub-Accounts) and (ii) require contract holders to participate in certain
specialized asset transfer programs. Under these asset transfer programs, the Participating Insurance Companies will monitor each
189
contract owner's account value from time to time
and, if necessary, will systematically transfer amounts among the Permitted Sub-Accounts as dictated by certain non-discretionary mathematical formulas. These mathematical formulas will generally focus on the amounts
guaranteed at specific future dates or the present value of the estimated lifetime payments to be made, as applicable.
As an example of how these asset
transfer programs might operate under certain market environments, a downturn in the equity markets (i.e., a reduction in a contract holder's account value within the Permitted Sub-Accounts) and certain market return
scenarios involving “flat” returns over a period of time may cause Participating Insurance Companies to transfer some or all of such contract owner's account value to different Portfolios of the Trust. In
general terms, such transfers are designed to ensure that an appropriate percentage of the projected guaranteed amounts are offset by assets in certain investments.
The
above-referenced asset transfer programs are an important part of the guarantees offered in connection with the applicable living benefit programs. Such asset transfers may, however, result in large-scale asset flows
into and out of certain Portfolios. Such asset transfers could adversely affect a Portfolio’s investment performance by requiring the relevant investment adviser or Subadviser to purchase and sell securities at
inopportune times and by otherwise limiting the ability of the relevant investment adviser or Subadviser to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies. In addition, these asset transfers may result in
relatively small asset bases and relatively high transaction costs and operating expense ratios for a Portfolio compared to other similar funds.
Investors seeking to engage in
frequent trading activities may use a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts of the Trust and the Participating Insurance Companies to prevent such trading, there is no guarantee that the
Trust or the Participating Insurance Companies will be able to identify these investors or curtail their trading practices. Therefore, some Trust investors may be able to engage in frequent trading, and, if they do,
the other Trust investors would bear any harm caused by that frequent trading. The Trust does not have any arrangements intended to permit trading in contravention of the policies described above.
For information about the trading
limitations applicable to you, please see the prospectus for your contract or contact your insurance company.
Net Asset Value
Any purchase or sale of Portfolio
shares is made at the net asset value, or NAV, of such shares. The price at which a purchase or redemption is made is typically based on the next calculation of the NAV after the order is received in good order. The
NAV of each Portfolio is typically determined on each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of the exchange's regular trading session (which is generally 4:00 p.m. New York time). The Trust will not treat
an intraday unscheduled disruption in NYSE trading as a closure of the NYSE and will price its shares as of 4:00 p.m. if the particular disruption directly affects only the NYSE. The NYSE is closed on most national
holidays and Good Friday. The Trust does not price, and shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem, the Trust's shares on days when the NYSE is closed but the primary markets for the Trust's foreign
securities are open, even though the value of these securities may have changed. Conversely, the Trust will ordinarily price its shares, and shareholders may purchase and redeem shares, on days that the NYSE is open
but foreign securities markets are closed.
The securities held by each of the
Trust's portfolios are valued based upon market quotations or, if not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board. The Trust may use fair value pricing if it
determines that a market quotation is not reliable based, among other things, on market conditions that occur after the quotation is derived or after the closing of the primary market on which the security is traded,
but before the time that the NAV is determined. This use of fair value pricing commonly occurs with securities that are primarily traded outside of the US, because such securities present time-zone arbitrage
opportunities when events or conditions affecting the prices of specific securities or the prices of securities traded in such markets generally occur after the close of the foreign markets but prior to the time that
a Portfolio determines its NAV.
190
The Trust may also use fair value
pricing with respect to US traded securities if, for example, trading in a particular security is halted and does not resume before a Portfolio calculates its NAV or the exchange on which a security is traded closes
early. In addition, fair value pricing is used for securities where the pricing agent or principal market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment
of PGIM Investments (or Subadviser) does not represent fair value. Different valuation methods may result in differing values for the same security. The fair value of a portfolio security that a Portfolio uses to
determine its NAV may differ from the security's published or quoted price. If a Portfolio needs to implement fair value pricing after the NAV publishing deadline but before shares of the Portfolio are processed, the
NAV you receive or pay may differ from the published NAV price. For purposes of computing the Trust's NAV, we will value the Trust's futures contracts 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Except
when we fair value securities, we normally value each foreign security held by the Trust as of the close of the security's primary market.
Fair value pricing procedures are
designed to result in prices for a Portfolio's securities and its NAV that are reasonable in light of the circumstances which make or have made market quotations unavailable or unreliable, and to reduce arbitrage
opportunities available to short-term traders. There is no assurance, however, that fair value pricing will more accurately reflect the market value of a security than the market price of such security on that day or
that it will prevent dilution of a Portfolio's NAV by short-term traders.
The NAV for each of the Portfolios
is determined by a simple calculation. It's the total value of a Portfolio (assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of shares outstanding. Each business day, each Portfolio’s current NAV per share
is transmitted electronically to insurance companies that use the Portfolios as underlying investment options for Contracts.
To determine a Portfolio's NAV,
its holdings are valued as follows:
Equity Securities
for which the primary market is on an exchange (whether domestic or foreign) shall be valued at the last sale price on such exchange or market on the day of valuation or, if there was no
sale on such day, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Securities included within the NASDAQ market shall be valued at
the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP) on the day of valuation, or if there was no NOCP issued, at the last sale price on such day. Securities included within the NASDAQ market for which there is no NOCP and no last
sale price on the day of valuation shall be valued at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Equity securities that are not
sold on an exchange or NASDAQ are generally valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker.
A Portfolio may own securities
that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Portfolios do not price their shares. Therefore, the value of a Portfolio's assets may change on days when shareholders
cannot purchase or redeem Portfolio shares.
Convertible debt
securities
that are traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed convertible debt securities for which the primary market is believed by PGIM Investments or a Subadviser, as available, to
be over-the-counter, shall be valued on the day of valuation at an evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing agent or, in the absence of a valuation provided by an independent pricing agent, at the bid
price provided by a principal market maker or primary market dealer.
Other debt securities
—those that are not valued on an amortized cost basis—are valued using an independent pricing service.
Options on stock and stock
indexes
that are traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was no such sale on such day, at the mean between
the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such exchange.
191
Futures contracts and options on
futures contracts
are valued at the last sale price at the close of the commodities exchange or board of trade on which they are traded. If there has been no sale that day, the securities will be valued at
the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on that exchange or board of trade.
Forward currency exchange
contracts
are valued at the cost of covering or offsetting such contracts calculated on the day of valuation. Securities which are valued in accordance herewith in a currency other than US dollars
shall be converted to US dollar equivalents at a rate obtained from a recognized bank, dealer or independent service on the day of valuation.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options
are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by a dealer (which may be the counterparty). A subadviser will monitor the market prices of the securities underlying the OTC
options with a view to determining the necessity of obtaining additional bid and ask quotations from other dealers to assess the validity of the prices received from the primary pricing dealer.
All short-term debt securities
held by the Portfolios, including bonds, notes, debentures and other debt securities, and money market instruments such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers' acceptances
and obligations of domestic and foreign banks for which market quotations are readily available, are valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker (if available, otherwise a primary market
dealer).
Distributor & DISTRIBUTION
ARRANGEMENTS
The Trust offers a single class of
shares on behalf of each Portfolio. Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. (PAD) serves as the distributor for the shares of each Portfolio of the Trust. Each class of shares is offered and redeemed at its net asset
value without any sales load. PAD is an affiliate of PGIM Investments and ASTIS. PAD is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is a member of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
The Trust has adopted a
Shareholder Services and Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the 12b-1 Plan) for the shares of each Portfolio, with the exception of the AST Managed Equity Portfolio and AST Managed Fixed
Income Portfolio. No 12b-1 fee is charged for the assets of Portfolios that are invested in other portfolios of the Trust. Under the 12b-1Plan, the shares of each covered Portfolio are charged an annual fee to
compensate PAD and its affiliates for providing various administrative and distribution services to each covered Portfolio. The maximum annual shareholder services and distribution (12b-1) fee for each covered
Portfolio’s shares is 0.25% of the average daily net assets of each Portfolio. Because these fees are paid out of each covered Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time, the fees will increase your
cost of investing and may cost you more than other types of charges.
PAD may receive payments from
certain subadvisers of the Portfolios or their affiliates to help defray expenses for sales meetings or seminar sponsorships that may relate to the Contracts and/or the subadvisers’ respective Portfolios. These
sales meetings or seminar sponsorships may provide the subadvisers with increased access to persons involved in the distribution of the Contracts. PAD also may receive marketing support from the subadvisers in
connection with the distribution of the Contracts.
192
OTHER INFORMATION
Federal Income Taxes
Each Portfolio currently intends to
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, each Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating
Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes. Distributions may be made to the various separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies in the form of additional shares
(not in cash).
Owners of variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance policies should consult the prospectuses of their respective contracts or policies for information on the federal income tax consequences to such holders. In addition, variable
contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the Trust, including the application of state and local taxes.
Monitoring for Possible
Conflicts
The Trust sells
its shares to fund variable life insurance contracts and variable annuity contracts and is authorized to offer its shares to qualified retirement plans. Because of differences in tax treatment and other
considerations, it is possible that the interest of variable life insurance contract owners, variable annuity contract owners and participants in qualified retirement plans could conflict. The Trust will monitor the
situation and in the event that a material conflict does develop, the Trust would determine what action, if any, to take in response.
Disclosure of Portfolio
Holdings
A description of the Trust's
policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Portfolio's portfolio securities is included in the SAI and on the Trust's website at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios.
Payments to Affiliates
PGIM Investments and ASTIS and
their affiliates, including a subadviser or PAD, may compensate affiliates of PGIM Investments and ASTIS, including the insurance companies issuing variable annuity or variable life contracts by providing
reimbursement, defraying the costs of, or paying directly for, among other things, marketing and/or administrative services and/or other services they provide in connection with the variable annuity and/or variable
life contracts which offer the Portfolios as investment options. These services may include, but are not limited to: sponsoring or co-sponsoring various promotional, educational or marketing meetings and seminars
attended by distributors, wholesalers, and/or broker dealer firms' registered representatives, and creating marketing material discussing the contracts, available options, and the Portfolios.
The amounts paid depend on the
nature of the meetings, the number of meetings attended by PGIM Investments or ASTIS, the subadviser, or PAD, the number of participants and attendees at the meetings, the costs expected to be incurred, and the level
of PGIM Investments’, ASTIS’, subadviser's or PAD’s participation. These payments or reimbursements may not be offered by all advisers, subadvisers, or PAD and the amounts of such payments may vary
between and among each adviser, subadviser and PAD depending on their respective participation.
With respect to variable annuity
contracts, the amounts paid under these arrangements to Prudential-affiliated insurers are set forth in the prospectuses for the variable annuity contracts which offer the Portfolios as investment options.
193
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Introduction
The financial highlights which
follow will help you evaluate the financial performance of each Portfolio available under your Contract. The total return in each chart represents the rate that a shareholder earned on an investment in that share
class of the Portfolio, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions. The charts do not reflect any charges under any variable contract. Because Contract charges are not included, the actual return
that you will receive will be lower than the total return in each chart.
The financial
highlights for the periods ended December 31, 2017 are derived from each Portfolio’s financial statements, which were audited by KPMG LLP, the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports
thereon were unqualified. The Trust’s financial statements are included in the Trust’s annual reports to shareholders, which are available upon request.
| AST AB GLOBAL BOND PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.60 | $10.08 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.22 | 0.17 | 0.04 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.04 | 0.35 | 0.04 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.26 | 0.52 | 0.08 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.86 | $10.60 | $10.08 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.45% | 5.16% | 0.80% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $1,709.3 | $1,299.0 | $1,130.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.90% | 0.91% | 0.92%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.90% | 0.91% | 0.92%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.01% | 1.65% | 0.90%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 99% | 88% | 55%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
194
| AST COLUMBIA ADAPTIVE RISK ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.57 | $9.64 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.07 | 0.10 | 0.05 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.36 | 0.83 | (0.41) |
| Total from investment operations | 1.43 | 0.93 | (0.36) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.00 | $10.57 | $9.64 |
| Total Return(a) | 13.53% | 9.65% | (3.60)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $20.3 | $13.5 | $6.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.18% | 1.18% | 1.22%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 2.02% | 2.31% | 4.62%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.64% | 0.96% | 1.17%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 378% | 345% | 45%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
195
| AST EMERGING MANAGERS DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.07 | $9.73 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.15 | 0.13 | 0.05 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.29 | 0.21 | (0.32) |
| Total from investment operations | 1.44 | 0.34 | (0.27) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $11.51 | $10.07 | $9.73 |
| Total Return(a) | 14.30% | 3.49% | (2.70)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $10.3 | $6.6 | $5.4 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.07% | 1.07% | 1.07%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 3.13% | 2.87% | 4.87%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.39% | 1.28% | 1.03%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 32% | 49% | 26%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
196
| AST FQ ABSOLUTE RETURN CURRENCY PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.58 | $9.19 | $9.75 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.08) | (0.10) | (0.07) | (0.04) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.24) | 1.49 | (0.49) | (0.21) |
| Total from investment operations | (0.32) | 1.39 | (0.56) | (0.25) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.26 | $10.58 | $9.19 | $9.75 |
| Total Return(a) | (3.02)% | 15.13% | (5.74)% | (2.50)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $9.0 | $9.6 | $5.6 | $5.2 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.22% | 1.22% | 1.22% | 1.22%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 2.35% | 2.40% | 2.94% | 3.76%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.71)% | (0.97)% | (0.79)% | (0.62)%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
197
| AST FRANKLIN TEMPLETON K2 GLOBAL ABSOLUTE RETURN PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $9.59 | $9.37 | $9.73 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.10 | 0.09 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.62 | 0.13 | (0.46) | (0.36) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.72 | 0.22 | (0.36) | (0.27) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.31 | $9.59 | $9.37 | $9.73 |
| Total Return(a) | 7.51% | 2.35% | (3.70)% | (2.70)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $24.9 | $20.9 | $16.9 | $7.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.08% | 1.07% | 1.08% | 1.08%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.95% | 1.83% | 2.49% | 4.17%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.98% | 0.95% | 0.99% | 1.63%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 37% | 34% | 35% | 29%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
198
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS GLOBAL GROWTH ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.77 | $10.19 | $10.29 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.27 | 0.15 | 0.12 | 0.09 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.53 | 0.43 | (0.22) | 0.20 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.80 | 0.58 | (0.10) | 0.29 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.57 | $10.77 | $10.19 | $10.29 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.71% | 5.69% | (0.97)% | 2.90% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $32.7 | $24.4 | $21.7 | $7.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.81% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.81%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.61% | 1.65% | 1.92% | 3.84%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.28% | 1.46% | 1.18% | 1.55%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 21% | 64% | 100% | 31%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
199
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS GLOBAL INCOME PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.49 | $10.14 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.14 | 0.10 | 0.05 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.08 | 0.25 | 0.09 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.22 | 0.35 | 0.14 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.71 | $10.49 | $10.14 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.10% | 3.45% | 1.40% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $800.9 | $792.4 | $754.4 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.90% | 0.92% | 0.94%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.92% | 0.93% | 0.94%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.28% | 0.97% | 0.98%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 182% | 284% | 158%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
200
| AST GOLDMAN SACHS STRATEGIC INCOME PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $9.65 | $9.55 | $9.77 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.21 | 0.08 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.20) | (0.06) | (0.43) | (0.31) |
| Total from investment operations | (0.03) | 0.10 | (0.22) | (0.23) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $9.62 | $9.65 | $9.55 | $9.77 |
| Total Return(a) | (0.31)% | 1.05% | (2.25)% | (2.30)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $306.6 | $321.4 | $513.9 | $762.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.03% | 1.00%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.03% | 1.00%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.78% | 1.72% | 2.20% | 1.22%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 146% | 278% | 264% | 177%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
201
| AST JENNISON GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.12 | $9.37 | $10.45 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.07 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.79 | 0.65 | (1.18) | 0.38 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.92 | 0.75 | (1.08) | 0.45 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.04 | $10.12 | $9.37 | $10.45 |
| Total Return(a) | 18.97% | 8.00% | (10.33)% | 4.50% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, end of period (in millions) | $12.8 | $9.1 | $7.2 | $6.3 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.26% | 1.26% | 1.26% | 1.26%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 2.23% | 2.59% | 2.98% | 3.81%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.19% | 1.03% | 0.99% | 1.15%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 60% | 98% | 89% | 39%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
202
| AST LEGG MASON DIVERSIFIED GROWTH PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
November 24,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.75 | $9.87 | $9.96 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.01 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.41 | 0.74 | (0.22) | (0.05) |
| Total from investment operations | 1.57 | 0.88 | (0.09) | (0.04) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.32 | $10.75 | $9.87 | $9.96 |
| Total Return(a) | 14.60% | 8.92% | (0.90)% | (0.40)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $333.2 | $186.6 | $83.7 | $9.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.96% | 0.97% | 0.97% | 0.96%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.11% | 1.23% | 2.01% | 9.18%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.41% | 1.32% | 1.31% | 1.29%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 23% | 40% | 57% | 11%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
203
| AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $9.77 | $9.68 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | –(e) | (0.02) | (0.01) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.25 | 0.11 | (0.31) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.25 | 0.09 | (0.32) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.02 | $9.77 | $9.68 |
| Total Return(a) | 2.56% | 0.93% | (3.20)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $7.7 | $4.9 | $1.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.16% | 0.19% | 0.25%(f) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.75% | 2.70% | 30.28%(f) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.04% | (0.16)% | (0.23)%(f) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 8% | 24% | 0%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Less
than $0.005 per share.
(f) Annualized.
(g) Not annualized.
204
| AST MANAGED EQUITY PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.71 | $10.18 | $10.33 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.01) | (0.01) | (0.01) | –(e) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.60 | 0.54 | (0.14) | 0.33 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.59 | 0.53 | (0.15) | 0.33 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $13.30 | $10.71 | $10.18 | $10.33 |
| Total Return(a) | 24.18% | 5.21% | (1.45)% | 3.30% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $32.7 | $20.1 | $11.7 | $2.9 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.20% | 0.22% | 0.24% | 0.14%(f) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.66% | 0.77% | 1.44% | 10.76%(f) |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.11)% | (0.10)% | (0.07)% | (0.14)%(f) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 3% | 21% | 30% | 10%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Annualized.
(g) Not annualized.
205
| AST MANAGED FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.26 | $9.91 | $10.07 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.05) | (0.05) | (0.05) | (0.01) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.45 | 0.40 | (0.11) | 0.08 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.40 | 0.35 | (0.16) | 0.07 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $10.66 | $10.26 | $9.91 | $10.07 |
| Total Return(a) | 3.90% | 3.53% | (1.59)% | 0.70% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $35.0 | $28.0 | $18.1 | $5.6 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.53% | 0.52% | 0.49% | 0.44%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.57% | 0.53% | 0.82% | 5.60%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.49)% | (0.51)% | (0.49)% | (0.44)%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 12% | 13% | 52% | 60%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
206
| AST MORGAN STANLEY MULTI-ASSET PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $9.20 | $9.46 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.03 | –(e) | (0.03) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.04) | (0.26) | (0.51) |
| Total from investment operations | (0.01) | (0.26) | (0.54) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $9.19 | $9.20 | $9.46 |
| Total Return(a) | (0.11)% | (2.75)% | (5.40)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $5.2 | $15.8 | $14.8 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.42% | 1.42% | 1.42%(f) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 4.44% | 2.73% | 3.75%(f) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.34% | –%(g) | (0.72)%(f) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 404% | 353% | 170%(h) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Annualized.
(g) Less than 0.005%.
(h) Not annualized.
207
| AST NEUBERGER BERMAN LONG/SHORT PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
July 13,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $9.89 | $9.57 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.01) | (0.04) | (0.03) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.32 | 0.36 | (0.40) |
| Total from investment operations | 1.31 | 0.32 | (0.43) |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $11.20 | $9.89 | $9.57 |
| Total Return(a) | 13.25% | 3.34% | (4.30)% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $19.1 | $15.1 | $12.7 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.80%(e) | 1.76%(e) | 1.65%(e)(f) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 2.43%(e) | 2.43%(e) | 3.10%(e)(f) |
| Net investment income (loss) | (0.12)% | (0.37)% | (0.63)%(f) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 95% | 88% | 66%(g) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) The
expense ratio includes dividend expense and broker fees and expenses on short sales of 0.38% for the year ended December 31, 2017 and 0.34% for the year ended December 31, 2016.
(f) Annualized.
(g) Not annualized.
208
| AST PRUDENTIAL FLEXIBLE MULTI-STRATEGY PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017(d) | 2016(d) | 2015(d) | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance: | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $11.38 | $10.59 | $10.59 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.01 | (0.04) | (0.06) | (0.01) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.92 | 0.83 | 0.06 | 0.60 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.93 | 0.79 | – | 0.59 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $13.31 | $11.38 | $10.59 | $10.59 |
| Total Return(a) | 16.96% | 7.46% | 0.00% | 5.90% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $83.7 | $60.8 | $44.1 | $9.5 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.68% | 0.60% | 0.79% | 0.50%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.57% | 1.50% | 1.80% | 3.87%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.04% | (0.38)% | (0.51)% | (0.10)%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 39% | 23% | 49% | 23%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
209
| AST QMA INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY PORTFOLIO | |||
| Year Ended December 31, |
January 5,
2015(c) through December 31, 2015 |
||
| 2017 | 2016 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | |||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $10.25 | $10.19 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | |||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.24 | 0.23 | 0.23 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 2.28 | (0.17) | (0.04) |
| Total from investment operations | 2.52 | 0.06 | 0.19 |
| Capital Contributions(e) | – | –(f) | – |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $12.77 | $10.25 | $10.19 |
| Total Return(a) | 24.59% | 0.59%(g) | 1.90% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $939.5 | $764.4 | $825.1 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | |||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.00% | 1.00% | 0.99%(h) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.03% | 1.04%(h) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 2.06% | 2.32% | 2.17%(h) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 108% | 117% | 106%(i) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Represents payment received by the
Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Total return for the year includes the
impact of capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.
(h) Annualized.
(i) Not annualized.
210
| AST T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED REAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, |
April 28,
2014(c) through December 31, 2014 |
|||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | ||
| Per Share Operating Performance:(d) | ||||
| Net Asset Value, beginning of period | $11.14 | $10.38 | $10.40 | $10.00 |
| Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.09 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.91 | 0.62 | (0.15) | 0.31 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.07 | 0.76 | (0.02) | 0.40 |
| Net Asset Value, end of period | $13.21 | $11.14 | $10.38 | $10.40 |
| Total Return(a) | 18.58% | 7.32% | (0.19)% | 4.00% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (in millions) | $58.5 | $40.6 | $31.9 | $14.0 |
| Ratios to average net assets(b): | ||||
| Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 1.00%(e) |
| Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.95% | 2.17% | 3.26% | 7.00%(e) |
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.26% | 1.36% | 1.19% | 1.21%(e) |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 44% | 52% | 49% | 20%(f) |
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
211
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
212
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses
of the underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
213
RELATED ACCOUNT PERFORMANCE
Because of the nature of their
investments, the AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio (the Columbia Portfolio), the AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio (the Franklin Portfolio), the AST FQ Absolute Return Currency
Portfolio (the FQ Absolute Portfolio), the AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio (the Goldman Global Portfolio), the AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio (the Managed Alternatives Portfolio), the AST
Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio (the Morgan Stanley Portfolio), the AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio (the Wellington Global Bond Portfolio) and the AST Wellington Management Real Total Return
Portfolio (the Wellington Real Total Return Portfolio), and PGIM Investments, as the sole investment manager to the Columbia Portfolio, Franklin Portfolio, the FQ Absolute Portfolio, the Goldman Global Portfolio, the
Managed Alternatives Portfolio, the Morgan Stanley Portfolio, the Wellington Global Bond Portfolio and the Wellington Real Total Return Portfolio, are subject to regulation under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).
Because the Columbia Portfolio, Franklin Portfolio, the FQ Absolute Portfolio, the Goldman Global Portfolio, the Managed Alternatives Portfolio, the Morgan Stanley Portfolio, the Wellington Global Bond Portfolio and
the Wellington Real Total Return Portfolio are each regulated by the CFTC and National Futures Association (NFA) as a commodity pool, and by the SEC as a registered investment company, they are each subject to each
organization’s disclosure requirements. The CFTC recently adopted rules that are designed to harmonize certain CEA disclosure requirements with SEC disclosure requirements, including Rule 4.12(c)(3)(i) under the
CEA that requires the pool operator of an offered pool that has less than three years of operating history to disclose the performance of all accounts and pools that are managed by the pool operator and that have
investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the offered pool.
PGIM Investments does not manage
any pool or account that has investment objectives, policies and strategies that are substantially similar to either of the Columbia Portfolio, Franklin Portfolio, the FQ Absolute Portfolio, the Goldman Global
Portfolio, the Managed Alternatives Portfolio, the Morgan Stanley Portfolio, the Wellington Global Bond Portfolio or the Wellington Real Total Return Portfolio.
214
GLOSSARY: PORTFOLIO INDEXES
1-Month USD LIBOR
. LIBOR stands for London Interbank Offered Rate. It's the rate of interest at which banks offer to lend money to one another in the wholesale money markets in London. It is a standard
financial index used in US capital markets. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays 1-10 Year US TIPS
Index
. The Bloomberg Barclays 1-10 Year US TIPS Index represents securities that protect against inflation and provide a minimum level of real return. To be included in this index, bonds must
have cash flows linked to an inflation index, be sovereign issues dominated in US currency, and have maturities of 1 to 10 years. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or
taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate
Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index provides a broad-based measure of global investment-grade fixed-income markets. The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index
contains three major components: the US Aggregate Index, the Pan-European Aggregate Index, and the Asian-Pacific Aggregate Index. In addition to securities from these three benchmarks (94.4% of the overall Global
Aggregate market value), the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index includes Global Treasury, Eurodollar, Euro-Yen, Canadian, and Investment-Grade 144A index-eligible securities not already in the three
regional aggregate indices. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate
US Dollar Hedged Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index provides a broad-based measure of global investment-grade fixed-income markets hedged back to the US Dollar. The
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index contains three major components: the US Aggregate Index, the Pan-European Aggregate Index, and the Asian-Pacific Aggregate Index. In addition to
securities from these three benchmarks (94.4% of the overall Global Aggregate market value), the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate US Dollar Hedged Bond Index includes Global Treasury, Eurodollar, Euro-Yen,
Canadian, and Investment-Grade 144A index-eligible securities not already in the three regional aggregate indices. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond
Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index of investment-grade securities issued by the US Government and its agencies and by corporations with between one and
ten years remaining to maturity. It gives a broad look at how short- and intermediate-term bonds have performed. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays US
Government/Credit Bond Index.
The Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index is the non-securitized component of the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index. The Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Bond Index
includes Treasuries (i.e., public obligations of the US Treasury that have remaining maturities of more than one year), Government-Related issues (i.e., agency, sovereign, supranational, and local authority debt), and
Corporates. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Citigroup 1-Month US Treasury Bill
Index.
Citigroup 1-Month US Treasury Bill Index is derived from secondary market Treasury bill rates published by the Federal Reserve Bank. These returns do not include the effect of any operating
expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill
Index.
Citigroup 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index is derived from secondary market Treasury bill rates published by the Federal Reserve Bank. These returns do not include the effect of any
operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
215
HFRX Equity Hedge Index
. The HFRX Indices (“HFRX”) are a series of benchmarks of hedge fund industry performance which are engineered to achieve representative performance of a larger universe of
hedge fund strategies. Hedge Fund Research, Inc. (“HFR, Inc.”) employs the HFRX Methodology, a proprietary and highly quantitative process by which hedge funds are selected as constituents for the HFRX
Indices. This methodology includes robust classification, cluster analysis, correlation analysis, advanced optimization and Monte Carlo simulations. More specifically, the HFRX Methodology defines certain qualitative
characteristics, such as: whether the fund is open to transparent fund investment and the satisfaction of the index manager’s due diligence requirements. Production of the HFRX Methodology results in a model
output which selects funds that, when aggregated and weighted, have the highest statistical likelihood of producing a return series that is most representative of the reference universe of strategies. These returns do
not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
ICE BoAML US Dollar
Three-Month LIBOR-Constant Maturity Index
. The ICE BoAML Lynch US Dollar Three-Month LIBOR-Constant Maturity Index is an unmanaged index that tracks the performance of a synthetic asset paying LIBOR to a stated maturity. The index
is based on the assumed purchase at par of a synthetic instrument having exactly its stated maturity and with a coupon equal to that day’s fixing rate. That issue is assumed to be sold the following business day
(priced at a yield equal to the current day fixing rate) and rolled into a new instrument. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be
lower if they included these effects.
ICE BoAML US Dollar 1-Month London
Interbank Bid Rate (LIBID) Average Index
. The ICE BoAML US Dollar 1-Month LIBID Average Index tracks the performance of a basket of synthetic assets paying LIBID to a stated maturity of one month. The index purchases a new
instrument each day, priced at par, having exactly its stated maturity and with a coupon equal to that day's fixing rate. All issues are held to maturity. Therefore, each day the index is comprised of a basket of
securities. The index is not marked to market. The returns of the index represent the accrued income generated by the equally weighted average of all the coupons in the basket for a given day. These returns do not
include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI)
(GD).
The MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global developed and emerging
markets. The GD (gross dividends) version of the MSCI ACWI does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect of any
operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI All Country World ex-US Index
(GD).
The MSCI All Country World ex-US Index (ACWI) is a market-capitalization-weighted index maintained by MSCI and designed to provide a broad measure of stock performance throughout the world,
with the exception of US-based companies. The MSCI All Country World Index ex-U.S. Index includes both developed and emerging markets. The GD (gross dividends) version of the MSCI All Country World ex-US Index does
not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far
East (EAFE) Index (GD).
The MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index is a weighted, unmanaged index of performance that reflects stock price movements in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. The GD
(gross dividends) version of the MSCI EAFE Index does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect of any operating
expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
216
MSCI EAFE Index (ND).
The MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index is a weighted, unmanaged index of performance that reflects stock price movements in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. The ND
(net dividends) version of the MSCI EAFE Index reflects the impact of the maximum withholding taxes on reinvested dividends. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes
payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI Emerging Markets Index
(GD).
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The GD (gross
dividends) version of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or
taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
MSCI World Index (GD).
The MSCI World Index is a weighted index comprised of approximately 1,500 companies listed on the stock exchanges of the US, Europe, Australasia and the Far East hedged back to the US
Dollar. The GD (gross dividends) version of the MSCI World Index does not reflect the impact of withholding taxes on reinvested dividends and generally reflects higher returns. These returns do not include the effect
of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Russell 3000 Index.
The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the largest 3,000 US companies representing approximately 98% of the investable US equity market. The Russell 3000 Index is constructed
to provide a comprehensive, unbiased and stable barometer of the broad market and is completely reconstituted annually to ensure new and growing equities are reflected. These returns do not include the effect of any
operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Standard & Poor's 500
Index.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index is an unmanaged index of 500 stocks of large US public companies. It gives a broad look at how stock prices in the United States
have performed. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Standard & Poor's Global
Infrastructure Index.
The Standard & Poor's Global Infrastructure Index is an unmanaged index that consists of 75 companies from around the world that represent the listed infrastructure universe. To create
diversified exposure across the global listed infrastructure market, the index has balanced weights across three distinct infrastructure clusters: Utilities, Transportation, and Energy. These returns do not include
the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
AST Columbia Adaptive Risk
Allocation Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the MSCI ACWI (GD) (60%) and Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index (40%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management
expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Emerging Managers Diversified
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (40%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%) and MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (20%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth
Allocation Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the MSCI World Index (GD) (USD hedged) (60%), MSCI Emerging Markets Index (GD) (USD unhedged) (10%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (20%) and
1-Month USD LIBOR (10%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
217
AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (52%), Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (15%) and MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (33%). These returns do not include the effect of any
investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST Prudential Flexible
Multi-Strategy Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the MSCI ACWI (GD) (60%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (40%). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses.
These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real
Growth Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (52%), Bloomberg Barclays US Government/Credit Index (25%), and MSCI All Country World ex-US Index (GD) (23%). These returns do not
include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
218
INVESTOR INFORMATION
SERVICES:
Shareholder inquiries should be
made by calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to Advanced Series Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Additional information about the Portfolios is included in the SAI, which is incorporated by
reference into this Prospectus. Additional information about the Portfolio’s investments is available in the Portfolio's annual and semi-annual report to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolio's performance during its last fiscal year. The SAI and additional copies of the annual and semi-annual report are
available without charge by calling the above number. The SAI and the annual and semi-annual report are also available without charge on the Trust’s website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
Delivery of Prospectus and Other
Documents to Households
. To lower costs and eliminate duplicate documents sent to your address, the Trust, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, may begin mailing only one copy of the Trust's
prospectus, prospectus supplements, annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements and information statements, or any other required documents to your address even if more than one shareholder lives there. If you
have previously consented to have any of these documents delivered to multiple investors at a shared address, as required by law, and you wish to revoke this consent or would otherwise prefer to continue to receive
your own copy, you should call the number above, or write to the Trust at the above address. The Trust will begin sending individual copies to you within thirty days of revocation.
The information in the Trust's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the SAI) is available from the SEC. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of duplicating fees, by electronic request to
publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-0102. The information can also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC.
Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Finally, information about the Trust is available on the EDGAR database on the SEC's internet site at
www.sec.gov.
Investment Company File Act
No. 811-05186
ASTFUNDPROS2
ADVANCED SERIES
TRUST
PROSPECTUS
• April 30, 2018
The Advanced Series Trust (the Trust) is an
investment vehicle for life insurance companies (the Participating Insurance Companies) writing variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (each, a Contract and together, the Contracts).
Shares of the Trust may also be sold directly to certain tax-deferred retirement plans. Each Contract involves fees and expenses not described in this prospectus (the Prospectus). Please read the prospectus of your
Contract for information regarding the Contract, including its fees and expenses. The portfolio offered in this Prospectus is set forth on this cover (the Portfolio).
These securities have not been
approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission or the SEC) or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) nor has the Commission or the CFTC passed upon the accuracy or
adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prudential, the Prudential logo,
and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.
AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio
Table of Contents
SUMMARY: AST MULTI-SECTOR FIXED INCOME
PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the
Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with the preservation of capital. Total return is comprised of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES
The table below shows the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be
higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.
| Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fee | 0.49% |
| + Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) | 0.25% |
| + Other Expenses | 0.01% |
| = Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses | 0.75% |
Example.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges.
Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about
Contract charges.
The example assumes that you
invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Portfolio’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 | |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income | $77 | $240 | $417 | $930 |
Portfolio Turnover.
The Portfolio 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. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the
Portfolio's turnover rate was 48% of the average value of its portfolio.
INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment
Strategies.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds and other securities and instruments. To that end, the
Portfolio’s multi-sector investments may include: (i) investment grade debt obligations of US and foreign corporate issuers; (ii) privately-issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities; (iii) certain debt
obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government and government-related entities, including mortgage-related securities; (iv) US Government securities; and (v) derivatives and synthetic instruments that have
economic characteristics that are similar to these types of securities and obligations. At times, the Portfolio may be concentrated in certain sectors.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and
all fixed income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by corporate and government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt
securities and such fixed income securities.
1
Although the
Portfolio may invest in instruments of any duration or maturity, the Portfolio normally seeks to maintain a weighted average portfolio duration within +/- one year of its secondary benchmark index, which duration was
10.54 years as of March 31, 2018.
The Portfolio may invest up to 10%
of investable assets in instruments that are rated below investment grade or, if unrated, are considered by the Portfolio’s subadviser to be of comparable quality to instruments rated below investment grade. The
Portfolio may invest up to 15% of total assets in instruments in the financial services group of industries. The Portfolio may invest up to 30% of total assets in US currency-denominated and foreign
currency-denominated fixed income instruments issued by foreign issuers, including those issued by issuers in emerging markets.
In determining which securities to
buy and sell, the Portfolio’s subadviser will consider, among other things, the financial history and condition, earnings trends, analysts’ recommendations, and the prospects and the management of an
issuer. The Portfolio’s subadviser generally employs fundamental analysis in making such determinations. Fundamental analysis involves review of financial statements and other data to assess an issuer’s
prospects and to determine whether its securities are undervalued or overvalued.
The Portfolio is the sole
investment option for certain Contracts issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company and Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey (collectively, the Participating Insurance Companies) known as the Prudential Defined
Income Variable Annuity. Contract owners will have their account value allocated to the Portfolio. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant Participating
Insurance Company or their financial professional.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio.
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk.
Asset-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables. Like traditional fixed income securities,
asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk and liquidity risk. When the underlying pools of assets consist of debt obligations, there is a risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner
than expected (prepayment risk) or later than expected (extension risk), both of which may result in lower than expected returns.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Expense Risk
. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons,
including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.
Fixed Income
Securities Risk
. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to pay obligations when due; due to
decreases in liquidity, the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings within a reasonable time at the price it values the security or at any price; and the Portfolio’s investment may decrease in
value when interest rates rise. Volatility in
2
interest rates
and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Risks associated with rising interest rates are currently heightened because
interest rates in the US are near historic lows. Interest rates may continue to increase in the future, possibly suddenly and significantly, with unpredictable effects on the markets and the Portfolio’s
investments. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments in fixed income securities.
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign
securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually
differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political or social developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to
special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.
High Yield Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to
interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to
sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases,
investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the
value of security.
Market and Management Risk
. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment
strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be
achieved.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. A subadviser may engage in active trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities
or yield differentials. The Portfolio's turnover rate may be higher than that of other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities.
Economic and Market
Events Risk
. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high
volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely
affect issuers
worldwide.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and
depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable
regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
Selection Risk
. The subadviser will actively manage the Portfolio by applying investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions. There can be no guarantee that these investment
decisions will produce the desired results and the Portfolio may underperform the market, the relevant indices, or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies as a result of such investment
decisions.
3
US Government Securities Risk.
US Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the US Government, and may not be backed by the full
faith and credit of the US Government.
Valuation Risk.
Due to the nature of the Portfolio’s investments and the market environment, a portion of the Portfolio’s assets may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established
by the Board. The Portfolio’s assets may be valued using prices provided by a pricing service or, alternatively, a broker-dealer or other market intermediary (sometimes just one broker-dealer or other market
intermediary) when other reliable pricing sources may not be available. No assurance can be given that such prices accurately reflect the price the Portfolio would receive upon sale of a security.
Past Performance.
The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the
Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar
results in the future.
The annual returns and average
annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult
your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.
The table also demonstrates how
the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended index which consists of the Bloomberg Barclays US Long Corporate Index (65%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Corporate
Index (35%). (Note: This blend has a cap of 7.5% on Financials). PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the custom blended index.
|
| Best Quarter: | Worst Quarter: | ||
| 5.85% | 1st Quarter 2016 | -5.33% | 2nd Quarter 2015 |
| Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2017) | ||
| 1 Year |
Since Inception
(02/25/13) |
|
| Portfolio | 8.72% | 4.43% |
| Index | ||
| Bloomberg Barclays US Long Corporate Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 12.09% | 5.79% |
| Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 9.08% | 4.59% |
MANAGEMENT OF THE
PORTFOLIO
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| PGIM Investments LLC | PGIM Fixed Income | Edward H. Blaha, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Steven A. Kellner, CFA | Managing Director and Head of Credit Portfolio Management | February 2013 |
4
| Investment Managers | Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Title | Service Date |
| Rajat Shah, CFA | Managing Director and Portfolio Manager | February 2013 |
TAX INFORMATION
Contract owners should consult
their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the
Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income,
gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
COMPENSATION
If you purchase your Contract
through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the
selection of the Portfolio 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 Contract over another
investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
5
ABOUT THE TRUST
ABOUT THE TRUST AND THE
PORTFOLIO
This prospectus provides
information about the Trust and the AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio. The Portfolio is a diversified investment company as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act).
PGIM Investments
LLC (PGIM Investments) and AST Investment Services, Inc. (ASTIS and together with PGIM Investments, the Manager), both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial), serve as overall
investment managers of the Portfolio. Prudential Financial, which is incorporated in the United States, has its principal place of business in the United States. Neither Prudential Financial nor any of its
subsidiaries are affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom. The Manager has retained PGIM Fixed Income (the Subadviser), a unit of PGIM, Inc., to manage the day-to-day
investment of the assets of the Portfolio in a multi-manager structure. More information about the Manager, the Subadviser and the multi-manager structure is included in “How the Trust is Managed” later in
this Prospectus.
The Trust offers one class of
shares in the Portfolio. As of the date of this prospectus, shares of the Portfolio are sold only to separate accounts of Pruco Life Insurance Company and Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey as investment
options under variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts. Shares of the Portfolio may be sold directly to certain qualified retirement plans.
Additional information about the
Portfolio is set forth in the following sections, and is also provided in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
6
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW THE PORTFOLIO
INVESTS
Investment Objective of the
Portfolio.
The investment objective of the Portfolio is to seek to maximize total return consistent with the preservation of capital. Total return is comprised of current income and capital
appreciation. This investment objective is not a fundamental investment policy for the Portfolio and, therefore, may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Policies of
the Portfolio.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds and other securities and instruments. To that end, the
Portfolio’s investments may include: (i) investment grade debt obligations of US and foreign corporate issuers; (ii) privately-issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities; (iii) certain debt obligations
issued or guaranteed by the US government and government-related entities, including mortgage-related securities; (iv) US government securities; and (v) derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic
characteristics that are similar to these types of securities and obligations.
In pursuing its investment
objective, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in bonds. For purposes of this 80% policy, bonds include: (i) all debt securities and all
fixed-income securities, excluding preferred stock, issued by corporate and government issuers, and (ii) all derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to such debt
securities and such fixed-income securities.
The above-described 80% policy is
a non-fundamental investment policy of the Portfolio and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval. The Portfolio, however, will provide 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders of any change
in its 80% policy as described above. There is no guarantee that the Portfolio will achieve its investment objective.
The Portfolio may invest up to 10%
of its investable assets in instruments which are rated below investment grade (“junk bonds”) or, if unrated, are considered by the subadviser to be of comparable quality to instruments rated below
investment grade. The term “investment grade” refers to instruments which are either rated Baa or higher by Moody’s, or BBB or higher by Standard & Poor’s or Fitch, or are comparably rated
by another nationally recognized statistical ration organization (NRSRO) or, if unrated, are considered by the subadviser to be of comparable quality. The subadviser currently intends to maintain a weighted average
credit quality rating of BBB+ or better with respect to instruments held by the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may invest in
derivative instruments, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to try to enhance return or to reduce (hedge) investment risks.
Although the
Portfolio may invest in instruments of any duration or maturity, under normal market conditions the dollar-weighted average effective duration of the Portfolio, including futures positions, is expected to be within
+/- one year of its secondary benchmark index, which duration was 10.54 years as of March 31, 2018. The Portfolio’s secondary custom blended index consists of the Bloomberg Barclays US Long Corporate Index (65%)
and Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Corporate Index (35%). (Note: This blend has a cap of 7.5% on Financials). The Portfolio’s Manager determined the weight of each index comprising the secondary index.
Effective duration measures the expected sensitivity of market price to changes in interest rates, taking into account the effects of structural complexities (for example, the fact that some bonds can be prepaid by
the issuer). In general, each year of duration represents an expected 1% change in the value for every 1% immediate change in interest rates. For example, if a portfolio of fixed income securities has an average
duration of four years, its value can be expected to fall about 4% if interest rates rise by 1%. Conversely, the Portfolio’s value can be expected to rise about 4% if interest rates fall by 1%. As a result,
prices of securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with shorter durations.
In addition, under normal market
conditions, the Portfolio may invest subject to the following limitations:
| ■ | Up to 15% of total assets in instruments categorized in the financial services group of industries; |
7
| ■ | Up to 30% of total assets in US currency-denominated and foreign currency-denominated fixed-income instruments issued by foreign issuers (foreign fixed-income instruments), including those issued by issuers in emerging markets; |
| ■ | Up to 10% of investable assets in non-investment grade debt (junk bonds). |
A change in the securities held by
the Portfolio is known as “Portfolio turnover.” The Portfolio may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of over 100%
annually. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance. If the Portfolio realizes capital gains when it sells investments, it generally must
pay those gains to shareholders, increasing its taxable distributions.
The Portfolio is the sole
investment option for certain Contracts issued by the Participating Insurance Companies. Contract owners that select this benefit under their Contract will have their account value allocated to the Portfolio. For more
information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant Participating Insurance Company or their financial professional.
Principal Investments of the
Portfolio
General . The subadviser has a team of fixed-income professionals, including credit analysts and traders, with experience in many sectors of the US and foreign fixed income securities markets. In determining which securities to buy and sell, the subadviser will consider, among other things, the financial history and condition, earnings trends, analysts’ recommendations, and the prospects and the management of an issuer. The subadviser generally will employ fundamental analysis in making such determinations. Fundamental analysis involves review of financial statements and other data to assess an issuer’s prospects and to determine whether its securities are undervalued or overvalued.
General . The subadviser has a team of fixed-income professionals, including credit analysts and traders, with experience in many sectors of the US and foreign fixed income securities markets. In determining which securities to buy and sell, the subadviser will consider, among other things, the financial history and condition, earnings trends, analysts’ recommendations, and the prospects and the management of an issuer. The subadviser generally will employ fundamental analysis in making such determinations. Fundamental analysis involves review of financial statements and other data to assess an issuer’s prospects and to determine whether its securities are undervalued or overvalued.
In managing the Portfolio’s
assets, the subadviser uses a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down economic analysis, the
subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends by continually evaluating economic data that affect the movement of markets and securities prices. This top-down macroeconomic analysis is integrated
into the subadviser’s bottom-up research which informs security selection. In its bottom up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based
on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer, which include a review of the composition of revenue, profitability, cash flow margin, and leverage.
The subadviser
may also consider factors such as yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The subadviser may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather
than the yield of such security. The subadviser may also utilize proprietary quantitative tools to support relative value trading and asset allocation for portfolio management as well as various risk models to support
risk management.
The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
investment objective by investing in a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds and other securities and instruments. To that end, the Portfolio’s investments may include: (i) investment grade debt
obligations of US and foreign corporate issuers; (ii) privately-issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities; (iii) certain debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US government and government-related
entities, including mortgage-related securities; (iv) US government securities; and (v) derivatives and synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics that are similar to these types of securities and
obligations. The Portfolio may invest in derivative instruments, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to try to enhance return or to reduce (“hedge”) investment risks.
Asset-Backed Securities
. Asset-backed securities directly or indirectly represent a participation interest in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets such as motor
vehicle or credit card receivables. Payments of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with
the entities issuing the securities. Asset-backed securities may be classified as pass-through certificates or collateralized obligations.
8
Pass-through certificates are
asset-backed securities that represent an undivided fractional ownership interest in an underlying pool of assets. Pass-through certificates usually provide for payments of principal and interest to be passed through
to their holders, usually after deduction for certain costs and expenses incurred in administering the pool. Because pass-through certificates represent an ownership interest in the underlying assets, the holders
thereof bear directly the risk of any defaults by the obligors on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support.
Asset-backed securities issued in
the form of debt instruments, also known as collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the
purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Such assets are most often trade, credit card or automobile receivables. The assets collateralizing such asset-backed securities are pledged to a trustee or
custodian for the benefit of the holders thereof. Such issuers generally hold no assets other than those underlying the asset-backed securities and any credit support provided. As a result, although payments on such
asset-backed securities are obligations of the issuers, in the event of defaults on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support, the issuing entities are unlikely to have sufficient assets to satisfy their
obligations on the related asset-backed securities.
Asset-backed securities, CDOs, and
CLOs are subject to credit risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, prepayment risk, and extension risk. These risks are described in greater detail below under the caption “Principal Risks.”
Corporate Debt Obligations
. The Portfolio may also invest in the bonds of corporations. For purposes of this policy, the term “corporations” includes all non-government issuers. Corporate bonds are
subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligation and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as interest rate sensitivity, market
perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer, and general market liquidity. When interest rates rise, the value of corporate bonds can be expected to decline. Debt securities with longer maturities tend to be more
sensitive to interest rate movements than those with shorter maturities.
Credit-Linked Securities
. The Portfolio may invest in credit-linked securities. Credit-linked securities are securities that are collateralized by one or more credit default swaps on corporate credits. The
Portfolio has the right to receive periodic interest payments from the issuer of the credit-linked security at an agreed-upon interest rate, and a return of principal at the maturity date.
Derivative Strategies
. The Portfolio may use instruments referred to as derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments the value of which is derived from another security, a commodity (such as gold or oil),
a currency or an index (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500 Index or the prime lending rate). Derivatives allow the Portfolio to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Portfolio is
exposed more quickly and efficiently than transactions in other types of instruments. The Portfolio may also use derivatives to seek to enhance returns and for hedging purposes. The use of a derivative is speculative
if the Portfolio is primarily seeking to achieve gains, rather than offset the risk of other positions. When the Portfolio invests in a derivative for speculative purposes, the Portfolio will be fully exposed to the
risks of loss of that derivative, which may sometimes be greater than the derivative’s cost.
The use of derivatives by the
Portfolio—including, without limitation, futures, foreign currency forward contracts, options on futures and various types of swaps—involves costs and can be volatile. With derivatives, the subadviser will
try to predict if the underlying investment—a security, market index, currency, interest rate, or some other benchmark—will go up or down at some future date. The subadviser may use derivatives to try to
reduce risk or to increase return consistent with the Portfolio’s overall investment objectives. The subadviser will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding whether to employ any particular strategy or
technique, or use any particular instrument. Any derivatives the Portfolio may use may not match or offset its underlying positions and this could result in losses to the Portfolio that would not otherwise have
occurred. Derivatives that involve leverage could magnify losses.
As an open-end investment company
registered with the SEC, the Portfolio is subject to the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, related rules, and various SEC and SEC staff positions. In accordance with these
positions, with respect to certain kinds of derivatives, the Portfolio must “set aside” (referred to sometimes as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved
measures, while the derivative
9
contracts are open. For example, with respect to
forwards and futures contracts that are not contractually required to “cash-settle,” the Portfolio must cover its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts full, notional value.
With respect to forwards and futures that are contractually required to “cash-settle,” however, the Portfolio is permitted to set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to such Portfolio’s daily
marked-to-market (net) obligations, if any (i.e., such Portfolio’s daily net liability, if any), rather than the notional value. By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligations under cash-settled
forward and futures contracts, the Portfolio will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if such Portfolio were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional value of such contracts.
The Portfolio reserves the right to modify the asset segregation policies of the Portfolio in the future to comply with any changes in the positions articulated from time to time by the SEC and its staff.
The use of derivatives involves a
variety of risks and is described in greater detail below under the caption “Principal Risks.”
Some of the specific types of
derivative instruments expected to be used by the Portfolio are described in more detail immediately below:
| ■ | Futures Contracts and Related Options. The Portfolio may purchase and sell financial futures contracts and related options on financial futures. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of an underlying asset at a future date, or to make or receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities index, or some other asset, at a stipulated future date. The terms of futures contracts are standardized. In the case of a financial futures contract based upon a broad index, there is no delivery of the securities comprising the underlying index, margin is uniform, a clearing corporation or an exchange is the counterparty and the Portfolio makes daily margin payments based on price movements in the index. An option gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell securities or currencies, or in the case of an option on a futures contract or an option on a swap, the right to buy or sell a futures contract or swap, respectively, in exchange for a premium. |
| ■ | Swap Transactions. The Portfolio may enter into swap transactions. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. There are various types of swaps, including but not limited to, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, total return swaps and index swaps. |
Temporary Defensive
Investments
. In response to adverse market, economic, or political conditions, the Portfolio may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of the Portfolio’s assets in money
market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or in high-quality obligations of banks and corporations, repurchase
agreements, or hold up to 100% of the Portfolio’s assets in cash, cash equivalents or shares of affiliated short-term bond funds and/or affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds. Investing heavily in these
securities will limit the subadviser’s ability to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objectives, but can help to preserve the Portfolio’s assets during adverse economic environments. The use of
temporary defensive investments is inconsistent with the Portfolio’s investment objectives.
Privately-Issued Mortgage-Related
Securities
. The Portfolio may also invest in privately issued mortgage-related securities. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are issued by private corporations rather than government
agencies or government sponsored enterprises. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not guaranteed by US governmental entities but generally have one or more types of credit enhancement to ensure timely
receipt of payments and to protect against default.
Mortgage-related securities are
usually pass-through instruments that pay investors a share of all interest and principal payments from an underlying pool of fixed or adjustable rate mortgages. Mortgage pass-through securities include collateralized
mortgage obligations, real estate mortgage investment conduits, multi-class pass-through securities, stripped mortgage-backed securities and balloon payment mortgage-backed securities. A collateralized mortgage
obligation (CMO) is a security backed by an underlying portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities that may be issued or guaranteed by a bank or by US governmental entities.
10
CMOs rely on assumptions about the
timing of cash flows on the underlying mortgages, including expected prepayment rates. The primary risk of a CMO is that these assumptions are wrong, which would either shorten or lengthen the bond’s maturity. A
real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMIC) is a security issued by a US Government agency or private issuer and secured by real property. REMICs consist of classes of regular interest, some of which may be
adjustable rate, and a single class of residual interests. The Portfolio does not intend to invest in residual interests. A multi-class pass-through security is an equity interest in a trust composed of underlying
mortgage assets. Payments of principal of and interest on the mortgage assets and any reinvestment income thereon provide funds to pay debt service on the CMO or to make scheduled distributions on the multi-class
pass-through security.
A stripped mortgage-backed
security (MBS strip) may be issued by US governmental entities or by private institutions. MBS strips take the pieces of a debt security (principal and interest) and break them apart. The resulting securities may be
sold separately and may perform differently. The Portfolio may also invest in balloon payment mortgage-backed securities, which are amortizing mortgage securities offering payments of principal and interest, the last
payment of which is predominantly principal.
Mortgage-related securities,
asset-backed securities, and CMOs are subject to credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, prepayment risk, and extension risk. The risks associated with investments in mortgage-related
securities, particularly credit risk and liquidity risk, are heightened for investments in sub-prime mortgage-related securities. Although the Portfolio does not currently intend to invest in sub-prime
mortgage-related securities, the Portfolio may invest a portion of its assets in such securities in the future depending upon then-current market, financial, and economic conditions. These risks are described in
greater detail below under the caption “Principal Risks.”
US Government Securities
. US Government securities include debt obligations issued by the US Treasury (the Treasury). Treasury securities are all backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government, which
means that payment of interest and principal is guaranteed, but yield and market value are not. The Portfolio may also acquire US Government securities in the form of custodial receipts that show ownership of future
interest payments, principal payments or both on certain Treasury notes or bonds. Such notes or bonds are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners. These custodial receipts are commonly referred to as
Treasury strips.
US Government securities also
include debt obligations issued by federal government agencies and government sponsored enterprises, which may include mortgage-backed securities. Securities issued by government sponsored enterprises are not backed
by the full faith and credit of the US Government and for more information about this risk, as well as other risks associated with US Government Securities, please see below under “More Detailed Information on
How the Portfolio Invests—Principal Investments of the Portfolio—Other Debt Obligations Issued or Guaranteed by the US Government and Government-Related Entities.”
Other Debt Obligations Issued or
Guaranteed by the US Government and Government-Related Entities
. Securities issued by agencies of the US Government or instrumentalities of the US Government, including those which are guaranteed by Federal agencies or instrumentalities, may or may not
be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae), the Federal Housing Administration, the Export-Import Bank, and the Small
Business Administration are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or
Freddie Mac), the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the United States Postal Service are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. In the case of securities not backed by
the full faith and credit of the United States, the Portfolio generally must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against
the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. The yield and market value of these securities are not guaranteed by the US Government or the relevant government sponsored
enterprise.
11
Most mortgage-backed securities
are issued by federal government agencies such as Ginnie Mae, or by government sponsored enterprises such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities issued by the
federal government and some Federal government agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, are guaranteed by the Federal government and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Mortgage-backed securities issued by
other government agencies or government sponsored enterprises, such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, are backed only by the credit of the government agency or enterprise and are not backed by the full faith and credit of
the United States. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are authorized to borrow from the US Treasury to meet their obligations. Although the US Government has provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there can
be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored enterprises in the future.
12
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER INVESTMENTS
& STRATEGIES USED BY THE PORTFOLIO
Additional Investments &
Strategies
The Portfolio may invest in the
following types of securities and/or use the following investment strategies to increase the Portfolio's return or protect its assets if market conditions warrant.
Bank Loans.
The Portfolio may invest in bank loans. Bank loans include fixed and floating rate loans that are privately negotiated between a corporate borrower and one or more financial institutions,
including, but not limited to, term loans, revolvers, delayed draw loans, synthetic letters of credit, and other instruments issued in the bank loan market. The Portfolio may acquire interests in loans directly (by
way of assignment from the selling institution) or indirectly (by way of the purchase of a participation interest from the selling institution). Under a bank loan assignment, the Portfolio generally will succeed to
all the rights and obligations of an assigning lending institution and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the relevant borrower in connection with that loan. Under a bank loan participation, the Portfolio
generally will have a contractual relationship only with the lender, not with the relevant borrower. As a result, the Portfolio generally will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to
which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the relevant borrower.
Convertible Securities and
Preferred Stock.
The Portfolio may invest in convertible securities, which include preferred stocks and debt securities of a corporation that may be converted into underlying shares of common stock either
because they have warrants attached or otherwise permit the holder to buy common stock of the corporation at a set price. Convertible securities provide an income stream (usually lower than non-convertible bonds) and
give investors opportunities to participate in the capital appreciation of the underlying common stock. Convertible securities typically offer greater potential for appreciation than nonconvertible debt securities.
The Portfolio will sell common stock received upon conversion.
Dollar Rolls.
The Portfolio may enter into dollar rolls in which the Portfolio sells securities to be delivered in the current month and repurchases substantially similar (same type and coupon)
securities to be delivered on a specified future date by the same party. The Portfolio is paid the difference between the current sales price and the forward price for the future purchase as well as the interest
earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale.
Junk Bonds.
The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its investable assets in non-investment grade bonds (also referred to herein as high-yield debt securities or junk bonds). Non-investment grade bonds
are debt securities that are rated BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings (S&P), Ba or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s), BB or lower by Fitch Ratings (Fitch) or, if unrated, are
determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality. If the rating of a debt obligation is downgraded after the Portfolio purchases it (or if the debt obligation is no longer rated), the Portfolio will not be
required to sell that security, but will take this fact into consideration in deciding whether the Portfolio should continue to hold the security. As set forth above, all references in this Prospectus to the ratings
categories for determining what constitutes a non-investment grade bond are without regard to gradations within those categories.
Money Market Instruments.
The Portfolio may invest in money market instruments, including commercial paper of a US or foreign company, foreign government securities, certificates of deposit, bankers’
acceptances, time deposits of domestic and foreign banks, and obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies. These obligations may be US dollar-denominated or denominated in a foreign currency.
Money market instruments typically have a maturity of one year or less as measured from the date of purchase. The Portfolio also may invest in shares of affiliated money market funds or short-term bond
funds.
If the Subadviser believes it is
necessary, it may temporarily invest up to 100% of the Portfolio’s total assets in money market instruments or shares of affiliated money market or short-term bond funds. Investing heavily in these securities
will limit the Subadviser’s ability to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objectives, but may help to preserve the Portfolio’s assets when global or international markets are unstable.
13
Repurchase Agreements.
The Portfolio may use repurchase agreements, where a party agrees to sell a security to the Portfolio and then repurchases it at an agreed-upon price at a stated time. This creates a fixed
return for the Portfolio, and is, in effect, a loan by the Portfolio.
Reverse Repurchase
Agreements.
The Portfolio may use reverse repurchase agreements, where the Portfolio sells a security with an obligation to repurchase it at an agreed-upon price and time. Reverse repurchase agreements
that involve borrowing to take advantage of investment opportunities, a practice known as leverage, could magnify losses.
If the Portfolio borrows money to
purchase securities and those securities decline in value, then the value of the Portfolio’s shares will decline faster than if the Portfolio were not leveraged. In addition, interest costs and investment fees
relating to leverage may exceed potential investment gains.
Short Sales.
The Portfolio may make short sales of a security. This means that the Portfolio may sell a security that it does not own, which it may do, for example, when the Subadviser thinks the value
of the security will decline. The Portfolio generally will borrow the security to deliver to the buyers in a short sale. The Portfolio must then replace the borrowed security by purchasing it at the market price at
the time of replacement. Short sales involve costs and risk. The Portfolio must pay the lender any dividends or interest that accrues on the security it borrows, and the Portfolio will lose money if the price of the
security increases between the time of the short sale and the date when the Portfolio replaces the borrowed security.
The Portfolio also may make short
sales “against the box.” In a short sale “against the box,” the Portfolio owns or has the right to acquire the security at no additional cost through conversion or exchange of other securities
it owns. When selling short against the box, the Portfolio gives up the opportunity for capital appreciation of the security.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery
Securities.
The Portfolio may purchase securities, including money market obligations or other obligations on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis. When the Portfolio makes this type of purchase,
the price and interest rate are fixed at the time of purchase, but delivery and payment for the obligations take place at a later time. The Portfolio will not earn interest income until the date the obligations are
delivered.
Zero Coupon Bonds, Pay-in-Kind
(PIK) and Deferred Payment Securities.
The Portfolio may invest in zero coupon bonds, pay-in-kind (PIK) or deferred payment securities. Zero coupon bonds do not pay interest during the life of the security. An investor purchases
the security at a price that is less than the amount the investor will receive when the borrower repays the amount borrowed (face value). PIK securities pay interest in the form of additional securities. Deferred
payment securities pay regular interest after a predetermined date. The Portfolio will record the amount these securities rise in price each year (phantom income) for accounting and federal income tax purposes, but
does not receive income currently. Because the Portfolio generally distributes income to its shareholders each year, in certain circumstances, the Portfolio may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under
disadvantageous conditions or borrow to generate enough cash to distribute phantom income and the value of the paid-in-kind interest.
Additional Strategies.
The Portfolio follows certain policies when it borrows money (the Portfolio can borrow up to 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets); lends its securities to others (the Portfolio can lend
up to 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets); and holds illiquid securities (the Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities with legal or contractual restrictions
on resale, those without a readily available market and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days). The Subadviser will monitor the Portfolio’s liquidity on an ongoing basis and will determine
whether, in light of then-current circumstances, an adequate level of liquidity is being maintained. In the event the market value of the Portfolio’s illiquid securities exceeds 15% of the Portfolio’s net
assets due to an increase in the aggregate value of its illiquid securities and/or a decline in the aggregate value of its other securities, the Portfolio: (i) will not purchase additional illiquid securities and (ii)
will consider taking other appropriate steps to maintain adequate liquidity, including, without limitation, reducing its holdings of illiquid securities in an orderly fashion. The Portfolio is subject to certain other
investment restrictions that are fundamental policies, which means they cannot be changed without shareholder approval. For more information about these restrictions, please see the SAI.
14
PRINCIPAL RISKS
An investment or
type of security specifically identified in this Prospectus generally reflects a principal investment. The Portfolio also may invest in or use certain other types of investments and investing techniques that are
described in the SAI. An investment or type of security only identified in the SAI typically is treated as a non-principal investment. The risks identified below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio.
The Summary lists the principal risks applicable to the Portfolio. This section provides more detailed information about each risk.
All investments have risks to some
degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every effort to achieve its objective, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
In addition, the
Portfolio reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time, to merge or reorganize itself, or to cease operations and liquidate at any time.
Asset-Backed Securities
Risk.
Asset-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables. Like traditional fixed income securities,
asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk and liquidity risk. Certain asset-backed securities may also be subject to the risk of prepayment. In a period of declining interest rates,
borrowers may pay what they owe on the underlying assets more quickly than anticipated, which may require the Portfolio to reinvest the repayment proceeds in securities that pay lower interest rates. Asset-backed
securities may also be subject to extension risk, which is the risk that, in a period of rising interest rates, prepayments may occur at a slower rate than expected, which may prevent the Portfolio from reinvesting
repayment proceeds in securities that pay higher interest rates. The more the Portfolio invests in longer-term securities, the more likely it will be affected by changes in interest rates.
Derivatives Risk
. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index, and may relate to stocks, bonds,
interest rates, currencies, or currency exchange rates, and related indexes. Derivatives in which the Portfolio may invest include exchange-traded instruments as well as privately negotiated instruments, also called
over-the-counter instruments. Examples of derivatives include options, futures, forward agreements, interest rate swap agreements, credit default swap agreements, and credit-linked securities. The Portfolio may, but
is not required to, use derivatives to earn income or enhance returns, manage or adjust its risk profile, replace more traditional direct investments, or obtain exposure to certain markets. The use of derivatives to
seek to earn income or enhance returns may be considered speculative.
The use of derivatives involves a
variety of risks, including:
| ■ | Counterparty Credit Risk. There is a risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to the Portfolio. This risk is especially important in the context of privately negotiated instruments. For example, the Portfolio would be exposed to counterparty credit risk to the extent it enters into a credit default swap, that is, it purchases protection against a default by a debt issuer, and the swap counterparty does not maintain adequate reserves to cover such a default. |
| ■ | Leverage Risk. Certain derivatives and related trading strategies create debt obligations similar to borrowings, and therefore create, leverage. Leverage can result in losses to the Portfolio that exceeds the amount the Portfolio originally invested. To mitigate leverage risk, the Portfolio will segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover the transactions that may give rise to such risk. The use of leverage may cause the Portfolio to liquidate Portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation or coverage requirements. |
| ■ | Liquidity and Valuation Risk. Certain exchange-traded derivatives may be difficult or impossible to buy or sell at the time that the seller would like, or at the price that the seller believes the derivative is currently worth. Privately negotiated derivatives may be difficult to terminate, and from time to time, the Portfolio may find it difficult to enter into a transaction that would offset the losses incurred by another derivative that it holds. Derivatives, and especially privately negotiated derivatives, also involve the risk of incorrect valuation (that is, the value assigned to the derivative may not always reflect its risks or potential rewards). |
15
| ■ | Hedging Risk. Hedging is a strategy in which the Portfolio uses a derivative to offset the risks associated with its other holdings. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by the Portfolio. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match the value of the holdings being hedged as expected by the Portfolio, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced and in fact may be increased. No assurance can be given that any hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective. The Portfolio is not required to use hedging and may choose not to do so. |
| ■ | Commodity Risk. A commodity-linked derivative instrument is a financial instrument, the value of which is determined by the value of one or more commodities, such as precious metals and agricultural products, or an index of various commodities. The prices of these instruments historically have been affected by, among other things, overall market movements and changes in interest and exchange rates and may be more volatile than the prices of investments in traditional equity and debt securities. |
Expense Risk
. Your actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, the
portfolio operating expense ratio may be higher than shown if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease, fee waivers or expense limitations change, or if the Portfolio incurs more expenses than
expected.
Fixed Income Securities Risk
. Investments in fixed income securities involve a variety of risks, including credit risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk.
| ■ | Credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able to make required principal and interest payments. Credit ratings are intended to provide a measure of creditworthiness. However, ratings are only the opinions of the agencies issuing them and are not guarantees as to quality. The lower the rating of a debt security held by the Portfolio, the greater the degree of credit risk that is perceived to exist by the rating agency with respect to that security. Some but not all US government securities are insured or guaranteed by the US government, while others are only insured or guaranteed by the issuing agency, which must rely on its own resources to repay the debt. Although credit risk may be lower for US government securities than for other investment-grade securities, the return may be lower. |
| ■ | Liquidity risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that the Portfolio may not be able to sell some or all of the securities it holds, either at the price it values the security or at any price. Liquidity risk also includes the risk that there may be delays in selling a security, if it can be sold at all. A rise in interest rates may result in periods of volatility and increased redemptions, which may cause the Portfolio to have to liquidate portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices and times, which could reduce the returns of the Portfolio. The reduction in dealer market-making capacity in the fixed income markets that has occurred in recent years also has the potential to decrease liquidity. |
| ■ | Interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of an investment may go down in value when interest rates rise. The prices of fixed income securities generally move in the opposite direction to that of market interest rates. The Portfolio may be subject to a heightened risk of rising interest rates because interest rates in the US are at, or near, historic lows. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Portfolio’s investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. A wide variety of factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policies and inflation rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed income security, the greater is the decline in its value when rates increase. As a result, portfolios with longer durations and longer weighted average maturities generally have more volatile share prices than portfolios with shorter durations and shorter weighted average maturities. Certain securities acquired by the Portfolio may pay interest at a variable rate or the principal amount of the security periodically adjusts according to the rate of inflation or other measure. In either case, the interest rate at issuance is generally lower than the fixed interest rate of bonds of similar seniority from the same issuer; however, variable interest rate securities generally are subject to a lower risk that their value will decrease during periods of increasing interest rates and increasing inflation. Decreases in interest rates create the potential for a decrease in income earned by the Portfolio. |
Foreign Investment Risk
. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers. Foreign investment risk includes the following risks:
16
| ■ | Currency Risk. Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign securities held by the Portfolio. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the actions of the US and non-US governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is different from the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign securities held by the Portfolio. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the US dollar, the value of securities denominated in that foreign currency generally decreases in terms of US dollars. If the Portfolio does not correctly anticipate changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a result. The Portfolio may from time to time attempt to hedge a portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques, including currency futures, forwards, and options. However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and in certain cases the Portfolio may be worse off than if it had not used a hedging instrument. For most emerging market currencies, suitable hedging instruments may not be available. |
| ■ | Emerging Market Risk. Countries in emerging markets (e.g., South America, Eastern and Central Europe, Africa and the Pacific Basin countries) may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a limited number of securities. Securities of issuers located in these countries tend to have volatile prices and offer the potential for substantial loss as well as gain. In addition, these securities may be less liquid than investments in more established markets as a result of inadequate trading volume or restrictions on trading imposed by the governments of such countries. Emerging markets may also have increased risks associated with clearance and settlement. Delays in settlement could result in periods of uninvested assets, missed investment opportunities or losses for the Portfolio. |
| ■ | Foreign Market Risk. Foreign markets tend to be more volatile than US markets and are generally not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to those in the US. In addition, foreign markets are subject to differing custody and settlement practices. Foreign markets are subject to bankruptcy laws different than those in the United States, which may result in lower recoveries for investors. |
| ■ | Information Risk. Financial reporting standards for companies based in foreign markets usually differ from those in the US. |
| ■ | Liquidity and Valuation Risk. Stocks that trade less frequently can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell, than more liquid or active stocks. This liquidity risk is a factor of the trading volume of a particular stock, as well as the size and liquidity of the entire local market. On the whole, foreign exchanges are smaller and less liquid than the US market. This can make buying and selling certain shares more difficult and costly. Relatively small transactions in some instances can have a disproportionately large effect on the price and supply of shares. In certain situations, it may become virtually impossible to sell a stock in an orderly fashion at a price that approaches an estimate of its value. |
| ■ | Political Risk. Political developments may adversely affect the value of the Portfolio’s foreign securities. In addition, some foreign governments have limited the outflow of profits to investors abroad, extended diplomatic disputes to include trade and financial relations, and imposed high taxes on corporate profits. |
| ■ | Regulatory Risk. Some foreign governments regulate their exchanges less stringently than the US, and the rights of shareholders may not be as firmly established as in the US. |
| ■ | Taxation Risk. Many foreign markets are not as open to foreign investors as US markets. The Portfolio may be required to pay special taxes on gains and distributions that are imposed on foreign investors. Payment of these foreign taxes may reduce the investment performance of the Portfolio. |
High Yield Risk
. Investments in high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as “junk bonds”) may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit
and liquidity risk than investments in investment grade securities. High yield securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest
payments. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for high yield securities and reduce the Portfolio’s ability to sell its high yield securities (liquidity
risk). In addition, the market for lower-rated bonds may be thinner and less active than the market for higher-rated bonds, and the prices of lower-rated bonds may fluctuate more than the prices of higher-rated bonds,
particularly in times of market stress.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk
. From time to time, the Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on transfer. In those cases,
the Portfolio may have difficulty determining the values of those securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. The Portfolio also may have difficulty disposing of those securities
at the values determined by the Portfolio for the
17
purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net
asset value, especially during periods of significant net redemptions of Portfolio shares. Portfolios with principal investment strategies that involve foreign securities, private placement investments, derivatives or
securities with substantial market and/or credit risk tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity and valuation risk.
Market Risk and Management
Risk
. Market risk is the risk that the markets in which the Portfolio invests will experience market volatility and go down in value, including the possibility that a market will go down sharply
and unpredictably. All markets go through cycles, and market risk involves being on the wrong side of a cycle. Factors affecting market risk include political events, broad economic and social changes, and the mood of
the investing public. If investor sentiment turns gloomy, the price of all securities may decline. Management risk is the risk that an adviser’s investment strategy will not work as intended. All decisions by an
adviser require judgment and are based on imperfect information.
Mortgage-Backed Securities
Risks
. A mortgage-backed security is a specific type of asset-backed security—one backed by mortgage loans on residential and/or commercial real estate. Therefore, they have many of the
risk characteristics of asset-backed securities, including prepayment and extension risks, as well as interest rate, credit and liquidity risk. Because they are backed by mortgage loans, mortgage-backed securities
also have risks related to real estate, including significant sensitivity to changes in real estate prices and interest rates and, in the case of commercial mortgages, office and factory occupancy rates. Many
mortgage-backed securities are issued by federal government agencies such as Government National Mortgage Association, also known as Ginnie Mae, or by government-sponsored enterprises such as Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) or Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). Currently, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are in government conservatorship. Private issuer mortgage-backed securities may include
loans on commercial or residential properties.
Prepayment or Call Risk
. Prepayment or call risk is the risk that issuers will prepay fixed-rate obligations held by the Portfolio when interest rates fall, forcing the Portfolio to reinvest in obligations with
lower interest rates than the original obligations. Mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
. The Subadviser generally does not consider the length of time the Portfolio has held a particular security in making investment decisions. In fact, the Subadviser may engage in active
trading on behalf of the Portfolio—that is, frequent trading of their securities—in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities or yield differentials. The Portfolio’s turnover rate may
be higher than that of other mutual funds due to the Subadviser’s investment strategies. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Portfolio, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups
and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The trading and transaction-related costs associated with portfolio turnover may adversely affect the Portfolio’s
investment performance.
Recent Events Risk
. The ongoing financial and debt crises have caused increased volatility and significant declines in the value and liquidity of many securities in US and foreign financial markets. This
environment could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult. These market conditions may continue or get worse. In response to these crises, the US and other governments, and their
agencies and instrumentalities such as the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks, have taken steps to support financial markets. The reduction or withdrawal of these measures could negatively affect the
overall economy and/or the value and liquidity of certain securities. In addition, the impact of legislation enacted in the United States calling for reform of many aspects of financial regulation, and the
corresponding regulatory changes on the markets and the practical implications for market participants, may not be known for some time.
Regulatory Risk
. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the
Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable regulation. A change in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.
18
Selection Risk
. The Subadviser will actively manage the Portfolio by applying investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions. There can be no guarantee that these investment
decisions will produce the desired results. Selection risk is the risk that the securities, derivatives, and other instruments selected by the Subadviser will underperform the market, the relevant indices or other
funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies, or that securities sold short will experience positive price performance.
US Government, Government-Related
Entity, and Government Agency Securities Risk
. In addition to market risk, interest rate risk and credit risk, such securities may limit the Portfolio’s potential for capital appreciation. Securities issued by agencies of the US
Government or instrumentalities of the US Government, including those which are guaranteed by Federal agencies or instrumentalities, may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States.
Obligations of the Government
National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae), the Federal Housing Administration, the Export-Import Bank, and the Small Business Administration are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Obligations of the FNMA, the FHLMC, the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the United States Postal Service are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government.
In the case of securities not
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Portfolio generally must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim
against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. If the relevant government sponsored enterprise issuing or sponsoring the securities is unable to meet its obligations or its
credit worthiness declines, then the performance of the Portfolio will be adversely impacted. In addition, the yield and market value of these securities are not guaranteed by the US government or the relevant
government sponsored enterprise.
Most mortgage-backed securities
are issued by federal government agencies such as Ginnie Mae, or by government sponsored enterprises such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities issued by the
federal government and some Federal government agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, are guaranteed by the Federal government and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Mortgage-backed securities issued by
other government agencies or government sponsored enterprises, such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, are backed only by the credit of the government agency or enterprise and are not backed by the full faith and credit of
the United States. In September of 2008, the Treasury appointed the Federal Housing Finance Agency as the conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the effect that this conservatorship will have on the
companies’ debt and equities is unclear. Although the US Government has provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and authorized them to borrow from the Treasury to meet their obligations, no
assurance can be given that it will support these or other government-sponsored enterprises in the future.
Valuation Risk
. Due to the nature of the Portfolio’s investments and the market environment, a portion of the Portfolio’s assets may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established
by the Board. The Portfolio’s assets may be valued using prices provided by a pricing service or, alternatively, a broker-dealer or other market intermediary (sometimes just one broker-dealer or other market
intermediary) when other reliable pricing sources may not be available. No assurance can be given that such prices accurately reflect the price the Portfolio would receive upon sale of a security. To the extent the
Portfolio sells a security at a price lower than the price it has been using to value the security, its net asset value will be adversely affected. In addition, if there is wide variation in the fair value estimates
produced by the market participants with respect to investments held by the Portfolio, such variations may make it harder for the Portfolio to sell that investment (i.e., such variation may tend to increase liquidity
risk).
Additional Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio
. Set forth below is a description of certain other non-principal risks associated with an investment in the Portfolio.
19
Short Sale Risk
. If the Portfolio sells a security short, it in effect borrows and then sells the security with the expectation that it will later repurchase the security at a lower price and then return
the amount borrowed with interest. In contrast, when the Portfolio buys a security long, it purchases the security with cash with the expectation that it later will sell the security at a higher price. If the
Portfolio enters into short sales, it exposes the Portfolio to the risk that it will be required to buy the security sold short (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when the security has
appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Portfolio. Theoretically, the amount of these losses can be unlimited, although for fixed income securities an interest rate of 0% forms an effective limit on how
high a security’s price would be expected to rise. Although the Portfolio may try to reduce risk by holding both long and short positions at the same time, it is possible that the Portfolio’s securities
held long will decline in value at the same time that the value of the Portfolio’s securities sold short increases, thereby increasing the potential for loss.
Leverage Risk
. Certain transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Such transactions may include, among others, reverse repurchase agreements, loans of securities, and the use of when-issued,
delayed delivery or forward commitment contracts. The use of derivatives may also create leveraging risks. To mitigate leveraging risk, the Subadviser can segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover the transactions
that may give rise to such risk. The use of leverage may cause the Portfolio to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation requirements.
Leverage, including borrowing, may cause the Portfolio to be more volatile than if the Portfolio had not been leveraged. This volatility occurs because leveraging tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or
decrease in the value of the Portfolio’s securities.
20
HOW THE TRUST IS MANAGED
Board of Trustees
The Board oversees the actions of
the Investment Managers and the Subadviser and decides on general policies. The Board also oversees the Trust's officers who conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Trust.
Investment Managers
PGIM Investments
, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey, and
ASTIS
, One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut, serve as the investment managers of the Portfolio. ASTIS has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1992. PGIM Investments
has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1996.
The Trust's Investment Management
Agreement, on behalf of the Portfolio, with ASTIS and PGIM Investments (the Management Agreement), provides that the Manager will furnish the Portfolio with investment advice and administrative services subject to the
supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated policies of the Portfolio. The Manager must also provide, or obtain and supervise, the executive, administrative, accounting, custody, transfer agent and
shareholder servicing services that are deemed advisable by the Board.
The Manager has engaged PGIM Fixed
Income, a unit of PGIM, Inc., to conduct the investment programs of the Portfolio, including the purchase, retention and sale of portfolio securities and other financial instruments. The Manager is responsible for
monitoring the activities of the Subadviser and reporting on such activities to the Board. The Trust has obtained an exemption from the SEC that permits the Manager, subject to approval by the Board, to change
subadvisers for the Portfolio by entering into new subadvisory agreements with affiliated and non-affiliated subadvisers, without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes. This exemption (which is similar to
exemptions granted to other investment companies that are organized in a manner similar to the Trust) is intended to facilitate the efficient supervision and management of the subadvisers by the Manager and the
Board.
If at any point in time there is
more than one subadviser for the Portfolio, the Manager will determine the division of the assets for the Portfolio among the applicable subadvisers under normal conditions. All daily cash inflows (that is, purchases
and reinvested distributions) and outflows (that is, redemptions and expense items) will be divided among such subadvisers as the Manager deems appropriate. The Manager may change the target allocation of assets among
subadvisers, transfer assets between subadvisers, or change the allocation of cash inflows or cash outflows among subadvisers for any reason and at any time without notice. As a consequence, the Manager may allocate
assets or cash flows from a portfolio segment that has appreciated more to another portfolio segment.
A discussion regarding the basis
for the Board's approval of the Portfolio’s investment advisory agreements is available in the Trust's semi-annual report dated June 30.
Investment
Subadviser
PGIM, Inc. is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. PGIM, Inc. was formed in June 1984 and was registered with the SEC as an investment adviser in December 1984. PGIM Fixed Income is the principal public fixed income asset management unit of PGIM, Inc. As of December 31, 2017, PGIM, Inc. had approximately $1.16 trillion in assets under management. PGIM's address is 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
PGIM, Inc. is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. PGIM, Inc. was formed in June 1984 and was registered with the SEC as an investment adviser in December 1984. PGIM Fixed Income is the principal public fixed income asset management unit of PGIM, Inc. As of December 31, 2017, PGIM, Inc. had approximately $1.16 trillion in assets under management. PGIM's address is 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
PGIM Fixed Income
is the primary public fixed-income asset management unit of PGIM, Inc., with $709 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017, and is the unit of PGIM, Inc. that provides
investment advisory services.
PGIM Fixed Income is organized
into groups specializing in different sectors of the fixed-income market: US and non-US government bonds, mortgages and asset-backed securities, US and non-US investment grade corporate bonds, high-yield bonds,
emerging markets bonds, municipal bonds, and money market securities.
21
Portfolio Managers
Information about the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio is set forth below. In addition to the information set forth below, the Trust’s SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares of the Portfolio.
Information about the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio is set forth below. In addition to the information set forth below, the Trust’s SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares of the Portfolio.
Edward Blaha, Steven Kellner, and
Rajat Shah are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio.
Edward H.
Blaha, CFA
, is a Managing Director and portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's US Investment Grade Corporate Bond Sector Team. Mr. Blaha joined the Firm in December 1987 in the Portfolio Management
Group, the unit responsible for asset allocation for the Firm’s proprietary account. In 1993, Mr. Blaha joined the Investment Grade Corporate Team as an investment associate/trader. Mr. Blaha received a BS in
Business Administration from the University of Delaware and an MBA from New York University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Steven A. Kellner, CFA,
is a Managing Director and Head of Credit Portfolio Management at PGIM Fixed Income. He has oversight for all credit portfolio management and trading and is also Senior Portfolio Manager
for more than $283 billion in U.S., European, and global investment grade corporate bond strategies as December 31, 2017. Mr. Kellner has been managing corporate bonds for the Firm since 1989 and became Head of
Corporate Bond Strategies in 1999. He initially joined the Firm in 1986. After completing his MBA in Finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1987, Mr. Kellner rejoined the group as an
analyst, then moved to the corporate bond team responsible for managing the Firm’s proprietary fixed income portfolios. In addition to his MBA, Mr. Kellner received a BCE in Civil Engineering from Villanova
University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Rajat Shah, CFA*
, is a Managing Director and portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's Investment Grade Corporate Team and is responsible for our global corporate strategy. Previously, he was an associate
in PGIM Fixed Income's Credit Research Group, covering the investment grade technology and high yield aerospace/defense sectors. Prior to that, Mr. Shah helped three senior analysts cover the investment grade cable,
media, and telecom sectors, as well as the high yield technology and wireless sectors. Mr. Shah joined the Firm in 1999 as an analyst in Prudential Funding, where he assisted with the pricing and issuance of long-term
and short-term debt. Earlier, he was a structured finance analyst at Arthur Andersen. Mr. Shah received a BS in Finance from Rutgers University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
*Mr. Shah has announced his
intention to resign from PGIM Fixed Income effective in June 2018.
Fees and Expenses
Investment Management Fees. The total effective annualized investment management fee (as a percentage of net assets) for the Portfolio was 0.49% for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
Investment Management Fees. The total effective annualized investment management fee (as a percentage of net assets) for the Portfolio was 0.49% for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
The investment management fees for
the Portfolio are accrued daily for the purposes of determining the purchase and redemption price of Portfolio shares. More information about investment management fees for the Portfolio is set forth under the caption
“Investment Advisory and Other Services” in the SAI.
The Manager pays the Subadviser a
portion of its investment management fees for the performance of the subadvisory services at no additional cost to the Portfolio. More information about the subadvisory fees payable by the Manager to the Subadviser is
set forth under the caption “Investment Advisory and Other Services” in the SAI.
Other Expenses
. As used in connection with the Portfolio, “Other Expenses” includes expenses for accounting and valuation services, custodian fees, audit and legal fees, transfer agency fees,
fees paid to non-interested Trustees, and certain other miscellaneous items.
22
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES OF THE PORTFOLIO
Purchasing and Redeeming Shares
of the Portfolio
The way to invest in the Portfolio
is through certain variable annuity contracts. Together with this Prospectus, you should have received a prospectus for such a Contract. You should refer to that prospectus for further information on investing in the
Portfolio. The Portfolio is the sole investment option for certain Contracts issued by the Participating Insurance Companies known as the Prudential Defined Income Variable Annuity. Contract owners will have their
account value allocated to the Portfolio. For more information, Contract owners should see their Contract prospectus or contact the relevant Participating Insurance Company or their financial professional.
Portfolio shares are redeemed for
cash within seven days of receipt of a proper notice of redemption or sooner if required by law. There is no redemption charge in connection with the redemption of Portfolio shares. The Trust may suspend the right to
redeem shares or receive payment when the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is closed (other than weekends or holidays), when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as permitted by the SEC or when the SEC determines an
emergency exists.
Redemption in Kind
The Portfolio may pay the
redemption price to shareholders of record (generally, the insurance company separate accounts holding Portfolio shares) in whole or in part by a distribution in-kind of securities from the relevant investment
portfolio of the Trust, in lieu of cash, in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC and procedures adopted by the Board. Securities will be readily marketable and will be valued in the same manner as in a regular
redemption.
If shares are redeemed in kind,
the recipient will incur transaction costs in converting such assets into cash. These procedures only govern the redemption by the shareholder of record, generally an insurance company separate account, and do not
affect payments by an insurance company to a contract owner under a variable annuity contract.
Frequent Purchases or
Redemptions of Portfolio Shares
The Trust is part of the group of
investment companies advised by PGIM Investments that seeks to prevent patterns of frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by its investors (the PGIM Investments Funds). Frequent purchases and redemptions may
adversely affect the investment performance and interests of long-term investors in the Portfolio. When an investor engages in frequent or short-term trading, the PGIM Investments Funds may have to sell Portfolio
securities to have the cash necessary to pay the redemption amounts. This may cause the PGIM Investments Funds to sell securities at inopportune times, hurting their investment performance. When large dollar amounts
are involved, frequent trading can also make it difficult for the PGIM Investments Funds to use long-term investment strategies because they cannot predict how much cash they will have to invest. In addition, if a
PGIM Investments Fund is forced to liquidate investments due to short-term trading activity, it may incur increased transaction and tax costs. However, because the Portfolio is the sole investment option for certain
Contracts issued by the Participating Insurance Companies, the risk of frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by investors is minimized with respect to the Portfolio.
Similarly, the PGIM Investments
Funds may bear increased administrative costs as a result of the asset level and investment volatility that accompanies patterns of short-term trading. Moreover, frequent or short-term trading by certain investors may
cause dilution in the value of PGIM Investments Fund shares held by other investors. PGIM Investments Funds that invest in foreign securities may be particularly susceptible to frequent trading, because time zone
differences among international stock markets can allow an investor engaging in short-term trading to exploit fund share prices that may be based on closing prices of foreign securities established some time before
the fund calculates its own share price. PGIM Investments Funds that invest in certain fixed income securities, such as high yield bonds or certain asset-backed securities, may also constitute effective vehicles for
an investor’s frequent trading strategies.
23
The Boards of Directors/Trustees
of the PGIM Investments Funds, including the Trust, have adopted policies and procedures designed to discourage or prevent frequent trading by investors. The policies and procedures for the Trust are limited, however,
because the Trust does not directly sell its shares directly to the public. Instead, Portfolio shares are sold only to the Participating Insurance Companies’ separate accounts that fund the Contracts. Therefore,
the Participating Insurance Companies, not the Trust, maintain the individual Contract owner account records. The Participating Insurance Companies submit to the Trust’s transfer agent daily aggregate orders
combining the transactions of many Contract owners. Therefore, the Trust and its transfer agent do not monitor trading by individual Contract owners.
Under the Trust’s policies
and procedures, the Trust has notified the Participating Insurance Companies that the Trust expects the insurance company to impose restrictions on transfers by Contract owners. The Trust receives reports on the
trading restrictions imposed by the Participating Insurance Companies on Contract owners investing in the Portfolio. In addition, the Trust has entered shareholder information agreements with the Participating
Insurance Companies as required by Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act. Under these agreements, the Participating Insurance Companies have agreed to: (i) provide certain information regarding Contract owners who engage in
transactions involving Portfolio shares and (ii) execute any instructions from the Trust to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Portfolio shares by Contract owners who have been identified by the
Trust as having engaged in transactions in Portfolio shares that violate the Trust’s frequent trading policies and procedures. The Trust and its transfer agent also reserve the right to reject all or a portion
of a purchase order from the Participating Insurance Companies. If a purchase order is rejected, the purchase amount will be returned to the relevant Participating Insurance Company.
The Trust also employs fair value
pricing procedures to deter frequent trading. Those procedures are described in more detail under “Net Asset Value,” below.
Investors seeking to engage in
frequent trading activities may use a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts of the Trust and the Participating Insurance Companies to prevent such trading, there is no guarantee that the
Trust or the Participating Insurance Companies will be able to identify these investors or curtail their trading practices. Therefore, some Trust investors may be able to engage in frequent trading, and, if they do,
the other Trust investors would bear any harm caused by that frequent trading. The Trust does not have any arrangements intended to permit trading in contravention of the policies described above.
For information about the trading
limitations applicable to you, please see the prospectus for your Contract or contact your insurance company.
Net Asset Value
Any purchase or sale of Portfolio
shares is made at the net asset value, or NAV, of such shares. The price at which a purchase or redemption is made is based on the next calculation of the NAV after the order is received in good order. The NAV of the
Portfolio is determined on each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of the exchange’s regular trading session (which is generally 4:00 p.m. New York time). The NYSE is closed on most national
holidays and Good Friday. The Trust does not price, and shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem, Portfolio shares on days when the NYSE is closed but the primary markets for the Portfolio’s foreign
securities are open, even though the value of these securities may have changed.
Conversely, the Trust will
ordinarily price Portfolio shares, and shareholders may purchase and redeem shares, on days that the NYSE is open but foreign securities markets are closed.
The securities held by the
Portfolio are valued based upon market quotations or, if not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board. The Trust may use fair value pricing for the
Portfolio if it determines that a market quotation is not reliable based, among other things, on market conditions that occur after the quotation is derived or after the closing of the primary market on which the
security is traded, but before the time that the NAV is determined. This use of fair value pricing most commonly occurs with securities that
24
are primarily traded outside of the US, because
such securities present time-zone arbitrage opportunities when events or conditions affecting the prices of specific securities or the prices of securities traded in such markets generally occur after the close of the
foreign markets but prior to the time that the Portfolio determines its NAV.
The Trust may also use fair value
pricing with respect to the Portfolio’s US traded securities if, for example, trading in a particular security is halted and does not resume before the Portfolio calculates its NAV or the exchange on which a
security is traded closes early. In addition, fair value pricing is used for securities where the pricing agent or principal market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or
methodology that, in the judgment of the Manager (or the Subadviser) does not represent fair value. Different valuation methods may result in differing values for the same security. The fair value of the Portfolio
security that the Portfolio uses to determine its NAV may differ from the security’s published or quoted price. If the Portfolio needs to implement fair value pricing after the NAV publishing deadline but before
shares of the Portfolio are processed, the NAV you receive or pay may differ from the published NAV price. For purposes of computing the Portfolio’s NAV, the Trust will value the Portfolio’s futures
contracts 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Except when the Trust fair values securities, the Trust will normally value each foreign security held by the Portfolio as of the close of the
security’s primary market.
Fair value pricing procedures are
designed to result in prices for the Portfolio’s securities and its NAV that are reasonable in light of circumstances which make or have made market quotations unavailable or unreliable, and to reduce arbitrage
opportunities available to short-term traders. There is no assurance, however, that fair value pricing will more accurately reflect the market value of a security than the market price of such security on that day or
that it will prevent dilution of the Portfolio’s NAV by short-term traders.
The NAV for the Portfolio is
determined by a simple calculation. It’s the total value of the Portfolio (assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of shares outstanding. To determine the Portfolio’s NAV, its holdings are
valued as follows:
Equity Securities
for which the primary market is on an exchange (whether domestic or foreign) shall be valued at the last sale price on such exchange or market on the day of valuation or, if there was no
sale on such day, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Securities included within the NASDAQ market shall be valued at
the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP) on the day of valuation, or if there was no NOCP issued, at the last sale price on such day. Securities included within the NASDAQ market for which there is no NOCP and no last
sale price on the day of valuation shall be valued at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Equity securities that are not
sold on an exchange or NASDAQ are generally valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker. The Portfolio may own securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or
other days when the Portfolio does not price its shares. Therefore, the value of the Portfolio’s assets may change on days when shareholders cannot purchase or redeem Portfolio shares.
Short-term debt securities
, including bonds, notes, debentures and other debt securities, and money market instruments such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers’ acceptances and obligations of
domestic and foreign banks, with remaining maturities of more than 60 days, for which market quotations are readily available, are valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker (if available,
otherwise a primary market dealer).
Short-term debt securities
with remaining maturities of 60 days or less are valued at cost with interest accrued or discount amortized to the date of maturity, unless such valuation, in the judgment of PGIM
Investments or the Subadviser, does not represent fair value.
Convertible debt securities
that are traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed convertible debt securities for which the primary market is believed by PGIM Investments or the Subadviser, as available,
to be over-the-counter, shall be valued on the day of valuation at an evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing agent or, in the absence of a valuation provided by an independent pricing agent, at the bid
price provided by a principal market maker or primary market dealer.
25
Other debt securities
—those that are not valued on an amortized cost basis—are valued using an independent pricing service. Options on stock and stock indexes that are traded on a national
securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was no such sale on such day, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such
exchange.
Futures contracts and options on
futures contracts
are valued at the last sale price at the close of the commodities exchange or board of trade on which they are traded. If there has been no sale that day, the securities will be valued at
the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on that exchange or board of trade.
Forward currency exchange
contracts
are valued at the cost of covering or offsetting such contracts calculated on the day of valuation. Securities which are valued in accordance herewith in a currency other than US dollars
shall be converted to US dollar equivalents at a rate obtained from a recognized bank, dealer or independent service on the day of valuation.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options
are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by a dealer (which may be the counterparty). The subadviser will monitor the market prices of the securities underlying the OTC
options with a view to determining the necessity of obtaining additional bid and ask quotations from other dealers to assess the validity of the prices received from the primary pricing dealer.
Distributor and Distribution
Arrangements
The Trust offers a single class of
shares on behalf of the Portfolio. Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. (PAD) serves as the distributor for the shares of the Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolio are offered and redeemed at their net asset value
without any sales load. PAD is an affiliate of the Manager and AST. PAD is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (FINRA).
The Trust has adopted a
Shareholder Services and Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the 12b-1 Plan) for the shares of the Portfolio. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the shares of the Portfolio are charged an annual fee to
compensate PAD and its affiliates for providing various administrative and distribution services to the Portfolio. The maximum annual shareholder services and distribution (12b-1) fee for the Portfolio’s shares
is 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio. Because these fees are paid out of the Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time, the fees will increase your cost of investing and may cost you
more than other types of charges.
PAD may receive payments from the
Portfolio’s Subadviser or its affiliates to help defray expenses for sales meetings or seminar sponsorships that may relate to the Contracts and/or the Portfolio. These sales meetings or seminar sponsorships may
provide the Subadviser with increased access to persons involved in the distribution of the Contracts. PAD also may receive marketing support from the Subadviser in connection with the distribution of the
Contracts.
26
OTHER INFORMATION
Federal Income Taxes
The Portfolio intends to be treated
as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio’s income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits will be “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance
Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes. Distributions may be made to the various separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies in the form of additional shares (not in
cash).
Holders of variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance policies should consult the prospectuses of their respective contracts on the federal income tax consequences to such holders. In addition, variable contract holders may wish to
consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the Trust, including the application of state and local taxes.
Monitoring for Possible
Conflicts
The Trust sells its shares to fund
variable life insurance contracts and variable annuity contracts and is authorized to offer its shares to qualified retirement plans. Because of differences in tax treatment and other considerations, it is possible
that the interest of variable life insurance contract holders, variable annuity contract holders and participants in qualified retirement plans could conflict. The Trust will monitor the situation and in the event
that a material conflict did develop, the Trust would determine what action, if any, to take in response.
Disclosure of Portfolio
Holdings
A description of the Trust’s
policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Portfolio’s portfolio securities is described in the SAI and is available at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios. The Trust will provide a
full list of the securities held by the Portfolio at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios, in accordance with those policies and procedures. The Trust will also file a list of securities held by the
Portfolio with the SEC as of the end of each quarter. The Trust’s quarterly portfolio holdings filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Payments to Affiliates
The Manager and its affiliates,
including the Subadviser or the distributor of the Portfolio, may compensate affiliates of the Manager, including the insurance companies issuing variable annuity or variable life contracts by providing reimbursement,
defraying the costs of, or paying directly for, among other things, marketing and/or administrative services and/or other services they provide in connection with the variable annuity and/or variable life contracts
which offer the Portfolio as an investment option. These services may include, but are not limited to: sponsoring or co-sponsoring various promotional, educational or marketing meetings and seminars attended by
distributors, wholesalers, and/or broker dealer firms’ registered representatives, and creating marketing material discussing the contracts, available options, and the Portfolio.
The amounts paid depend on the
nature of the meetings, the number of meetings attended by the Manager, the Subadviser, or the distributor, the number of participants and attendees at the meetings, the costs expected to be incurred, and the level of
PGIM Investments’, ASTIS’, PGIM Fixed Income’s or the distributor’s participation. These payments or reimbursements may not be offered by all advisers, subadvisers, or distributors and the
amounts of such payments may vary between and among each adviser, subadviser and distributor depending on their respective participation.
With respect to variable annuity
contracts, the amounts paid under these arrangements to affiliated insurers are set forth in the prospectuses for the variable annuity contracts which offer the Portfolio as an investment option.
27
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights which
follow will help you evaluate the financial performance of the Portfolio. The total return in the chart represents the rate that a shareholder earned on an investment in the Portfolio, assuming reinvestment of all
dividends and other distributions. The charts do not reflect any charges under any variable contract. Because Contract charges are not included, the actual return that you will receive will be lower than the total
return in the chart.
The financial
highlights for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014 and the fiscal period ended December 31, 2013 are derived from the Portfolio’s financial statements, which were audited by KPMG LLP,
the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports thereon were unqualified.
(a) Total return is
calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract
charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total return for all
periods shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee
of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.
(b) Does not include expenses of the
underlying funds in which the Portfolio invests.
(c) Commencement of operations.
(d) Calculated based on average shares
outstanding during the period.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Not annualized.
28
APPENDIX I: DESCRIPTION OF BOND
RATINGS
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
(MOODY'S)
Debt Ratings
Aaa:
Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edged.” Interest
payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair
the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa:
Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower
than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than the Aaa securities.
A:
Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are
considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa:
Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate
for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative
characteristics as well.
Ba:
Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very
moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B:
Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any
long period of time may be small.
Caa:
Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca:
Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C:
Bonds which are rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment
standing.
Moody's applies numerical
modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating category from Aa to Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issuer is in the higher end of its letter rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; the
modifier 3 indicates that the issuer is in the lower end of the letter ranking category.
Short-Term Ratings
Moody's short-term debt ratings are
opinions of the ability of issuers to honor senior financial obligations and contracts. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted.
PRIME-1:
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of
the following characteristics:
| ■ | Leading market positions in well-established industries. |
| ■ | High rates of return on funds employed. |
29
| ■ | Conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection. |
| ■ | Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation. |
| ■ | Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity. |
PRIME-2:
Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This normally will be evidenced by many of the characteristics
cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external
conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
MIG 1:
This designation denotes best quality. There is strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for
refinancing.
MIG 2:
This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample although not so large as in the preceding group.
S&P Global
ratings (S&P)
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings
AAA:
An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA:
An obligation rated AA differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A:
An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the
obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB:
An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the
obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BB:
An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic
conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B:
An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC:
An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment
on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC:
An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C:
The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action has been taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued.
Plus (+) or Minus (–):
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
30
Commercial Paper Ratings
A-1:
This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus
sign (+) designation.
A-2:
Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
Notes Ratings
An S&P notes rating reflects
the liquidity factors and market risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a notes rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The
following criteria will be used in making that assessment.
| ■ | Amortization schedule-the longer the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
| ■ | Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
Note rating symbols are as
follows:
SP-1:
Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2:
Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
FITCH RATINGS LTD.
International Long-Term Credit
Ratings
AAA:
Highest Credit Quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial
commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA:
Very High Credit Quality. AA ratings denote a very low expectation of credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not
significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A:
High Credit Quality. A ratings denote a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be
more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB:
Good Credit Quality. BBB ratings indicate that there is currently a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but
adverse changes in circumstances and in economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.
BB:
Speculative. BB ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial
alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.
B:
Highly Speculative. B ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for
continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC, CC, C:
High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A CC rating
indicates that default of some kind appears probable. C ratings signal imminent default.
31
International Short-Term Credit
Ratings
F1:
Highest Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit
feature.
F2:
Good Credit Quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.
F3:
Fair Credit Quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.
B:
Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C:
High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic investment.
Plus (+) or Minus (–):
Plus or minus signs may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA long-term rating category, to categories
below CCC, or to short-term ratings other than F1.
32
GLOSSARY: PORTFOLIO INDEXES
Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate
Corporate Index
. The Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Corporate Index reflects the returns of USD-denominated, non-convertible, publicly-issued securities that are fixed-rate or step-ups with a maturity
less than 10 years that are rated investment-grade (Baa3/BBB-/BBB-) or better by Moody's, S&P or Fitch. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by
investors and would be lower if they included these effects.
Bloomberg Barclays US Long Corporate
Index
. The Bloomberg Barclays US Long Corporate Index reflects the returns of USD-denominated, non-convertible, publicly- issued securities that are fixed-rate or step-ups with a maturity of 10
years or more that are rated investment-grade (Baa3/BBB-/BBB-) or better by Moody's, S&P or Fitch. These returns do not include the effect of any operating expenses of a mutual fund or taxes payable by investors
and would be lower if they included these effects.
AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income
Portfolio Blended Index.
The Blended Index consists of the Bloomberg Barclays US Long Corporate Index (65%) and Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Corporate Index (35%). (Note: This blend has a cap of 7.5% on
Financials). These returns do not include the effect of any investment management expenses. These returns would have been lower if they included the effect of these expenses.
33
INVESTOR INFORMATION
SERVICES:
Shareholder inquiries should be
made by calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to Advanced Series Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Additional information about the Portfolios is included in the SAI, which is incorporated by
reference into this Prospectus. Additional information about the Portfolio’s investments is available in the Portfolio's annual and semi-annual report to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolio's performance during its last fiscal year. The SAI and additional copies of the annual and semi-annual report are
available without charge by calling the above number. The SAI and the annual and semi-annual report are also available without charge on the Trust’s website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
Delivery of Prospectus and Other
Documents to Households
. To lower costs and eliminate duplicate documents sent to your address, the Trust, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, may begin mailing only one copy of the Trust's
prospectus, prospectus supplements, annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements and information statements, or any other required documents to your address even if more than one shareholder lives there. If you
have previously consented to have any of these documents delivered to multiple investors at a shared address, as required by law, and you wish to revoke this consent or would otherwise prefer to continue to receive
your own copy, you should call the number above, or write to the Trust at the above address. The Trust will begin sending individual copies to you within thirty days of revocation.
The information in the Trust's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the SAI) is available from the SEC. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of duplicating fees, by electronic request to
publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-0102. The information can also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC.
Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Finally, information about the Trust is available on the EDGAR database on the SEC's internet site at
www.sec.gov.
Investment Company File Act
No. 811-05186
This Statement of
Additional Information (SAI) of Advanced Series Trust (the Trust) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Trust dated April 30, 2018, which can be obtained, without charge, by
calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to the Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. This SAI has been incorporated by reference into the Trust's Prospectus. The Trust's audited financial statements are
incorporated into this SAI by reference to the Trust's 2017 Annual Report (File No. 811-5186). You may request a copy of the Annual Report at no charge by calling the telephone number or writing to the address
indicated above.
The portfolios of the Trust which
are discussed in this SAI are noted on this front cover (each, a Portfolio, and together, the Portfolios).
AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio
Allocation Portfolio
AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio
AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio
AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio
AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio
AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio
AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio
AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio
AST Bond
Portfolio 2018
AST Bond Portfolio 2019
AST Bond Portfolio 2020
AST Bond Portfolio 2021
AST Bond Portfolio 2022
AST Bond Portfolio 2023
AST Bond Portfolio 2024
AST Bond Portfolio 2025
AST Bond Portfolio 2026
AST Bond Portfolio 2027
AST Bond Portfolio 2028
AST Bond
Portfolio 2029
AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation
Portfolio
AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio
AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio
AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio
AST Global Real Estate Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Government Money Market Portfolio
AST High Yield Portfolio
AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value
Portfolio
AST International Growth Portfolio
AST International Value Portfolio
AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio
AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio
AST J.P. Morgan International Equity
Portfolio
AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities
Portfolio
AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio
AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio
AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio
AST MFS Growth Portfolio
AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio
AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap
Value Portfolio
Value Portfolio
AST New Discovery Asset Allocation
Portfolio
AST Parametric Emerging Markets
Equity Portfolio
Equity Portfolio
AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio
AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio
AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio
AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio
AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio
AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio
AST RCM World Trends Portfolio
AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio
AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities
Portfolio
AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation
Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities
Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources
Portfolio
AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio
AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio
AST Wellington Management Hedged
Equity Portfolio
Equity Portfolio
AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio
AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio
Table of Contents
PART I
INTRODUCTION
This SAI sets
forth information about the Trust and the Portfolios covered by the SAI. Part I provides additional information about the Trust’s Board of Trustees, certain investments restrictions that apply to the Portfolios,
the advisory services provided to and the management fees paid by the Trust, and information about other fees paid by and services provided to the Trust. Part II provides additional information about certain
investments and investment strategies which may be used by the Trust’s Portfolios and explanations of these investments and strategies, and should be read in conjunction with Part I.
Before reading the SAI, you should
consult the Glossary below, which defines certain of the terms used in the SAI:
| Glossary | |
| Term | Definition |
| 1933 Act | Securities Act of 1933, as amended |
| 1934 Act | Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
| 1940 Act | Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended |
| ADR | American Depositary Receipt |
| ADS | American Depositary Share |
| ASTIS | AST Investment Services, Inc. |
| Board | Trust’s Board of Directors or Trustees |
| Board Member | A trustee or director of the Trust’s Board |
| CFTC | Commodity Futures Trading Commission |
| Code | Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended |
| EDR | European Depositary Receipt |
| ETF | Exchange-Traded Fund |
| Fannie Mae | Federal National Mortgage Association |
| Fitch | Fitch, Inc. |
| Freddie Mac | The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation |
| Global Depositary Receipt | GDR |
| Ginnie Mae | Government National Mortgage Association |
| IPO | Initial Public Offering |
| IRS | Internal Revenue Service |
| LIBOR | London Interbank Offered Rate |
| Moody’s | Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. |
| NASDAQ | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System |
| NAV | Net Asset Value |
| NYSE | New York Stock Exchange |
| OTC | Over-the-Counter |
| PGIM Investments or the Manager | PGIM Investments LLC |
| PMFS | Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC |
| REIT | Real Estate Investment Trust |
| RIC | Regulated Investment Company, as the term is used in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended |
| S&P | S&P Global Ratings |
| SEC | US Securities & Exchange Commission |
| World Bank | International Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
3
Trust PORTFOLIOS, INVESTMENT
POLICIES & STRATEGIES
The Trust is an open-end management
investment company (commonly known as a mutual fund) that is intended to provide a range of investment alternatives through its separate Portfolios, each of which is, for investment purposes, in effect a separate
fund. The Portfolios offered by the Trust which are discussed in this SAI are set forth below:
| ■ | AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio |
| ■ | AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio |
| ■ | AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2018 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2019 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2020 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2021 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2022 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2023 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2024 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2025 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
| ■ | AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Global Real Estate Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Government Money Market Portfolio |
| ■ | AST High Yield Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST International Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST International Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
4
| ■ | AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio |
| ■ | AST RCM World Trends Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
In addition to the
Portfolios identified above, the Trust also offers the following portfolios, which are discussed in a separate prospectus(es) and a separate SAI. Please consult the other prospectuses and SAI for information about
these portfolios:
| ■ | AST AB Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio |
| ■ | AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio |
The Trust offers one class of
shares in each Portfolio. Shares of each Portfolio are sold only to separate accounts of Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Life Insurance Company,
Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Pramerica of Bermuda Life Assurance Company, Ltd. (collectively, Prudential), Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company,
Allstate Life Insurance Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York as investment options under variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts (the Contracts). (A separate account keeps the assets
supporting certain insurance contracts separate from the general assets and liabilities of the insurance company.)
Not every Portfolio is available
under each Contract. The prospectus for each Contract lists the Portfolios currently available under that particular Contract.
In order to sell shares to both
Prudential and non-Prudential insurance companies, the Trust has obtained an exemptive order (the Order) from the SEC. The Trust and its Portfolios are managed in compliance with the terms and conditions of that
Order.
PGIM Investments and ASTIS, both
wholly-owned subsidiaries of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial), serve as overall investment managers of the Portfolios covered by this SAI other than the following Portfolios, for which PGIM
Investments serves as the sole investment manager:
| ■ | AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
5
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
When used in this SAI, the
“Investment Managers” or “Manager” refers to (a) PGIM Investments with respect to the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, the AST Bond Portfolio 2026, the AST Bond Portfolio 2027, the
AST Bond Portfolio 2028, and the AST Bond Portfolio 2029; and (b) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, collectively, with respect to all other Portfolios covered by this SAI. Each of the Portfolios has a different investment
objective. For this reason, each Portfolio will have different investment results and be subject to different financial and market risks. As discussed in the Prospectus, several of the Portfolios may invest in money
market instruments and comparable securities as part of assuming a temporary defensive position. The investment objects of each Portfolio are discussed in the Prospectus.
Each Portfolio operating as a
fund-of-funds, as identified in the Prospectus, may engage in all of the investments and investment strategies discussed in Part II of this SAI, either by such Portfolio's investments in an underlying fund or by
investing the Portfolio's assets in the investments or strategies.
The Prospectus and SAI do not
purport to create any contractual obligations between the Trust or any Portfolio and its shareholders. In addition, shareholders are not intended third-party beneficiaries of any contracts entered into by (or on
behalf of) the Portfolios, including contracts with the investment manager or other parties who provide services to the Portfolios.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
Set forth below are certain
investment restrictions applicable to the Portfolios. Fundamental restrictions may not be changed without a majority vote of shareholders as required by the 1940 Act. Non-fundamental restrictions may be changed by the
Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The investment restrictions set
forth below are “fundamental” policies. These fundamental policies may not be changed without the approval of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of a Portfolio present at a meeting, if the holders
of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares of the Portfolio.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE FOLLOWING PORTFOLIOS:
| ■ | AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
1. No Portfolio may issue senior
securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
2. With respect to each Portfolio
other than the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio, no Portfolio may borrow money, except that a Portfolio may (i) borrow money for non-leveraging, temporary or emergency purposes, and (ii) engage in reverse repurchase
agreements and make other investments or engage in other transactions, which may involve a borrowing, in a manner consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and policies; provided that the combination of (i)
and (ii) shall not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings) or such other percentage permitted by law. Any
borrowings which come to exceed this amount will be reduced in accordance with applicable law. Subject to the above limitations, a Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law, including
the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
6
With respect only to the AST QMA US
Equity Alpha Portfolio, the Portfolio may not borrow money, except that the Portfolio may borrow money from banks provided that the Portfolio maintains a ratio of assets to borrowings at all times in the manner set
forth in the 1940 Act. Notwithstanding the above limitation, the Portfolio may borrow money from any person to the extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any
exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
3. No Portfolio may underwrite
securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
4. No Portfolio may purchase or
sell real estate unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed
by real estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
5. No Portfolio may purchase or
sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures
transactions and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
6. No Portfolio may make loans,
except that a Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
7. No Portfolio other than the AST
Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio may purchase any security if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business
activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities (or repurchase
agreements with respect thereto). The AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio will invest at least 25% of its total assets in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
8. No Portfolio other than the AST
Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio may, with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its
agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting
securities of such issuer would be held by the Portfolio. The AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio may not, with respect to 50% of a Portfolio's total assets, invest in the securities of any one issuer (other than
the US Government and its agencies and instrumentalities), if immediately after and as a result of such investment more than 5% of the total assets of the Portfolio would be invested in such issuer.
If a restriction on a Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the
Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restrictions (2) and (6), a Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit a Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (7), the AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio and the AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate
security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Portfolios' assets invested in the securities of issuers in a particular industry.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE FOLLOWING PORTFOLIOS:
| ■ | AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Government Money Market Portfolio |
| ■ | AST High Yield Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
7
1. A Portfolio will not underwrite
securities issued by others except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed an underwriter when purchasing or selling securities.
2. A Portfolio will not issue
senior securities.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE FOLLOWING PORTFOLIOS:
| ■ | AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST RCM World Trends Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
Under its fundamental investment
restrictions, each Portfolio may not:
1. Issue senior securities, except
as permitted under the 1940 Act.
2. Borrow money, except that a
Portfolio may (i) borrow money for non-leveraging, temporary or emergency purposes, and (ii) engage in reverse repurchase agreements and make other investments or engage in other transactions, which may involve a
borrowing, in a manner consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and policies; provided that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings) or such other percentage permitted by law. Any
borrowings that come to exceed this amount will be reduced in accordance with applicable law. Subject to the above limitations, a Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law, including
the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
3. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that a Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
4. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or
in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
5. Purchase or sell physical
commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions
and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
6. Make loans, except that a
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
7. Purchase any security if, as a
result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not
apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For purposes of
this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.
8. With respect to 75% of the value
of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value
of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Portfolio.
8
If a restriction on a Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the
Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (7), a Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Portfolio's assets invested in the
securities of issuers in a particular industry.
With respect to investment
restrictions (2) and (6), a Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE FOLLOWING PORTFOLIOS:
| ■ | AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
Under its fundamental investment
restrictions, each Portfolio may not:
1. Issue senior securities, except
as permitted under the 1940 Act.
2. The Portfolios may not borrow
money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law from time to time.
Note:
The 1940 Act currently permits an open-end investment company to borrow money from a bank so long as the ratio which the value of the total assets of the investment company
(including the amount of any such borrowing), less the amount of all liabilities and indebtedness (other than such borrowing) of the investment company, bears to the amount of such borrowing is at least 300%. An
open-end investment company may also borrow money from other lenders in accordance with applicable law and positions of the SEC and its staff. The Portfolio may engage in reverse repurchase arrangements without limit,
subject to applicable requirements related to segregation of assets.
3. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that a Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
4. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or
in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
5. Purchase or sell physical
commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions
and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Asset Allocation Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
6. Make loans, except that a
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
7. Purchase any security if, as a
result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not
apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For purposes of
this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.
9
If a restriction on a Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Portfolio's assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the
Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restrictions (2) and (6), a Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit an Asset Allocation Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (7), each Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Asset Allocation Portfolio's assets
invested in the securities of issuers in a particular industry.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO:
1. The Portfolio may borrow money
for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment) in an amount not exceeding 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings). If borrowings exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets by reason of a decline in net assets, the Portfolio will reduce its borrowings within three business days to the
extent necessary to comply with the 33
1
⁄
3
% limitation. This policy shall not prohibit reverse repurchase agreements, deposits of assets to margin or guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps or
forward contracts, or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts. Subject to the above limitations, the Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940
Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
2. The Portfolio will not, as to
75% of the value of its total assets, own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer, or purchase the securities of any one issuer (except cash items and “government securities”
as defined under the 1940 Act), if immediately after and as a result of such purchase, the value of the holdings of the Portfolio in the securities of such issuer exceeds 5% of the value of its total assets.
3. The Portfolio will not invest
more than 25% of the value of its assets in any particular industry (other than US government securities).
4. The Portfolio will not invest
directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Portfolio may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.
5. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell physical commodities other than foreign currencies unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities (but this limitation shall not prevent the Portfolio from purchasing or selling options, futures, swaps
and forward contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
6. The Portfolio may not make
loans, except that the Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value; (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities; and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
7. The Portfolio will not act as an
underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its securities.
8. The Portfolio will not issue
senior securities except in compliance with the 1940 Act.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST SMALL-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO:
The following fundamental policies
should be read in connection with the notes set forth below. The notes are not fundamental policies. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Portfolio may not:
1. Borrow money except that the
Portfolio may (i) borrow for non-leveraging, temporary or emergency purposes and (ii) engage in reverse repurchase agreements and make other investments or engage in other transactions, which may involve a borrowing,
in a manner consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and program, provided that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings) or such other
10
percentage permitted by law. Any borrowings which
come to exceed this amount will be reduced in accordance with applicable law. The Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any
exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
2. Purchase or sell physical
commodities; except that it may enter into futures contracts and options thereon;
3. Purchase the securities of any
issuer if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry;
4. Make loans, although the
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities and participate in an interfund lending program to the extent permitted by applicable law, provided that no such loan may be made if, as a result, the aggregate of such
loans would exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets; (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; (iii) acquire publicly-distributed or
privately-placed debt securities and purchase debt; and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any
SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
5. Purchase a security if, as a
result, with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of a single issuer, except securities issued or guaranteed by
the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities;
6. Purchase a security if, as a
result, with respect to 75% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets, more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer would be held by the Portfolio (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by
the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities);
7. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or in securities of
companies engaged in the real estate business);
8. Issue senior securities except
in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
9. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of its portfolio securities in the ordinary course
of pursuing its investment program.
Notes:
The following notes should be read in connection with the above-described fundamental policies. The notes are not fundamental policies.
With respect to investment
restrictions (1) and (4), the Portfolio will not borrow from or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
With respect to investment
restriction (2), the Portfolio does not consider currency contracts or hybrid investments to be commodities.
For purposes of investment
restriction (3), US, state or local governments, or related agencies or instrumentalities, are not considered an industry.
For purposes of investment
restriction (4), the Portfolio will consider the acquisition of a debt security to include the execution of a note or other evidence of an extension of credit with a term of more than nine months.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST INTERNATIONAL VALUE PORTFOLIO:
As a matter of fundamental policy,
the Portfolio will not:
1. Make loans of money or
securities other than (a) through the purchase of securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment objective, (b) through repurchase agreements, (c) by lending portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed
33
1
⁄
3
% of the Portfolio's total assets and (d) loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemptions therefrom that may
be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
2. Underwrite securities issued by
others except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed an underwriter when purchasing or selling securities;
11
3. Issue senior securities;
4. Invest directly in physical
commodities (other than foreign currencies), real estate or interests in real estate; provided, that the Portfolio may invest in securities of issuers which invest in physical commodities, real estate or interests in
real estate; and, provided further, that this restriction shall not prevent the Portfolio from purchasing or selling options, futures, swaps and forward contracts, or from investing in securities or other instruments
backed by physical commodities, real estate or interests in real estate;
5. Make any investment which would
concentrate 25% or more of the Portfolio's total assets in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that this limitation does not apply to obligations issued
or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities;
6. Borrow money except from persons
to the extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief
or interpretive guidance, and then in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the Portfolio's total assets;
7. As to 75% of the value of its
total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets, at market value, in the securities of any one issuer (except securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities); or
8. As to 75% of the value of its
total assets, purchase more than 10% of any class of securities of any single issuer or purchase more than 10% of the voting securities of any single issuer.
In applying the above restriction
regarding investments in a single industry, the Portfolio uses industry classifications based, where applicable, on
Baseline, Bridge Information Systems, Reuters,
the
S&P Stock Guide
published by Standard & Poor's, information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. and Moody's International, and/or the prospectus of the issuing company. Selection of
an appropriate industry classification resource will be made by the subadviser in the exercise of its reasonable discretion. (This note
is
not
a fundamental policy.)
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST T. ROWE PRICE NATURAL RESOURCES PORTFOLIO:
The following fundamental policies
should be read in connection with the notes set forth below. The notes are not fundamental policies. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Portfolio may not:
1. Borrow money except that the
Portfolio may (i) borrow for non-leveraging, temporary or emergency purposes and (ii) engage in reverse repurchase agreements and make other investments or engage in other transactions, which may involve a borrowing,
in a manner consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and program, provided that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings) or such other percentage permitted by law.
Any borrowings which come to exceed this amount will be reduced in accordance with applicable law. The Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940 Act, or to the
extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
2. Purchase or sell physical
commodities; except that it may enter into futures contracts and options thereon;
3. Purchase the securities of any
issuer if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry;
4. Make loans, although the
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities provided that no such loan may be made if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets; (ii) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption
therefrom that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance; (iii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; and (iv)
acquire publicly-distributed or privately-placed debt securities and purchase debt;
5. Purchase a security if, as a
result, with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of a single issuer, except securities issued or guaranteed by
the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities;
6. Purchase a security if, as a
result, with respect to 75% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets, more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer would be held by the Portfolio (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by
the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities);
12
7. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or in securities of
companies engaged in the real estate business);
8. Issue senior securities except
in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
9. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of its portfolio securities in the ordinary course
of pursuing its investment program.
Notes:
The following notes should be read in connection with the above-described fundamental policies. The notes are not fundamental policies.
With respect to investment
restriction (2), the Portfolio does not consider currency contracts or hybrid investments to be commodities.
For purposes of investment
restriction (3), US, state or local governments, or related agencies or instrumentalities, are not considered an industry. Industries are determined by reference to the classifications of industries set forth in the
Portfolio's semi-annual and annual reports.
For purposes of investment
restriction (4), the Portfolio will consider the acquisition of a debt security to include the execution of a note or other evidence of an extension of credit with a term of more than nine months.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST GOLDMAN SACHS LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO:
1. As to 75% of the value of its
total assets, the Portfolio will not purchase a security of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or securities of other investment
companies) if as a result, (a) more than 5% of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (b) the Portfolio would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of
that issuer.
2. The Portfolio may not make
loans, except that the Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value; (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities; and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
3. The Portfolio will not
concentrate its investments in any one industry (the Portfolio's investment policy of keeping its assets in those securities which are selling at the most reasonable prices in relation to value normally results in
diversification among many industries—consistent with this, the Portfolio does not intend to invest more than 25% of its assets in any one industry classification used by the Subadviser for investment purposes,
although such concentration could, under unusual economic and market conditions, amount to 30% or conceivably somewhat more).
4. The Portfolio will not borrow
money except from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action
letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance, and then in amounts not in excess of 33
1
⁄
3
% of its total assets. The Portfolio may borrow at prevailing interest rates and invest the Portfolios in additional securities. The Portfolio's borrowings are
limited so that immediately after such borrowing the value of the Portfolio's assets (including borrowings) less its liabilities (not including borrowings) is at least three times the amount of the borrowings. Should
the Portfolio, for any reason, have borrowings that do not meet the above test then, within three business days, the Portfolio must reduce such borrowings so as to meet the necessary test. Under such a circumstance,
the Portfolio may have to liquidate securities at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so.
5. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell real estate (although it may purchase securities secured by real estate interests or interests therein, or issued by companies or investment trusts which invest in real estate or interests therein).
6. The Portfolio will not invest
directly in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs; however, the Portfolio may purchase securities of issuers whose principal business activities fall within such areas.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST HOTCHKIS & WILEY LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO:
As a matter of fundamental policy,
the Portfolio may not:
13
1. Borrow money except from persons
to the extent permitted by applicable law including the Investment Company Act of 1940, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action
letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance, in excess of 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total net assets, and when borrowing, it is for temporary or emergency purposes;
2. Buy or sell real estate,
commodities, commodity contracts (however, the Portfolio may purchase securities of companies investing in real estate);
3. Purchase securities if the
purchase would cause the Portfolio, at the time, with respect to 75% of its total assets, to have more than 5% of its total assets invested in the securities of any one company or to own more than 10% of the voting
securities of any one company (except obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or securities of other investment companies);
4. Make loans, except that the
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value; (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities; and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance; or
5. Invest more than 25% of the
value of the Portfolio's assets in one particular industry.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST T. ROWE PRICE ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO:
The following fundamental policies
should be read in connection with the notes set forth below. The notes are not fundamental policies. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Portfolio may not:
1. Borrow money except that the
Portfolio may (i) borrow for non-leveraging, temporary or emergency purposes and (ii) engage in reverse repurchase agreements and make other investments or engage in other transactions, which may or may be deemed to
involve a borrowing, in a manner consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and policies, provided that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings) or such other percentage permitted by law.
Any borrowings which come to exceed this amount will be reduced in accordance with applicable law. The Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940 Act, or to the
extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
2. Purchase or sell physical
commodities; except that it may enter into futures contracts and options thereon;
3. Purchase the securities of any
issuer if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry;
4. Make loans, although the
Portfolio may (i) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; (ii) acquire publicly-distributed or privately placed debt securities and purchase debt; (iii) lend portfolio securities
provided that no such loan may be made if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets; and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption
there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
5. Purchase a security if, as a
result, with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of a single issuer, except securities issued or guaranteed by
the US government, or any of its agencies or instrumentalities;
6. Purchase a security if, as a
result, with respect to 75% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets, more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer would be held by the Portfolio (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by
the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities);
7. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or securities of companies
engaged in the real estate business);
8. Issue senior securities except
in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
14
9. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of its portfolio securities in the ordinary course
of pursuing its investment program.
Notes:
The following notes should be read in connection with the above described fundamental policies. The notes are not fundamental policies.
With respect to investment
restrictions (1) and (4), the Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
With respect to investment
restriction (2), the Portfolio does not consider currency contracts on hybrid investments to be commodities.
For the purposes of investment
restriction (3), United States federal, state or local governments, or related agencies and instrumentalities, are not considered an industry. Foreign governments are considered an industry.
For purposes of investment
restriction (4), the Portfolio will consider the acquisition of a debt security to include the execution of a note or other evidence of an extension of credit with a term of more than nine months.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST TEMPLETON GLOBAL BOND PORTFOLIO:
As a matter of fundamental policy,
the Portfolio may not:
1. Borrow money, except for
temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or except in connection with reverse repurchase agreements provided that the Portfolio maintains asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings. Subject to the above
limitations, the Portfolio may borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any
SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance;
2. Purchase or sell real estate
(except that the Portfolio may invest in (i) securities of companies which deal in real estate or mortgages, and (ii) securities secured by real estate or interests therein, and that the Portfolio reserves freedom of
action to hold and to sell real estate acquired as a result of the Portfolio's ownership of securities) or purchase or sell physical commodities or contracts relating to physical commodities;
3. Act as underwriter of securities
issued by others, except to the extent that it may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities of the Portfolio;
4. Make loans to other persons,
except (a) loans of portfolio securities, (b) to the extent the entry into repurchase agreements and the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and investment policies may be deemed
to be loans, and (c) loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar
relief or interpretive guidance;
5. Issue senior securities except
in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
6. Purchase any securities which
would cause more than 25% of the market value of its total assets at the time of such purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry,
provided that there is no limitation with respect to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities (for the purposes of this restriction, telephone companies
are considered to be in a separate industry from gas and electric public utilities, and wholly-owned finance companies are considered to be in the industry of their parents if their activities are primarily related to
financing the activities of their parents).
Notes:
The following notes should be read in connection with the above described fundamental policies. The notes are not fundamental policies.
For purposes of investment
restriction (4), the Portfolio will consider the acquisition of a debt security to include the execution of a note or other evidence of an extension of credit with a term of more than nine months.
For purposes of investment
restriction (6), US, state or local governments, or related agencies or instrumentalities, are not considered an industry. It is the position of the Staff of the SEC that foreign governments are industries for
purposes of this restriction. For as long as this staff position is in effect, the Portfolio will not invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of any single governmental issuer. For purposes of this
restriction, governmental entities are considered separate issuers.
15
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST HIGH YIELD PORTFOLIO:
1. The Portfolio will not borrow
money except for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes and then only from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940
Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance, and only in amounts not in excess of 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its net assets, taken at the lower of cost or market. In addition, to meet redemption requests without immediately selling portfolio securities,
the Portfolio may borrow up to one-third of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less its liabilities (not including borrowings, but including the current fair market value of any securities
carried in open short positions). This practice is not for investment leverage but solely to facilitate management of the portfolio by enabling the Portfolio to meet redemption requests when the liquidation of
portfolio securities is deemed to be inconvenient or disadvantageous. If, due to market fluctuations or other reasons, the value of the Portfolio's assets falls below 300% of its borrowings, it will reduce its
borrowings within three business days.
2. The Portfolio will not invest
more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer (except cash and cash instruments, securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies, or instrumentalities, or instruments secured
by these money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements).
3. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell real estate, although it may invest in marketable securities secured by real estate or interests in real estate, and it may invest in the marketable securities of companies investing or dealing in real
estate.
4. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell commodities or commodity contracts or oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs. However, it may invest in the marketable securities of companies investing in or sponsoring such
programs.
5. The Portfolio may not make
loans, except that the Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value; (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements; (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities; and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
6. The Portfolio will not invest
more than 25% of the value of its total assets in one industry. However, for temporary defensive purposes, the Portfolio may at times invest more than that percentage in: cash and cash items; securities issued or
guaranteed by the US government, its agencies, or instrumentalities; or instruments secured by these money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST BLACKROCK/LOOMIS SAYLES BOND PORTFOLIO:
1. The Portfolio will not invest in
a security if, as a result of such investment, more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of investment) would be invested in securities of issuers of a particular industry, except that this
restriction does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the US government or its agencies or instrumentalities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto);
2. The Portfolio will not, with
respect to 75% of its total assets, invest in a security if, as a result of such investment, more than 5% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of investment) would be invested in the securities of
any one issuer, except that this restriction does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the US government or its agencies or instrumentalities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto);
3. The Portfolio will not, with
respect to 75% of its assets, invest in a security if, as a result of such investment, it would hold more than 10% (taken at the time of investment) of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer;
4. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell real estate (although it may purchase securities secured by real estate or interests therein, or securities issued by companies which invest in real estate, or interests therein);
5. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs. This restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio, subject to restrictions stated in the Trust’s Prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement, from
purchasing, selling or entering into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency options, or any interest rate, securities related or foreign currency-related
hedging instrument, including swap agreements and other derivative instruments, subject to compliance with any applicable provisions of the federal securities laws or commodities laws;
6. The Portfolio will not borrow
money, issue senior securities, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate its assets, except that the Portfolio may (i) borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the 1940 Act, or to the extent
permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance, or
16
enter into reverse repurchase agreements, or employ
similar investment techniques, and pledge its assets in connection therewith, but only if immediately after each borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% and (ii) enter into transactions in options, futures and
options on futures and other derivative instruments as described in the Trust’s Prospectus and this Statement (the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the writing of covered put and call options and
the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin deposits for future contracts and commitments entered into under swap
agreements or other derivative instruments, will not be deemed to be pledges of the Portfolio's assets);
7. The Portfolio will not lend
funds or other assets, except that the Portfolio may, consistent with its investment objective and policies: (a) invest in debt obligations, including bonds, debentures or other debt securities, bankers' acceptances
and commercial paper, even though the purchase of such obligations may be deemed to be the making of a loan, (b) enter into repurchase agreements, (c) lend its Portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed one-third
the value of its total assets, provided such loans are and in accordance with applicable guidelines established by the SEC; and (d) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940
Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST BLACKROCK LOW DURATION BOND PORTFOLIO:
As a matter of fundamental policy,
the Portfolio may not:
1. Invest in a security if, as a
result of such investment, more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of such investment) would be invested in the securities of issuers in any particular industry, except that this
restriction does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies or instrumentalities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto);
2. With respect to 75% of its
assets, invest in a security if, as a result of such investment, more than 5% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of such investment) would be invested in securities of any one issuer, except that
this restriction does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies or instrumentalities;
3. With respect to 75% of its
assets, invest in a security if, as a result of such investment, it would hold more than 10% (taken at the time of such investment) of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer;
4. Purchase or sell real estate
(although it may purchase securities secured by real estate or interests therein, or securities issued by companies which invest in real estate, or interests therein);
5. Purchase or sell commodities or
commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs. This restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio, subject to restrictions described in the Prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement, from purchasing, selling
or entering into futures contracts, options, or any interest rate, securities-related or foreign currency-related hedging instrument, including swap agreements and other derivative instruments, subject to compliance
with any applicable provisions of the federal securities or commodities laws;
6. Borrow money, issue senior
securities, or pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except that the Portfolio may (i) borrow from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any
exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance, or enter into reverse repurchase agreements, or employ similar investment
techniques, and pledge its assets in connection therewith, but only if immediately after each borrowing there is asset coverage of 300% and (ii) enter into transactions in options, futures and options on futures and
other derivative instruments as described in the Prospectus and in this Statement (the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the writing of covered put and call options and the purchase of securities on a
when-issued or delayed delivery basis, collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin deposits for futures contracts and commitments entered into under swap agreements or other derivative
instruments, will not be deemed to be pledges of the Portfolio assets);
7. Lend any funds or other assets,
except that a Portfolio may, consistent with its investment objective and policies: (a) invest in debt obligations, including bonds, debentures or other debt securities, banker' acceptance and commercial paper, even
though the purchase of such obligations may be deemed to be the making of loans, (b) enter into repurchase agreements, (c) lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed one-third of the value of its total
assets, provided such loans are made in accordance with applicable guidelines established by the SEC; and (d) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption
therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
FUNDAMENTAL
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO:
1. The Portfolio will not purchase a
security if as a result, the Portfolio would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer.
17
2. As to 75% of the value of its
total assets, the Portfolio will not invest more than 5% of its total assets, at market value, in the securities of any one issuer (except securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities).
3. The Portfolio will not purchase
a security if as a result, more than 25% of its total assets, at market value, would be invested in the securities of issuers principally engaged in the same industry (except securities issued or guaranteed by the US
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, negotiable certificates of deposit, time deposits, and bankers' acceptances of United States branches of United States banks).
4. The Portfolio will not enter
into reverse repurchase agreements exceeding in the aggregate one-third of the market value of the Portfolio's total assets, less liabilities other than obligations created by reverse repurchase agreements.
5. The Portfolio will not borrow
money, except from persons to the extent permitted by applicable law including the Investment Company Act of 1940, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any
SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance, for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes and then only in amounts not to exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets, taken at cost, at the time of such borrowing. The Portfolio may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets
except in connection with any such borrowing. The Portfolio will not purchase securities while borrowings exceed 5% of the Portfolio's total assets. This borrowing provision is included to facilitate the orderly sale
of securities, for example, in the event of abnormally heavy redemption requests, and is not for investment purposes and shall not apply to reverse repurchase agreements.
6. The Portfolio will not make
loans, except through purchasing or holding debt obligations, or entering into repurchase agreements, or loans of Portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment objectives and policies, or making
loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive
guidance.
7. The Portfolio will not purchase
or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads, or any combination thereof; real estate; commodities; or commodity contracts or interests in oil, gas or mineral exploration or development programs. However, the Portfolio may
purchase bonds or commercial paper issued by companies which invest in real estate or interests therein including real estate investment trusts.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE FOLLOWING PORTFOLIOS:
| ■ | AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2018 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2019 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2020 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2021 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2022 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2023 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2024 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2025 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
| ■ | AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Global Real Estate Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
Under its fundamental investment
restrictions, each Portfolio may not:
18
1. Issue senior securities or
borrow money or pledge its assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations. For purposes of this restriction, the
purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, short sales, derivative and hedging transactions such as interest rate swap transactions, and
collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and transactions similar to any of the foregoing and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and obligations of a Portfolio to Trustees pursuant to any deferred
compensation arrangements are not deemed to be a pledge of assets or the issuance of a senior security.
2. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that a Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
3. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or
in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
4. Purchase or sell physical
commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit a Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions
and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
5. Make loans, except that a
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
6. Purchase any security if, as a
result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not
apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For purposes of
this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.
7. With respect to 75% of the value
of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value
of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Portfolio.
If a restriction on a Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or, except for AST Jennison Large-Cap
Growth Portfolio, change in average duration of the Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction;
provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restriction (5), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), a Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Portfolio's assets invested in the
securities of issuers in a particular industry.
With respect to investment
restrictions (1) and (5), a Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE FOLLOWING PORTFOLIOS:
| ■ | AST Global Real Estate Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
1. Neither Portfolio may issue
senior securities or borrow money or pledge its assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations. For purposes of
this restriction, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, short sales,
19
derivative and hedging transactions such as
interest rate swap transactions, and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and transactions similar to any of the foregoing and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and obligations of a Portfolio to
Trustees pursuant to any deferred compensation arrangements are not deemed to be a pledge of assets or the issuance of a senior security.
2. Neither Portfolio may underwrite
securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that a Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
3. Neither Portfolio may purchase
or sell real estate, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; provided, however, that this restriction shall not prohibit either Portfolio from investing in securities or other
instruments backed by real estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
4. Neither Portfolio may purchase
or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit either Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and
futures transactions and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
5. Neither Portfolio may make
loans, except that each Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
6. The Emerging Markets Equity
Portfolio may not purchase any security if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business
activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities (or repurchase
agreements with respect thereto). The Global Real Estate Portfolio will invest at least 25% of its total assets in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
7. The Emerging Markets Equity
Portfolio may not, with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or
instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value of the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio.
If a restriction on a Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the
Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restriction (5), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit the Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restrictions (1) and (5), the Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST BLACKROCK GLOBAL STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will not:
1. Issue senior securities or
pledge its assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations. For purposes of this restriction, the purchase or sale
of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, short sales, derivative and hedging transactions such as interest rate or credit default swap transactions, and
collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and transactions similar to any of the foregoing and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and obligations of the BlackRock Portfolio to Trustees pursuant to any
deferred compensation arrangements are not deemed to be a pledge of assets or the issuance of a senior security.
2. Borrow money, except as
permitted under the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
3. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
20
4. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate
or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
5. Purchase or sell physical
commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions
and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
6. Make loans, except that the
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
7. Purchase any security if, as a
result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not
apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For purposes of
this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.
8. With respect to 75% of the value
of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value
of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Portfolio.
If a restriction on the Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the
Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restrictions (2) and (6), the Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit the Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (7), the Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Portfolio's assets invested in the
securities of issuers in a particular industry.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST QUANTITATIVE MODELING PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will not:
1. Issue senior securities, except
as permitted under the 1940 Act.
2. The Portfolio may not borrow
money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law from time to time.
Note:
The 1940 Act currently permits an open-end investment company to borrow money from a bank so long as the ratio which the value of the total assets of the investment company
(including the amount of any such borrowing), less the amount of all liabilities and indebtedness (other than such borrowing) of the investment company, bears to the amount of such borrowing is at least 300%. An
open-end investment company may also borrow money from other lenders in accordance with applicable law and positions of the SEC and its staff. The Portfolio may engage in reverse repurchase arrangements without limit,
subject to applicable requirements related to segregation of assets.
3. Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
4. Purchase or sell real estate
unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate
or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
21
5. Purchase or sell physical
commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions
and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
6. Make loans, except that the
Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio's investment policies in amounts up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly
distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC
releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
7. Purchase any security if, as a
result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not
apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For purposes of
this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.
If a restriction on the Portfolio's
investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the
Portfolio's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restrictions (2) and (6), the Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit the Portfolio's investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (7), the Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of its assets invested in the securities of
issuers in a particular industry.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
APPLICABLE ONLY TO AST PRUDENTIAL CORE BOND PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may not:
1. Issue senior securities or
borrow money or pledge its assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, exemptive order, Commission release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations. For purposes of this
restriction, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, short sales, derivative and hedging transactions such as interest rate swap
transactions, and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and transactions similar to any of the foregoing and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and obligations of the Portfolio to Trustees pursuant
to any deferred compensation arrangements are not deemed to be a pledge of assets or the issuance of a senior security.
2. Underwrite securities
issued by other persons, except to the extent that the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio
securities.
3. Purchase or sell real
estate unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real
estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
4. Purchase
or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and
futures transactions and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Portfolio’s investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.
5. Make loans, except that
the Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Portfolio’s investment policies in amounts up to 33- 1 / 3 % of the total assets of the Portfolio taken at market value,
(ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment
companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.
22
6. Purchase any security if,
as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio’s assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction
does not apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For
purposes of this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.
7. With respect to 75% of the value
of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the
value of the Portfolio’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Portfolio.
If a restriction on the
Portfolio’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average
duration of the Portfolio’s investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Portfolio’s total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the
asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restriction (5), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit the Portfolio’s investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), the Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Portfolio’s assets invested in the
securities of issuers in a particular industry.
With respect to investment
restrictions (1) and (5), the Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
In addition to the fundamental
policies described above, the Board of Trustees has adopted the following non-fundamental policies, which may be changed by the Board of Trustees without approval of shareholders.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio.
The Portfolio may invest in other
investment companies to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio.
The Portfolio may not:
1. Purchase securities on margin;
provided, however, that the Portfolio may obtain short-term credits necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities, and, provided further that the Portfolio may make margin deposits in connection
with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.
2. Mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate
any of its assets; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to the transfer of securities in connection with any permissible borrowing or to collateral arrangements in connection with any permissible
activity.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Invest more than 15% of its net
assets taken at market value at the time of the investment in “illiquid securities.” For purposes of this restriction, “illiquid securities” are those deemed illiquid pursuant to SEC rules,
regulations, and guidelines, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
2. Invest for the purpose of
exercising control or management; or
3. Purchase securities of other
investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
23
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions of Applicable Only to AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio will not change its
policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in fixed income securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. The Portfolio will not purchase
securities for the Portfolio from, or sell portfolio securities to, any of the officers and directors or Trustees of the Trust or of the Manager or of the Subadviser.
3. The Portfolio will not invest
more than 5% of the assets of the Portfolio (taken at market value at the time of investment) in any combination of interest only, principal only, or inverse floating rate securities.
4. The Portfolio will not maintain
a short position, or purchase, write or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof, except as set forth in the Trust's Prospectus and this SAI.
5. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control or management.
6. Buy any securities or other
property on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions).
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio
.
1. The Portfolio will not change its
policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in fixed income securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Invest more than 5% of the
assets of the Portfolio (taken at market value at the time of investment) in any combination of interest only, principal only, or inverse floating rate securities.
3. Maintain a short position, or
purchase, write or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof, except on such conditions as may be set forth in the Prospectus and in this SAI.
4. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control or management.
5. Buy any securities or other
property on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions).
The Staff of the SEC has taken the
position that purchased OTC options and the assets used as cover for written OTC options are illiquid securities. Therefore, the Portfolio has adopted an investment policy pursuant to which the Portfolio will not
purchase or sell OTC options if, as a result of such transactions, the sum of the market value of OTC options currently outstanding which are held by the Portfolio, the market value of the underlying securities
covered by OTC call options currently outstanding which were sold by the Portfolio and margin deposits on the Portfolio's existing OTC options on futures contracts exceeds 15% of the total assets of the Portfolio,
taken at market value, together with all other assets of the Portfolio which are illiquid or are otherwise not readily marketable. However, if an OTC option is sold by the Portfolio to a primary US Government
securities dealer recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and if the Portfolio has the unconditional contractual right to repurchase such OTC option from the dealer at a predetermined price, then the
Portfolio will treat as illiquid such amount of the underlying securities equal to the repurchase price less the amount by which the option is “in-the-money” (i.e., current market value of the underlying
securities minus the option's strike price). The repurchase price with the primary dealers is typically a formula price which is generally based on a multiple of the premium received for the option, plus the amount by
which the option is “in-the-money.”
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in securities of real estate related issuers unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or
otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings;
3. Participate on a joint or joint
and several basis in any securities trading account;
4. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control;
5. Purchase securities of
investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
6. (a) invest in interests in oil,
gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs; or (b) purchase securities on margin, except for such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of transactions.
24
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
The Portfolio may not:
1. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control or management.
2. Invest more than 15% of the
Portfolio’s net assets in illiquid investments including illiquid repurchase agreements with a notice or demand period of more than seven days, securities which are not readily marketable and restricted
securities not eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act.
3. Purchase additional securities
if the Portfolio’s borrowings, as permitted by the Portfolio's borrowing policy, exceed 5% of its net assets. (Mortgage dollar rolls are not subject to this limitation).
4. Make short sales of securities,
except that the Portfolios may make short sales against the box.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio will not change its
policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in medium capitalization companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to sell securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor, and
provided that transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.
3. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Portfolio may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in
connection with transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.
4. The Portfolio may not mortgage
or pledge any securities owned or held by the Portfolio in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Portfolio's net asset value, provided that this limitation does not apply to reverse repurchase agreements,
deposits of assets to margin, guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps or forward contracts, or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.
5. The Portfolio may not invest in
companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in small capitalization companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Pledge its assets (other than to
secure borrowings or to the extent permitted by the Portfolio's investment policies as permitted by applicable law);
3. Make short sales of securities
or maintain a short position except to the extent permitted by applicable law;
4. Invest in the securities of
other investment companies except as permitted by applicable law;
5. Invest in real estate limited
partnership interests or interests in oil, gas or other mineral leases, or exploration or other development programs, except that the Portfolio may invest in securities issued by companies that engage in oil, gas or
other mineral exploration or other development activities; or
6. Write, purchase or sell puts,
calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof, except to the extent permitted in this SAI and the Trust's Prospectus, as they may be amended from time to time.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST High Yield Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control or management; or
2. Purchase additional securities
if the Portfolio’s borrowings (excluding covered mortgage dollar rolls) exceed 5% of its net assets
25
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST International Growth Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio will not change its
policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in securities of issuers that are economically tied to countries other than the United States unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its
shareholders.
2. The Portfolio will not (i) enter
into any futures contracts and related options for purposes other than bona fide hedging transactions within the meaning of CFTC regulations if the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions
in futures contracts and related options that do not fall within the definition of bona fide hedging transactions will exceed 5% of the fair market value of the Portfolio's net assets, after taking into account
unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into; and (ii) enter into any futures contracts if the aggregate amount of the Portfolio's commitments under outstanding futures contracts
positions would exceed the market value of its total assets.
3. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to sell securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor, and
provided that transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.
4. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Portfolio may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in
connection with transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.
5. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to purchase securities of other investment companies, except in compliance with the 1940 Act.
6. The Portfolio may not mortgage
or pledge any securities owned or held by the Portfolio in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Portfolio's net asset value, provided that this limitation does not apply to reverse repurchase agreements,
deposits of assets to margin, guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps or forward contracts, or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.
7. The Portfolio may not invest in
companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST International Value Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in equity securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Purchase securities of other
investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act;
3. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control or management.
4. Purchase any securities on
margin except to obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of transactions (and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions in options, futures and
forward contracts shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin); or
5. Sell securities short.
In addition, in periods of
uncertain market and economic conditions, as determined by the subadvisers, the Portfolio may depart from its basic investment objective and assume a defensive position with up to 100% of its assets temporarily
invested in high quality corporate bonds or notes and government issues, or held in cash.
If a percentage restriction is
adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage beyond the specified limit that results from a change in values or net assets will not be considered a violation.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in equity securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Make investments for the purpose
of gaining control of a company's management.
26
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in fixed income securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Pledge its assets (other than to
secure borrowings, or to the extent permitted by the Portfolio's investment policies);
3. Make short sales of securities
or maintain a short position except to the extent permitted by applicable law;
4. Invest in the securities of
other investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act;
5. Invest in real estate limited
partnership interests or interests in oil, gas or other mineral leases, or exploration or other development programs, except that the Portfolio may invest in securities issued by companies that engage in oil, gas or
other mineral exploration or other development activities;
6. Write, purchase or sell puts,
calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof, except to the extent permitted in this SAI and the Trust’s Prospectus, as they may be amended from time to time;
7. Invest more than 10% of the
market value of its gross assets at the time of investment in debt securities that are in default as to interest or principal.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable only to AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to sell securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor, and
provided that transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.
2. The Portfolio does not currently
intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Portfolio may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in
connection with transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.
3. The Portfolio may not mortgage
or pledge any securities owned or held by the Portfolio in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Portfolio's net asset value, provided that this limitation does not apply to (i) reverse repurchase
agreements; (ii) deposits of assets on margin; (iii) guaranteed positions in futures, options, swaps or forward contracts; or (iv) the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.
4. The Portfolio may not invest in
companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in equity securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
Non-Fundamental
Investment Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Government Money Market Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio will not buy any
securities or other property on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions).
2. Portfolio will not invest in
companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.
3. The Portfolio will not purchase
securities on margin, make short sales of securities, or maintain a short position, provided that this restriction shall not be deemed to be applicable to the purchase or sale of when-issued securities or of
securities for delivery at a future date.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio will not change its
policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in medium capitalization companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
27
2. The Portfolio may not purchase
securities if outstanding borrowings, including any reverse repurchase agreements, exceed 5% of its total assets.
3. Except for the purchase of debt
securities and engaging in repurchase agreements, the Portfolio may not make any loans other than securities loans.
4. The Portfolio may not purchase
securities on margin from brokers, except that the Portfolio may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of securities transactions. Margin payments in connection with transactions in futures
contracts and options on futures contracts shall not constitute the purchase of securities on margin and shall not be deemed to violate the foregoing limitation.
5. The Portfolio may not sell
securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold without payment of additional consideration. Transactions in futures contracts and options
shall not constitute selling securities short.
6. The Portfolio may not invest in
puts, calls, straddles, spreads, or any combination thereof, except that the Portfolio may (i) write (sell) covered call options against portfolio securities having a market value not exceeding 10% of its net assets
and (ii) purchase call options in related closing transactions. The Portfolio does not construe the foregoing limitation to preclude it from purchasing or writing options on futures contracts.
7. The Portfolio may not invest
more than 10% of the value of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers, provided that this limitation shall not apply to foreign securities denominated in US dollars.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Invest more than 15% of their
net assets taken at market value at the time of the investment in “illiquid securities.” For purposes of this restriction, “illiquid securities” are those deemed illiquid pursuant to SEC rules,
regulations and guidelines, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
2. Invest for the purpose of
exercising control or management; or
3. Purchase securities of other
investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its net assets plus borrowings, if any, for investment purposes in equity and equity-related securities of US issuers unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders;
2. Invest for the purpose of
exercising control or management;
3. Purchase securities of other
investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in small capitalization companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Invest for the purpose of
exercising control or management of another issuer.
3. Purchase securities of other
investment companies, except in compliance with the 1940 Act.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio.
1. The Portfolio will not purchase
securities on margin, provided that the Portfolio may obtain short-term credits necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities, and further provided that the Portfolio may make margin deposits in
connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.
28
2. The Portfolio will not mortgage,
pledge, or hypothecate any of its assets, provided that this shall not apply to the transfer of securities in connection with any permissible borrowing or to collateral arrangements in connection with permissible
activities.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in small capitalization companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Purchase additional securities
when money borrowed exceeds 5% of its total assets;
3. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising management or control;
4. Purchase a futures contract or
an option thereon if, with respect to positions in futures or options on futures which do not represent bona fide hedging, the aggregate initial margin and premiums on such options would exceed 5% of the Portfolio's
net asset value;
5. Purchase securities of open-end
or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act or the conditions of any order of exemption from the SEC regarding the purchase of securities of money market funds managed by the Subadviser
or its affiliates;
6. Purchase securities on margin,
except (i) for use of short-term credit necessary for clearance of purchases of portfolio securities and (ii) the Portfolio may make margin deposits in connection with futures contracts or other permissible investments;
7. Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate
or, in any manner, transfer any security owned by the Portfolio as security for indebtedness except as may be necessary in connection with permissible borrowings or investments and then such mortgaging, pledging or
hypothecating may not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the Portfolio's total assets at the time of borrowing or investment;
8. Invest in puts, calls,
straddles, spreads, or any combination thereof, except to the extent permitted by the Trust’s Prospectus and this SAI;
9. Sell securities short, except
that the Portfolio may make short sales if it owns the securities sold short or has the right to acquire such securities through conversion or exchange of other securities it owns; or
10. Invest in warrants if, as a
result thereof, more than 10% of the value of the net assets of the Portfolio would be invested in warrants, except that this restriction does not apply to warrants acquired as a result of the purchase of another
security. For purposes of these percentage limitations, the warrants will be valued at the lower of cost or market.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio and AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Purchase additional securities
when money borrowed exceeds 5% of the Portfolio's total assets;
2. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising management or control;
3. Purchase securities of open-end
or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act;
4. Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate
or, in any manner, transfer any security owned by the Portfolio as security for indebtedness except as may be necessary in connection with permissible borrowings or investments and then such mortgaging, pledging or
hypothecating may not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the Portfolio's total assets at the time of borrowing or investment;
5. Invest in puts, calls,
straddles, spreads, or any combination thereof to the extent permitted by the Trust's Prospectus and this SAI;
6. Purchase securities on margin,
except (i) for use of short-term credit necessary for clearance of purchases of portfolio securities and (ii) the Portfolio may make margin deposits in connection with futures contracts or other permissible investments;
7. Invest in warrants if, as a
result thereof, more than 10% of the value of the total assets of the Portfolio would be invested in warrants, provided that this restriction does not apply to warrants acquired as the result of the purchase of
another security. For purposes of these percentage limitations, the warrants will be valued at the lower of cost or market;
29
8. Effect short sales of securities;
or
9. Purchase a futures contract or
an option thereon if, with respect to positions in futures or options on futures which do not represent bona fide hedging, the aggregate initial margin and premiums on such positions would exceed 5% of the Portfolio's
net assets.
Notwithstanding anything in the
above fundamental and operating restrictions to the contrary, the Portfolio may, as a fundamental policy, invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with
substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Portfolio subject to the prior approval of the Manager. The Manager will not approve such investment unless: (a) the Manager
believes, on the advice of counsel, that such investment will not have an adverse effect on the tax status of the annuity contracts and/or life insurance policies supported by the separate accounts of the
Participating Insurance Companies which purchase shares of the Trust; (b) the Manager has given prior notice to the Participating Insurance Companies that they intend to permit such investment and has determined
whether such Participating Insurance Companies intend to redeem any shares and/or discontinue purchase of shares because of such investment; (c) the Trustees have determined that the fees to be paid by the Trust for
administrative, accounting, custodial and transfer agency services for the Portfolio subsequent to such an investment are appropriate, or the Trustees have approved changes to the agreements providing such services to
reflect a reduction in fees; (d) the Subadviser for the Portfolio has agreed to reduce its fee by the amount of any investment advisory fees paid to the investment manager of such open-end management investment company;
and (e) shareholder approval is obtained if required by law. The Portfolio will apply for such exemptive relief under the provisions of the 1940 Act, or other such relief as may be necessary under the then governing
rules and regulations of the 1940 Act, regarding investments in such investment companies.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Purchase or sell real estate
limited partnership interests.
2. Invest more than 20% of its
total assets in below investment grade, high-risk bonds, including bonds in default or those with the lowest rating;
3. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising management or control;
4. Purchase securities of open-end
or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
5. Effect short sales of
securities.
In addition to the restrictions
described above, some foreign countries limit, or prohibit, all direct foreign investment in the securities of their companies. However, the governments of some countries have authorized the organization of investment
funds to permit indirect foreign investment in such securities. For tax purposes these funds may be known as Passive Foreign Investment Companies. The Portfolio is subject to certain percentage limitations under the
1940 Act relating to the purchase of securities of investment companies, and may be subject to the limitation that no more than 10% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets may be invested in such securities.
Restrictions with respect to
repurchase agreements shall be construed to be for repurchase agreements entered into for the investment of available cash consistent with the Portfolio's repurchase agreement procedures, not repurchase commitments
entered into for general investment purposes.
If a percentage restriction on
investment or utilization of assets as set forth under “Investment Restrictions” and “Investment Policies” above is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage
resulting from changes in the value or the total cost of Portfolio's assets will not be considered a violation of the restriction.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly, AST Value Equity Portfolio).
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in large capitalization companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders;
2. Invest for the purpose of
exercising control or management of another issuer; or
3. Purchase securities of other
investment companies, except in compliance with the 1940 Act.
30
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. Change its policy to invest at
least 80% of the value of its assets in the securities of natural resource companies unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Purchase additional securities
when money borrowed exceeds 5% of its total assets;
3. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising management or control;
4. Purchase a futures contract or
an option thereon if, with respect to positions in futures or options on futures which do not represent bona fide hedging, the aggregate initial margin and premiums on such options would exceed 5% of the Portfolio's
net asset value;
5. Purchase securities of open-end
or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act.
6. Purchase securities on margin,
except (i) for use of short-term credit necessary for clearance of purchases of portfolio securities and (ii) the Portfolio may make margin deposits in connection with futures contracts or other permissible investments;
7. Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate
or, in any manner, transfer any security owned by the Portfolio as security for indebtedness except as may be necessary in connection with permissible borrowings or investments and then such mortgaging, pledging or
hypothecating may not exceed 33
1
⁄
3
% of the Portfolio's total assets at the time of borrowing or investment.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio.
The Portfolio will not:
1. The Portfolio will not change
its policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in fixed income securities unless it provides 60 days prior written notice to its shareholders.
2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate
its assets in excess, together with permitted borrowings, of 1/3 of its total assets;
3. Purchase securities on margin,
except (i) the Portfolio may make margin deposits in connection with futures contracts or other permissible investments and (ii) the Portfolio may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance
of purchases and sales of securities;
4. Buy options on securities or
financial instruments, unless the aggregate premiums paid on all such options held by the Portfolio at any time do not exceed 20% of its net assets; or sell put options on securities if, as a result, the aggregate
value of the obligations underlying such put options would exceed 50% of the Portfolio's net assets;
5. Enter into futures contracts or
purchase options thereon which do not represent bona fide hedging unless immediately after the purchase, the value of the aggregate initial margin with respect to all such futures contracts entered into on behalf of
the Portfolio and the premiums paid for such options on futures contracts does not exceed 5% of the Portfolio's total assets, provided that in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the
in-the-money amount may be excluded in computing the 5% limit;
6. Purchase warrants if as a result
warrants taken at the lower of cost or market value would represent more than 10% of the value of the Portfolio's total net assets, except that this restriction does not apply to warrants acquired as a result of the
purchase of another security;
7. Make securities loans if the
value of such securities loaned exceeds 30% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets at the time any loan is made; all loans of portfolio securities will be fully collateralized and marked to market daily. The
Portfolio has no current intention of making loans of portfolio securities that would amount to greater than 5% of the Portfolio's total assets; or
8. Purchase or sell real estate
limited partnership interests.
9. Invest more than 25% of its
total assets in below investment grade, high-risk bonds, including bonds in default or those with the lowest rating;
10. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising management or control;
11. Purchase securities of open-end
or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act; or
31
12. Effect short sales of
securities.
In addition to the restrictions
described above, some foreign countries limit, or prohibit, all direct foreign investment in the securities of their companies. However, the governments of some countries have authorized the organization of investment
funds to permit indirect foreign investment in such securities. For tax purposes these funds may be known as Passive Foreign Investment Companies. The Portfolio is subject to certain percentage limitations under the
1940 Act relating to the purchase of securities of investment companies, and may be subject to the limitation that no more than 10% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets may be invested in such securities.
Restrictions with respect to
repurchase agreements shall be construed to be for repurchase agreements entered into for the investment of available cash consistent with the Portfolio's repurchase agreement procedures, not repurchase commitments
entered into for general investment purposes.
If a percentage restriction on
investment or utilization of assets as set forth under “Investment Restrictions” and “Investment Policies” above is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage
resulting from changes in the value or the total cost of Portfolio's assets will not be considered a violation of the restriction.
Non-Fundamental Investment
Restrictions Applicable Only to AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio.
The Portfolio may not:
1. Purchase securities on margin,
but it may obtain such short-term credits from banks as may be necessary for the clearance of purchase and sales of securities;
2. Mortgage, pledge or hypothecate
any of its assets except that, in connection with permissible borrowings, not more than 20% of the assets of the Portfolio (not including amounts borrowed) may be used as collateral;
3. Invest in the securities of
other investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act;
4. Sell securities short, except
that the Portfolio may make short sales if it owns the securities sold short or has the right to acquire such securities through conversion or exchange of other securities it owns; or
5. Invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control.
INFORMATION ABOUT TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
Information about
the Trustees and the officers of the Trust is set forth below. Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, are referred to as “Independent
Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” The Trustees are oversee the operations of the Trust and appoint
officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board.
32
| Independent Trustees | |||
|
Name, Address, Age
No. of Portfolios Overseen |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | Other Directorships Held | Length of Board Service |
|
Susan Davenport Austin (50)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Senior Managing Director of Brock Capital (Since 2014); Director of Broadcast Music, Inc. (Since 2007);formerly Vice Chairman (2013 - 2017), Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2007-2012) and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Treasurer (2002-2007) of Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation; formerly President of Sheridan Gospel Network (2004-2014); formerly Vice President, Goldman, Sachs & Co. (2000 - 2001); formerly Associate Director, Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. (1997-2000); formerly Vice President, Salomon Brothers Inc. (1993-1997); Member of the Board of Directors, The MacDowell Colony (Since 2010); formerly Chairman (2011-2014), formerly Presiding Director (2014-2017) and currently a Member (2007-present) of the Board of Directors, Broadcast Music, Inc.; Member of the Board of Directors, Hubbard Radio, LLC (Since 2011); President, Candide Business Advisors, Inc. (Since 2011); formerly Member of the Board of Directors, National Association of Broadcasters (2004-2010). | Director of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) (Since February 2015) | Since February 2011 |
|
Sherry S. Barrat (68)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Formerly Vice Chairman of Northern Trust Corporation (financial services and banking institution) (2011–June 2012); formerly President, Personal Financial Services, Northern Trust Corporation (2006-2010); formerly Chairman & CEO, Western US Region, Northern Trust Corporation (1999-2005); formerly President & CEO, Palm Beach/Martin County Region, Northern Trust. | Director of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) (1998-Present); Director of Arthur J. Gallagher & Company (Since July 2013). | Since January 2013 |
|
Jessica M. Bibliowicz (58)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Senior Adviser (Since 2013) of Bridge Growth Partners (private equity firm); formerly Director (2013-2016) of Realogy Holdings Corp. (residential real estate services); formerly Chief Executive Officer (1999-2013) of National Financial Partners (independent distributor of financial services products). | Director (Since 2006) of The Asia-Pacific Fund, Inc.; Sotheby’s (Since 2014) (auction house and art-related finance). | Since September 2014 |
|
Kay Ryan Booth (67)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Partner, Trinity Private Equity Group (Since September 2014); formerly, Managing Director of Cappello Waterfield & Co. LLC (2011-2014); formerly Vice Chair, Global Research, J.P. Morgan (financial services and investment banking institution) (June 2008 – January 2009); formerly Global Director of Equity Research, Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. (financial services and investment banking institution) (1995-2008); formerly Associate Director of Equity Research, Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. (1987-1995). | None. | Since January 2013 |
|
Stephen M. Chipman (56)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Chief Executive Officer and Director of Radius GGE (USA), Inc. (Since June 2016); formerly, Senior Vice Chairman (December 2014-October 2015) and Chief Executive Officer (January 2010-December 2014) of Grant Thornton LLP. | None. | Since January 2018 |
33
| Interested Trustee | |||
|
Timothy S. Cronin (52)
Number of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
President of Prudential Annuities (Since June 2015); Chief Investment Officer and Strategist of Prudential Annuities (Since January 2004); Director of Investment & Research Strategy (Since February 1998); President of AST Investment Services, Inc. (Since June 2005). | None. | Since October 2009 |
| Trust Officers (a) | ||
|
Name, Address and Age
Position with the Trust |
Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years | Length of Service as Trust Officer |
|
Edward C. Merrill, IV, CFA (33)
Vice President |
Vice President of Prudential Annuities (since December 2014); formerly Director of
Prudential Annuities (December 2010 –
December 2014); formerly Manager of Prudential Annuities (August 2009 – December 2010); formerly Senior Analyst of Prudential Annuities (October 2008 – August 2009) |
Since June 2017 |
34
35
(a)
Excludes Mr. Cronin, an Interested Trustee who also serves as President.
Explanatory Notes to Tables:
Trustees are deemed to be
“Interested,” as defined in the 1940 Act, by reason of their affiliation with PGIM Investments and/or an affiliate of PGIM Investments. Timothy S. Cronin is an Interested Trustee because he is employed by
an affiliate of the Manager.
Unless otherwise noted, the address of all
Trustees and Officers is c/o PGIM Investments LLC, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
There is no set term of office for Trustees
or Officers. The Independent Trustees have adopted a retirement policy, which calls for the retirement of Trustees on December 31 of the year in which they reach the age of 78, provided that the Board may extend the
retirement age on a year-by-year basis for a Trustee.
“Other Directorships Held”
includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the 1934 Act (that is, “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.
“No. of Portfolios Overseen”
includes all investment companies managed by PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS that are overseen by the Trustee. The investment companies for which PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS serves as Manager include The Prudential
Variable Contract Accounts, The Prudential Series Fund, Advanced Series Trust, Prudential's Gibraltar Fund, Inc., the Prudential Mutual Funds, the Prudential Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc. and Prudential Global
Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc.
COMPENSATION OF TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS.
Pursuant to a Management Agreement with the Trust, the Investment Manager pays all compensation of Trustees, officers and employees of the Trust, other than the fees and expenses of
Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Investment Manager or any subadviser. The Trust pays each of its Independent Trustees annual compensation in addition to certain out-of-pocket expenses. Trustees who
serve on Board Committees may receive additional compensation.
Independent Trustees may defer
receipt of their fees pursuant to a deferred fee agreement with the Trust. Under the terms of the agreement, the Trust accrues deferred Trustees' fees daily which, in turn, accrue interest at a rate equivalent to the
prevailing rate to 90-day US Treasury Bills at the beginning of each calendar quarter or, at the daily rate of return of one or more funds managed by PGIM Investments chosen by the Trustee. Payment of the interest so
accrued is also deferred and becomes payable at the option of the Trustee. The Trust's obligation to make payments of deferred Trustees' fees, together with interest thereon, is a general obligation of the Trust. The
Trust does not have a retirement or pension plan for its Trustees.
The following
table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid by the Trust for the Trust’s most recently completed fiscal year to the Independent Trustees for service on the Trust's Board, and the Board of any other
investment company in the Fund Complex for the most recently completed calendar year. Trustees and officers who are “interested persons” of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) do not receive
compensation from the Fund Complex.
36
| Name |
Aggregate Fiscal Year
Compensation from Trust (1) |
Pension or Retirement Benefits
Accrued as Part of Trust Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon
Retirement |
Total Compensation from Trust
and Fund Complex for Most Recent Calendar Year |
| Susan Davenport Austin | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Sherry S. Barrat | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Jessica M. Bibliowicz | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Kay Ryan Booth | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Stephen M. Chipman # | None | None | None | None |
| Delayne Dedrick Gold ## | $326,030 | None | None | $380,000 (3/107)* |
| Robert F. Gunia** | $326,030 | None | None | $380,000 (3/107)* |
| Thomas T. Mooney** | $413,092 | None | None | $480,000 (3/107)* |
| Thomas M. O'Brien** | $326,030 | None | None | $380,000 (3/107)* |
# Mr. Chipman joined the
Board effective as of January 1, 2018.
## Ms. Gold retired from the Board effective as of December 31, 2017.
## Ms. Gold retired from the Board effective as of December 31, 2017.
Explanatory Notes to Compensation Table
(1)
Compensation relates to portfolios that were in existence during
2017.
* Number of funds and portfolios
represents those in existence as of December 31, 2017 and excludes funds that have merged or liquidated during the year. Additionally, the number of funds and portfolios includes those which were approved as of
December 31, 2017, but which may not have commenced operations as of December 31, 2017. No compensation is paid to Trustees with respect to funds/portfolios that have not yet commenced operations.
** Under the Trust’s deferred fee
arrangement, Trustees may elect to defer all or part of their total compensation. The total amount of deferred compensation accrued during the calendar year ended December 31, 2017, including investment results during
the year on cumulative deferred fees, amounted to $42,689, $439,285 and $353,807 for Messrs. Gunia, Mooney, and O'Brien, respectively.
BOARD COMMITTEES.
The Board has established four standing committees in connection with governance of the Trust—Audit, Compliance, Governance, and Investment Review and Risk. Information on the
membership of each standing committee and its functions is set forth below.
Audit Committee.
The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is not an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to
assist the Board in overseeing the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, accounting policies and procedures, and other areas relating to the Trust's auditing processes. The Audit Committee is
responsible for pre-approving all audit services and any permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm directly to the Trust. The Audit Committee is also responsible
for pre-approving permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm to (1) the Investment Manager and (2) any entity in a control relationship with the Investment Manager
that provides ongoing services to the Trust, provided that the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm relates directly to the operation and financial reporting of the Trust. The scope of the
Audit Committee's responsibilities is oversight. It is management's responsibility to maintain appropriate systems for accounting and internal control and the independent registered public accounting firm's
responsibility to plan and carry out an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). The Audit Committee Charter is available at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
. The number of Audit Committee meetings held during the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below.
The membership of
the Audit Committee is set forth below:
Thomas M. O’Brien (Chair)
Susan Davenport Austin
Robert F. Gunia
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Thomas M. O’Brien (Chair)
Susan Davenport Austin
Robert F. Gunia
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Compliance Committee.
The Compliance Committee serves as a liaison between the Board and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). The Compliance Committee is responsible for considering, in
consultation with the Board's Chair and outside counsel, any material compliance matters that are identified and reported by the CCO to the Compliance Committee between Board meetings. The Compliance Committee is also
responsible for considering, when requested by the CCO, the CCO's recommendations regarding the materiality of compliance matters to be reported to the Board. The Compliance Committee reviews compliance matters that
it determines warrant review between Board meetings. Further, when the CCO wishes to engage an independent third party to perform compliance-related work at the Trust’s expense, the Compliance Committee will
evaluate with the CCO which third party to recommend to the Board as well as the appropriate scope of the work. The number of Compliance Committee meetings held during the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year
is set forth in the table below. The Compliance Committee Charter is available on the Trust's website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
37
The membership of the Compliance
Committee is set forth below:
Robert F. Gunia (Chair)
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Sherry S. Barrat
Thomas M. O’Brien
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Robert F. Gunia (Chair)
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Sherry S. Barrat
Thomas M. O’Brien
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Governance Committee.
The Governance Committee of the Board is responsible for nominating Trustees and making recommendations to the Board concerning Board composition, committee structure and governance,
director compensation and expenses, director education, and governance practices. The Board has determined that each member of the Governance Committee is not an “interested person” as defined in the 1940
Act. The number of Governance Committee meetings held during the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below. The Governance Committee Charter is available on the Trust's website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
The membership of
the Governance Committee is set forth below:
Susan Davenport Austin (Chair)
Sherry S. Barrat
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Susan Davenport Austin (Chair)
Sherry S. Barrat
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Investment Review and Risk Committee
(IRRC).
The IRRC consists of all members of the Board and is chaired by Mr. Mooney, the Chairman of the Board. The Board created the IRRC to help the Board in reviewing certain types of risk,
especially those risks related to portfolio investments, the subadvisers for the Portfolios and other related risks. The responsibilities of the IRRC include, but are not limited to: reviewing written materials and
reports pertaining to Portfolio performance, investments and risk from subadvisers, the Strategic Investment Review Group (SIRG) of PGIM Investments and others; considering presentations from subadvisers, the
Investment Manager, SIRG or other service providers on matters relating to Portfolio performance, investments and risk; and periodically reviewing management’s evaluation of various types of risks to the
Portfolios.
LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE
AND QUALIFICATIONS OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The Board is responsible for oversight of the Trust. The Trust has engaged the Investment Manager to manage the Trust on a day-to-day basis. The Board oversees the Investment Manager and
certain other principal service providers in the operations of the Trust. The Board is currently composed of nine members, eight of whom are Independent Trustees. The Board meets in-person at regularly scheduled
meetings twelve times throughout the year. In addition, the Board Members may meet in-person or by telephone at special meetings. As described above, the Board has established four standing committees—Audit,
Compliance, Governance, and Investment Review and Risk—and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time, to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The Independent
Trustees have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities.
The Board is chaired by an
Independent Trustee. As Chair, this Independent Trustee leads the Board in its activities. Also, the Chair acts as a member or an ex-officio member of each standing committee and any ad hoc committee of the Board. The
Trustees have determined that the Board's leadership and committee structure is appropriate because the Board believes it sets the proper tone to the relationships between the Trust, on the one hand, and the
Investment Manager, the subadviser(s) and certain other principal service providers, on the other, and facilitates the exercise of the Board's independent judgment in evaluating and managing the relationships. In
addition, the structure efficiently allocates responsibility among committees.
The Board has concluded that, based
on each Trustee's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, each Trustee should serve as a Trustee. Among other attributes common to
all Trustees are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the various service providers to the Trust, and to exercise reasonable
business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. In addition, the Board has taken into account the actual service and commitment of the Trustees during their tenure in concluding that each should
continue to serve. A Trustee's ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through a Trustee's educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or
academic positions; experience from service as a Trustee of the Trust, other funds in the Fund Complex, public companies, or non-profit entities or other organizations; or other experiences. Set forth below is a brief
discussion of the specific experience qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee that led the Board to conclude that he or she should serve as a Trustee.
38
Susan Davenport
Austin.
Ms. Austin currently serves as Senior Managing Director of Brock Capital. In addition to her experience in senior leadership positions with private companies, Ms. Austin has more than 10
years of experience in the investment banking industry, and has experience serving on boards of other public companies and non-profit entities.
Sherry S. Barrat.
Ms. Barrat has more than 35 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the financial services and banking industries. In addition, Ms. Barrat has over 10 years of experience
serving on boards of other public companies and non-profit entities.
Jessica M. Bibliowicz.
Ms. Bibliowicz has more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the financial services and investment management industries. In addition, Ms. Bibliowicz also has
experience in serving on the boards of other public companies, investment companies, and non-profit organizations.
Kay Ryan Booth.
Ms. Booth has more than 35 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the investment management and investment banking industries. Ms. Booth is currently a Partner of Trinity
Private Equity Group. In addition to her experience in senior leadership positions with private companies, Ms. Booth has experience serving on the boards of other entities.
Stephen M. Chipman.
Mr. Chipman has 34 years of experience with a public accounting firm, serving in various senior leadership positions in Europe, North America and Asia. Mr. Chipman also has experience
serving on boards of other entities.
Robert F. Gunia.
Mr. Gunia has served for more than 10 years as a Trustee of mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors. In addition, Mr. Gunia served in senior leadership positions
for more than 28 years with the Investment Manager and its affiliates and predecessors.
Thomas T. Mooney.
Mr. Mooney has served for more than 10 years as a Trustee of mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors, including some or all of the following funds: Advanced
Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., and/or other mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors. Mr. Mooney has more than 30 years of experience in
senior leadership positions with municipal organizations and other companies and has experience serving on the boards of other entities.
Thomas M. O’Brien.
Mr. O’Brien has served for more than 10 years as a Trustee of mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors, including some or all of the following funds:
Advanced Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., and/or other mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors. Mr. O’Brien has more than 25 years of
experience in senior leadership positions in the banking industry, and has experience serving on the boards of other entities.
Timothy S. Cronin.
Mr.
Cronin, an Interested Trustee of the Trust and other funds advised by the Investment Manager since 2009, served as Vice President of the Trust and other funds advised by the Investment
Manager from 2009-2015, as President of the Trust and other funds advised by the Investment Manager since 2015, and has held senior positions with Prudential Financial (and American Skandia, which was purchased by
Prudential Financial) since 1998.
Specific details about each
Trustee's professional experience is set forth in the professional biography tables, above.
Risk Oversight.
Investing in general and the operation of a mutual fund involve a variety of risks, such as investment risk, compliance risk, and operational risk, among others. The Board oversees risk as
part of its oversight of the Trust. Risk oversight is addressed as part of various regular Board and committee activities. The Board, directly or through its committees, reviews reports from among others, the
Investment Manager, sub-advisers, the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer, the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, counsel, and internal auditors of the Investment Manager or its affiliates, as
appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Trust and the risk management programs of the Investment Manager and certain service providers. The actual day-to-day risk management with respect to the Trust resides with
the Investment Manager and other service providers to the Trust. Although the risk management policies of the Investment Manager and the service providers are designed to be effective, those policies and their
implementation vary among service providers and over time, and there is no guarantee that they will be effective. Not all risks that may affect the Trust can be identified or processes and controls developed to
eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and some risks are simply beyond any control of the Trust or the Investment Manager, its affiliates or other service providers.
Selection of Trustee Nominees.
The Governance Committee is responsible for considering trustee nominees for Trustees at such times as it considers electing new members to the Board. The Governance Committee may consider
recommendations by business and personal contacts of current Board members, and by executive search firms which the Committee may engage from time to time and will also consider shareholder recommendations. The
Governance Committee has not established specific, minimum qualifications that it believes must be met by a nominee. In evaluating nominees, the Governance Committee considers, among other things, an individual's
background, skills, and experience; whether the individual is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; and whether the individual would be deemed an “audit committee financial expert”
within the meaning of applicable SEC rules. The Governance
39
Committee also considers whether the individual's
background, skills, and experience will complement the background, skills, and experience of other nominees and will contribute to the diversity of the Board. There are no differences in the manner in which the
Governance Committee evaluates nominees for the Board based on whether the nominee is recommended by a shareholder.
A shareholder who
wishes to recommend a director for nomination should submit his or her recommendation in writing to the Chair of the Board (Thomas T. Mooney) or the Chair of the Governance Committee (Susan Davenport Austin), in
either case in care of the Trust, at 655 Broad Street, 17
th
Floor, Newark, New Jersey 07102. At a minimum, the recommendation should include: the name, address, and business,
educational, and/or other pertinent background of the person being recommended; a statement concerning whether the person is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; any other information that
the Trust would be required to include in a proxy statement concerning the person if he or she was nominated; and the name and address of the person submitting the recommendation, together with the number of shares
held by such person and the period for which the shares have been held. The recommendation also can include any additional information which the person submitting it believes would assist the Governance Committee in
evaluating the recommendation.
Shareholders should note that a
person who owns securities issued by Prudential Financial, Inc. (the parent company of the Trust's Investment Manager) would be deemed an “interested person” under the 1940 Act. In addition, certain other
relationships with Prudential Financial, Inc. or its subsidiaries, with registered broker-dealers, or with the Trust's outside legal counsel may cause a person to be deemed an “interested person.” Before
the Governance Committee decides to nominate an individual to the Board, Committee members and other Board members customarily interview the individual in person. In addition, the individual customarily is asked to
complete a detailed questionnaire which is designed to elicit information which must be disclosed under SEC and stock exchange rules and to determine whether the individual is subject to any statutory disqualification
from serving on the board of a registered investment company.
Shareholder Communications with the
Board of Trustees.
Shareholders of the Trust can communicate directly with the Board by writing to the Chair of the Board, c/o the Trust, 1 Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484. Shareholders can
communicate directly with an individual Trustee by writing to that Trustee, c/o the Trust, 1 Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484. Such communications to the Board or individual Trustees are not screened before
being delivered to the addressee.
| Board Committee Meetings (for most recently completed fiscal year) | |||
| Audit Committee | Governance Committee | Compliance Committee | Investment Review and Risk Committee |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
Share Ownership.
Information relating to each Trustee's share ownership in the Trust, other funds that are overseen by the respective Trustee as well as any other funds that are managed by the Manager as
of the most recently completed calendar year is set forth in the chart below.
| Name |
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Trust |
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities Owned by Trustee in All Registered Investment Companies in Fund Complex* |
| Trustee Share Ownership | ||
| Susan Davenport Austin | None | Over $100,000 |
| Sherry S. Barrat | None | Over $100,000 |
| Jessica M. Bibliowicz | None | Over $100,000 |
| Kay Ryan Booth | None | Over $100,000 |
| Stephen M. Chipman # | None | None |
| Timothy S. Cronin | None | Over $100,000 |
| Robert F. Gunia | None | Over $100,000 |
| Thomas T. Mooney | None | Over $100,000 |
| Thomas M. O'Brien | None | Over $100,000 |
# Mr. Chipman joined the
Board effective as of January 1, 2018.
* “Fund Complex” includes
Advanced Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., the Prudential Funds, Target Funds, and any other funds that are managed by PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS. The above share
ownership information relates to Portfolios and other registered investment companies in the Fund Complex that were in existence during 2017.
40
Because the Portfolios of the Trust
serve as investment options under variable annuity and life insurance contracts, federal tax law prohibits the sale of Portfolio shares directly to individuals, including the Trustees. Individuals, including a
Trustee, may, however, have an interest in a Portfolio if he or she purchases a variable contract and selects the Portfolio as an investment option.
Other than as set forth in the
following paragraph, none of the Independent Trustees, or any member of his/her immediate family, owned beneficially or of record any securities in an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust or a
person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of a Portfolio as of the most recently
completed calendar year.
As of December 31,
2017, Ms. Bibliowicz and her husband—through their interest in a private partnership managed by other persons who are charged with making all investment decisions for the partnership—were unknowingly and
inadvertently the beneficial owners of stock issued by Prudential Financial, Inc. The stock was held for approximately four months and was promptly disposed of without profit to Ms. Bibliowicz or her husband as soon
as Ms. Bibliowicz became aware of the ownership interest. Neither Ms. Bibliowicz nor her husband has any remaining beneficial interest in that stock. Further, through the same partnership interest, Ms. Bibliowicz and
her husband have periodically been unknowing and inadvertent beneficial owners of stock issued by affiliated persons that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with the following unaffiliated
subadvisers: Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. These securities also were disposed of promptly upon Ms. Bibliowicz’s
discovery of the ownership interest at approximately the same time that the Prudential Financial, Inc. securities were sold. Neither Ms. Bibliowicz nor her husband have any remaining beneficial ownership interest in
these companies. As of the date of this SAI, Ms. Bibliowicz is considered an Independent Trustee.
MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY
ARRANGEMENTS
TRUST
MANAGEMENT
. PGIM Investments, 17
th
Floor, Newark, New Jersey, 07102-4077, and ASTIS, One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut, 06484 serve as the investment managers of the Portfolios; PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve as
co-investment managers for each Portfolio covered by this SAI, except for AST Bond Portfolio 2026, AST Bond Portfolio 2027, AST Bond Portfolio 2028,
AST Bond Portfolio 2029 and AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, for which PGIM Investments serves as the sole investment manager.
As of December 31, 2017, PGIM
Investments served as the investment manager to all of the Prudential US and offshore open-end investment companies, and as administrator to closed-end investment companies, with aggregate assets of approximately
$278.6 billion. PGIM Investments is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PIFM Holdco, LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM Holding Company LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc.
(Prudential). PGIM Investments has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1996.
As of December 31, 2017, ASTIS
served as the investment manager to certain of the Prudential US open-end investment companies with aggregate assets of approximately $177.94 billion. ASTIS is a subsidiary of Prudential Annuities Holding Company,
Inc., which is a subsidiary of Prudential Annuities, Inc., a subsidiary of Prudential. ASTIS has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1992.
Services Provided by the
Manager
. Pursuant to Management Agreements with the Trust (collectively, the Management Agreement), the Manager, subject to the oversight of the Trust's Board and in conformity with the stated
policies of the Portfolios, manages both the investment operations and composition of each Portfolio, including the purchase, retention, disposition and loan of securities and other assets. In connection therewith,
the Manager is obligated to keep certain books and records of the Portfolios. The Manager is authorized to enter into subadvisory agreements for investment advisory services in connection with the management of the
Portfolios. The Manager continues to have the ultimate responsibility for all investment advisory services performed pursuant to any such subadvisory agreements.
The Manager is specifically
responsible for supervising and managing the Portfolios and the subadvisers. In this capacity, the Manager reviews the performance of the Portfolios and the subadvisers and make recommendations to the Board with
respect to the retention of investment subadvisers, the renewal of contracts, and the reorganization and merger of Portfolios, and other legal and compliance matters. The Manager takes on the entrepreneurial and other
risks associated with the launch of each new Portfolio and its ongoing operations. The Manager utilizes the Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG), a unit of PGIM Investments, to assist it in regularly evaluating
and supervising the Portfolios and the subadvisers, including with respect to investment performance. SIRG is a centralized research department of PGIM Investments that is comprised of a group of highly experienced
analysts. SIRG utilizes proprietary processes to analyze large quantities of industry data, both on a qualitative and quantitative level, in order to effectively manage the Portfolios and the subadvisers. The Manager
utilizes this data in directly supervising the Portfolios and the subadvisers. SIRG provides reports to the Board and presents to the Board at special and regularly scheduled Board meetings. The Manager bears the cost
of the oversight program maintained by SIRG.
41
In addition, the
Manager provides or supervises all of the administrative functions necessary for the organization, operation and management of the Trust and its Portfolios. The Manager administers the Trust's corporate affairs and,
in connection therewith, furnish the Trust with office facilities, together with those ordinary clerical and bookkeeping services which are not being furnished by, the Trust's custodian (the Custodian), and the
Trust's transfer agent. The Manager is also responsible for the staffing and management of dedicated groups of legal, marketing, compliance and related personnel necessary for the operation of the Trust. The legal,
marketing, compliance and related personnel are also responsible for the management and oversight of the various service providers to the Trust, including, but not limited to, the custodian, transfer agent, and
accounting agent. The management services of the Manager to the Trust are not exclusive under the terms of the Management Agreement and the Manager is free to, and do, render management services to others.
The primary administrative services
furnished by the Manager are more specifically detailed below:
| ■ | furnishing of office facilities; |
| ■ | paying salaries of all officers and other employees of the Manager who are responsible for managing the Trust and the Portfolios; |
| ■ | monitoring financial and shareholder accounting services provided by the Trust’s custodian and transfer agent; |
| ■ | providing assistance to the service providers of the Trust and the Portfolios, including, but not limited to, the custodian, transfer agent, and accounting agent; |
| ■ | monitoring, together with each subadviser, each Portfolio’s compliance with its investment policies, restrictions, and with federal and state laws and regulations, including federal and state securities laws, the Internal Revenue Code and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations; |
| ■ | preparing and filing all required federal, state and local tax returns for the Trust and the Portfolios; |
| ■ | preparing and filing with the SEC on Form N-CSR the Trust’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, including supervising financial printers who provide related support services; |
| ■ | preparing and filing with the SEC required quarterly reports of portfolio holdings on Form N-Q; |
| ■ | preparing and filing the Trust’s registration statement with the SEC on Form N-1A, as well as preparing and filing with the SEC supplements and other documents, as applicable; |
| ■ | preparing compliance, operations and other reports required to be received by the Trust’s Board and/or its committees in support of the Board’s oversight of the Trust; and |
| ■ | organizing the regular and any special meetings of the Board of the Trust, including the preparing Board materials and agendas, preparing minutes, and related functions. |
Expenses Borne by
the Manager.
In connection with its management of the corporate affairs of the Trust, the Manager bears certain expenses, including, but not limited to:
| ■ | the salaries and expenses of all of its and the Trust's personnel except the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Manager or any subadviser; |
| ■ | all expenses incurred by the Manager or the Trust in connection with managing the ordinary course of a Trust's business, other than those assumed by the Trust as described below; |
| ■ | the fees, costs and expenses payable to any investment subadvisers pursuant to Subadvisory Agreements between the Manager and such investment subadvisers; and |
| ■ | with respect to the compliance services provided by the Manager, the cost of the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, the Trust’s Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, and all personnel who provide compliance services for the Trust, and all of the other costs associated with the Trust’s compliance program, which includes the management and operation of the compliance program responsible for compliance oversight of the Portfolios and the subadvisers. |
Expenses Borne by the Trust.
Under the terms of the Management Agreement, the Trust is responsible for the payment of Trust expenses not paid by the Manager, including:
| ■ | the fees and expenses incurred by the Trust in connection with the management of the investment and reinvestment of the Trust's assets payable to the Manager; |
| ■ | the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Manager or any subadviser; |
| ■ | the fees and certain expenses of the custodian and transfer and dividend disbursing agent, including the cost of providing records to the Manager in connection with their obligation of maintaining required records of the Trust and of pricing the Trust's shares; |
| ■ | the charges and expenses of the Trust's legal counsel and independent auditors; |
| ■ | brokerage commissions and any issue or transfer taxes chargeable to the Trust in connection with its securities (and futures, if applicable) transactions; |
| ■ | all taxes and corporate fees payable by the Trust to governmental agencies; |
| ■ | the fees of any trade associations of which the Trust may be a member; |
| ■ | the cost of share certificates representing and/or non-negotiable share deposit receipts evidencing shares of the Trust; |
| ■ | the cost of fidelity, directors and officers and errors and omissions insurance; |
42
| ■ | the fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registration of the Trust and of its shares with the SEC and paying notice filing fees under state securities laws, including the preparation and printing of the Trust's registration statements and prospectuses for such purposes; |
| ■ | allocable communications expenses with respect to investor services and all expenses of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings and of preparing, printing and mailing reports and notices to shareholders; and |
| ■ | litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Trust's business and distribution and service (12b-1) fees. |
Terms of the
Management Agreement
. The Management Agreement provides that the Manager will not be liable for any error of judgment by PGIM Investments or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to
which the Management Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services (in which case any award of damages shall be limited to the
period and the amount set forth in Section 36(b)(3) of the 1940 Act) or loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties. The Management Agreement provides that it
will terminate automatically, if assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act), and that it may be terminated without penalty by either the Manager or the Trust by the Board or vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Trust, (as defined in the 1940 Act) upon not more than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice. The Management Agreement will continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date
of execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
Fees payable under the Management
Agreement are computed daily and paid monthly. The Manager may from time to time waive all or a portion of its management fee and subsidize all or a portion of the operating expenses of a Portfolio. Management fee
waivers and subsidies will increase a Portfolio's total return. These voluntary waivers may be terminated at any time without notice.
SEC Manager-of-Managers Order.
The manager-of-managers structure operates under exemptive orders issued by the SEC. The orders permit the Manager to hire subadvisers or amend subadvisory agreements, without shareholder
approval.
The most recent order imposes the
following conditions:
1. Before a Portfolio may rely on
the order requested in the application, the operation of the Portfolio in the manner described in the application, including the hiring of wholly-owned subadvisers, will be, or has been, approved by a majority of the
Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities as defined in the 1940 Act, which in the case of a master fund will include voting instructions provided by shareholders of the feeder funds investing in such master
fund or other voting arrangements that comply with section 12(d)(1)(E)(iii)(aa) of the 1940 Act (or, in the case on an insurance-related Portfolio, pursuant to the voting instructions provided by contract owners with
assets allocated to any registered separate account for which the Portfolio serves as a funding medium), or, in the case of a new Portfolio whose public shareholders purchase shares on the basis of a prospectus
containing the disclosure contemplated by condition 2 below, by the sole initial shareholder before offering the Portfolio’s shares to the public.
2. The prospectus
for each Portfolio, and in the case of a master fund relying on the requested relief, the prospectus for each feeder fund investing in such master fund, will disclose the existence, substance and effect of any order
granted pursuant to the application. Each Portfolio (and any such feeder fund) will hold itself out to the public as employing the Multi-Manager Structure described in the application. Each prospectus will prominently
disclose that the Manager have the ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the subadvisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement.
3. The Manager will provide general
management services to a Portfolio, including overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Portfolio’s assets. Subject to review and approval of the Board, the Manager will
(a) set a Portfolio’s overall investment strategies, (b) evaluate, select, and recommend subadvisers to manage all or a portion of a Portfolio’s assets, and (c) implement procedures reasonably designed to
ensure that subadvisers comply with a Portfolio’s investment objective, policies and restrictions. Subject to review by the Board, the Manager will (a) when appropriate, allocate and reallocate a
Portfolio’s assets among subadvisers; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of subadvisers.
4. A Portfolio will not make any
ineligible subadviser changes without the approval of the shareholders of the applicable Portfolio, which in the case of a master fund will include voting instructions provided by shareholders of the feeder fund
investing in such master fund or other voting arrangements that comply with section 12(d)(1)(E)(iii)(aa) of the 1940 Act.
5. A Portfolio will inform
shareholders, and if the Portfolio is a master fund, shareholders of any feeder funds, of the hiring of a new subadviser within 90 days after the hiring of the new subadviser pursuant to the Modified Notice and Access
Procedures.
6. At all times, at least a
majority of the Board will be Independent Trustees, and the selection and nomination of new or additional Independent Trustees will be placed within the discretion of the then-existing Independent Trustees.
43
7. Independent legal counsel, as
defined in rule 0-1(a)(6) under the 1940 Act, will be engaged to represent the Independent Trustees. The selection of such counsel will be within the discretion of the then-existing Independent Trustees.
8. The Manager
will provide the Board, no less frequently than quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Manager on a per Portfolio basis. The information will reflect the impact on profitability of the hiring or
termination of any subadviser during the applicable quarter.
9. Whenever a subadviser is hired
or terminated, the Manager will provide the Board with information showing the expected impact on the profitability of the Manager.
10. Whenever a subadviser change is
proposed for a Portfolio with an affiliated subadviser or a wholly-owned subadviser, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, will make a separate finding, reflected in the Board minutes, that such
change is in the best interests of the Portfolio and its shareholders, and if the Portfolio is a master fund, the best interests of any applicable feeder funds and their respective shareholders, and does not involve a
conflict of interest from which the Manager or the affiliated subadviser or wholly-owned subadviser derives an inappropriate advantage.
11. No Board member or officer of a
Prudential investment company, a Portfolio, or a feeder fund that invests in a Portfolio that is a master fund, or director, manager or officer of the Manager, will own directly or indirectly (other than through a
pooled investment vehicle that is not controlled by such person) any interest in a subadviser except for (a) ownership of interests in the Manager or any entity, other than a Wholly-Owned subadviser, that controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with the Manager, or (b) ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding securities of any class of equity or debt of any publicly traded company that is either a subadviser or
an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, a subadviser.
12. Each Portfolio and any feeder
fund that invests in a Portfolio that is a master fund will disclose an aggregate fee disclosure in its registration statement.
13. In the event the SEC adopts a
rule under the 1940 Act providing substantially similar relief to that requested in the application, the requested order will expire on the effective date of that rule.
14. Any new
Subadvisory Agreement or any amendment to a Portfolio’s existing Management Agreement or Subadvisory Agreement that directly or indirectly results in an increase in the aggregate advisory fee rate payable by the
Portfolio will be submitted to the Portfolio’s shareholders for approval.
Potential Conflicts.
Under the manager-of-managers structure, the Manager recommends the hiring and firing of subadvisers, determines the allocation of Portfolio assets among subadvisers for Portfolios with
more than one subadviser, and reports to the Board regarding subadviser performance. The Manager also directly manage the assets for certain Portfolio sleeves or segments.
The Manager may face potential
conflicts inherent in serving as a manager-of-managers including, but not limited to: (i) an incentive to recommend that a Portfolio retain an affiliated subadviser; (ii) an incentive to recommend that a Portfolio
retain a subadviser because the subadviser may provide distribution support or other services that benefit the Manager or its affiliates or because of other relationships between the subadviser or its affiliates and
the Manager or its affiliates; (iii) an incentive to recommend that the Manager provides direct management of assets for certain sleeves or segments; and (iv) an incentive to allocate assets among subadvisers of a
single Portfolio based on profitability or other benefit to the Manager or its affiliates.
To mitigate potential conflicts
presented by these issues, the Manager utilizes the services of SIRG, a unit of PGIM Investments, which provides investment manager oversight, analysis and recommendations. SIRG provides its input to both the Manager
and the Board. SIRG representatives meet with the Board in connection with its quarterly meetings and any special meetings at which subadviser recommendations are made, and the Board makes the decision as to the
retention of any subadviser. For recommendations involving a new subadviser or a replacement subadviser for a single asset class Portfolio or sleeve, SIRG conducts a search of qualified subadvisers and provides a
recommendation. SIRG reviews with the Board the search process, finalists and the reasons for the recommendation. SIRG’s investment analysis process is applied in the same manner to both affiliated and
unaffiliated subadvisers. The Board makes the final decision with respect to the retention of a new or replacement subadviser. For some Portfolios, the Manager makes a recommendation for a subadviser based on the
design of a Portfolio, such as a Portfolio designed in consultation with a specific subadviser. In those cases, SIRG reviews the proposed subadviser and reports to the Board regarding its assessment of the
subadviser.
To the extent a subadviser’s
affiliation or other business relationship with Prudential is a factor in any subadviser recommendation, the Manager discusses the relevant factors with the Board, which makes the final decision on any new or
replacement subadviser. SIRG personnel are not involved in subadvisory fee negotiations.
44
Management
Fees.
The tables below set forth the applicable contractual management fee rate and the management fees received by the Manager from the Trust for each Portfolio for the indicated fiscal
years.
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio † |
Fund-of-Funds Segments/Sleeves:
0.72% of average daily net assets Non Fund-of-Funds Segments/Sleeves: 0.5525% of average daily net assets to $300 million; 0.5425% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5325% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5225% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4825% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio (1) |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5725% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5325% over $20 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
0.9325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.9225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.9125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.9025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio |
0.5825% of average daily net assets up to $300 million;
0.5725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio |
0.4825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.4725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.4525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.3925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio |
0.4825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.4725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.4525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.3925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
45
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029* |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
46
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.5825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio |
0.3325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.3225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.3125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.3025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.2925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.2625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.2425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
47
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST High Yield Portfolio |
0.5825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.5825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST International Growth Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST International Value Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio * |
0.4925% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.4725% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4525% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $75 million;
0.6825% on next $225 million of average daily net assets; 0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
48
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio (2) |
0.5300% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5200% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.4850% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.4750% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.4500% on next $2.25 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4400% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4100% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.3900% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio (3) |
0.5325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4425% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4225% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4025% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.3825% over $20 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.25 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $750 million of average daily net assets; 0.6225% on next $2 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5725% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
49
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
0.9325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.9225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.9125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.9025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio (4) |
0.5325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.4875% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.4775% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.4525% on next $2.25 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.3925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio (1) |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5725% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5325% over $20 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
0.5825% of average daily net assets up to $300 million;
0.5725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | 0.25% of average daily net assets |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
50
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio (1) |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5725% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5525% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5325% over $20 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.25 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio |
0.6325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5625 on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
51
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
0.5325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.5225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.5125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
*The
contractual investment management fee for each of the AST Bond Portfolio 2018, AST Bond Portfolio 2019, AST Bond Portfolio 2020, AST Bond Portfolio 2021, AST Bond Portfolio 2022, AST Bond Portfolio 2023, AST Bond
Portfolio 2024, AST Bond Portfolio 2025, AST Bond Portfolio 2026, AST Bond Portfolio 2027, AST Bond Portfolio 2028, AST Bond Portfolio 2029 and AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio is subject to certain breakpoints.
The assets of each Portfolio will be aggregated for purposes of determining the fee rate applicable to each Portfolio.
†
For AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio, the management fee rate applicable to the fund-of-funds segments/sleeves is limited to assets invested in other
portfolios of the Trust. The management fee rate applicable to the non fund-of-funds segments/sleeves excludes assets invested in other portfolios of the Trust. Portfolio assets invested in mutual funds other than the
portfolios of the Trust are included in the management fee rate applicable to the non fund-of-funds segments/sleeves.
(1)
Prior to July 1, 2016, the contractual management fee rate was: 0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million; 0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average
daily net assets; and 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets.
(2)
Prior to November 1, 2016, the contractual management fee rate was: 0.6325% of average daily net assets to $300 million; 0.6225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.6125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6025% on next $2.50 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5625% on next $4 billion of average
daily net assets; and 0.5425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets.
(3)
Prior to July 1, 2017, the contractual management fee rate was: 0.5325% of average daily net assets to $300 million; 0.5225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.5125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $4 billion of average
daily net assets; and 0.4425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets.
(4)
Prior to July 1, 2016, the contractual management fee rate was: 0.5325% of average daily net assets to $300 million; 0.5225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.5125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.5025% on next $2.50 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.4625% on next $4 billion of average
daily net assets; and 0.4425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets.
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio † |
Fund-of-Funds Segments/Sleeves:
0.72% of average daily net assets Non Fund-of-Funds Segments/Sleeves: 0.71% of average daily net assets to $300 million; 0.70% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.69% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.68% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.64% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
52
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
1.09% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
1.08% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 1.07% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 1.06% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 1.05% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 1.02% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 1.00% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio |
0.74% of average daily net assets up to $300 million;
0.73% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.71% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio |
0.64% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.63% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.61% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.57% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.55% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio |
0.64% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.63% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.61% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.57% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.55% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
53
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026* |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio(formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.74% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.73% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.71% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
54
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio (1) |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio |
0.49% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.48% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.47% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.46% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.45% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.42% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.40% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST High Yield Portfolio |
0.74% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.73% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.71% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.74% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.73% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.71% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST International Growth Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST International Value Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio * |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.63% on next $4.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.61% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
55
56
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio |
0.69% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.68% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.66% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.25 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $750 million of average daily net assets; 0.78% on next $2 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.73% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
1.09% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
1.08% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 1.07% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 1.06% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 1.05% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 1.02% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 1.00% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio |
0.69% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.68% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.66% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
0.74% of average daily net assets up to $300 million;
0.73% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.71% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
57
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | 0.25% of average daily net assets |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.25 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
58
| Management Fee Rates (effective February 25, 2013 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio |
0.79% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.78% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.76% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
0.69% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.68% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.66% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
0.84% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.83% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.81% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.77% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.75% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
*The contractual
investment management fee for each of the, AST Bond Portfolio 2018, AST Bond Portfolio 2019, AST Bond Portfolio 2020, AST Bond Portfolio 2021, AST Bond Portfolio 2022, AST Bond Portfolio 2023, AST Bond Portfolio 2024,
AST Bond Portfolio 2025, AST Bond Portfolio 2026 and AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio is subject to certain breakpoints. The assets of each Portfolio will be aggregated for purposes of determining the fee rate
applicable to each Portfolio.
†
For AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio, the management fee rate applicable to the fund-of-funds segments/sleeves is limited to assets invested in other
portfolios of the Trust. The management fee rate applicable to the non fund-of-funds segments/sleeves excludes assets invested in other portfolios of the Trust. Portfolio assets invested in mutual funds other than the
portfolios of the Trust are included in the management fee rate applicable to the non fund-of-funds segments/sleeves.
| Management Fees Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio | $35,335,869 | $35,224,246 | $46,127,890 |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | 53,916,689 | 50,510,473 | 60,738,244 |
59
| Management Fees Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | 2,031,752 | 1,372,647 | 2,252,707 |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | 13,017,829 | 11,247,945 | 11,662,110 |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | 16,402,807 | 15,476,824 | 16,361,022 |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | 19,347,549 | 17,875,797 | 20,616,616 |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | 15,778,210 | 15,726,982 | 19,631,820 |
| AST Blackrock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | 2,680,190 | 3,063,658 | 4,722,856 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | 619,781 | 616,063 | 797,472 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | 202,049 | 284,194 | 368,507 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | 436,383 | 639,915 | 795,481 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | 713,669 | 1,089,732 | 1,326,818 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | 569,419 | 913,409 | 686,554 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | 146,029 | 144,224 | 481,242 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | 68,847 | -# | 318,203 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | -# | 1,478,500 | 2,244,875 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | 1,250,428 | 800,973 | 377,339 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | 1,474,638 | 478,054 | None |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | -# | None | None |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | 20,411,625 | 18,343,261 | 19,550,700 |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | 9,234,307 | 7,244,350 | 6,232,491 |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio | 4,970,116 | 5,424,619 | 6,827,108 |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM sm Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) | 33,216,617 | 27,761,666 | 29,441,026 |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | 3,407,547 | 3,864,885 | 5,611,530 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 11,219,294 | 10,307,547 | 11,262,301 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | 9,556,112 | 8,698,473 | 6,831,577 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | 18,822,097 | 14,778,517 | 17,812,666 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | 7,289,305 | 6,175,618 | 7,531,385 |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | 2,797,570 | 1,879,540 | -# |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 9,432,897 | 7,140,400 | 9,353,671 |
| AST High Yield Portfolio | 6,878,135 | 7,588,975 | 9,632,029 |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | 18,781,218 | 16,332,631 | 21,140,189 |
| AST International Value Portfolio | 17,681,000 | 15,407,698 | 19,380,186 |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | 15,875,526 | 30,614,254 | 11,501,135 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | 24,468,430 | 21,828,369 | 26,312,866 |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio | 3,034,509 | 2,579,750 | 3,441,086 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio | 20,557,359 | 20,483,410 | 25,556,617 |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | 6,967,185 | 6,178,977 | 8,262,592 |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | 17,367,560 | 15,340,917 | 19,079,019 |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio | 8,478,044 | 6,747,353 | 8,471,975 |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | 5,756,918 | 5,011,439 | 6,029,140 |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | 7,861,944 | 8,105,580 | 10,050,399 |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 8,903,761 | 6,486,262 | 4,627,446 |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio | 43,470,816 | 32,708,922 | 21,172,399 |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | 6,937,871 | 5,863,483 | 7,463,157 |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | 5,350,282 | 4,740,960 | 5,678,033 |
60
| Management Fees Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | 4,253,052 | 3,727,831 | 5,324,827 |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio | 13,878,199 | 15,153,067 | 21,063,777 |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio | 105,460,084 | 66,826,043 | 57,777,451 |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | 10,238,989 | 10,007,303 | 10,834,875 |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio | 15,055,285 | 15,556,403 | 18,565,636 |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio | 5,615,601 | 4,864,770 | 5,524,898 |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | 2,851,121 | 2,351,528 | 1,976,278 |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio | 40,645,849 | 37,872,939 | 39,930,195 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | 5,775,180 | 5,025,123 | 6,474,773 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | 6,033,332 | 5,344,391 | 7,117,773 |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio | 7,424,291 | 6,687,206 | 8,338,326 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio | 91,771,416 | 82,664,332 | 79,625,986 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio | 7,726,527 | 4,889,039 | 3,479,262 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | 14,780,766 | 11,510,965 | 15,098,366 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 6,183,645 | 2,822,829 | 4,801,505 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio | 3,964,397 | 3,382,579 | 4,370,216 |
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio | 2,229,368 | 2,131,298 | 4,217,447 |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | 3,093,050 | 2,709,721 | 3,695,575 |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio | 17,458,074 | 16,540,061 | 19,566,262 |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio | 14,089,226 | 12,107,222 | 14,366,631 |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio | 609,897 | 1,019,863 | 1,174,575 |
# The management fee amount
waived exceeded the management fee that would otherwise have been payable due to an expense cap.
FEE WAIVERS/SUBSIDIES.
PGIM Investments may from time to time waive all or a portion of its management fee and/or subsidize all or a portion of the operating expenses of the Portfolios. Fee waivers and subsidies
will increase a Portfolio's return.
PGIM Investments
has agreed to waive a portion of its management fee and/or limit total expenses (expressed as an annual percentage of average daily net assets) for certain Portfolios of the Trust, as set forth in the table below.
| Fee Waivers & Expense Limitations | |
| Portfolio | Fee Waiver and/or Expense Limitation |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.007% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. In addition, the Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the Portfolio’s investment management fee based on the aggregate assets of each Portfolio of the Trust managed as a fund-of-funds.* The Manager has also voluntarily agreed to reimburse expenses and/or waive fees so that the Portfolio’s “Underlying Fund Fees and Expenses” do not exceed 0.685% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets. For purposes of applying this voluntary expense cap, “Underlying Fund Fees and Expenses” shall not include, and the Manager shall not reimburse expenses or waive fees with respect to taxes, short sale interest and dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, and extraordinary expenses incurred by the relevant Underlying Funds. This waiver is voluntary and may be terminated or modified by the Manager at any time without notice |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.018% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The Manager has also voluntarily agreed to waive the Portfolio’s investment management fee to the extent Portfolio assets are invested in underlying portfolios to gain exposure to small-cap equity securities. This waiver is voluntary and may be modified or terminated by the Manager at any time without notice. |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the Portfolio’s investment management fee based on the aggregate assets of each Portfolio of the Trust managed as a fund-of-funds.* |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.022% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.035% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
61
| Fee Waivers & Expense Limitations | |
| Portfolio | Fee Waiver and/or Expense Limitation |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.057% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
62
| Fee Waivers & Expense Limitations | |
| Portfolio | Fee Waiver and/or Expense Limitation |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.930% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive in all cases of taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.93% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the Portfolio’s investment management fee based on the aggregate assets of each Portfolio of the Trust managed as a fund-of-funds.* |
| AST Clearbridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.012% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio (formerly AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.020% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.013% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.100% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.120% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The Manager has also contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee equal to the management fee of any acquired fund managed or subadvised by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.013% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to limit the advisory fees of the Portfolio such that the 1-day yield (without gain or loss) does not fall below 0.00%. The waiver/reimbursement is voluntary and may be modified or terminated by the Manager at any time without notice. |
63
| Fee Waivers & Expense Limitations | |
| Portfolio | Fee Waiver and/or Expense Limitation |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.011% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.990% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to reimburse expenses and/or waive fees to the extent that the Portfolio’s “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” exceed 0.23% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets. For purposes of applying this voluntary expense cap, “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” shall not include, and the Manager shall not reimburse expenses or waive fees with respect to taxes, short sale interest and dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, distribution fees and extraordinary expenses incurred by the relevant underlying non-affiliated portfolios. This arrangement will be monitored and applied daily based upon the Portfolio’s then-current holdings of the underlying non-affiliated portfolios and the expense ratios of the relevant underlying non-affiliated portfolios as of its most recent fiscal year end. |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.011% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.060% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.014% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.002% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.013% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the Portfolio’s investment management fee based on the aggregate assets of each Portfolio of the Trust managed as a fund-of-funds.* |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive two-thirds of the incremental increase in the net management fee received by the Manager as a result of the underlying voluntary subadviser fee discount. This waiver is voluntary and may be modified or terminated by the Manager at any time without notice. |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | The Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the Portfolio’s investment management fee based on the aggregate assets of each Portfolio of the Trust managed as a fund-of-funds.* |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.004% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.009% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.009% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.036% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.012% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.010% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.055% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.050% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. |
*
Fund of Fund Discounts
: The Manager has agreed to a voluntary fee waiver arrangement that applies across each of the following portfolios: AST
Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio (Fund of Fund sleeve), AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio, AST Managed Equity Portfolio, AST Managed Fixed
Income Portfolio, AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio, and AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio (collectively, the Fund of Funds Portfolios). This voluntary fee waiver arrangement may be terminated by the
Manager at any time. As described below, this voluntary fee waiver will be applied to the effective management fee rates and will be based upon the combined average daily net assets of the Fund of Funds Portfolios.
—Combined assets up to $10 billion: No
fee reduction.
64
—Combined assets between $10 billion
and $25 billion: 1% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $25 billion
and $45 billion: 2.5% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $45 billion
and $65 billion: 5.0% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $65 billion
and $85 billion: 7.5% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $85 billion
and $105 billion: 10.0% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $105 million
and $125 billion: 12.5% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets above $125 billion:
15.0% reduction to effective fee rate.
SUBADVISERS.
The Manager has entered into subadvisory agreements with each of the subadvisers named in the table appearing below. The subadvisory agreements provide that the subadvisers will furnish
investment advisory services in connection with the management of each Portfolio. In connection therewith, each subadviser is obligated to keep certain books and records of the Trust. Under each subadvisory agreement,
each subadviser, subject to the supervision of the Manager, is responsible for managing the assets of a Portfolio in accordance with the Portfolio's investment objectives, investment program and policies. The
subadvisers determine what securities and other instruments are purchased and sold for each Portfolio and are responsible for obtaining and evaluating financial data relevant to the Portfolio. The Manager continues to
have the ultimate responsibility for all investment advisory services pursuant to the Management Agreement and supervise the subadvisers' performance of such services.
Pursuant to each subadvisory
agreement, the Manager pays each subadviser a fee. The tables below set forth the current fee rates and fees paid by the Manager to each subadviser for the three most recent fiscal years. The fee rates represent the
fees as a percentage of average daily net assets.
As discussed in the Prospectus, the
Manager employs each subadviser under a “manager of managers” structure that allows the Manager to replace the subadvisers or amend a subadvisory agreement without seeking shareholder approval. The Manager
is authorized to select (with approval of the Board's independent trustees) one or more subadvisers to handle the actual day-to-day investment management of each Portfolio. The Manager monitors each subadviser's
performance through quantitative and qualitative analysis and periodically report to the Board as to whether each subadviser's agreement should be renewed, terminated or modified. It is possible that the Manager will
continue to be satisfied with the performance record of the existing subadvisers and not recommend any additional subadvisers. The Manager is also responsible for allocating assets among the subadvisers if a Portfolio
has more than one subadviser. In those circumstances, the allocation for each subadviser can range from 0% to 100% of the Portfolio's assets, and the Manager can change the allocations without Board or shareholder
approval. The Manager will review the allocations periodically and may adjust them without prior notice. The annual update to the Trust's prospectus will reflect these adjustments. Shareholders will be notified of any
new subadvisers or materially amended subadvisory agreements.
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO) |
0.25% of average daily net assets
(Applies to Inflation-Indexed Securities investment category) |
| PIMCO |
0.25% of average daily net assets
( Applies to International Fixed income (Hedged) investment category) |
|
| Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Limited |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.20% of average daily net assets over $100 million (Applies to Emerging Markets Fixed Income investment category) |
|
| Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Limited |
0.60% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.40% of average daily net assets over $100 million (Applies to Macro Opportunities investment category) |
|
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA) |
0.075% of average daily net assets of entire Portfolio
(Applies only to overall asset allocation and direct management of Overlay investment strategy) |
|
| QMA | 1.00% of average daily net assets attributable to Long/Short Market Neutral investment category | |
| Jennison Associates LLC (Jennison) |
0.60% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.55% of average daily net assets over $100 million (Applies only to assets attributable to Global Infrastructure investment category) |
65
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| CoreCommodity Management, LLC |
0.60% of average daily net assets to $750 million;
0.55% of average daily net assets from $750 million to $1 billion; 0.50% of average daily net assets over $1 billion (Applies only to assets attributable to Commodities investment category) |
|
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (Morgan Stanley) |
0.55% of average daily net assets to $50 million;
0.525% of average daily net assets over $50 million to $200 million; 0.50% of average daily net assets over $200 million. |
|
| AlphaSimplex Group, LLC |
0.80% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.65% of average daily net assets over $100 million |
|
| First Quadrant, L.P. |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.55% of average daily net assets from $100 million to $200 million; 0.50% of average daily net assets over $200 million |
|
| AQR Capital Management, LLC (AQR) | 0.80% of average daily net assets | |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | Brown Advisory, LLC |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.25% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $1 billion (domestic large cap growth category) |
| Loomis Sayles & Company, L.P. (Loomis Sayles) |
0.25% of average daily net assets
(domestic large cap growth category) |
|
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. |
Sleeve average daily net assets up to $100 million:
0.50% of average daily net assets to $50 million; 0.45% of average daily net assets over $50 million to $100 million When Sleeve average daily net assets exceed $100 million: 0.40% on all assets When Sleeve average daily net assets exceed $200 million: 0.35% on all assets When Sleeve average daily net assets exceed $500 million : 0.325% on all assets up to $500 million; 0.30% over $500 million to $1 billion When Sleeve average daily net assets exceed $1 billion : 0.30% on all assets When Sleeve average daily net assets exceed $1.5 billion : 0.275% on all assets |
|
| William Blair Investment Management, LLC (William Blair) |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.25% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $1 billion (international growth category) |
|
| LSV Asset Management (LSV) |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $150 million;
0.425% of average daily net assets over $150 million to $300 million; 0.40% of average daily net assets from $300 million to $450 million; 0.375% of average daily net assets over $450 million to $750 million; 0.35% of average daily net assets over $750 million (international value category) |
|
| PIMCO |
0.25% of average daily net assets
(hedged international bond category) |
|
| PIMCO |
0.49% of average daily net assets
(Advanced Strategies I) |
|
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA) |
0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to the
Advanced Strategies II investment strategy |
|
| QMA |
0.025% of the average daily net assets of the entire Portfolio
(Applies only to Additional Services) |
|
| PGIM Fixed Income † |
0.20% of sleeve average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.18% of sleeve average daily net assets from $500 million to $2 billion; 0.16% of sleeve average daily net assets over $2 billion (US fixed income category) |
|
| PGIM Fixed Income |
0.025% of the average daily net assets of the entire Portfolio
(Applies only to Additional Services) |
66
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| Jennison |
0.025% of the average daily net assets of the entire Portfolio
(Applies only to Additional Services) |
|
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | AQR Capital Management, LLC (AQR) |
0.50% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.45% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets over $250 million to $500 million; 0.40% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets over $500 million |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | AQR |
0.17% of average daily net assets to $1 billion;
0.15% of average daily net assets from $1 billion to $2 billion; 0.13% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | QMA |
0.15% of average daily net assets for “management services” for the liquidity sleeve of the
Portfolio and
0.04% of average daily net assets for “additional services” |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. (BlackRock Financial); BlackRock International Limited (BlackRock International) |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.42% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.38% of average daily net assets over $1 billion to $2 billion; 0.30% of average daily net assets over $2 billion to $3 billion; 0.275% of average daily net assets over $3 billion to $4 billion; 0.25% of average daily net assets over $4 billion |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | BlackRock Financial; BlackRock International; BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (BlackRock Singapore) |
0.22% on aggregate assets up to and including $500 million;
0.20% on aggregate assets from $500 million to $1 billion; 0.18% on aggregate assets from $1 billion to $1.5 billion; 0.14% on aggregate assets over $1.5 billion |
| Loomis Sayles |
0.23% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.18% of average daily net assets over $100 million to $500 million; 0.17% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $3.3 billion; 0.15% of average daily net assets over $3.3 billion |
|
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | BlackRock Financial |
0.20% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.15% of average daily net assets over $250 million |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
67
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | QMA |
0.15% of average daily net assets for “management services” for the liquidity sleeve of the
Portfolio and
0.04% of average daily net assets for “additional services” |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | ClearBridge Investments, LLC |
0.25% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.20% of average daily net assets over $250 million to $500 million; 0.18% of average daily net assets over $500 million |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio | Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $350 million;
0.25% of average daily net assets over $350 million |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) | FIAM LLC |
0.23% of average daily net assets to $1 billion;
0.20% of average daily net assets over $1 billion to $3 billion; 0.18% of average daily net assets over $3 billion to $5 billion; 0.15% of average daily net assets over $5 billion |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | PGIM Real Estate |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $50 million;
0.40% of average daily net assets over $50 million to $150 million; 0.35% of average daily net assets over $150 million |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (GSAM) |
0.25% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.23% of average daily net assets over $250 million to $750 million; 0.21% over $750 million |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | GSAM |
0.28% of average daily net assets to $1 billion;
0.25% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | GSAM |
0.24% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.23% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.22% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.21% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.20% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.17% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.14% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | GSAM | 0.50% of average daily net assets |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.06% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.05% of average daily net assets above $500 million to $1 billion; 0.03% of average daily net assets above $1 billion to $2.5 billion; 0.02% of average daily net assets over $2.5 billion |
| AST High Yield Portfolio | J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. (JPMorgan) |
Sleeve average daily net assets up to $1 billion:
0.27% of average daily net assets When Sleeve average daily net assets exceed $1 billion: 0.25% on all assets |
| PGIM Fixed Income † | 0.25% of average daily net assets | |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio | Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, LLC | 0.30% of average daily net assets |
68
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | William Blair |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.25% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
| Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC |
0.375% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.325% of average daily net assets from $500 million to $1.5 billion; 0.300% of average daily net assets over $1.5 billion |
|
| Jennison |
0.375% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.325% of average daily net assets from $500 million to $1 billion; 0.30% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
|
| AST International Value Portfolio | LSV |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $150 million;
0.425% of average daily net assets over $150 million to $300 million; 0.40% of average daily net assets from $300 million to $450 million; 0.375% of average daily net assets over $450 million to $750 million; 0.35% of average daily net assets over $750 million |
| Lazard Asset Management LLC |
0.35% of average daily net assets on first $300 million;
0.30% of average daily net assets over $300 million |
|
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | JPMorgan |
0.35% of average daily net assets to $600 million;
0.32% of average daily net assets over $600 million |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio | JPMorgan |
0.35% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.33% of average daily net assets over $250 million but not exceeding $500 million; 0.30% of average daily net assets over $500 million |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio | JPMorgan |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $3,000 million;
0.35% of average daily net assets on the next $3,000 million; 0.30% of average daily net assets over $6,000 million |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | Jennison |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $1 billion;
0.25% of average daily net assets from $1 billion to $1.5 billion; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $1.5 billion |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | Loomis Sayles | 0.25% of average daily net assets |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio | Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC |
0.17% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.15% of average daily net assets over $250 million but not exceeding $1 billion; 0.13% of average daily net assets over $1 billion but not exceeding $2 billion; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | Massachusetts Financial Services Company (MFS) | 0.425% of average daily net assets |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | MFS |
0.30% of average daily net assets up to $500 million;
0.285% of the next $500 million; 0.270% of the next $500 million; 0.225% of combined average daily net assets over $1.5 billion |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio | MFS |
0.35% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.30% of average daily net assets over $100 million to $500 million; 0.275% of average daily net assets over $500 million |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $2 billion; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
69
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | Neuberger Berman |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $1 billion;
0.35% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
| LSV |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.35% of average daily net assets over $250 million |
|
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | Epoch Investment Partners, Inc. (Epoch) |
0.275% of average daily net assets to $1 billion;
0.20% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
| Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (Affinity) |
0.25% of average daily net assets to $75 million;
0.225% of average daily net assets over $75 million to $150 million; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $150 million to $250 million; 0.19% of average daily net assets over $250 million |
|
| EARNEST Partners, LLC (EARNEST) | 0.45% of average daily net assets | |
| Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC (TSW) |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.350% of average daily net assets over $500 million |
|
| C.S. McKee, LP (C.S. McKee) |
0.20% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.15% of average daily net assets over $100 million to $200 million; 0.10% of average daily net assets over $200 million |
|
| Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC (Parametric) | 0.10% of average daily net assets | |
| Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC (Longfellow) |
0.20% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.18% of average daily net assets over $100 million to $200 million; 0.16% of average daily net assets over $200 million |
|
| Boston Advisors, LLC (Boston) |
0.325% of average daily net assets to $50 million;
0.225% of average daily net assets over $50 million to $100 million; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $100 million to $250 million; 0.185% of average daily net assets over $250 million |
|
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | Parametric |
0.50% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.45% of average daily net assets from $250 million to $500 million; 0.40% of average daily net assets over $500 million |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | QMA |
0.15% of average daily net assets for “management services” for the liquidity sleeve of the
Portfolio and
0.04% of average daily net assets for “additional services” |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income † |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio | QMA |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.25% of average daily net assets over $250 million to $500 million; 0.22% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $750 million; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $750 million |
| PGIM Fixed Income † |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.14% of the next $500 million; 0.12% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
|
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio | QMA |
0.15% of average daily net assets to $1.5 billion;
0.14% of average daily net assets over $1.5 billion |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio | QMA |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.40% of average daily net assets over $250 million |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | QMA | 0.06% of average daily net assets |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio | Allianz Global Investors US LLC |
0.35% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.30% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.26% of average daily net assets over $1 billion |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | UBS Asset Management (Americas) Inc. | 0.40% of average daily net assets |
70
71
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | WEDGE Capital Management, LLP (WEDGE) |
0.75% of average daily net assets to $10 million;
0.65% of average daily net assets over $10 million to $25 million; 0.50% of average daily net assets over $25 million to $100 million; 0.40% of average daily net assets over $100 million to $150 million; 0.30% of average daily net assets over $150 million to $400 million; 0.20% of average daily net assets over $400 million |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio | Wellington Management Company LLP (Wellington Management) |
0.375% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.35% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $1 billion; 0.325% of average daily net assets over $1 billion to $2 billion; 0.30% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio | Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Limited |
0.225% of average daily net assets on the first $300 million;
0.150% of average daily net assets to $2 billion; 0.100% of average daily net assets on amounts over $2 billion |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio | Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Limited |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.20% of average daily net assets over $100 million |
†
PGIM Limited, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio pursuant to a sub-subadvisory agreement with PGIM. PGIM Limited provides
investment advisory services with respect to securities in certain foreign markets. The fee for PGIM Limited’s services is paid by PGIM, not the Portfolio or the
Manager.
Aggregation Notes to Subadviser Fee Rate Table:
* For
purposes of calculating the fee payable to certain subadvisers, the assets managed by the subadviser will be aggregated with one or more other Portfolios. Each aggregation arrangement is set out below:
BlackRock Financial and BlackRock
International:
For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee, the assets managed by BlackRock International in the AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by
BlackRock Financial in the AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio. The subadvisory fee will be paid to BlackRock Financial.
Brown Advisory, LLC
(Brown):
For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to Brown, the assets managed by Brown in the following will be aggregated: (i) AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio; (ii) the Prudential
Series Fund (PSF) Global Portfolio; (iii) other future large-cap growth accounts under which Brown provides substantially similar advisory or subadvisory services and which PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS, as
applicable, mutually agree in writing, may be included in determining the level of average daily net assets for purposes of the fee calculation.
Jennison Associates LLC
(Jennison):
For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to Jennison, the assets managed by Jennison in the AST International Growth Portfolio of the Advanced Series Trust will be
aggregated with the assets managed by Jennison in the SP International Growth Portfolio of The Prudential Series Fund and any other portfolio subadvised by Jennison on behalf of PGIM Investments or ASTIS pursuant to
substantially the same investment strategy.
In addition, for purposes of calculating
the subadvisory fee payable to Jennison, the assets managed by Jennison in the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by Jennison in the AST Jennison Global
Infrastructure Portfolio and any other portfolio subadvised by Jennison on behalf of PGIM Investments or ASTIS pursuant to substantially the same investment strategy.
J.P.
Morgan:
J.P. Morgan has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement that will apply across each of the portfolios or sleeves of portfolios managed by J.P. Morgan. This voluntary fee
waiver arrangement may be terminated by J.P. Morgan at any time. The dollar amount of the voluntary waivers will be calculated and provided by J.P. Morgan. This voluntary fee waiver will be directly reimbursed to
respective J.P. Morgan portfolios.
LSV:
For purposes of calculating the advisory fee payable to LSV, the assets managed by LSV in the AST International Value Portfolio of the Trust will be aggregated with the assets managed by
LSV in: (i) the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio of Advanced Series Trust; (ii) the Global Portfolio of PSF;
(iii) and any other portfolio subadvised by LSV on behalf of AST and/or PGIM Investments pursuant to substantially the same investment strategy.
Lazard:
For purposes of the subadvisory fee calculation, the assets managed by Lazard in the AST International Value Portfolio will be aggregated with: assets in any other retail and insurance
funds/portfolios that are subadvised by Lazard, managed by PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS, and have substantially the same international investment strategy ; and assets of certain insurance company separate accounts
managed by Lazard for the Retirement business of Prudential and its affiliates according to Lazard’s international equity and international equity select
strategies.
PGIM Fixed Income:
The assets of the AST Government Money Market Portfolio and the assets of the
Government Money Market Portfolio of PSF will be aggregated.
The
combined average daily net assets of the AST Bond Portfolio 2018, AST Bond Portfolio 2019, AST Bond Portfolio 2020, AST Bond Portfolio 2021, AST Bond Portfolio 2022, AST Bond Portfolio 2023, AST Bond Portfolio 2024,
AST Bond Portfolio 2025, AST Bond Portfolio 2026, AST Bond Portfolio 2027, AST Bond Portfolio 2028 , AST Bond Portfolio 2029 and the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio will include the assets of future portfolios of
the Trust that are subadvised by PGIM Fixed Income pursuant to target maturity or constant duration investment strategies that are used in connection with non-discretionary asset transfers under certain living benefit
programs.
The assets managed by PGIM Fixed Income in
the AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by PGIM Fixed Income in the AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio for purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to PGIM
Fixed Income for these portfolios.
T. Rowe
Price Associates, Inc. (T. Rowe Price):
For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to T.
Rowe Price, the large cap value strategy assets managed by T. Rowe Price will be aggregated with the large cap value strategy assets managed by T. Rowe Price for all other Prudential
entities, including the assets of certain insurance company separate accounts managed by T. Rowe Price for the Retirement business of Prudential and its affiliates.
WEDGE:
The assets of the AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio are aggregated with the assets of certain insurance company separate accounts managed by WEDGE or its affiliates for the
Retirement business of Prudential and its affiliates (Other Accounts) to determine the fees payable to WEDGE or its affiliates for the Other Accounts.
The assets of the Other Accounts are not aggregated with the assets of the AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio to determine the fees paid to WEDGE for the AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap
Value
Portfolio.
Western Asset Management Company (Western
Asset) and Western Asset Management Company Limited (WAML):
For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to Western Asset with respect to the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio, the assets managed by Western Asset in the AST
Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by WAML in the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio. For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to WAML with respect
to the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio, the assets managed by WAML in the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by Western Asset in the AST Western Asset Core
Plus Bond Portfolio. For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to Western Asset with respect to the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio, the assets managed by Western Asset in the AST
Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by WAML in the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio.
72
For purposes of calculating the
subadvisory fee payable to WAML with respect to the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio, the assets managed by WAML in the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio will be aggregated with the
assets managed by Western Asset in the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio. The assets of the AST Western Asset Core Bond Portfolio are aggregated with the assets of certain insurance company separate
accounts managed by Western Asset, WAML or their affiliates for the Retirement business of Prudential and its affiliates (Other Accounts) to determine the fees payable to Western Asset, WAML or their affiliates for
the Other Accounts. The assets of the Other Accounts are not aggregated with the assets of the AST Western Asset Core Bond Portfolio to determine the fees paid to Western Asset and WAML for the AST Western Asset
Core Bond Portfolio.
William
Blair:
The assets in the Advanced Strategies Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets managed by William Blair in the Global Portfolio of the Prudential Series Fund (PSF), in the SP
International Growth Portfolio of PSF, the AST International Growth Portfolio and in any other portfolio subadvised by William Blair on behalf of the Manager, pursuant to substantially the same investment
strategy.
Notes to Subadviser Fee Rate Table:
Notes to Subadviser Fee Rate Table:
AQR:
AQR has agreed to implementation of a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement (the “AQR Waiver”) that applies to the assets of the AQR Large-Cap Portfolio whereby AQR
will voluntarily waive 0.01% of the subadvisory fee on assets of the AQR Large-Cap Portfolio.
Franklin Advisers/Franklin Mutual/Templeton
Global (“Franklin Adviser Subadvisers”):
The Franklin Adviser Subadvisers have agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement, as follows: With respect to all existing and future Portfolios for which the Franklin
Adviser Subadvisers provide subadvisory services, the subadvisory fee rates would be discounted according to the following schedule:
—Combined assets up to $500 million: No discount.
—Combined assets up to $500 million: No discount.
—Combined assets of $500 million up to
$1 billion: 2.5% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
—Combined assets of $1 billion to $1.5
billion: 5.0% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
—Combined assets of $1.5 billion to
$2.5 billion: 7.5% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
—Combined assets of $2.5 billion and
above: 10.0% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
Note: The overall reduction/discount in the actual subadvisory fees is limited to $1.5 million per calendar year.
Note: The overall reduction/discount in the actual subadvisory fees is limited to $1.5 million per calendar year.
GSAM:
GSAM has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement that will apply across each of the portfolios or sleeves of portfolios subadvised by GSAM that are managed by the Manager.
The waiver is based on the following percentages based on the combined average daily net assets of each of the portfolios or sleeves of
portfolios subadvised by GSAM:
—Combined assets up to $1 billion: 2.5% fee reduction
—Combined assets between $1 billion and $2.5 billion: 5.0% fee reduction
—Combined assets between $2.5 billion and $5.0 billion: 7.5% fee reduction
—Combined assets above $5.0 billion: 10.0% fee reduction
—Combined assets up to $1 billion: 2.5% fee reduction
—Combined assets between $1 billion and $2.5 billion: 5.0% fee reduction
—Combined assets between $2.5 billion and $5.0 billion: 7.5% fee reduction
—Combined assets above $5.0 billion: 10.0% fee reduction
Neuberger Berman:
Neuberger Berman has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement that will apply across each of the portfolios or sleeves of portfolios managed by Neuberger Berman (AST
Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio, and the sleeves of the AST International Growth Portfolio and the PSF SP International Growth Portfolio (collectively, the Neuberger Berman Portfolios). This voluntary fee
waiver arrangement may be terminated by Neuberger Berman at any time. As described below, this voluntary group fee waiver will be applied to the effective subadvisory fees paid by ASTIS and/or PGIM Investments to
Neuberger Berman and will be based upon the combined average daily net assets of the Neuberger Berman Portfolios. The investment management fees paid by each Neuberger Berman Portfolio will remain unchanged.
—Combined assets up to $750 million:
No fee reduction.
—Combined assets between $750 million and $1.5 billion: 5% reduction to effective subadvisory fee.
—Combined assets between $1.5 billion and $3 billion: 7.5% reduction to effective subadvisory fee.
—Combined assets above $3 billion: 10% reduction to effective subadvisory fee.
—Combined assets between $750 million and $1.5 billion: 5% reduction to effective subadvisory fee.
—Combined assets between $1.5 billion and $3 billion: 7.5% reduction to effective subadvisory fee.
—Combined assets above $3 billion: 10% reduction to effective subadvisory fee.
QMA:
The Manager will pay QMA a fee for providing additional advisory services to the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio and the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio, including but
not limited to asset allocation advice (Additional Services).
In addition, QMA has agreed to a
voluntary subadvisory fee waiver agreement (the QMA Waiver) that applies to the following AST Portfolios subadvised by QMA: AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio (market neutral sleeve), AST Prudential
Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio (130/30 sleeve and market neutral sleeve), AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio (QMA sleeve), AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio, AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio and AST
QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the Six Portfolios).
The QMA Waiver discounts QMA’s
combined annualized subadvisory fees that it receives with respect to the assets it manages in the Six Portfolios. The size of the fee discount varies depending on the amount of such combined annual subadvisory
fees.
T. Rowe Price:
T. Rowe Price has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement for the following Portfolios:
—Advanced Series Trust AST Advanced
Strategies Portfolio
| — | Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| — | Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
| — | Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| — | Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| — | Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| — | Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio |
73
—The
Prudential Series Fund Global Portfolio
T. Rowe Price has agreed to reduce the
monthly subadvisory fee for each Portfolio listed above (or the portion thereof subadvised by T. Rowe Price) by the following percentages based on the combined average daily net assets of the listed Portfolios (or the
portion thereof subadvised by T. Rowe Price) and the assets of certain insurance company separate accounts managed by T. Rowe Price for the Retirement business of Prudential and its affiliates (the “other
accounts”):
Combined Average Daily Net Assets up to $20 billion:
Combined Average Daily Net Assets up to $20 billion:
—2.5% fee reduction on combined assets
up to $1 billion
—5.0% fee reduction on
combined assets on the next $1.5 billion
—7.5% fee reduction on combined assets
on the next $2.5 billion
—10.0% fee reduction on combined
assets on the next $5.0 billion
—12.5% fee reduction on
combined assets above $10.0 billion
Combined Average Daily Net Assets above $20 billion:
—12.5% fee reduction on all assets
| Subadvisory Fees Paid by PGIM Investments | ||||
| Portfolio | Subadviser | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST Academic Strategies Portfolio | PIMCO (Applies to Inflation-Indexed Securities assets only) | 741,796 | $469,456 | $417,089 |
| PIMCO (Applies to International Fixed income (Hedged) assets only) | 811,813 | 878,024 | 953,833 | |
|
Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Ltd.
(Applies to Emerging Markets Fixed Income assets only) |
540,079 | 558,756 | 693,793 | |
| Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Ltd. (Applies to Macro Opportunities sleeve assets only) | 852,854 | 773,062 | 768,444 | |
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Inc. | $543,743 | N/A | N/A | |
| CoreCommodity Management, LLC | 557,312 | 1,069,668 | 1,151,403 | |
| QMA (For overall asset allocation and direct management of Overlay investment strategy) | 4,225,914 | 4,157,652 | 5,114,830 | |
| QMA (Fee applies only to assets attributable to Long/Short Market Neutral investment category) | 936,415 | 927,680 | 866,096 | |
| Jennison | 1,690,337 | 1,436,755 | 1,817,509 | |
| J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. (JPMorgan) | 28,659 | 637,917 | 666,075 | |
| AlphaSimplex Group | 626,481 | 755,550 | 761,477 | |
| First Quadrant, L.P . (Global Macro Segment only) | 23,631 | 572,751 | 951,119 | |
| First Quadrant, L.P. (Currency Segment only) | 1,078,845 | 1,064,645 | 962,186 | |
| AQR Capital Management, LLC | 1,079,207 | 1,034,886 | 1,691,902 | |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | Brown Advisory, LLC | 1,591,534 | 1,613,614 | 1,994,498 |
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 3,530,519 | 3,521,435 | 3,913,313 | |
| William Blair | 1,914,657 | 1,708,709 | 1,964,072 | |
| Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | 2,143,424 | 1,805,015 | 1,830,051 | |
| LSV | 2,950,346 | 2,558,165 | 2,923,359 | |
| QMA | 5,536,011 | 5,083,716 | 5,505,600 | |
| PGIM Fixed Income (US Fixed Income Sleeve)*** | 2,002,385 | 1,997,915 | 1,929,692 | |
| PIMCO (US Fixed Income Sleeve)* | N/A | N/A | 12,323 | |
| PIMCO (Hedged International Bond Sleeve) | 2,647,314 | 2,650,195 | 2,579,298 | |
| PIMCO (Advanced Strategies I) | 3,579,667 | 3,374,245 | 3,441,641 | |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | AQR Capital Management, LLC | 1,089,411 | 736,004 | 1,102,841 |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | AQR Capital Management, LLC | 3,925,237 | 4,024,792 | 4,197,999 |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | QMA | 5,627,969 | 5,215,323 | 5,531,866 |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | BlackRock Financial, BlackRock International | 9,948,766 | 9,096,166 | 9,479,421 |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | PIMCO* | N/A | N/A | 50,942 |
| BlackRock Financial, BlackRock International, BlackRock Singapore | 4,050,977 | 4,024,165 | 3,635,844 | |
| Loomis Sayles | 2,655,890 | 2,667,075 | 3,410,485 | |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | PIMCO* | N/A | N/A | 1,206,860 |
| BlackRock Financial | 1,086,846 | 1,228,585 | 690,742 |
74
| Subadvisory Fees Paid by PGIM Investments | ||||
| Portfolio | Subadviser | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | PGIM Fixed Income | 169,957 | 165,499 | 191,866 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | PGIM Fixed Income | 66,859 | 81,535 | 89,879 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | PGIM Fixed Income | 119,205 | 171,722 | 192,904 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | PGIM Fixed Income | 195,000 | 292,485 | 322,440 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | PGIM Fixed Income | 155,524 | 245,166 | 171,226 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | PGIM Fixed Income | 57,487 | 54,710 | 120,872 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | PGIM Fixed Income | 40,148 | 14,003 | 87,450 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | PGIM Fixed Income | 25,084 | 395,392 | 562,225 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | PGIM Fixed Income | 341,836 | 215,828 | 100,522 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | PGIM Fixed Income | 403,164 | 129,316 | N/A |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | PGIM Fixed Income | 9,424 | N/A | N/A |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | QMA | 7,247,364 | 6,434,249 | 6,856,504 |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | ClearBridge Investments, LLC | 3,348,847 | 2,801,085 | 2,095,276 |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio | Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. | 1,810,451 | 1,974,535 | 2,218,686 |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM sm Quantitative Portfolio | FIAM LLC | 11,065,387 | 10,360,178 | 9,869,527 |
| AST Global Real Estate | PGIM Real Estate | 1,537,254 | 1,731,866 | 2,260,220 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | GSAM | 4,165,785 | 3,793,363 | 3,636,810 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | GSAM | 3,369,981 | 3,112,940 | 2,170,851 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | GSAM | 5,957,420 | 4,932,479 | 5,433,167 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | GSAM | 4,459,212 | 3,885,866 | 4,312,071 |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income | 425,760 | 475,631 | 473,015 |
| AST High Yield Portfolio | JPMorgan | 1,248,160 | 1,412,784 | 1,605,510 |
| PGIM Fixed Income*** | 1,878,375 | 2,055,656 | 2,258,975 | |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio | Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, LLC | 5,037,772 | 3,792,977 | 4,364,552 |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | William Blair | 1,887,405 | 1,616,516 | 1,675,837 |
| Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | 2,639,672 | 2,198,599 | 2,476,828 | |
| Jennison | 2,910,772 | 2,806,274 | 3,505,513 | |
| AST International Value Portfolio | LSV | 4,933,453 | 4,182,509 | 4,751,394 |
| Lazard | 2,577,070 | 2,367,990 | 2,699,187 | |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income | 4,335,824 | 8,171,479 | 2,914,684 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | JPMorgan | 10,436,345 | 9,396,582 | 10,231,687 |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio | JPMorgan | 1,466,407 | 1,245,974 | 1,493,787 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio | JPMorgan | 10,199,377 | 10,273,359 | 11,907,124 |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | Jennison | 2,909,191 | 2,572,591 | 3,111,124 |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | 6,697,494 | 5,908,917 | 6,531,658 |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio | Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC | 2,592,534 | 2,808,825 | 2,967,171 |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | MFS | 2,969,465 | 2,579,523 | 2,832,286 |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | MFS | 3,429,753 | 3,516,888 | 3,810,133 |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio | MFS | 3,862,217 | 2,843,348 | 1,859,307 |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income | 11,137,347 | 8,345,072 | 4,877,781 |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | Neuberger Berman | 1,433,746 | 1,216,019 | 1,374,708 |
| LSV | 2,238,065 | 1,905,004 | 2,130,204 | |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | Epoch | 355,924 | 370,859 | 350,884 |
| Security Investors, LLC * | N/A | 15,031 | 303,236 | |
| EARNEST | 169,224 | 147,683 | 201,909 |
75
| Subadvisory Fees Paid by PGIM Investments | ||||
| Portfolio | Subadviser | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| TSW | 442,678 | 390,992 | 370,153 | |
| C.S. McKee | 173,596 | 155,737 | 192,442 | |
| Parametric | 78,065 | 64,612 | 74,161 | |
| Vision * | N/A | 20,124 | 29,504 | |
| Longfellow | 254,801 | 230,372 | 218,074 | |
| Affinity | 345,912 | 259,631 | N/A | |
| Boston | 258,561 | 205,069 | N/A | |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | Parametric | 2,185,025 | 1,928,820 | 2,474,332 |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | QMA | 3,354,246 | 3,220,194 | 3,522,646 |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income*** | 3,642,404 | 4,010,356 | 4,786,988 |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income*** | 5,449,691 | 3,558,656 | 2,230,825 |
| QMA | 22,258,898 | 13,580,375 | 11,101,529 | |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio | QMA | 3,423,543 | 3,534,282 | 3,681,054 |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio | QMA | 2,422,686 | 2,108,492 | 2,180,649 |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | QMA | 692,495 | 567,781 | 474,307 |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio | Allianz Global Investors US LLC | 14,714,809 | 13,834,417 | 13,165,689 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | Eagle Asset Management, Inc.* | N/A | 466,629 | 1,782,775 |
| Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust | 1,662,431 | 1,392,963 | 1,541,993 | |
| UBS Securities | 1,605,997 | 993,867 | N/A | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | Victory Capital Management Inc. | 1,493,046 | 1,329,418 | 1,607,672 |
| Wellington Management Company LLP | 2,189,484 | 1,963,079 | 2,289,022 | |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio | JPMorgan | 2,514,253 | 2,246,054 | 2,209,842 |
| LMCG Investments, LLC | 1,610,865 | 1,473,353 | 1,387,185 | |
| ClearBridge Investments LLC* | N/A | N/A | 571,446 | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 34,144,120 | 31,579,658 | 27,338,403 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
T. Rowe Price International, Ltd. T. Rowe Price Hong Kong, Limited T. Rowe Price Japan, Inc. |
3,340,282 | 2,166,198 | 1,408,788 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 6,248,183 | 5,253,441 | 6,402,295 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio | Herndon Capital Management, LLC* | N/A | 838,285 | 1,629,054 |
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 2,662,754 | 382,950 | N/A | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 2,435,851 | 2,174,783 | 2,538,324 |
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio | Franklin Advisers, Inc. | 1,280,930 | 1,228,941 | 1,877,651 |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | EARNEST Partners LLC* | N/A | N/A | 326,391 |
| WEDGE Capital Management, LLP | 1,500,923 | 1,351,816 | 1,344,712 | |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio | Wellington Management Company LLP | 9,018,863 | 8,667,009 | 9,301,836 |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio | Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Ltd. | 4,211,230 | 4,341,678 | 4,932,328 |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio | Western Asset Management Company—Western Asset Management Company Ltd. | 385,706 | 522,487 | 527,590 |
* No longer a subadviser to
the Portfolio.
** Federated Global Investment Management
Corp. serves as sub-subadviser pursuant to a subadvisory agreement. Federated Advisory Services Company, an affiliate of Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania and Federated Global Investment Management
Corp., provides research, quantitative analysis, equity trading and transaction settlement and certain support services. The fee for Federated Advisory Service Company’s services is not paid by the Trust.
*** PGIM Limited, an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio pursuant to a sub-subadvisory agreement with PGIM. PGIM Limited provides investment advisory services with respect to securities in certain
foreign markets. The fee for PGIM Limited’s services is paid by PGIM, not the Portfolio or the Manager.
****
Amounts shown for periods prior to July 29, 2016 were paid to RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by Victory
Capital Management Inc. on that date.
76
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS: OTHER
ACCOUNTS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
—
Other Accounts and Portfolio Ownership.
The following tables set forth information about each Portfolio and accounts other than the Portfolio for which each Portfolio's portfolio managers (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily
responsible for day-to-day portfolio management as of the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year. The table shows, for each portfolio manager, the number of accounts managed and the total assets in such accounts,
within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts whose fees are
based on performance is indicated in italics typeface. The tables also set forth the dollar range of equity securities of each Portfolio of the Trust beneficially owned by the Portfolio Managers as of the Trust's most
recently completed fiscal year.
77
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$42,082,322,197 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$42,082,322,197 | None | None | None | |
| Brown Advisory, LLC | Kenneth M. Stuzin, CFA | 5 / $6,162,819,060 | 2 / $658,913,478 |
532 / $4,761,877,079
4 / $427,126,646 |
None |
| Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | Aziz Hamzaogullari, CFA | 17/$19,869,135,748 |
12/$4,308,379,043
1/$667,377,130 |
110/$18,870,054,645 | None |
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc | Mark S. Finn, CFA, CPA | 8/$43,453,531,744 | 10/$15,783,825,796 | 29/$6,117,998,734 | None |
| John D. Linehan, CFA | 16/$42,625,863,929 | 11/$12,496,729,765 | 31/$6,522,287,848 | None | |
| Heather K. McPherson | 5/$11,638,043,613 | 6/$2,090,047,122 | 24/$4,775,458,335 | None | |
| William Blair Investment Management, LLC | Simon Fennell | 11/$9,208,271,607 | 19/$4,012,706,271 | 48/$11,402,009,480 | None |
| Kenneth J. McAtamney | 11/$8,816,634,266 | 20/$3,531,808,328 | 45/$11,805,472,763 | None | |
| LSV Asset Management | Josef Lakonishok | 36/$20,292,388,588 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None |
| Menno Vermeulen, CFA | 36/$20,292,388,588 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Puneet Mansharamani, CFA | 36/$20,292,388,588 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Greg Sleight | 36/$20,292,388,588 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Guy Lakonishok, CFA | 36/$20,292,388,588 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | 39/$76,522,754,941 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 21/$1,666,417,030 | None |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$76,053,391,937 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | 38/$76,053,391,937 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| PGIM Fixed Income/PGIM Limited | Michael J. Collins, CFA | 17/$54,602,774,942 | 9/$10,949,057,213 | 34/$19,773,811,735 | None |
| Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,012,937,548 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None | |
| Gregory Peters | 14/$53,549,012,925 | 12/$12,859,963,691 | 43/$23,611,506,155 | None | |
| Robert Tipp, CFA | 26/$41,799,738,393 |
18/$1,616,560,332
1/$850,488 |
90/$23,237,317,072 | None | |
78
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| AQR Capital Management, LLC | Cliff Asness | 36 / $24,346,132,946 |
51 / $32,752,299,871
42 / $25,985,367,597 |
75 / $41,415,215,808
26 / $12,033,155,705 |
None |
| John Liew | 21 / $18,854,105,165 |
39 / $26,318,010,239
33 / $19,281,918,386 |
31 / $17,317,591,386
10 / $6,406,481,970 |
None | |
| Jacques Friedman | 52 / $33,379,472,238 |
51 / $28,372,387,844
39 / $22,438,412,373 |
118 / $68,600,460,123
38 / $19,066,859,886 |
None | |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$39,915,832,584 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$39,915,832,584 | None | None | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | 39/$74,353,547,448 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 21/$1,666,417,030 | None |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$73,884,184,444 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | 38/$73,884,184,444 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
79
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Manager |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| BlackRock, Financial Management, Inc. | Thomas Musmanno, CFA | 11/$11.71 billion | 10/$4.91 billion |
152/$53.13 billion
1/$532.9 million |
None |
| Scott MacLellan, CFA | 9/$11.31 billion | 11/$5.06 billion |
153/$59.17 billion
2/$821.6 million |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,891,255,125 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,725,843,343 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$12,925,604,349 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,700,226,998 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,972,323,117 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,806,911,335 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$13,006,672,341 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,781,294,990 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,890,190,964 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,814,779,182 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$13,014,540,188 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,789,162,837 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
80
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,767,729,999 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$12,967,491,005 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,742,113,654 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,952,181,121 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,786,769,339 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$12,986,530,345 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,761,152,994 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,998,021,473 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,832,609,691 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$13,032,370,697 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,806,993,346 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,962,800,240 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,797,388,458 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$12,997,149,464 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,771,772,113 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$60,004,115,307 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,838,703,525 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$13,038,464,531 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,813,087,180 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
81
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,817,840,806 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,652,429,024 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$12,852,190,030 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,626,812,679 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$59,775,944,082 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,610,532,300 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$12,810,293,306 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,584,915,955 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities* |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$60,014,697,212 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,849,285,430 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$13,049,046,436 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,823,669,085 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Fund
Securities* |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$60,026,789,933 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$27,861,378,151 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$13,061,139,157 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$27,835,761,806 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$36,817,425,365 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$36,817,425,365 | None | None | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | 39/$71,258,549,234 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 21/$1,666,417,030 | None |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$70,789,186,230 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | 38/$70,789,186,230 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19$1,444,812,303 | None | |
82
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| ClearBridge Investments, LLC | Michael Clarfeld | 8 / $10,277,588,348.5 | 2 / $491,273,940.7 | 33060 / $10,477,594,065.6 | None |
| Peter Vanderlee | 9 / $11,126,133,089.5 | 6 / $1,695,185,057.2 | 35015 / $11,015,736,686.7 | None | |
| Scott Glasser | 6 / $13,853,186,818.1 | 3 / $531,617,599 | 39690 / $12,881,811,496.2 | None | |
,
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| FIAM LLC | Ognjen Sosa, CAIA | None | 12 / $844 million | 31 / $8,927 million | None |
| Edward Heilbron | None | 12 / $844 million | 48 / $13,906 million | None | |
| Catherine Pena, CFA | None | 12 / $844 million | 30 / $8,927 million | None | |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers | Registered Investment Companies | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | Other Accounts | Ownership of Fund Securities |
| PGIM Real Estate | Marc Halle | 8 / $2.89 billion | 0 / $0 | 6 / $944.79 million | None |
| Rick J. Romano | 8 / $2.89 billion | 0 / $0 | 6 / $944.79 million | None | |
| Michael Gallagher | 8 / $2.89 billion | 0 / $0 | 6 / $944.79 million | None | |
| Kwok Wing Cheong | 8 / $2.89 billion | 0 / $0 | 6 / $944.79 million | None | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Manager |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Sean Gallagher | 7/$4,785 million | 1/$153 million | 24/$2,021 million | None |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Steve Barry | 17/$8,018 million | 9/$2,630 | None | None |
| Ashley Woodruff, CFA | 4/$2,824 | None | None | None | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. | Raymond Chan | 12/$6,039 million | 6/$2,459 million | 4/$2,651 million | None |
| Christopher Lvoff | 10/$3,692 million | 0/$0 | 1/$484 million | None | |
| Neill Nuttall | 7/$4,225 million | 16/$5,941 million |
61/$92,230 million
3/$5,031 million |
None | |
| Lucy Xin | 2/$169 million | 0/$0 | 0/$0 | None | |
83
| AST High Yield Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. | William J. Morgan | 11/$13,828,952 |
21/$9,623,527
1/$22,952 |
9/$1,238,505 | None |
| James P. Shanahan | 16/$46,858,298 | 22/$6,938,104 |
15/$2,554,051
1/$330,417 |
None | |
| PGIM Fixed Income/PGIM Limited | Robert Cignarella, CFA | 30/$14,399,455,565 | 20/$7,677,108,692 | 110/$16,467,925,624 | None |
| Terence Wheat, CFA | 30/$13,891,847,663 | 20/$7,677,108,692 | 110/$15,994,974,809 | None | |
| Robert Spano, CFA, CPA | 30/$13,891,847,663 | 20/$7,677,108,692 | 110/$15,994,974,809 | None | |
| Ryan Kelly, CFA | 30/$13,891,847,663 | 20/$7,677,108,692 | 110/$15,994,974,809 | None | |
| Brian Clapp, CFA | 30/$13,891,847,663 | 20/$7,677,108,692 | 110/$15,994,974,809 | None | |
| Daniel Thorogood, CFA | 30/$13,891,847,663 | 20/$7,677,108,692 | 110/$15,994,974,809 | None | |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| William Blair Investment Management, LLC | Simon Fennell | 11/$9,150,373,181 | 19/$4,012,706,271 | 48/$11,402,009,480 | None |
| Kenneth J. McAtamney | 11/$8,758,735,840 | 20/$3,531,808,328 | 45/$11,805,472,763 | None | |
| Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | Benjamin Segal, CFA | 7/$2,940 million | 7/$486 million |
802/$3,177 million
3/$410 million |
None |
| Elias Cohen, CFA | 1/$249 million | 0/$0 | 0/$0 | None | |
| Jennison Associates LLC | Mark Baribeau, CFA | 4/$1097.88 million | 3/$744.73 million |
12/$1,743.39 million
3/$383.52 million |
None |
| Thomas Davis | 3/$1,080.40 million | 3/$744.73 million |
10/$1,568.63 million
1/$208.75 million |
None | |
| AST International Value Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| LSV Asset Management | Josef Lakonishok | 36/$19,701,826,670 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None |
| Menno Vermeulen, CFA | 36/$19,701,826,670 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Puneet Mansharamani, CFA | 36/$19,701,826,670 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Greg Sleight | 36/$19,701,826,670 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Guy Lakonishok, CFA | 36/$19,701,826,670 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Lazard Asset Management LLC | Michael G. Fry |
10/$ 9,489,054,417
1/$ 4,041,530,585 |
12/$ 2,738,659,675 |
173/$ 18,274,993,766
1/$ 117,344,130 |
None |
84
| AST International Value Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Michael A. Bennett |
13/$ 16,938,419,709
1/$ 4,041,530,585 |
15/$ 3,444,241,692 |
217/$ 25,948,578,381
1/$ 117,344,130 |
None | |
| Kevin J. Matthews |
10/$ 9,489,054,417
1/$ 4,041,530,585 |
12/$ 2,738,659,675 |
173/$ 18,274,993,766
1/$ 117,344,130 |
None | |
| Michael Powers |
10/$ 9,489,054,417
1/$ 4,041,530,585 |
12/$ 2,738,659,675 |
173/$ 18,274,993,766
1/$ 117,344,130 |
None | |
| John R. Reinsberg | 12/$ 12,843,101,869 | 17/$ 2,769,570,532 |
89/$ 16,535,168,037
2/$ 419,153,317 |
None | |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Richard Piccirillo | 40/$57,904,918,637 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None |
| Malcolm Dalrymple | 34/$25,739,506,855 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 38/$10,939,267,861 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| David Del Vecchio | 33/$25,713,890,510 | 19/$3,636,765,633 |
83/$23,134,922,952
1/$93,418,346 |
None | |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. | Patrik Jakobson | 2/$2,860,859 million | 0/$0 | 0/$0 | None |
| Jeffrey Geller | 31/$89,655,792 million | 32/$35,756,364 | 5/$7,921,387 | None | |
| Nicole Goldberger | 3/$5,744,338 | 3/$649,295 | 10/$16,613,204 | None | |
| Michael Feser | 11/$21,796,984 million | 0/$0 | 0/$0 | None | |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Manager |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. | Aziz Hamzaogullari, CFA | 17/$17,833,239,323 |
12/$4,308,379,043
1 /$667,377,130 |
110/$18,870,054,645 | None |
85
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Massachusetts Financial Services Company* | Roger Morley | 4/$5.2 billion | 16/$25.1 billion | 82/$44.8 billion | None |
| Ryan McAllister | 4/$5.2 billion | 16/$25 billion | 82/$44.8 billion | None | |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Massachusetts Financial Services Company | Eric Fischman | 6/$22.7 billion | 1/$73 million | 15/$2.7 billion | None |
| Matthew Sabel* | 9/$24 billion | 1/$73 million | 16/$2.8 billion | None | |
| Paul Gordon | 6/$22.7 billion | 1/$73 million | 14/$2.7 billion | N/A | |
*As of September 1, 2018,
Matthew Sabel will no longer be a portfolio manager of the Portfolio.
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income | Edward H. Blaha, CFA | 1/$25,616,345 | 13/$4,007,935,651 |
82/$47,476,419,333
3/$1,811,402,268 |
None |
| Steven A. Kellner, CFA | 3/$10,889,962,973 | 13/$4,007,935,651 |
87/$49,599,500,816
3/$1,811,402,268 |
None | |
| Rajat Shah, CFA | 1/$25,616,345 | 13/$4,007,935,651 |
86/$49,558,818,346
3/$1,811,402,268 |
None | |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Manager |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | Michael Greene | 3/$465 million | 0/$0 | 104/$160 million | None |
| LSV Asset Management | Josef Lakonishok | 36/$20,498,531,942 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None |
| Menno Vermeulen, CFA | 36/$20,498,531,942 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Puneet Mansharamani, CFA | 36/$20,498,531,942 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Greg Sleight | 36/$20,498,531,942 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| Guy Lakonishok, CFA | 36/$20,498,531,942 |
73/$28,368,050,148
29/$1,313,615,090 |
450/$68,860,323,300
44/$10,286,176,765 |
None | |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens, CFA | 11/$50,489,392,344 | None | None | None |
86
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$44,364,872,095 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$44,364,872,095 | None | None | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | 39/$78,803,899,447 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 21/$1,666,417,030 | None |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$78,334,536,443 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | 38/$78,334,536,443 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income/PGIM Limited | Michael J. Collins, CFA | 17/$52,618,894,148 | 9/$10,949,057,213 | 34/$19,773,811,735 | None |
| Richard Piccirillo | 40/$57,029,056,754 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None | |
| Gregory Peters | 14/$51,565,132,131 | 12/$12,859,963,691 | 43/$23,611,506,155 | None | |
87
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income/PGIM Limited | Michael J. Collins, CFA | 17/$50,614,960,857 | 9/$10,949,057,213 | 34/$19,773,811,735 | None |
| Richard Piccirillo | 40/$55,025,123,463 |
28/$14,295,834,683
2/$0 |
137/$57,139,481,475 | None | |
| Gregory Peters | 14/$49,561,198,840 | 12/$12,859,963,691 | 43/$23,611,506,155 | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates, LLC | Stacie Mintz | 15/$21,905,514,522 | 12/$3,537,418,994 |
56/$6,105,027,424
8/$1,768,668,668 |
None |
| Edward F Keon, Jr. | 38/$85,221,922,010 | 5$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Jacob Pozharny, PhD | 5/$4,083,407,326 | 7/$3,143,813,190 |
31/$7,607,381,819
11/$2,593,180,077 |
None | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$85,221,922,010 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| George Sakoulis, PhD | 38/$85,221,922,010 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$50,078,875,372 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$50,078,875,372 | None | None | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Marcus Perl | 39/$84,520,319,447 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 21/$1,666,417,030 | None |
| Edward F. Keon, Jr. | 38/$84,050,956,443 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$84,050,956,443 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Rory Cummings, CFA | 38/$84,050,956,443 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC | Dr. Herold Rohweder | 0 / $0 | 25 / $1,902 million | 5 / $217 million | None |
| Giorgio Carlino | 3 / $579 million | 25 / $1,902 million | 5 / $217 million | None | |
| Dr. Michael Stamos | 1 / $199 million | 25 / $1,902 million | 5 / $217 million | None | |
| Claudio Marsala | 10 / $714 million | 25 / $1,902 million | 5 / $217 million | None | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| UBS Asset Management (Americas) Inc. | David Wabnik | 1/$106,459,992 | 1/$43,982,113 |
4/394,767,484
2/$296.2 million |
None |
| Samuel Kim | 1/$106,459,992 | 1/$43,982,113 |
4/394,767,484
2/$296.2 million |
None | |
| Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust | Kenneth G. Mertz II, CFA | 4/$2.6 billion | None | 38/$2.5 billion | None |
88
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Stacey L. Sears | 3/$2.1 billion | None | 38/$2.5 billion | None | |
| Joseph W. Garner | 3/$2.1 billion | None | 38/$2.5 billion | None | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Victory Capital Management Inc. | Stephen J. Bishop |
11/$6,612,760,516
1/$2,095,694,129 |
6/$592,345,514 |
4/$184,039,032
2/$133,513,452 |
None |
| Melissa Chadwick-Dunn |
10/$6,420,414,269
1/$2,095,694,129 |
6/$592,345,514 |
4/$184,039,032
2/$133,513,452 |
None | |
| D. Scott Tracy, CFA |
10/$6,420,414,269
1/$2,095,694,129 |
6/$592,345,514 |
4/$184,039,032
2/$133,513,452 |
None | |
| Christopher W. Clark, CFA |
11/$6,612,760,516
1/$2,095,694,129 |
7/$661,957,814
1/$69,612,300 |
4/$184,039,032
2/$133,513,452 |
None | |
| Wellington Management Company LLP | Mammen Chally, CFA | 15/$11,606,336,284 | 4/$370,797,517 |
10/$1,154,061,873
1/$237,453,428 |
None |
| David A. Siegle, CFA | 15/$11,606,336,284 | 4/$370,797,517 |
10/$1,154,061,873
1/$237,453,428 |
None | |
| Douglas W. McLane, CFA | 16/$11,662,160,218 | 5/$375,297,041 |
10/$1,154,061,873
1/$237,453,428 |
None | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Manager |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | Taymour R. Tamaddon, CFA | 6/$20,203,737,681 | 8/$3,110,238,182 | 47/$11,335,153,660 | None |
89
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Franklin Advisers, Inc. | Michael Hasenstab, PhD | 18 / $54,218.4 million |
43 / $68,860.9 million
3 / $10.282.9 million |
19 / $5,772.4 million
3 / $10.282.9 million |
None |
| Christine Zhu | 8 / $3,941.9 million |
5 / $9,363.4 million
1 / $6,320.9 million |
7 / $2,986.7 million
1 / $6,320.9 million |
None | |
| AST Wedge Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| WEDGE Capital Management, LLP | Brian J. Pratt, CFA | 3/$694 million | 3/$499 million | 216/$7,495 million | None |
| Caldwell Calame, CFA | 3/$694 million | 3/$499 million | 216/$7,495 million | None | |
| John Norman | 3/$694 million | 3/$499 million | 216/$7,495 million | None | |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Fund
Securities |
| Western Asset Management Company/Western Asset Management Company Limited | S. Kenneth Leech | 91/$144,693,847,863 |
271/$87,914,251,511
6/$1,725,004,197 |
611/$206,094,947,324
31/$12,441,785,345 |
None |
| Mark S. Lindbloom | 18/$48,012,239,208 | 21/$12,939,398,151 |
144/$38,364,282,924
7/$3,864,735,369 |
None | |
| Carl L. Eichstaedt* | 17/$45,128,014,075 | 23/$13,740,065,525 |
157/$47,052,068,365
8/ $5,476,534,088 |
None | |
| Julien A. Scholnick | 11/$38,611,339,162 | 10/$ 5,103,420,711 |
44/$10,809,353,369
1/$139,263,512 |
None | |
| John L. Bellows | 4/$978,180,675 | 5/$3,953,194,791 |
28/$6,096,150,852
1/$53,121,152 |
None | |
| Frederick R. Marki | 5/$4,261,220,341 | 4/$1,048,417,740 |
39/$14,910,289,107
4/$2,725,869,126 |
None | |
*It is anticipated that Mr.
Eichstaedt will step down as a member of the Portfolio’s portfolio management team effective on or about December 31, 2018.
Notes to Other Account
Tables:
First Quadrant
90
(1)
Includes market values for fully funded portfolios and the notional values for margin funded portfolios, all actively managed by First Quadrant and non-discretionary portfolios
managed by strategic partners using First Quadrant, L.P. investment signals. First Quadrant is defined in this context as the combination of all discretionary portfolios of First Quadrant, L.P. and its strategic
partners, but only wherein FQ has full investment discretion over the portfolios. When calculating number of accounts managed for registered investment companies, First Quadrant counts sub-strategies managed for any
one registered investment company separately. Therefore there may be two accounts managed and enumerated for one registered investment company.
CoreCommodity
CoreCommodity
* The information presented above
(current as of December 31, 2017) is designed to provide additional information about CoreCommodity, the portfolio manager of CoreCommodity responsible for the Portfolio's investments, and the means by which such
person is compensated for his services. Assets are measured at notional value for managed accounts, and net asset value for pooled vehicles. Investors in private investment funds have the option of choosing a
performance fee.
Jennison
*
Other Accounts excludes the assets and number of accounts in wrap fee programs that are managed using model portfolios.
** Excludes performance fee accounts.
Lord Abbett
*Does not include “Other
Accounts” representing $772.3 million, for which Lord Abbett provides investment models to managed account sponsors.
MFS
MFS
*
With respect to the accounts identified in the table above, Mr.
McAllister manages 7 other accounts with assets totaling $1.8 billion, and Mr. Morley manages 7 other accounts with assets totaling $1.8 billion, for which the advisory fees are based in
part on the performance of the accounts. Performance fees for any particular account are paid to MFS, not the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager`s compensation is not determined by reference to the level of
performance fees received by MFS.
MSIM
*3 accounts with total assets of $2,214
million are subject to an advisory fee that is also based on the performance of the account.
Neuberger Berman
(1)
Registered Investment Companies include all mutual funds managed by the portfolio manager.
(2)
Other Accounts include: Institutional Separate Accounts, Sub-Advised Accounts, and Managed Accounts (WRAP)
*”Other Accounts” includes
without limitation managed accounts, which are counted as one account per strategy per managed account platform.
**A portion of certain accounts may be
managed by other portfolio managers; however, the total assets of such accounts are included above even though the portfolio manager listed above is not involved in the day-to-day management of the entire account.
QMA
“Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles” includes commingled insurance company separate accounts, commingled trust funds and other commingled investment vehicles. “Other Accounts” includes single client accounts,
managed accounts (which are counted as one account per managed account platform), asset allocation clients, and accounts of affiliates. The assets in certain accounts have been estimated due to the availability of
information only at the end of calendar quarters.
* Accounts are managed on a team basis. If a
portfolio manager is a member of a team, any account managed by that team is included in the number of accounts and total assets for such portfolio manager (even if such portfolio manager is not primarily involved in
the day-to-day management of the account).
WEDGE
* WEDGE utilizes a team-based approach in
which the portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of investment accounts.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS:
COMPENSATION & CONFLICTS POLICIES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS—COMPENSATION AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Set forth below, for each portfolio manager, is an explanation of the structure of and method(s) used by each subadviser to determine, portfolio manager compensation. Also set forth below,
for each portfolio manager, is an explanation of any material conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager's management of a Portfolio's investments and investments in other accounts.
Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC
COMPENSATION.
The portfolio managers are paid a base salary and a discretionary bonus. Portfolio managers are eligible for equity ownership, which is determined solely by the discretion of
Affinity’s directors, and is intended to reward the efforts of employees through a tie-in to the long term success of the firm.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
In addition to sub-advising the Fund, the Sub-Adviser manages assets for other separately managed accounts and another 40 Act Fund. Many of the Sub-Adviser’s clients participate in
investment programs that have investment objectives, policies and strategies that are substantially similar to the Fund. Other clients of the Sub-Adviser may have differing investment programs, objectives, policies
and strategies. In general, when a portfolio manager has responsibility for managing more than one account, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one
account over others in terms of allocation of resources or of investment opportunities. For instance, the Sub-Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or
the Sub-Adviser could receive performance-based fees on certain accounts. The procedures to address conflicts of interest, if any, are described below.
The Sub-Adviser attempts to avoid
conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the management of multiple client accounts. From time to time, a portfolio manager may recommend or cause a client to invest in a security or other instrument in
which another client of the Sub-Adviser has an ownership position. The Sub-Adviser has adopted certain procedures intended to treat all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. To the extent that the portfolio
manager seeks to purchase or sell the same security or other instrument for multiple client accounts, the Sub-Adviser may aggregate, or bunch, these orders where the portfolio manager deems this to be appropriate and
consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. When a bunched order is filled in its entirety, each participating client account will participate at the average share prices for the bunched order. When a bunched
order is only partially filled, the
91
securities or other instruments purchased will be
allocated on a pro-rata basis to each account participating in the bunched order based upon the initial amount requested for the account, subject to certain exceptions. Each participating account will receive the
average share price for the bunched order on the same business day.
AlphaSimplex Group, LLC
COMPENSATION.
All AlphaSimplex investment professionals, including portfolio managers, may receive compensation in three ways: salary, year-end bonuses, and supplemental bonuses. The bonus amounts are
decided by the AlphaSimplex Compensation Committee. As a retention tool, AlphaSimplex has implemented a three-year deferral of a significant portion of bonus amounts for senior professionals.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Conflicts of interest may arise in the allocation of investment opportunities and the allocation of aggregated orders among the Fund and other accounts managed by a portfolio manager. A
portfolio manager potentially could give favorable treatment to some accounts for a variety of reasons, including favoring larger accounts, accounts that pay higher fees, accounts that pay performance-based fees,
accounts of affiliated companies and accounts in which the portfolio manager has an interest. Such favorable treatment could lead to more favorable investment opportunities or allocations for some accounts.
AlphaSimplex's goal is to meet its fiduciary obligation with respect to all clients and AlphaSimplex has adopted policies and procedures to mitigate the effects of the conflicts described above.
AQR Capital Management, LLC
COMPENSATION.
Compensation for Portfolio Managers
that are Principals of AQR:
The compensation for each of the portfolio managers that are a Principal of AQR, as applicable, is in the form of distributions based on the net income generated by AQR, as applicable, and
each Principal’s relative ownership in AQR, as applicable. Net income distributions are a function of assets under management and performance of the funds and accounts managed by the AQR, as applicable. A
Principal’s relative ownership in AQR, as applicable, is based on cumulative research, leadership and other contributions to AQR, as applicable. There is no direct linkage between assets under management,
performance and compensation. However, there is an indirect linkage in that superior performance tends to attract assets and thus increase revenues. Each portfolio manager is also eligible to participate in a 401(k)
retirement plan which is offered to all employees of AQR, as applicable.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Each of the portfolio managers is also responsible for managing other accounts in addition to the respective Portfolio or Portfolios which the portfolio manager manages, including other
accounts of AQR or its affiliates. Other accounts may include, without limitation, separately managed accounts for foundations, endowments, pension plans, and high net-worth families; registered investment companies;
unregistered investment companies relying on either Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act (such companies are commonly referred to as “hedge funds”); foreign investment companies; and may also
include accounts or investments managed or made by the portfolio managers in a personal or other capacity (“Proprietary Accounts”). Management of other accounts in addition to the Portfolios can present
certain conflicts of interest, as described below.
From time to time, potential
conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of the investments of a Portfolio, on the one hand, and the management of other accounts, on the other. The other accounts might have
similar investment objectives or strategies as the Portfolios, or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Portfolios. Because of their positions with the
Portfolios, the portfolio managers know the size, timing and possible market impact of a Portfolio’s trades. It is theoretically possible that the portfolio managers could use this information to the advantage
of other accounts they manage and to the possible detriment of a Portfolio.
A potential conflict of interest
may arise as a result of a portfolio manager’s management of a number of accounts (including Proprietary Accounts) with similar investment strategies. Often, an investment opportunity may be suitable for both a
Portfolio and other accounts, but may not be available in sufficient quantities for both the Portfolio and the other accounts to participate fully. Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment
held by a Portfolio and another account. In addition, different account guidelines and/or differences within particular investment strategies may lead to the use of different investment practices for portfolios with a
similar investment strategy. The portfolio managers will not necessarily purchase or sell the same securities at the same time, same direction, or in the same proportionate amounts for all eligible accounts,
particularly if different accounts have materially different amounts of capital under management by AQR, different amounts of investable cash available, different strategies, or different risk tolerances. As a result,
although AQR manage numerous accounts and/or portfolios with similar or identical investment objectives, or may manage accounts with different objectives that trade in the same securities, the portfolio decisions
relating to these accounts, and the performance resulting from such decisions, may differ from account to account.
92
Whenever decisions are made to buy
or sell securities by the Portfolio and one or more of the other accounts (including Proprietary Accounts) simultaneously, AQR or the portfolio manager may aggregate the purchases and sales of the securities and will
allocate the securities transactions in a manner that it believes to be equitable under the circumstances. To this end, AQR has adopted policies and procedures that are intended to ensure that investment opportunities
are allocated equitably among accounts over time. As a result of the allocations, there may be instances where a Portfolio will not participate in a transaction that is allocated among other accounts or a Portfolio
may not be allocated the full amount of the securities sought to be traded. While these aggregation and allocation policies could have a detrimental effect on the price or amount of the securities available to the
Portfolio from time to time, it is the opinion of AQR, as applicable, that the overall benefits outweigh any disadvantages that may arise from this practice. Subject to applicable laws and/or account restrictions, AQR
may buy, sell or hold securities for other accounts while entering into a different or opposite investment decision for the Portfolios.
AQR and the Portfolios’
portfolio managers may also face a conflict of interest where some accounts pay higher fees to AQR than others, such as by means of performance fees. Specifically, the entitlement to a performance fee in managing one
or more accounts may create an incentive for AQR to take risks in managing assets that it would not otherwise take in the absence of such arrangements. Additionally, since performance fees reward AQR for performance
in accounts which are subject to such fees, AQR may have an incentive to favor these accounts over those that have only fixed asset-based fees with respect to areas such as trading opportunities, trade allocation, and
allocation of new investment opportunities.
AQR has implemented specific
policies and procedures (e.g., a code of ethics and trade allocation policies) that seek to address potential conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the management of the Portfolios and other accounts
and that are designed to ensure that all client accounts are treated fairly and equitably over time.
BLACKROCK, INC. AND ITS
SUBSIDIARIES
COMPENSATION OF
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
. The discussion below describes the portfolio managers’ compensation as of December 31,
2017.
BlackRock’s financial
arrangements with its portfolio managers, its competitive compensation and its career path emphasis at all levels reflect the value senior management places on key resources. Compensation may include a variety of
components and may vary from year to year based on a number of factors. The principal components of compensation include a base salary, a performance-based discretionary bonus, participation in various benefits
programs and one or more of the incentive compensation programs established by BlackRock.
Base compensation. Generally,
portfolio managers receive base compensation based on their position with the firm.
Discretionary
Incentive Compensation
Discretionary incentive
compensation is a function of several components: the performance of BlackRock, Inc., the performance of the portfolio manager’s group within BlackRock, the investment performance, including risk-adjusted
returns, of the firm’s assets under management or supervision by that portfolio manager relative to predetermined benchmarks, and the individual’s performance and contribution to the overall performance of
these portfolios and BlackRock. In most cases, these benchmarks are the same as the benchmark or benchmarks against which the performance of the Funds or other accounts managed by the portfolio managers are measured.
Among other things, BlackRock’s Chief Investment Officers make a subjective determination with respect to each portfolio manager’s compensation based on the performance of the Funds and other accounts
managed by each portfolio manager relative to the various benchmarks. Performance of fixed income funds is measured on a pre-tax and/or after-tax basis over various time periods including 1-, 3- and 5- year periods,
as applicable. With respect to these portfolio managers, such benchmarks for the Fund and other accounts are:
| Portfolio Manager | Benchmarks |
| Phillip Green | No benchmarks |
|
Scott MacLellan
Thomas Musmanno |
A combination of market-based indices (e.g., Bank of America Merrill Lynch U.S. Corporate & Government Index, 1-3 Years), certain customized indices and certain fund industry peer groups. |
|
Bob Miller
Rick Rieder David Rogal |
A combination of market-based indices (e.g., Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index), certain customized indices and certain fund industry peer groups. |
93
Distribution of
Discretionary Incentive Compensation.
Discretionary incentive
compensation is distributed to portfolio managers in a combination of cash, deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards, and/or deferred cash awards that notionally track the return of certain BlackRock investment
products.
Typically, the cash portion of the
discretionary incentive compensation, when combined with base salary, represents more than 60% of total compensation for the portfolio managers.
Portfolio managers generally
receive deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards as part of their discretionary incentive compensation. Paying a portion of discretionary incentive compensation in the form of deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock puts
compensation earned by a portfolio manager for a given year “at risk” based on BlackRock’s ability to sustain and improve its performance over future periods. Deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards
are generally granted in the form of BlackRock, Inc. restricted stock units that vest ratably over a number of years and, once vested, settle in BlackRock, Inc. common stock. In some cases, additional deferred
BlackRock, Inc. stock may be granted to certain key employees as part of a long-term incentive award to aid in retention, align their interests with long-term shareholder interests and motivate performance. Such
equity awards are generally granted in the form of BlackRock, Inc. restricted stock units that vest pursuant to the terms of the applicable plan and, once vested, settle in BlackRock, Inc. common stock. The portfolio
managers of this Fund have deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards.
For some portfolio managers,
discretionary incentive compensation is also distributed in the form of deferred cash awards that notionally track the returns of select BlackRock investment products they manage. Providing a portion of discretionary
incentive compensation in deferred cash awards that notionally track the BlackRock investment products they manage provides direct alignment with investment product results. Deferred cash awards vest ratably over a
number of years and, once vested, settle in the form of cash. Any portfolio manager who is either a managing director or director at BlackRock with compensation above a specified threshold is eligible to participate
in the deferred compensation program.
Other Compensation Benefits.
In addition to base salary and
discretionary incentive compensation, portfolio managers may be eligible to receive or participate in one or more of the following:
Incentive Savings
Plans
— BlackRock, Inc. has created a variety of incentive savings plans in which BlackRock employees are eligible to participate, including a 401(k) plan, the BlackRock Retirement Savings
Plan (RSP), and the BlackRock Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The employer contribution components of the RSP include a company match equal to 50% of the first 8% of eligible pay contributed to the plan capped at
$5,000 per year, and a company retirement contribution equal to 3-5% of eligible compensation up to the Internal Revenue Service limit ($270,000 for 2017). The RSP offers a range of investment options, including
registered investment companies and collective investment funds managed by the firm. BlackRock contributions follow the investment direction set by participants for their own contributions or, absent participant
investment direction, are invested into a target date fund that corresponds to, or is closest to, the year in which the participant attains age 65. The ESPP allows for investment in BlackRock common stock at a 5%
discount on the fair market value of the stock on the purchase date. Annual participation in the ESPP is limited to the purchase of 1,000 shares of common stock or a dollar value of $25,000 based on its fair market
value on the purchase date. All of the eligible portfolio managers are eligible to participate in these plans.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
BlackRock has built a professional working environment, firm-wide compliance culture and compliance procedures and systems designed to protect against potential incentives that may favor one
account over another. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures that address the allocation of investment opportunities, execution of portfolio transactions, personal trading by employees and other potential
conflicts of interest that are designed to ensure that all client accounts are treated equitably over time. Nevertheless, BlackRock furnishes investment management and advisory services to numerous clients in addition
to the Fund, and BlackRock may, consistent with applicable law, make investment recommendations to other clients or accounts (including accounts which are hedge funds or have performance or higher fees paid to
BlackRock, or in which portfolio managers have a personal interest in the receipt of such fees), which may be the same as or different from those made to the Fund. In addition, BlackRock, its affiliates and
significant shareholders and any officer, director, shareholder or employee may or may not have an interest in the securities whose purchase and sale BlackRock recommends to the Fund. BlackRock, or any of its
affiliates or significant shareholders, or any officer, director, shareholder, employee or any member of their families may take different actions than those recommended to the Fund by BlackRock with respect to the
same securities. Moreover, BlackRock may refrain from rendering any advice or services concerning securities of companies of which any of BlackRock’s (or its affiliates’ or significant shareholders’)
officers, directors or employees are directors or officers, or companies as to which BlackRock or any of its affiliates or significant shareholders or the officers, directors and employees of any of them has any
substantial economic interest or possesses material non-public information. Certain portfolio managers also may manage accounts whose investment strategies may at times be opposed to the strategy utilized for a fund.
It should
94
also be noted that Messrs. MacLellan, Miller,
Musmanno, Rieder and Rogal may be managing hedge fund and/or long only accounts, or may be part of a team managing hedge fund and/or long only accounts, subject to incentive fees. Messrs. MacLellan, Miller, Musmanno,
Rieder and Rogal may therefore be entitled to receive a portion of any incentive fees earned on such accounts.
As a fiduciary, BlackRock owes a
duty of loyalty to its clients and must treat each client fairly. When BlackRock purchases or sells securities for more than one account, the trades must be allocated in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties.
BlackRock attempts to allocate investments in a fair and equitable manner among client accounts, with no account receiving preferential treatment. To this end, BlackRock has adopted policies that are intended to
ensure reasonable efficiency in client transactions and provide BlackRock with sufficient flexibility to allocate investments in a manner that is consistent with the particular investment discipline and client base,
as appropriate.
Boston Advisors, LLC
COMPENSATION.
Portfolio Managers listed above who are directly responsible for service to the Fund receive a base salary and bonus. Additionally, each member named above has an equity ownership interest
in Boston Advisors. Bonus is based on a percent of salary subject to achievement of internally established goals and relative performance of composite products managed by the portfolio manager as measured against
industry peer group rankings established by Evestment Alliance. Performance is account weighted, time weighted and evaluated on a pre-tax, annual basis. Discretionary bonuses may also be given and are dependent upon
individual contribution to firm profitability and overall firm-wide profitability. The method used to determine the portfolio manager’s compensation does not differ with respect to distinct institutional
products managed by institutional portfolio manager. Regarding the compensation of Michael J. Vogelzang, as President of Boston Advisors, his compensation is based on the profitability of the firm. Mr.
Vogelzang’s compensation is not directly linked to the performance of the Fund or other Accounts.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Boston Advisors manages multiple separately managed accounts for institutional and individual clients (“Accounts”) in addition to mutual funds, each of which may have distinct
investment objectives, some similar to the Fund and others different. Managing multiple accounts will typically present a conflict of interest. For example, at times Boston Advisors may determine that an investment
opportunity may be appropriate for only some Accounts or may decide that certain of the Accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, Boston Advisors may place
separate transactions for one or more separate Accounts, which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment of one Account over another, including the
Fund. Also, Boston Advisors may receive a greater advisory fee for managing an Account than received for advising the Fund which may create an incentive to allocate more favorable transactions to such Accounts.
Additionally, Boston Advisors may, from time to time, recommend an Account purchase shares of the Fund or Boston Advisors or its affiliates may buy or sell for itself, or other Accounts, investments that it recommends
on behalf of the Fund. Boston Advisors utilizes soft dollars whereby it may purchase research and services using commission dollars generated by the Fund. Often, the research and services purchased using the
Fund’s commissions benefit other Accounts of Boston Advisors. Soft dollars may create an actual or perceived conflict of interest whereas Boston Advisors may have an incentive to initiate more transactions to
generate soft dollar credits or may select only those brokers willing to offer soft dollar credits when placing transactions for the Fund.
To mitigate these inherent
conflicts of interest, Boston Advisors has adopted policies designed to address the potential conflicts of interest. Specifically, Boston Advisors has adopted trade aggregation and rotation policies designed for fair
and equitable treatment across all client accounts. Additionally, the Compliance department conducts surveillance to detect incidents of preferential treatment that may occur for more favored clients. Also, Boston
Advisors has appointed a soft dollar committee to oversee all aspects of Boston Advisors’ soft dollar practices and a best execution committee who routinely reviews the execution quality of large institutional
accounts to ensure consistency in quality and cost.
Further, all institutional client
accounts, including the Fund, receive the same access to personnel, services, research and advice. Our institutional investment process is designed to benefit all client accounts. All institutional accounts are
managed by a member(s) of the institutional team, each of which rely on the same institutional investment process. The institutional investment process uses research which is shared firm-wide for all products and
accounts. Finally, because trades placed for the Fund will be block traded with the other institutional Large Cap Growth accounts they are averaged price so that no account receives preferential treatment.
To avoid conflicts associated with
accounts that have performance based fees, Boston Advisors does not manage accounts which have performance based fees.
Brown Advisory, LLC.
COMPENSATION.
Brown Advisory compensates its portfolio managers with a compensation package that includes a base salary and variable incentive bonus. The incentive bonus is subjective. It takes
into consideration a number of factors including but not limited to performance, client satisfaction and service and the profitability of the business. Portfolio managers who are members of Brown
95
Advisory’s management team may maintain a
significant equity interest in the Brown Advisory enterprise. When evaluating a portfolio manager’s performance, Brown Advisory compares the pre-tax performance of a portfolio manager’s accounts to a
relative broad-based market index over a trailing 1-, 3- and 5-year time period. The performance bonus is distributed at calendar year-end based on, among other things, the pre-tax investment return over the prior 1-,
3- and 5-year periods.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Brown Advisory may manage accounts in addition to the Portfolio, including proprietary accounts, employee accounts, separate accounts, private funds, long-short funds and other pooled
investment vehicles. Such accounts may have different fee arrangements than the Portfolio, including performance-based fees. Management of such accounts may create conflicts of interest including but not limited
to the bunching and allocation of transactions and allocation of investment opportunities. Brown Advisory may give advice and take action with respect to any of its other clients which may differ from advice
given, or the timing or nature of action taken, with respect to the Portfolio; however, Brown Advisory seeks as a matter of policy, to achieve best execution and to the extent practical, to allocate investment
opportunities over a period of time on a fair and equitable basis. Brown Advisory has adopted a Code of Ethics and other policies and procedures which we believe to be reasonably designed to ensure that clients
are not harmed by potential or actual conflicts of interest; however, no policy or procedures can guarantee detection, avoidance or amelioration for every situation where a potential or actual conflict of interest may
arise.
ClearBridge
Investments, LLC
(“ClearBridge” or the “Firm”)
COMPENSATION
. ClearBridge's investment professionals participate in a competitive compensation program that is designed to attract and retain outstanding investment professionals and closely align the
interests of its investment professionals with those of its clients and overall Firm results. The total compensation program includes a competitive base salary and a significant incentive component that rewards high
performance standards, integrity, and collaboration consistent with the Firm's values. A portion of annual bonuses is deferred into compensation plans that vest over the course of several years after the grant date.
Deferrals are tied to portfolio performance, ClearBridge equity products,
and Legg Mason
stock.
Base salary is fixed and primarily
determined based on market factors and the experience and responsibilities of the investment professional within the Firm.
Discretionary compensation can
include:
| ■ | Cash Incentive Award |
| ■ | ClearBridge's Deferred Incentive Plan (“CDIP”) — A mandatory program that typically defers 15% of discretionary year-end compensation into ClearBridge managed products. For portfolio managers, one third of this deferral tracks the performance of their primary managed product, one-third tracks the performance of a composite portfolio of the firm's new products and one-third can be elected to track the performance of one or more of ClearBridge managed funds. Consequently, Portfolio Managers can have two-thirds of their CDIP award tracking the performance of their primary managed product. For centralized Research Analysts, two-thirds of their deferral is elected to track the performance of one or more ClearBridge managed funds, while one-third tracks the performance of the new product composite. ClearBridge then makes a company investment in the proprietary managed funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the balance sheet and paid out to the employees in shares subject to vesting requirements. |
| ■ | Restricted Stock Deferral — A mandatory program that typically defers 5% of discretionary year-end compensation into Legg Mason restricted stock. The award is paid out to employees in shares subject to vesting requirements. |
| ■ | ClearBridge Management Equity Plan — A discretionary program offered to certain employees that enables participants to share in the long-term growth of the enterprise value of the firm. Employees are awarded units subject to vesting requirements. |
Several factors are considered by
ClearBridge Senior Management when determining discretionary compensation for Portfolio Managers. These include but are not limited to:
| ■ | A portfolio manager's compensation is linked to the investment performance of the fund/accounts managed by the portfolio manager. Investment performance is calculated for one-, three- and five-year periods measured against the applicable product benchmark (e.g., Russell 1000® Growth Index) and relative to applicable industry peer groups. The greatest weight is generally placed on three- and five-year performance. |
| ■ | Appropriate risk positioning that is consistent with ClearBridge's investment philosophy and the Risk Management Committee/Co-Chief Investment Officers approach to generation of alpha. |
| ■ | Overall firm profitability and performance. |
| ■ | Amount and nature of assets managed by the portfolio manager. |
| ■ | Contributions for asset retention, gathering and client satisfaction. |
| ■ | Contribution to mentoring, coaching and/or supervising. |
| ■ | Contribution and communication of investment ideas in ClearBridge's Investment meetings and on a day to day basis. |
| ■ | Market compensation survey research by independent third parties. |
96
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Potential conflicts of interest may
arise when the fund’s portfolio managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the fund’s portfolio managers.
The subadviser and the fund have
adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the subadviser and the individuals that each employs. For example, the subadviser seeks to
minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The subadviser has also
adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures
adopted by the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:
Allocation of Limited Time and
Attention.
A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. The effects of
this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.
Allocation of Investment
Opportunities.
If a portfolio manager identifies an investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts,
which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. The subadviser has adopted policies and procedures to ensure that all accounts, including the fund, are treated
equitably.
Pursuit of Differing Strategies.
At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment
responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for
one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.
Selection of Broker/Dealers
. In addition to executing trades, some broker/dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), which may result in the payment
of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee
that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.
Variation in Compensation.
A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of
the manager’s management fee (and the percentage paid to the subadviser) differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management
fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which
the manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or
otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.
CoreCommodity Management, LLC
COMPENSATION STRUCTURE
The portfolio manager’s
compensation consists of the following:
Base Salary - The portfolio manager
receives a fixed base salary. Base salaries are determined by considering experience and expertise and may be reviewed for adjustment annually.
Bonus – The portfolio manager
is eligible to receive bonuses, which may be significantly more than his base salary, upon attaining certain performance objectives based on measures of individual, group or department success. Achievement of these
goals is an important, but not exclusive, element of the bonus decision process. The portfolio manager also serves as a Co-President of CoreCommodity, and his compensation depends in large part on the profitability of
CoreCommodity as a whole rather than being triggered by the performance of any one program or client account.
97
Other Compensation – The
portfolio manager may also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees. He also receives, indirectly, compensation from an affiliate, CoreCommodity Indexes, LLC, which acts as an
index sponsor to certain indexes.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Compensation
. CoreCommodity could receive substantial compensation in the form of management fees even in the event the Fund/Portfolio loses value.
Advisory Time
. CoreCommodity and its key personnel, including the portfolio manager, devote as much of their time to the business of the Fund/Portfolio and client accounts as in their judgment is
reasonably required. However, they also provide investment advisory services for other clients (including managed accounts as well as other pooled accounts) and engage in other business ventures in which a
Fund/Portfolio has no interest. As a result of these separate business activities CoreCommodity may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, services, and functions among a Fund/Portfolio and other
business ventures or clients.
By way of example, the same
investment professionals for the Fund/Portfolio may perform services for other accounts. In addition, the same investment professional may implement one or more strategies or versions of a strategy for managed
accounts or via collective investment vehicles such as hedge funds or commodity pools managed in parallel with a Fund/Portfolio. Further, the same investment professionals may implement other strategies related to or
different from the Fund/Portfolio, including but not limited to discretionary trading strategies with an investment objective of seeking absolute returns and/or an objective of seeking significant outperformance
compared to an index.
In addition, Mr. De Chiara also
performs other services for CoreCommodity. For example, he acts as Co-President of CoreCommodity.
Other Clients; Allocation of
Investment Opportunities
. CoreCommodity is responsible for the investment decisions made on behalf of a Fund/Portfolio. As described above, there are no restrictions on the ability of CoreCommodity to exercise
discretion over any number of accounts of other clients following the same or different investment objectives, philosophies and strategies as those used for a Fund/Portfolio. As a general matter, it would not be
expected that accounts or collective investment vehicles with different portfolio managers would share information relating to potential transactions. Therefore, one collective investment vehicle or account may trade
prior to and at a better price than another Fund/Portfolio or account trading in the same instrument.
These situations may involve
conflicts between the interest of CoreCommodity or its related persons, on the one hand, and the interests of CoreCommodity’s clients (including a Fund/Portfolio), on the other.
A Fund/Portfolio may experience
returns that differ from other accounts in the same strategy due to, among other factors: (a) regulatory constraints on the ability of a Fund/Portfolio to have exposure to certain contracts; (b) a Fund/Portfolio 's
selection of clearing broker, which affects access to markets and exchanges (and, accordingly, instruments); (c) the effect of intra-month adjustments to the trading level of a Fund/Portfolio; (d) the manner in which
a Fund/Portfolio 's cash reserves are invested; (e) the size of a Fund/Portfolio's account; (f) a Fund/Portfolio's functional currency, and (g) the effective date of the investment. Additionally, certain markets may
not be liquid enough to be traded for a Fund/Portfolio.
Side-by-Side Management.
As described above, the portfolio manager may also act as investment professional for certain other CoreCommodity accounts (including collective investment vehicles and managed accounts
described below) (“Other Accounts”). Other Accounts may have negotiated terms different from the terms applicable to a Fund/Portfolio. While these Other Accounts may trade the same and/or similar
instruments as traded by a Fund/Portfolio, they may be distinguished from one another by their investment objectives, investment methodology, degrees of leverage, relative size, available capital, tax considerations,
fee terms or other investment or trading parameters. Accordingly, the portfolio manager, on behalf of CoreCommodity, may cause purchases or sales to be effected for one or more Other Accounts while not causing such
purchases or sales to be effected for a Fund/Portfolio, or alternatively may cause purchases or sales to be effected for a Fund/Portfolio while not causing such purchases or sales to be effected for one or more Other
Accounts. He also may determine to use substantially different degrees of leverage in Other Accounts when effecting a transaction, when maintaining a position, or in conducting the Other Account's activities
generally. Discretion as to which collective investment vehicles or accounts will receive allocations of particular positions may occur whether investment opportunities are limited or unlimited, and opportunities to
participate in transactions may not necessarily be allocated among a Fund/Portfolio and Other Accounts in any particular proportion. For example but without limitation, client accounts, in trading a new, experimental
or different methodology, may enter the same markets earlier than (either days before or on the same day as) a Fund/Portfolio and Other Accounts.
98
CoreCommodity trades on behalf of
many client accounts. We receive performance-based incentive fees from some accounts. Some accounts, such as the registered investment companies, are not subject to any form of performance-based fee. As a result, we
have a possible conflict of interest, because we can potentially receive proportionately greater compensation from those accounts that pay us incentive fees than from those accounts that pay us management fees only.
We have an incentive to:
| ■ | direct the best investment ideas or give favorable allocation to those accounts that pay performance-based fees; |
| ■ | use trades by an account that does not pay performance-based fees to benefit those accounts that do pay performance-based fees, such as where a private fund sells short before a sale by an account that does not pay incentive fees, or a private fund sells a security only after an account that does not pay incentive fees has made a large purchase of the security; and |
| ■ | benefit those accounts paying a performance-based fee over those clients that do not pay performance-based fees and which have a different and potentially conflicting investment strategy. |
We owe a fiduciary duty to our
clients not to favor one account over another, without regard to the types and amounts of fees paid by those accounts. In light of the possible conflicts of interest described above, we have allocation policies and
procedures in place to ensure that accounts are treated fairly. Where we determine to trade for more than one account in the same instruments, we generally aggregate the trades and cause the accounts to trade pari
passu with each other.
The following are CoreCommodity's
current specific allocation approaches. If multiple accounts qualify for participation in the purchase of a specific security or investment opportunity by a particular portfolio group, CoreCommodity will, in general,
allocate the instruments among the accounts for which the instrument or investment opportunity is appropriate, on a fair and equitable basis. Common trades on the same day among securities accounts managed by the same
portfolio management group generally are allocated on the basis of the relative assets committed to the strategy at the average price per share among such accounts. Common trades (defined as same contract, same month
or, separately, same spread, same month(s)) on the same day among commodity futures accounts managed by the same portfolio management group generally are aggregated and randomly allocated across such strategies by
fill upon execution. We may change these particular approaches from time to time to account for different markets, different investment instruments or other circumstances.
Personal Account Trading Policy
. The policies of CoreCommodity require that CoreCommodity’s employees do not trade securities or commodities for their own account, except for (i) government and municipal
securities, open-ended mutual funds and registered commodity pools not managed by us, or (ii) otherwise with pre-approval from CoreCommodity’s compliance personnel. Without limiting the foregoing, CoreCommodity
may under certain circumstances permit an employee to maintain a position in an investment even if a Fund/Portfolio trades the instrument. The records of such trading, whether under the current or a new policy, will
not be made available to a Fund/Portfolio for inspection.
Interested Transactions
The proprietary activities or
portfolio strategies of CoreCommodity and its employees, or the activities or strategies used for accounts managed by CoreCommodity for other customer accounts could conflict with the transactions and strategies
employed on behalf of a Fund/Portfolio and affect the prices and availability of the instruments in which a Fund/Portfolio invests.
A Fund/Portfolio may invest in
futures that are components of CoreCommodity’s proprietary indices, and certain Indices used or referenced in a Fund/Portfolio may be the same as or similar to proprietary indices used by CoreCommodity. The
methodologies used by CoreCommodity in making investment decisions for a Fund/Portfolio may rely on, be the same as or be related to the methodologies used by CoreCommodity to design, modify and operate its
proprietary indices or trading strategies. CoreCommodity may change or discontinue operation of its proprietary indices or trading strategies at any time. CoreCommodity may receive index fees with respect to
CoreCommodity sponsored indexes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all employees of CoreCommodity when trading for their own accounts will do so in accordance with the Personal Account Trading Policy set forth above.
Position Limits
. CoreCommodity may be required to aggregate, for position limit purposes, the futures positions held in the Fund/Portfolio with positions held in other accounts such as in Other Accounts.
This aggregation of positions could require CoreCommodity to liquidate or modify positions for some or all of its accounts, and such liquidation or modification may adversely affect certain or all client accounts
(including a Fund/Portfolio). CoreCommodity may have an incentive to favor certain other accounts over others when liquidating positions or adjusting trading strategies in the context of such limits.
General
. CoreCommodity may, without prior notice to a Fund/Portfolio, arrange, recommend, and/or effect transactions in which, or provide services in circumstances where, CoreCommodity has,
directly or indirectly, a material interest or relationship with another party that may present a potential conflict with CoreCommodity’s duty to a Fund/Portfolio. Certain of those transactions and services are
described herein.
99
Cohen & Steers Capital
Management, Inc. (Cohen & Steers).
COMPENSATION.
Cohen & Steers's compensation of portfolio managers and other investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary, (2) an annual cash bonus and (3) annual
stock-based compensation consisting generally of restricted stock units of Cohen & Steers's parent, Cohen & Steers, Inc. (CNS). Cohen & Steers's investment professionals, including the portfolio managers,
also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to all of their employees. Compensation of Cohen & Steers's investment professionals is reviewed primarily on an annual
basis.
Method to Determine
Compensation.
Cohen & Steers compensates their portfolio managers based primarily on the scale and complexity of their portfolio management responsibilities and the total return performance of funds
and accounts managed by a portfolio manager versus appropriate peer groups or benchmarks. In evaluating the performance of a portfolio manager, primary emphasis is normally placed on one- and three-year performance,
with secondary consideration of performance over longer periods of time. Performance is evaluated on a pre-tax and pre-expense basis. In addition to rankings within peer groups of funds on the basis of absolute
performance, consideration may also be given to risk-adjusted performance. For portfolio managers responsible for multiple funds and accounts, investment performance is evaluated on an aggregate basis. Portfolio
managers are also evaluated on the basis of their success in managing their dedicated team of analysts. Base compensation for portfolio managers of Cohen & Steers varies in line with the portfolio manager's
seniority and position with the firm.
Salaries, bonuses and stock-based
compensation are also influenced by the operating performance of Cohen & Steers and CNS. While the annual salaries of Cohen & Steers's portfolio managers are fixed, cash bonuses and stock based compensation
may fluctuate significantly from year to year, based on changes in manager performance and other factors.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Although the potential for conflicts of interest exist when an investment adviser and portfolio managers manage other accounts that invest in securities in which the Fund may invest or
that may pursue a strategy similar to one of the Fund’s strategies, Cohen & Steers has procedures in place that are designed to ensure that all accounts are treated fairly and that the Fund is not
disadvantaged. For example, a portfolio manager may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, resources and investment opportunities among the Fund and the other accounts or vehicles he advises. In
addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions among the Fund and the other accounts, a portfolio manager may take action with respect to another account that differs from the action taken
with respect to the Fund. In some cases, another account managed by a portfolio manager may provide more revenue to Cohen & Steers. While this may appear to create additional conflicts of interest for the
portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities, Cohen & Steers strives to ensure that portfolio managers endeavor to exercise their discretion in a manner that is
equitable to all interested persons. In this regard, in the absence of specific account-related impediments (such as client-imposed restrictions or lack of available cash), it is the policy of Cohen & Steers to
allocate investment ideas pro rata to all accounts with the same primary investment objective, except where an allocation would not produce a meaningful position size.
Certain of the portfolio managers
may from time to time manage one or more accounts on behalf of Cohen & Steers, as applicable, and its affiliated companies (the CNS Accounts). Certain securities held and traded in the CNS Accounts also may be
held and traded in one or more client accounts. It is the policy of Cohen & Steers, however, not to put the interests of the CNS Accounts ahead of the interests of client accounts. Cohen & Steers may aggregate
orders of client accounts with those of the CNS Accounts; however, under no circumstances will preferential treatment be given to the CNS Accounts. For all orders involving the CNS Accounts, purchases or sales will be
allocated prior to trade placement, and orders that are only partially filled will be allocated across all accounts in proportion to the shares each account, including the CNS Accounts, was designated to receive prior
to trading, except as noted below. As a result, it is expected that the CNS Accounts will receive the same average price as other accounts included in the aggregated order. Shares will not be allocated or re-allocated
to the CNS Accounts after trade execution or after the average price is known. In the event so few shares of an order are executed that a pro-rata allocation is not practical, a rotational system of allocation may be
used; however, the CNS Accounts will never be part of that rotation or receive shares of a partially filled order other than on a pro-rata basis.
Because certain CNS Accounts are
managed with a cash management objective, it is possible that a security will be sold out of the CNS Accounts but continue to be held for one or more client accounts. In situations when this occurs, such security will
remain in a client account only if the portfolio manager, acting in its reasonable judgment and consistent with its fiduciary duties, believes this is appropriate for, and consistent with the objectives and profile
of, the client account.
Certain accounts managed by Cohen
& Steers may compensate Cohen & Steers using performance based fees. Orders for these accounts will be aggregated, to the extent possible, with any other account managed by Cohen & Steers, regardless of
the method of compensation. In the event such orders are aggregated, allocation of partially-filled orders will be made on a pro-rata basis in accordance with pre-trade indications. An account’s fee structure is
not considered when making allocation decisions.
100
Finally, the structure of a
portfolio manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include
increased assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Cohen & Steers adopted certain
compliance procedures that are designed to address the above conflicts as well as other types of conflicts of interests. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a
conflict arises.
C.S. McKee, LP
COMPENSATION.
All employees at C.S. McKee are compensated in accordance with an annual compensation package comprising elements predicated upon both individual and corporate
achievements.
Compensation for portfolio managers
takes several forms:
| ■ | A salary that is competitive based upon responsibility and geographic (Southwest Pennsylvania) area. |
| ■ | Incentive compensation that is based upon several elements, including 1 and 3 year net-of-fee outperformance hurdles relative to the appropriate benchmark index and achieving top quartile universe ranking. Incentives are not attained until performance exceeds the benchmarks by an amount approximating fees. |
| ■ | Ownership that takes the form of directly held limited partnership interests in the firm. |
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
. Every access person shall notify the compliance officer of the C.S. McKee of any personal conflict of interest relationship which may involve a Fund or Portfolio, such as the
existence of any economic relationship between their transactions and securities held or to be acquired by any Portfolio or Fund. C.S. McKee’s compliance officer shall notify the compliance officer of a
Fund of any personal conflict of interest relationship which may involve the Fund. Such notification shall occur in the pre-clearance process.
EARNEST Partners LLC
COMPENSATION
. All EARNEST Partners personnel are paid a salary and a discretionary bonus. A portion of the bonus may consist of profit sharing and/or deferred compensation. The Company also matches a
portion of employees' 401(k) contributions, if any. The bonus is a function of client satisfaction with respect to investment results and service. Equity ownership is another component of compensation for the
portfolio managers. The firm is employee-owned.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. EARNEST Partners may be responsible for managing one or more of the Portfolios in addition to other client accounts which may include, but are not limited to, proprietary accounts,
separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles. EARNEST Partners may manage other client accounts which may have higher fee arrangements than the Portfolio(s) and/or may also have performance-based fees.
Side-by-side management of these other client accounts may create potential conflicts of interest which may relate to, among other things, the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation
of transactions.
EARNEST Partners seeks best
execution with respect to all securities transactions and to aggregate and allocate the securities to client accounts in a manner that EARNEST Partners believes to be fair and equitable. EARNEST Partners has
implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate and manage the potential conflicts of interest that may arise from side-by-side management. Specifically, EARNEST Partners
manages client accounts to model portfolios that are approved by its investment committee, and aggregates and then allocates securities transactions to client accounts in a manner that EARNEST Partners believes to be
fair and equitable.
Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(Emerald)
COMPENSATION.
Emerald has a company-wide compensation/incentive plan that includes function-specific performance reviews and corresponding incentive payments. The firm’s Compensation Committee
(which is comprised of members of Emerald’s board of managers) can adjust an individual’s salary based on job performance.
Portfolio managers are evaluated quarterly based on one and three year rolling period investment performance relative to appropriate benchmark and peer group. In addition, evaluation involves profitability of product and other duties such as research, client servicing, etc. Research personnel are evaluated based on performance, adherence to the research process, idea generation, communication skills (both oral and written) and other team-oriented assignments. Administrative, operations and compliance staff receive performance incentives based on semi-annual performance reviews. In addition, Emerald maintains a “firm-wide” discretionary annual bonus plan, where Emerald’s employees are compensated by operating units including portfolio management, research, marketing, client servicing, operations and staff support. All employees share in the potential profit and growth of the company through a tax deferred retirement plan (ESOP). Upon adoption of the ESOP plan in October 2012, key employees all signed employment contracts. All other employees are subject to a six year vesting cycle.
Portfolio managers are evaluated quarterly based on one and three year rolling period investment performance relative to appropriate benchmark and peer group. In addition, evaluation involves profitability of product and other duties such as research, client servicing, etc. Research personnel are evaluated based on performance, adherence to the research process, idea generation, communication skills (both oral and written) and other team-oriented assignments. Administrative, operations and compliance staff receive performance incentives based on semi-annual performance reviews. In addition, Emerald maintains a “firm-wide” discretionary annual bonus plan, where Emerald’s employees are compensated by operating units including portfolio management, research, marketing, client servicing, operations and staff support. All employees share in the potential profit and growth of the company through a tax deferred retirement plan (ESOP). Upon adoption of the ESOP plan in October 2012, key employees all signed employment contracts. All other employees are subject to a six year vesting cycle.
101
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
There are no material conflicts of interest regarding portfolio manager’s management of the Fund’s investments on the one hand and the investments of other accounts for which
the portfolio manager is responsible on the other hand. All similar accounts trade together, and allocations are known prior to trade execution. In the event of partial fill on a trade order, the shares are pro-rated
among accounts based on order size.
Epoch Investment Partners, Inc.
COMPENSATION.
Epoch seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate all employees. Epoch employees receive a base salary and an annual
performance bonus, which is reviewed and determined annually by Epoch's Operating Committee with input from the employee's supervisor and Epoch's Human Resources Department. The level of compensation for each employee
is based on a number of factors including individual performance, firm performance and marketplace compensation analysis and information.
For senior employees, a portion of
their annual performance bonus is deferred, typically with a three-year vesting schedule, and invested in Epoch-managed investment vehicles, Epoch Performance Units and TD Restricted Stock Units. In addition, Managing
Directors are eligible to participate in Epoch's Long-Term Incentive Plan, which is designed to reward superior long-term business performance over a multi-year period.
Investment team members are
compensated based on the performance of their strategy, their contribution to that performance, the overall performance of the firm, and corporate citizenship. The Operating Committee reviews product performance,
including risk-adjusted returns over one- and three-year periods in assessing an investment professional’s performance and compensation. Each portfolio manager and analyst’s security selection and
weighting recommendations are also reviewed on an annual basis.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. In Epoch’s view, conflicts of interest may arise in managing the Fund’s portfolio investments, on the one hand, and the portfolios of Epoch’s other clients and/or
accounts (together, the Accounts), on the other. Set forth below is a brief description of some of the material conflicts that may arise and Epoch’s policy or procedure for handling them. Although Epoch has
designed such procedures to prevent and address conflicts, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect every situation in which a conflict arises.
The management of multiple Accounts
inherently means there may be competing interests for the portfolio management team’s time and attention. Epoch seeks to minimize this by utilizing one investment approach (i.e., focus on free-cash flow), and by
managing all Accounts on a strategy specific basis. Thus, all Accounts, whether they be fund accounts, institutional accounts or individual accounts are managed using the same investment discipline, strategy and
proprietary investment model as the Fund.
If the portfolio management
team identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one Account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity. However, Epoch has adopted procedures for
allocating portfolio transactions across Accounts so that each Account is treated fairly. First, all orders are allocated among portfolios of the same or similar mandates at the time of trade creation/ initial order
preparation. Factors affecting allocations include availability of cash to existence of client imposed trading restrictions or prohibitions, and the tax status of the account. The only changes to the allocations made
at the time of the creation of the order, are if there is a partial fill for an order. Depending upon the size of the execution, Epoch may choose to allocate the executed shares through pro-rata breakdown, or on a
random basis. As with all trade allocations each Account generally receives pro rata allocations of any new issue or IPO security that is appropriate for its investment objective. Permissible reasons for excluding an
account from an otherwise acceptable IPO or new issue investment include the account having FINRA restricted person status, lack of available cash to make the purchase, or a client imposed trading prohibition on IPOs
or on the business of the issuer.
With respect to securities
transactions for the Accounts, Epoch determines which broker to use to execute each order, consistent with its duty to seek best execution. Epoch will bunch or aggregate like orders where to do so will be beneficial
to the Accounts. However, with respect to certain Accounts, Epoch may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker. In these
cases, Epoch may place separate, non-simultaneous, transactions for the Fund and another Account, which may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction to the detriment one
or the other.
Conflicts of interest may
arise when members of the portfolio management team transact personally in securities investments made or to be made for the Fund or other Accounts. To address this, Epoch has adopted a written Code of Ethics designed
to prevent and detect personal trading activities that may interfere or conflict with client interests (including Fund shareholders’ interests) or its current investment strategy. The Code of Ethics generally
requires that most transactions in securities by Epoch’s Access Persons and their family members (as defined in the Code), whether or not such securities are purchased or sold on behalf of the Accounts, be
cleared prior to execution by appropriate approving parties and compliance personnel. Securities transactions for Access Persons’ personal accounts also are subject to quarterly transaction reporting and annual
holdings reporting requirements.
102
Epoch manages some Accounts
under performance based fee arrangements. Epoch recognizes that this type of incentive compensation creates the risk for potential conflicts of interest. This structure may create an inherent pressure to allocate
investments having a greater potential for higher returns to accounts of those clients paying the higher performance fee. To prevent conflicts of interest associated with managing accounts with different compensation
structures, Epoch generally requires portfolio decisions to be made on a product specific basis. Epoch also requires pre-allocation of all client orders based on specific fee-neutral criteria set forth above.
Additionally, Epoch requires average pricing of all aggregated orders. Finally, Epoch has adopted a policy prohibiting Portfolio Managers (and all employees) from placing the investment interests of one client or a
group of clients with the same investment objectives above the investment interests of any other client or group of clients with the same or similar investment objectives.
FIAM LLC
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
. The portfolio manager’s compensation plan may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. Although investors in a fund may invest through either tax-deferred accounts or taxable
accounts, the portfolio manager’s compensation is linked to the pre-tax performance of the fund, rather than its after-tax performance. The portfolio manager’s base pay tends to increase with additional
and more complex responsibilities that include increased assets under management and a portion of the bonus relates to marketing efforts, which together indirectly link compensation to sales. When a portfolio manager
takes over a fund or an account, the time period over which performance is measured may be adjusted to provide a transition period in which to assess the portfolio. The management of multiple funds and accounts
(including proprietary accounts) may give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his
time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. In addition, a fund’s trade allocation policies and procedures may give rise to conflicts of interest if the fund’s orders do not get fully
executed due to being aggregated with those of other accounts managed by FIAM LLC or an affiliate. The portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely impact the value of
securities held by a fund. Securities selected for other funds or accounts may outperform the securities selected for the fund. Portfolio managers may be permitted to invest in the funds they manage, even if a fund is
closed to new investors. Trading in personal accounts, which may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, is restricted by a fund’s Code of Ethics.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION
.
Ognjen Sosa,
Catherine Pena, and Edward Heilbron are the portfolio managers for the AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio and receive compensation for their services. As of December 31, 2017, portfolio manager compensation
generally consists of a fixed base salary determined periodically (typically annually), a bonus, in certain cases, participation in several types of equity-based compensation plans, and, if applicable, relocation plan
benefits. A portion of the portfolio manager's compensation may be deferred based on criteria established by FIAM LLC or at the election of the portfolio manager.
The portfolio manager's base salary
is determined by level of responsibility and tenure at FIAM LLC or its affiliates. The portfolio manager’s bonus is based on several components. The primary components of the portfolio manager’s bonus are
based on (i) the pre-tax investment performance of the portfolio manager's fund(s) and account(s) measured against a benchmark index (which may be a customized benchmark index developed by FIAM LLC) assigned to each
fund or account, (ii) how the portfolio manager allocates the assets of funds and accounts among their asset classes, which results in monthly impact scores, as described below, and (iii) the investment performance of
other funds and accounts. The pre-tax investment performance of the portfolio manager's fund(s) and account(s) is weighted according to his tenure on those fund(s) and account(s) and the average asset size of those
fund(s) and account(s) over his tenure. Each component is calculated separately over the portfolio manager's tenure on those fund(s) and account(s) over a measurement period that initially is contemporaneous with his
tenure, but that eventually encompasses rolling periods of up to five years for the comparison to a benchmark index. The portfolio manager also receives a monthly impact score for each month of his tenure as manager
of a fund or account. The monthly impact scores are weighted according to his tenure on his fund(s) and account(s) and the average asset size of those fund(s) and account(s) over his tenure. The bonus is based on the
aggregate impact scores for applicable annual periods eventually encompassing periods of up to five years. A smaller, subjective component of the portfolio manager’s bonus is based on his overall contribution to
management of FIAM LLC and its affiliates.
The portion of the
portfolio managers’ bonuses that is linked to the investment performance of AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio is based on the fund's pre-tax investment performance relative to the performance of the fund's
customized benchmark index (described below), on which the fund's target asset allocation is based. The portion of the portfolio managers’ bonuses that is based on impact scores is based on how each allocates
fund assets, which are represented by the components of the composite index, the components of which are 27% S&P 500 Index, 5.5% Russell 2000 Index, 32.5% MSCI EAFE Index (net tax), and 35% Bloomberg Barclays US
Aggregate Index. The portfolio managers’ bonuses are based on the percentage of each fund actually invested in each asset class. The percentage overweight or percentage underweight in each asset class relative
to the neutral mix is multiplied by the performance of the index that represents that asset class over the measurement period, resulting in a positive or negative impact score.
103
The portfolio
managers are also compensated under equity-based compensation plans linked to increases or decreases in the net asset value of the stock of FMR LLC, FIAM’s ultimate parent company. FMR LLC is a diverse financial
services company engaged in various activities that include fund management, brokerage, retirement, and employer administrative services. If requested to relocate their primary residence, portfolio managers also may
be eligible to receive benefits, such as home sale assistance and payment of certain moving expenses, under relocation plans for most full-time employees of FMR LLC and its affiliates.
FIRST QUADRANT
COMPENSATION.
Compensation consists of a base salary
and an
annual bonus award that is based on two components
– individual performance and First Quadrant performance. In addition,
long-term incentive awards are given to a select
few exceptional performers that is
invested in firm strategies and cliff vests after three years. We feel it is an elegant way to align the interests and expectations of all parties: clients, the client’s
beneficiaries, the client’s consultant, FQ, and the individual contributing to support the relationship and portfolio. Other incentives include a 401(k) & Profit Sharing plan, paid vacation
and sick time and health benefits including dental
and
vision. In addition to compensation and benefit plans, individuals are encouraged to broaden their skills and increase their contributions to the firm which in turn is rewarded with salary
increases as well as job growth. Accordingly, First Quadrant provides educational assistance to any active full time employee who has been with the firm for at least six months seeking a job related degree –
e.g.,
MBA, MFE, etc. For those successfully completing a professional certification –
e.g., CFA,
CIPM, CPA,
etc. –
First Quadrant will provide 100% financial
assistance.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
First Quadrant is aware that conflicts of interest may arise and that every effort should be made to prevent them. Should they develop, they must be corrected immediately. We consider
conflicts of interest, among other things, to be circumstances that would (i) compromise the impartiality and integrity of the services we provide, (ii) disadvantage a Client relative to other clients and (iii) create
an advantage for the firm over a Client, or for one Client over another. The firm’s structure and business activities are of a nature such that the potential for conflicts of interest has been minimized.
Detailed information about First Quadrant is disclosed in its Form ADV, specifically in Part 2A; however, we would like to highlight the following: First Quadrant’s investment approach is systematic in nature.
Computer models are the primary source of trading decisions and the results are monitored daily. Although the results can be overridden by the investment team under certain circumstances, the systematic nature of
First Quadrant’s process means it is less likely to be exposed to the levels of “subjectivity” risk that decisions made by individuals would be. Trade allocations are made on an objective basis and
according to preset computerized allocations and standardized exceptions. The methodologies would normally consist of pro-rata allocation or allocation utilizing fair trade allocation algorithms. The firm maintains
and enforces personal trading policies and procedures, which have been designed to minimize conflicts of interest between client and employee trades.
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
Portfolio managers that provide
investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other
products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation. This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a
matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function
and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory
fees.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives,
benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for
the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a portfolio manager are managed using the same investment
strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios, which may
minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce potential conflicts
of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity
that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts.
The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio
manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased
assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
104
Finally, the management of personal
accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions designed to prevent a
wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that could
result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund
have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict
arises.
COMPENSATION.
For the Funds, the investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals.
Portfolio managers receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of
compensation is based on individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to
favor one fund or account over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
Base salary
Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus
Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus.
Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested
interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus
compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment
Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin
Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
| ■ | Investment performance. Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years measured against risk benchmarks developed by the fixed income management team. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate. |
| ■ | Non-investment performance. The more qualitative contributions of the portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including business knowledge, productivity, customer service, creativity, and contribution to team goals, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award. |
| ■ | Responsibilities. The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal. |
Additional long-term equity-based
compensation
Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based
compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Portfolio managers also participate
in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of the investment manager.
FRANKLIN MUTUAL ADVISERS, LLC
Portfolio managers that provide
investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other
products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation (as noted in the chart above, if any). This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the
advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from
the portfolio management function and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing
accounts with different advisory fees.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives,
benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for
the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a portfolio manager are managed using the same investment
strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios, which may
minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate
105
management of the trade execution and valuation
functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce potential conflicts of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for
the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity
due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy
and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio
manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased
assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Finally, the management of personal
accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions reasonably necessary to
prevent a wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that
could result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund
have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict
arises.
COMPENSATION
. The investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers
receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on
individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account
over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
Base salary
Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus
Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus.
Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested
interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus
compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment
Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin
Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
| • | Investment performance . Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate. |
| • | Non-investment performance . The more qualitative contributions of the portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including business knowledge, contribution to team efforts, mentoring of junior staff, and contribution to the marketing of the Fund, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award. |
| • | Research . Where the portfolio management team also has research responsibilities, each portfolio manager is evaluated on the number and performance of recommendations over time. |
| • | Responsibilities . The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal. |
Additional long-term equity-based
compensation
Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based
compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Portfolio managers also participate
in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of the investment manager.
106
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT,
L.P.
PORTFOLIO
MANAGERS' COMPENSATION.
Compensation for GSAM portfolio managers is comprised of a base salary and year-end discretionary variable compensation. The base salary is fixed from year to year. Year-end discretionary
variable compensation is primarily a function of each portfolio manager's individual performance and his or her contribution to overall team performance; the performance of GSAM and Goldman Sachs; the team’s net
revenues for the past year which in part is derived from advisory fees, and for certain accounts, performance-based fees; and anticipated compensation levels among competitor firms. Portfolio managers may be rewarded,
in part, for their delivery of investment performance, which is reasonably expected to meet or exceed the expectations of clients and fund shareholders in terms of: excess return over an applicable benchmark, peer
group ranking, risk management and factors specific to certain funds such as yield or regional focus. Performance is judged over 1-3- and 5-year time horizons.
The benchmarks for these Portfolios
are: AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio (Russell 2000
®
Index); AST Goldman Sachs Large Cap Value (Russell 1000
®
Value Index); AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio (50% MSCI World Index (GD), 50% Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate
Bond Index); and AST Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Growth (S&P MidCap 400 Index ).
The discretionary
variable compensation for portfolio managers is also significantly influenced by: (1) effective participation in team research discussions and process; and (2) management of risk in alignment with the targeted risk
parameter and investment objective of the fund. Other factors may also be considered including: (a) general client/shareholder orientation, (b) focus on risk management and firm reputation and (c) teamwork and
leadership. Portfolio managers may receive equity-based awards as part of their discretionary variable compensation.
Other Compensation.
In addition to base salary and year-end discretionary variable compensation, the firm has a number of additional benefits in place including (1) a 401k program that enables employees to
direct a percentage of their pretax salary and bonus income into a tax-qualified retirement plan; and (2) investment opportunity programs in which certain professionals may participate subject to certain eligibility
requirements.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
GSAM is part of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
(together with its affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees,
“Goldman Sachs”) a bank holding company. The involvement of GSAM, Goldman Sachs and their affiliates in the management of, or their interest in, other accounts and other
activities of Goldman Sachs may present conflicts of interest with respect to your Portfolio or limit your Portfolio’s investment activities. Goldman Sachs is a worldwide full service banking, investment
banking, broker dealer, asset management and financial services organization and a major participant in global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client
base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investment banker, research provider, investment manager, financier, advisor, market maker,
prime broker, derivatives dealer, lender, counterparty, agent and principal. In those and other capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a
broad array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets and other financial instruments and products for its own account or for the
accounts of its customers, and has other direct and indirect interests, in the global fixed income, currency, commodity, equities,
bank loan and other markets and the securities and issuers in which your Portfolio may directly and indirectly invest. Thus, it is likely that your Portfolio will have multiple business
relationships with and will invest in, engage in transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from entities for which Goldman Sachs performs or seeks to perform investment banking or
other services. As manager of your Portfolio,
GSAM receives management fees from the Portfolio. In addition, GSAM’s affiliates may earn fees from relationships with your Portfolio.
Although these fees are generally based on asset levels, the fees are not directly contingent on Portfolio performance, Goldman Sachs may still receive significant compensation from your
Portfolio even if shareholders lose money. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates engage in trading and advise accounts and funds which have investment objectives similar to those of your Portfolio and/or which engage in
and compete for transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and instruments as your Portfolio. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates will not have any obligation to make available any information regarding
their activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of your Portfolio. The results of your Portfolio’s investment
activities, therefore, may differ from those of Goldman Sachs, its affiliates, and other accounts managed by Goldman Sachs, and it is possible that your Portfolio could sustain losses during periods in which Goldman
Sachs and its affiliates and other accounts achieve significant profits on their trading for Goldman Sachs or other accounts. In addition, your Portfolio may enter into transactions in which Goldman Sachs or its other
clients have an adverse interest. For example, your Portfolio may take a long position in a security at the same time that Goldman Sachs or other accounts managed by GSAM take a short position in the same security (or
vice versa). These and other transactions undertaken by Goldman Sachs, its affiliates or Goldman Sachs-advised clients may, individually or in the aggregate, adversely impact your Portfolio. Transactions by one or
more Goldman Sachs-advised clients or GSAM may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of your Portfolio. Your Portfolio’s activities may be limited
because of regulatory restrictions applicable to Goldman Sachs and its affiliates, and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions. As a global financial services firm, Goldman Sachs also
provides a wide range of investment banking and financial services to issuers of securities and investors in securities. Goldman Sachs, its affiliates and others associated with it may create markets or specialize in,
have positions
107
in and effect
transactions in, securities of issuers held by your Portfolio, and may also perform or seek to perform investment banking and financial services for those issuers. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates may have business
relationships with and purchase or distribute or sell services or products from or to, distributors, consultants and others who recommend your Portfolio or who engage in transactions with or for your Portfolio.
For a more detailed description of
potential conflicts of interest, please refer to the language from GSAM’s ADV Part 2.
Hotchkis and Wiley Capital
Management, LLC (HWCM).
COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE.
Portfolio Managers of the Portfolio are supported by the full research team of HWCM. The investment team, including portfolio managers, is compensated in various forms, which may include a
base salary, a bonus, profit sharing and equity ownership. Compensation is used to reward, attract and retain high quality investment professionals.
The investment team is evaluated
and accountable at three levels. The first level is individual contribution to the research and decision-making process, including the quality and quantity of work achieved. The second level is teamwork, generally
evaluated through contribution within sector teams. The third level pertains to overall portfolio and firm performance.
Fixed salaries and discretionary
bonuses for investment professionals are determined by the Chief Executive Officer of HWCM using tools which may include annual evaluations, compensation surveys, feedback from other employees and advice from members
of HWCM's Executive and Compensation Committees. The amount of the bonus is determined by the total amount of HWCM's bonus pool available for the year, which is generally a function of revenues. No investment
professional receives a bonus that is a pre-determined percentage of revenues or net income. Compensation is thus subjective rather than formulaic.
The portfolio managers own equity
in HWCM. HWCM believes that the employee ownership structure of HWCM will be a significant factor in ensuring a motivated and stable employee base going forward. HWCM believes that the combination of competitive
compensation levels and equity ownership provides HWCM with a demonstrable advantage in the retention and motivation of employees. Portfolio managers who own equity in HWCM receive their pro rata share of HWCM's
profits. Investment professionals may also receive contributions under HWCM's profit sharing/401(k) plan.
Finally, HWCM maintains a bank of
unallocated equity to be used for those individuals whose contributions to the firm grow over time. If any owner should retire or leave the firm, HWCM has the right to repurchase their ownership to place back in the
equity bank. This should provide for smooth succession through the gradual rotation of HWCM's ownership from one generation to the next.
HWCM believes that its compensation
structure/levels are more attractive than the industry norm, which is illustrated by the firm's lower-than-industry-norm investment personnel turnover.
DESCRIPTION OF
MATERIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
The Portfolio is managed by HWCM’s investment team (Investment Team). Investment Team also manages institutional accounts and other mutual funds in several different investment
strategies. The portfolios within an investment strategy are managed using a target portfolio; however, each portfolio may have different restrictions, cash flows, tax and other relevant considerations which may
preclude a portfolio from participating in certain transactions for that investment strategy. Consequently, the performance of portfolios may vary due to these different considerations. The Investment Team may place
transactions for one investment strategy that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of another investment strategy. HWCM also provides model portfolio investment recommendations to
sponsors without execution or additional services. The recommendations are provided on a delayed basis relative to transactions of discretionary accounts. HWCM may be restricted from purchasing more than a limited
percentage of the outstanding shares of a company or otherwise restricted from trading in a company’s securities due to other regulatory limitations. If a company is a viable investment for more than one
investment strategy, HWCM has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all of its clients are treated fairly and equitably. Additionally, potential and actual conflicts of interest may also
arise as a result of HWCM’s other business activities and HWCM’s possession of material non-public information about an issuer, which may have an adverse impact on one group of clients while benefiting
another group. In certain situations, HWCM will purchase different classes of securities of the same company (e.g. senior debt, subordinated debt, and or equity) in different investment strategies which can give rise
to conflicts where HWCM may advocate for the benefit of one class of security which may be adverse to another security that is held by clients of a different strategy. HWCM seeks to mitigate the impact of these
conflicts on a case by case
basis.
HWCM utilizes soft dollars to
obtain brokerage and research services, which may create a conflict of interest in allocating clients’ brokerage business. Research services may benefit certain accounts more than others. Certain accounts may
also pay a less proportionate amount of commissions for research services. If a research product provides both a research and a non-research function, H&W will make a reasonable allocation of the use and pay for
the non-research portion with hard dollars. HWCM will make decisions involving soft dollars in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
108
Different types of
accounts and investment strategies may have different fee structures. Additionally, certain accounts pay Hotchkis and Wiley performance-based fees, which may vary depending on how well the account performs compared to
a benchmark. Because such fee arrangements have the potential to create an incentive for Hotchkis and Wiley to favor such accounts in making investment decisions and allocations, Hotchkis and Wiley has adopted
policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all of its clients are treated fairly and equitably, including in respect of allocation decisions, such as initial public offerings.
Since accounts are managed to a
target portfolio by the Investment Team, adequate time and resources are consistently applied to all accounts in the same investment strategy. Investment personnel of the firm or its affiliates may be permitted to be
commercially or professionally involved with an issuer of securities. Any potential conflicts of interest from such involvement would be monitored for compliance with the firm’s Code of Ethics.
J.P. Morgan Investment Management,
Inc. (JPMorgan)
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS.
The potential for conflicts of interest exists when portfolio managers manage other accounts with similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund (“Similar Accounts”).
Potential conflicts may include, for example, conflicts between investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Responsibility for managing JPMorgan’s and its affiliates’
clients’ portfolios is organized according to investment strategies within asset classes. Generally, client portfolios with similar strategies are managed by portfolio managers in the same portfolio management
group using the same objectives, approach and philosophy. Underlying sectors or strategy allocations within a larger portfolio are likewise managed by portfolio managers who use the same approach and philosophy as
similarly managed portfolios. Therefore, portfolio holdings, relative position sizes and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios and strategies, which minimizes the potential for
conflicts of interest.
JPMorgan and/or its affiliates
(“JPMorgan Chase”) perform investment services, including rendering investment advice, to varied clients. JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase and its or their directors, officers, agents, and/or employees may render
similar or differing investment advisory services to clients and may give advice or exercise investment responsibility and take such other action with respect to any of its other clients that differs from the advice
given or the timing or nature of action taken with respect to another client or group of clients. It is JPMorgan’s policy, to the extent practicable, to allocate, within its reasonable discretion, investment
opportunities among clients over a period of time on a fair and equitable basis. One or more of JPMorgan’s other client accounts may at any time hold, acquire, increase, decrease, dispose, or otherwise deal with
positions in investments in which another client account may have an interest from time-to-time.
JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase, and any
of its or their directors, partners, officers, agents or employees, may also buy, sell, or trade securities for their own accounts or the proprietary accounts of JPMorgan and/or JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan and/or
JPMorgan Chase, within their discretion, may make different investment decisions and other actions with respect to their own proprietary accounts than those made for client accounts, including the timing or nature of
such investment decisions or actions. Further, JPMorgan is not required to purchase or sell for any client account securities that it, JPMorgan Chase, and any of its or their employees, principals, or agents may
purchase or sell for their own accounts or the proprietary accounts of JPMorgan, or JPMorgan Chase or its clients.
JPMorgan and/or its affiliates may
receive more compensation with respect to certain Similar Accounts than that received with respect to the Fund or may receive compensation based in part on the performance of certain Similar Accounts. This may create
a potential conflict of interest for JPMorgan and its affiliates or the portfolio managers by providing an incentive to favor these Similar Accounts when, for example, placing securities transactions. In addition,
JPMorgan or its affiliates could be viewed as having a conflict of interest to the extent that JPMorgan or an affiliate has a proprietary investment in Similar Accounts, the portfolio managers have personal
investments in Similar Accounts or the Similar Accounts are investment options in JPMorgan’s or its affiliates’ employee benefit plans. Potential conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation
and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of investment opportunities because of market factors or investment restrictions imposed upon JPMorgan and its affiliates by law, regulation, contract or
internal policies. Allocations of aggregated trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially completed due to limited availability and allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a
potential conflict of interest, as JPMorgan or its affiliates may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to favored accounts. Initial public offerings, in particular, are
frequently of very limited availability. JPMorgan and its affiliates may be perceived as causing accounts they manage to participate in an offering to increase JPMorgan’s and its affiliates’ overall
allocation of securities in that offering. A potential conflict of interest also may be perceived to arise if transactions in one account closely follow related transactions in a different account, such as when a
purchase increases the value of securities previously purchased by another account, or when a sale in one account lowers the sale price received in a sale by a second account. If JPMorgan or its affiliates manage
accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, JPMorgan or its affiliates could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the accounts engaging in
short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall.
109
As an internal policy matter,
JPMorgan or its affiliates may from time to time maintain certain overall investment limitations on the securities positions or positions in other financial instruments JPMorgan or its affiliates will take on behalf
of its various clients due to, among other things, liquidity concerns and regulatory restrictions. Such policies may preclude the Fund from purchasing particular securities or financial instruments, even if such
securities or financial instruments would otherwise meet the Fund’s objectives.
The goal of JPMorgan and its
affiliates is to meet their fiduciary obligation with respect to all clients. JPMorgan and its affiliates have policies and procedures that seek to manage conflicts. JPMorgan and its affiliates monitor a variety of
areas, including compliance with fund guidelines, review of allocation decisions and compliance with JPMorgan’s Codes of Ethics and JPMorgan Chase and Co.’s Code of Conduct. With respect to the allocation
of investment opportunities, JPMorgan and its affiliates also have certain policies designed to achieve fair and equitable allocation of investment opportunities among its clients over time. For example: Orders for
the same equity security traded through a single trading desk or system are aggregated on a continual basis throughout each trading day consistent with JPMorgan’s and its affiliates’ duty of best execution
for their clients. If aggregated trades are fully executed, accounts participating in the trade will be allocated their pro rata share on an average price basis. Partially completed orders generally will be allocated
among the participating accounts on a pro-rata average price basis, subject to certain limited exceptions. For example, accounts that would receive a de minimis allocation relative to their size may be excluded from
the order. Another exception may occur when thin markets or price volatility require that an aggregated order be completed in multiple executions over several days. If partial completion of the order would result in
an uneconomic allocation to an account due to fixed transaction or custody costs, JPMorgan and its affiliates may exclude small orders until 50% of the total order is completed. Then the small orders will be executed.
Following this procedure, small orders will lag in the early execution of the order, but will be completed before completion of the total order.
Purchases of money market
instruments and fixed income securities cannot always be allocated pro-rata across the accounts with the same investment strategy and objective. However, the Adviser and its affiliates attempt to mitigate any
potential unfairness by basing non-pro rata allocations traded through a single trading desk or system upon objective predetermined criteria for the selection of investments and a disciplined process for allocating
securities with similar duration, credit quality and liquidity in the good faith judgment of the Adviser or its affiliates so that fair and equitable allocation will occur over time.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
JPMorgan’s portfolio managers participate in a competitive compensation program that is designed to attract, retain and motivate talented people and closely link the performance of
investment professionals to client investment objectives. JPMorgan manages compensation on a total compensation basis, the components being base salary fixed from year to year and a variable discretionary incentive
award. Base salaries are reviewed annually and awarded based on individual performance and business results taking into account level and scope of position, experience and market competitiveness. The variable
discretionary performance based incentive award consists of cash incentives and deferred compensation which includes mandatory notional investments (as described below) in selected mutual funds advised by JPMorgan or
its affiliates (“Mandatory Investment Plan”). These elements reflect individual performance and the performance of JPMorgan’s business as a whole. Each portfolio manager’s performance is
formally evaluated annually based on a variety of factors including the aggregate size and blended performance of the portfolios such portfolio manager manages, individual contribution relative to client risk and
return objectives, and adherence with JPMorgan’s compliance, risk and regulatory procedures. In evaluating each portfolio manager’s performance with respect to the mutual funds he or she manages, the
pre-tax performance of the funds (or the portion of the funds managed by the portfolio manager) is compared to the appropriate market peer group and to the competitive indices JPMorgan has identified for the
investment strategy over one, three and five year periods (or such shorter time as the portfolio manager has managed the funds). Investment performance is generally more heavily weighted to the long-term.
Deferred
compensation granted as part of an employee’s annual incentive compensation comprises from 0% to 60% of a portfolio manager’s total performance based incentive. As the level of incentive compensation
increases, the percentage of compensation awarded in deferred incentives also increases. JPMorgan’s portfolio managers are required to notionally invest a certain percentage of their deferred compensation
(typically 20% to 50% depending on the level of compensation) into the selected funds they manage. The remaining portion of the non-cash incentive is elective and may be notionally invested in any of the other mutual
funds available in the Mandatory Investment Plan or will take the form of a JPMorgan restricted stock unit. When these awards vest over time, the portfolio manager receives cash equal to the market value of the
notional investment in the selected mutual funds or shares of JPMorgan common stock.
JENNISON ASSOCIATES LLC
COMPENSATION.
Jennison seeks to maintain a highly competitive compensation program designed to attract and retain outstanding investment professionals, which include portfolio managers and research
analysts, and to align the interests of its investment professionals with those of its clients and overall firm results. Jennison recognizes individuals for their achievements and contributions and continues to
promote those who exemplify the same goals and level of commitment that are benchmarks of the organization.
110
Investment
professionals are compensated with a combination of base salary and discretionary cash bonus. Overall firm profitability determines the size of the investment professional compensation pool. In general, the
discretionary cash bonus represents most of an investment professional’s compensation.
Jennison sponsors a profit sharing
retirement plan for all eligible employees. The contribution to the profit sharing retirement plan for portfolio managers is based on a percentage of the portfolio manager’s total compensation, subject to a
maximum determined by applicable law. In addition to eligibility to participate in retirement and welfare plans, senior investment professionals, including portfolio managers and senior research analysts, are eligible
to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program where all or a portion of the cash bonus can be deferred. Participants in the deferred compensation plan are permitted to allocate the deferred amounts among
various options that track the gross-of-fee pre-tax performance of accounts or composites of accounts managed by Jennison.
Investment professionals’
total compensation is determined through a subjective process that evaluates numerous qualitative and quantitative factors. Not all factors are applicable to every investment professional, and there is no particular
weighting or formula for considering the factors.
The factors
reviewed for the portfolio managers are listed below.
The quantitative factors reviewed
for the portfolio managers may include:
| ■ | One-, three-, five-year and longer term pre-tax investment performance groupings of accounts managed by the portfolio manager in the same strategy (composite) relative to market conditions, pre-determined passive indices and industry peer group data for the product strategy (e.g., large cap growth, large cap value) for which the portfolio manager is responsible. Some portfolio managers may manage or contribute ideas to more than one product strategy, and the performance of the other product strategies is also considered in determining the portfolio manager’s overall compensation. |
| ■ | The investment professional’s contribution to client portfolio’s pre-tax one-, three-, five-year and longer-term performance from the investment professional’s recommended stocks relative to market conditions, the strategy’s passive benchmarks, and the investment professional’s respective coverage universes. |
The qualitative
factors reviewed for the portfolio managers may include:
| ■ | The quality of the portfolio manager’s investment ideas and consistency of the portfolio manager’s judgment; |
| ■ | Historical and long-term business potential of the product strategies; |
| ■ | Qualitative factors such as teamwork and responsiveness; and |
| ■ | Individual factors such as years of experience and responsibilities specific to the individual’s role such as being a team leader or supervisor are also factored into the determination of an investment professional’s total compensation. |
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Jennison manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. This side-by-side management can create an incentive for Jennison and its investment
professionals to favor one account over another. Specifically, Jennison has the incentive to favor accounts for which it receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in
order to bolster performance and increase its fees.
Other types of side-by-side
management of multiple accounts can also create incentives for Jennison to favor one account over another. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how Jennison addresses these conflicts.
| ■ | Long only accounts/long-short accounts: Jennison manages accounts in strategies that only hold long securities positions as well as accounts in strategies that are permitted to sell securities short. Jennison may hold a long position in a security in some client accounts while selling the same security short in other client accounts. For example, Jennison permits quantitatively hedged strategies to short securities that are held long in other strategies. Additionally, Jennison permits securities that are held long in quantitatively derived strategies to be shorted by other strategies. The strategies that sell a security short held long by another strategy could lower the price for the security held long. Similarly, if a strategy is purchasing a security that is held short in other strategies, the strategies purchasing the security could increase the price of the security held short. |
| ■ | Large accounts: Large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts. As a result, a portfolio manager has an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for us. |
| ■ | Multiple strategies: Jennison may buy or sell, or may direct or recommend that one client buy or sell, securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client, at prices that may be different. Jennison may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account, due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies effecting trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in Jennison’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side. |
| ■ | Affiliated accounts/unaffiliated accounts and seeded/nonseeded accounts and accounts receiving asset allocation assets from affiliated investment advisers: Jennison manages accounts for its affiliates and accounts in which it has an interest alongside unaffiliated accounts. Jennison could have an incentive to favor its affiliated accounts over unaffiliated accounts. Additionally, Jennison’s affiliates may provide initial funding or otherwise invest in vehicles managed by Jennison. When an affiliate provides “ seed capital ” or other capital for a fund or account, it may do so with the intention of redeeming all or part of its interest at a particular |
111
| future point in time or when it deems that sufficient additional capital has been invested in that fund or account. Jennison typically requests seed capital to start a track record for a new strategy or product. Managing “seeded” accounts alongside “non-seeded” accounts can create an incentive to favor the “seeded” accounts to establish a track record for a new strategy or product. Additionally, Jennison’s affiliated investment advisers could allocate their asset allocation clients’ assets to Jennison. Jennison could favor accounts used by its affiliate for their asset allocation clients to receive more assets from the affiliate. | |
| ■ | Non-discretionary accounts or models: Jennison provides non-discretionary model portfolios to some clients and manages other portfolios on a discretionary basis. Recommendations for some non-discretionary models that are derived from discretionary portfolios are communicated after the discretionary portfolio has traded. The non-discretionary clients could be disadvantaged if Jennison delivers the model investment portfolio to them after Jennison initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa. |
| ■ | Higher fee paying accounts or products or strategies: Jennison receives more revenues from (1) larger accounts or client relationships than smaller accounts or client relationships and from (2) managing discretionary accounts than advising nondiscretionary models and from (3) non-wrap fee accounts than from wrap fee accounts and from (4) charging higher fees for some strategies than others. The differences in revenue that Jennison receives could create an incentive for Jennison to favor the higher fee paying or higher revenue generating account or product or strategy over another. |
| ■ | Personal interests: The performance of one or more accounts managed by Jennison’s investment professionals is taken into consideration in determining their compensation. Jennison also manages accounts that are investment options in its employee benefit plans such as its defined contribution plans or deferred compensation arrangements and where its employees may have personally invested alongside other accounts where there is no personal interest. These factors could create an incentive for Jennison to favor the accounts where it has a personal interest over accounts where Jennison does not have a personal interest. |
How Jennison Addresses These
Conflicts of Interest
The conflicts of interest described
above could create incentives for Jennison to favor one or more accounts or types of accounts over others in the allocation of investment opportunities, time, aggregation and timing of investments. Portfolios in a
particular strategy with similar objectives are managed similarly to the extent possible. Accordingly, portfolio holdings and industry and sector exposure tend to be similar across a group of accounts in a strategy
that have similar objectives, which tends to minimize the potential for conflicts of interest among accounts within a product strategy. While these accounts have many similarities, the investment performance of each
account will be different primarily due to differences in guidelines, individual portfolio manager’s decisions, timing of investments, fees, expenses and cash flows.
Additionally, Jennison has
developed policies and procedures that seek to address, mitigate and assess these conflicts of interest. Jennison cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent, or lead to the
disclosure of, each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
| ■ | Jennison has adopted trade aggregation and allocation procedures that seek to treat all clients (including affiliated accounts) fairly and equitably. These policies and procedures address the allocation of limited investment opportunities, such as initial public offerings (IPOs) and new issues, the allocation of transactions across multiple accounts, and the timing of transactions between its non-wrap accounts and its wrap fee accounts. |
| ■ | Jennison has policies that limit the ability to short securities in portfolios that primarily rely on its fundamental research and investment processes (fundamental portfolios) if the security is held long in other fundamental portfolios. |
| ■ | Jennison has adopted procedures to review allocations or performance dispersion between accounts with performance fees and non-performance fee based accounts and to review overlapping long and short positions among long accounts and long-short accounts and between wrap fee program sponsers. |
| ■ | Jennison has adopted a code of ethics and policies relating to personal trading. |
| ■ | Jennison provides disclosure of these conflicts as described in its Form ADV. |
Lazard Asset Management LLC
COMPENSATION
. Lazard Asset Management LLC (Lazard) compensates portfolio managers by a competitive salary and bonus structure, which is determined both quantitatively and qualitatively. Salary and
bonus are paid in cash, stock and restricted interests in funds managed by Lazard or its affiliates. Portfolio managers are compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of portfolios managed by the
teams of which they are a member rather than for a specific fund or account. Various factors are considered in the determination of a portfolio manager's compensation. All of the portfolios managed by a
portfolio manager are comprehensively evaluated to determine his or her positive and consistent performance contribution over time. Further factors include the amount of assets in the portfolios as well as
qualitative aspects that reinforce Lazard's investment philosophy.
Total compensation is generally not
fixed, but rather is based on the following factors: (i) leadership, teamwork and commitment, (ii) maintenance of current knowledge and opinions on companies owned in the portfolio; (iii) generation and
development of new investment ideas, including the quality of security analysis and identification of appreciation catalysts; (iv) ability and willingness to develop and share ideas on a team basis; and (v) the
performance results of the portfolios managed by the investment teams of which the portfolio manager is a member.
112
Variable bonus is
based on the portfolio manager's quantitative performance as measured by his or her ability to make investment decisions that contribute to the pre-tax absolute and relative returns of the accounts managed by the
teams of which the portfolio manager is a member, by comparison of each account to a predetermined benchmark (as set forth in the prospectus or other governing document) over the current fiscal year and the
longer-term performance of such account, as well as performance of the account relative to peers. The variable bonus for the Fund’s portfolio management team in respect of its management of the Fund is
determined by reference to corresponding indices. The portfolio manager's bonus also can be influenced by subjective measurement of the manager's ability to help others make investment decisions. A portion
of a portfolio manager's variable bonus is awarded under a deferred compensation arrangement pursuant to which the portfolio manager may allocate certain amounts awarded among certain funds, in shares that vest in two
to three years. Certain portfolio managers' bonus compensation may be tied to a fixed percentage of revenue or assets generated by the accounts managed by such portfolio management teams.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Lazard’s portfolio managers manage multiple accounts for a diverse client base, including private clients, institutions and investment funds. Lazard manages all portfolios on a team
basis. The team is involved at all levels of the investment process. This team approach allows for every portfolio manager to benefit from his/her peers, and for clients to receive the firm’s best thinking, not
that of a single portfolio manager. Lazard manages all like investment mandates against a model portfolio. Specific client objectives, guidelines or limitations then are applied against the model, and any necessary
adjustments are made.
Although the potential for
conflicts of interest exist because Lazard’s portfolio managers manage other accounts with similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund (“Similar Accounts”), Lazard has procedures in
place that are designed to ensure that all accounts are treated fairly and that the Fund is not disadvantaged, including procedures regarding trade allocations and “conflicting trades” (e.g., long and
short positions in the same security, as described below). In addition, the Fund, as a registered investment company, is subject to different regulations than certain of the Similar Accounts, and, consequently, may
not be permitted to engage in all the investment techniques or transactions, or to engage in such techniques or transactions to the same degree, as the Similar Accounts.
Potential conflicts of interest may
arise because of Lazard’s management of the Fund and Similar Accounts. For example, conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of limited
investment opportunities, as Lazard may be perceived as causing accounts it manages to participate in an offering to increase Lazard’s overall allocation of securities in that offering, or to increase
Lazard’s ability to participate in future offerings by the same underwriter or issuer. Allocations of bunched trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially filled due to limited availability, and
allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a potential conflict of interest, as Lazard may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to preferred accounts.
Initial public offerings, in particular, are frequently of very limited availability. Additionally, portfolio managers may be perceived to have a conflict of interest because of the large number of Similar Accounts,
in addition to the Fund, that they are managing on behalf of Lazard. Although Lazard does not track each individual portfolio manager’s time dedicated to each account, Lazard periodically reviews each portfolio
manager’s overall responsibilities to ensure that they are able to allocate the necessary time and resources to effectively manage the Fund. In addition, Lazard could be viewed as having a conflict of interest
to the extent that Lazard and/or its portfolio managers have a materially larger investment in a Similar Account than their investment in the Fund.
A potential conflict of interest
may be perceived to arise if transactions in one account closely follow related transactions in a different account, such as when a purchase increases the value of securities previously purchased by the other account,
or when a sale in one account lowers the sale price received in a sale by a second account. Lazard manages hedge funds that are subject to performance/incentive fees. Certain hedge funds managed by Lazard may also be
permitted to sell securities short. When Lazard engages in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, Lazard could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the account
engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. As described above, Lazard has procedures in place to address these conflicts. Portfolio managers and portfolio management
teams are generally not permitted to manage long-only assets alongside long/short assets, although may from time to time manage both hedge funds and long-only accounts, including open-end and closed-end registered
investment companies.
LMCG Investments, LLC.
COMPENSATION
. Portfolio managers and other investment team members at LMCG are compensated through a combination of a competitive base salary and an incentive bonus. LMCG's incentive bonus plan for
investment teams is based on revenue generated by a team’s assets under management and composite performance relative to a benchmark. The benchmark used to measure performance is a peer group universe blending
retail and institutional data. Particular attention is paid to a team’s performance rankings within the universe for a blended time period including one year, three years, five years, and since-inception
performance. A team earns a greater percentage of revenue generated by its assets under management as its performance ranks higher within the universe. Equity ownership is available to investment team members and
other key
employees.
113
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
LMCG’s portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more funds as well as other accounts, including proprietary accounts, separate accounts and other pooled investment
vehicles. A portfolio manager may also manage a separate account or other pooled investment vehicle which may have materially higher fee arrangements than the Fund and may also have a performance-based fee. The
side-by-side management of these funds may raise potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades. LMCG has fiduciary responsibility
to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. It seeks to provide best execution of all securities transactions and aggregate and then allocate securities to client accounts in a fair and timely
manner. Similarly, trading in securities by LMCG personnel for their own accounts potentially could conflict with the interest of clients. LMCG has policies and procedures in place to detect, monitor and resolve these
and other potential conflicts of interest that are inherent to its business as a registered investment adviser.
Longfellow Investment Management Co.
LLC
COMPENSATION
. Longfellow’s professionals receive a base salary that considers their responsibilities and their experience. They also are awarded a significant annual bonus based upon their
specific contributions to the success and profitability of the firm. Longfellow is 100% owned by 5 employees. Owners receive a portion of the firm’s profits in addition to base salary and bonus.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Actual or potential conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has management responsibilities to more than one account. This would include devotion of unequal time and
attention to the management of the accounts and the inability to allocate limited investment opportunities across a broad array of accounts. Longfellow has adopted policies and procedures to address such
conflicts.
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.
(Loomis Sayles)
MATERIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Conflicts of interest may arise in the allocation of investment opportunities and the allocation of aggregated orders among the Funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers. A
portfolio manager potentially could give favorable treatment to some accounts for a variety of reasons, including favoring larger accounts, accounts that pay higher fees, accounts that pay performance-based fees,
accounts of affiliated companies and accounts in which the portfolio manager has an interest. Such favorable treatment could lead to more favorable investment opportunities or allocations for some accounts. Loomis
Sayles makes investment decisions for all accounts (including institutional accounts, mutual funds, hedge funds and affiliated accounts) based on each account’s availability of other comparable investment
opportunities and Loomis Sayles’ desire to treat all accounts fairly and equitably over time. Loomis Sayles maintains trade allocation and aggregation policies and procedures to address these potential
conflicts. Conflicts of interest also may arise to the extent a portfolio manager short sells a stock in one client account but holds that stock long in other accounts, including the Funds, or sells a stock for some
accounts while buying the stock for others, and through the use of “soft dollar arrangements,” which are discussed in the Loomis Sayles’ Brokerage Allocation Policies and Procedures and Loomis
Sayles’ Trade Aggregation and Allocation Policies and Procedures.”
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
Loomis Sayles believes that portfolio manager compensation should be driven primarily by the delivery of consistent and superior long-term performance for its clients. Portfolio manager
compensation is made up primarily of three main components: base salary, variable compensation and a long-term incentive program. Although portfolio manager compensation is not directly tied to assets under
management, a portfolio manager’s base salary and/or variable compensation potential may reflect the amount of assets for which the manager is responsible relative to other portfolio managers. Loomis Sayles also
offers a profit sharing plan. Base salary is a fixed amount based on a combination of factors, including industry experience, firm experience, job performance and market considerations. Variable compensation is an
incentive-based component and generally represents a significant multiple of base salary. Variable compensation is based on four factors: investment performance, profit growth of the firm, profit growth of the
manager’s business unit and personal conduct. Investment performance is the primary component of total variable compensation and generally represents at least 60% of the total for fixed income managers and 70%
of the total for equity managers. The other three factors are used to determine the remainder of variable compensation, subject to the discretion of the Chief Investment Officer (“CIO”) and senior
management. The CIO and senior management evaluate these other factors annually.
Equity Funds’ Portfolio
Managers
While mutual fund performance and
asset size do not directly contribute to the compensation calculation, investment performance for equity managers is measured by comparing the performance of Loomis Sayles’ institutional composites to the
performance of the applicable Morningstar peer group and/or the Lipper universe. Generally speaking, the performance of the respective product’s fund is compared against the applicable Morningstar peer group
and/or the Lipper universe. To the extent the majority of assets managed in the fund strategy are for institutional separate accounts, the eVestment Alliance institutional peer group will also be used as an additional
comparison. In situations where substantially all of the assets for the strategy are institutional, the institutional peer group will be used as the primary method of comparison. A manager’s performance relative
to the peer group for the 1, 3 and 5 year periods (3, 5 and 10
114
years for large cap growth, all cap growth and
global growth), or since the start of the manager’s tenure, if shorter, is used to calculate the amount of variable compensation payable due to performance. Longer-term performance is typically weighted more
than shorter-term performance (1 year or 3 years for large cap growth, all cap growth and global growth). In addition, the performance measurement for equity compensation usually incorporates a consistency metric
using longer term (3, 5, etc. years) rolling returns compared to the peer group over a sustained measurement period (5, 7, etc. years); however, the exact method may be adjusted to a product’s particular style.
If a manager is responsible for more than one product, the rankings of each product are weighted based on relative revenue of accounts represented in each product. The external benchmark used for the investment style
utilized for the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio and the AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio is the Russell 1000 Growth Index.
Mr. Hamzaogullari also receives
additional compensation based on revenue and performance hurdles for his strategies, and performance fee based compensation as portfolio manager for a private investment fund.
In cases where the institutional
peer groups are used, Loomis Sayles believes they represent the most competitive product universe while closely matching the investment styles offered by the Loomis Sayles fund.
Fixed Income
Funds’ Portfolio Managers
While mutual fund performance and
asset size do not directly contribute to the compensation calculation, investment performance for fixed-income managers is measured by comparing the performance of Loomis Sayles’ institutional composite (pre-tax
and net of fees) in the manager’s style to the performance of an external benchmark and a customized peer group. The customized peer group is created by Loomis Sayles and is made up of institutional managers in
the particular investment style. A manager’s relative performance for the past five years, or seven years for some products, is used to calculate the amount of variable compensation payable due to performance.
To ensure consistency, Loomis Sayles analyzes the five- or seven year performance on a rolling three year basis. If a manager is responsible for more than one product, the rankings of each product are weighted based
on relative revenue size of accounts represented in each product.
Loomis Sayles uses both an external
benchmark and a customized peer group as a point of comparison for fixed-income manager performance because Loomis Sayles believes they represent an appropriate combination of the competitive fixed-income product
universe and the investment styles offered by Loomis Sayles. The external benchmark used for the investment style utilized for the AST Blackrock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio is the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond
Index.
In addition to the compensation
described above, portfolio managers may receive additional compensation based on the overall growth of their strategies.
General
Most mutual funds
do not directly contribute to a portfolio manager’s overall compensation because Loomis Sayles uses the performance of the portfolio manager’s institutional accounts compared to an institutional peer
group. However, each fund managed by Loomis Sayles employs strategies endorsed by Loomis Sayles and fits into the product category for the relevant investment style. Loomis Sayles may adjust compensation if there is
significant dispersion among the returns of the composite and accounts not included in the composite.
Loomis Sayles has developed and
implemented two distinct long-term incentive plans to attract and retain investment talent. The plans supplement existing compensation. The first plan has several important components distinguishing it from
traditional equity ownership plans:
| ■ | the plan grants units that entitle participants to an annual payment based on a percentage of company earnings above an established threshold; |
| ■ | upon retirement, a participant will receive a multi-year payout for his or her vested units; and |
| ■ | participation is contingent upon signing an award agreement, which includes a non-compete covenant. |
The second plan is similarly
constructed although the participants’ annual participation in company earnings is deferred for two years from the time of award and is only payable if the portfolio manager remains at Loomis Sayles. In this
plan, there is no post-retirement payments or non-compete covenants.
Senior management
expects that the variable compensation portion of overall compensation will continue to remain the largest source of income for those investment professionals included in the plan. The plan was initially offered to
portfolio managers and over time, the scope of eligibility widened to include other key investment professionals. Management has full discretion on what units are issued and to whom.
115
Portfolio managers
also participate in the Loomis Sayles profit sharing plan, in which Loomis Sayles makes a contribution to the retirement plan of each employee based on a percentage of base salary (up to a maximum amount). The
portfolio managers may also participate in the Loomis Sayles defined benefit pension plan, which applies to all Loomis Sayles employees who joined the firm prior to May 3, 2003. The defined benefit is based on years
of service and base compensation (up to a maximum amount).
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC.
COMPENSATION OF PORTFOLIO
MANAGERS.
When used in this section, the term “fund” refers to the Portfolio, as well as any other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and accounts managed by a
portfolio manager. Each portfolio manager receives compensation from Lord Abbett consisting of salary, bonus and profit sharing plan contributions. The level of base compensation takes into account the portfolio
manager's experience, reputation and competitive market rates.
Fiscal year-end
bonuses, which can be a substantial percentage of overall compensation, are determined after an evaluation of various factors. These factors include the portfolio manager's investment results and style consistency,
the dispersion among funds with similar objectives, the risk taken to achieve the fund returns and similar factors. In considering the portfolio manager's investment results, Lord Abbett's senior management may
evaluate the Portfolio's performance against one or more benchmarks from among the Portfolio's primary benchmark and any supplemental benchmarks as disclosed in the prospectus, indices disclosed as performance
benchmarks by the portfolio manager's other accounts, and other indices within one or more of the Portfolio's peer groups maintained by rating agencies, as well as the Portfolio's peer group. In particular, investment
results are evaluated based on an assessment of the portfolio manager's one-, three-, and five-year investment returns on a pre-tax basis versus both the benchmark and the peer groups. Finally, there is a component of
the bonus that reflects leadership and management of the investment team. The evaluation does not follow a formulaic approach, but rather is reached following a review of these factors. No part of the bonus payment is
based on the portfolio manager's assets under management, the revenues generated by those assets, or the profitability of the portfolio manager's team. Lord Abbett does not manage hedge funds. In addition, Lord Abbett
may designate a bonus payment of a manager for participation in the firm's senior incentive compensation plan, which provides for a deferred payout over a five-year period. The plan's earnings are based on the overall
asset growth of the firm as a whole. Lord Abbett believes this incentive focuses portfolio managers on the impact their fund's performance has on the overall reputation of the firm as a whole and encourages exchanges
of investment ideas among investment professionals managing different mandates.
Lord Abbett provides a 401(k)
profit-sharing plan for all eligible employees. Contributions to a portfolio manager's profit-sharing account are based on a percentage of the portfolio manager's total base and bonus paid during the fiscal year,
subject to a specified maximum amount. The assets of this profit-sharing plan are entirely invested in Lord Abbett-sponsored funds.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
Conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the portfolio managers’ management of the investments of the Portfolio and the investments of the other accounts included in the
table above. Such conflicts may arise with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities among the Portfolio and other accounts with similar investment objectives and policies. A portfolio manager potentially
could use information concerning the Portfolio's transactions to the advantage of other accounts and to the detriment of the Portfolio. To address these potential conflicts of interest, Lord Abbett has adopted and
implemented a number of policies and procedures. Lord Abbett has adopted Policies and Procedures Relating to Soft Dollars, as well as Evaluation of Proprietary Research Policy and Procedures. The objective of these
policies and procedures is to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of transactions and allocation of investment opportunities on behalf of all accounts managed by Lord Abbett. In addition, Lord Abbett's Code of
Ethics sets forth general principles for the conduct of employee personal securities transactions in a manner that avoids any actual or potential conflicts of interest with the interests of Lord Abbett's clients
including the Portfolio. Moreover, Lord Abbett's Insider Trading and Receipt of Material Non-Public Information Policy and Procedure sets forth procedures for personnel to follow when they have inside information.
Lord Abbett is not affiliated with a full service broker-dealer and therefore does not execute any portfolio transactions through such an entity, a structure that could give rise to additional conflicts. Lord Abbett
does not conduct any investment bank functions and does not manage any hedge funds. Lord Abbett does not believe that any material conflicts of interest exist in connection with the portfolio managers’
management of the investments of the Portfolio and the investments of the other accounts referenced in the table above.
LSV Asset Management.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
The Portfolio Managers’ compensation consists of a salary and discretionary bonus. Each of the Portfolio Managers is a Partner of LSV and thereby receives a portion of the overall
profit of the firm as part of his ownership interests. The bonus is based upon the profitability of the firm and individual performance. Individual performance is subjective and may be based on a number of factors,
such as the individual’s leadership and contribution to the strategic planning and development of the investment group.
116
POTENTIAL
CONFLICTS.
The same team of Portfolio Managers is responsible for the day-to-day management of all of LSV's accounts. LSV uses a proprietary quantitative investment model to manage all of LSV’s
accounts. LSV relies extensively on its quantitative investment model regarding the advisability of investing in a particular company. Any investment decisions are generally made based on whether a buy or sell signal
is received from the proprietary quantitative investment model. Accounts or funds with performance-based fees and accounts or funds in which employees may be invested could create an incentive to favor those accounts
or funds over other accounts or funds in the allocation of investment opportunities. In addition, it is possible that a short position may be taken on a security that is held long in another portfolio. LSV has
procedures designed to ensure that all clients are treated fairly and to prevent these potential conflicts from influencing the allocation of investment opportunities among clients. On a quarterly basis, LSV's
Forensic Testing Committee, consisting of the Chief Compliance Officer, Compliance Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Compliance Analyst, reviews, among other things, allocations of investment opportunities among
clients and allocation of partially filled block trades.
Massachusetts Financial Services
Company.
COMPENSATION.
Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually. As of December 31, 2017, portfolio manager total cash compensation is a combination of base salary and performance bonus:
| ■ | Base Salary—Base salary represents a smaller percentage of portfolio manager total cash compensation than performance bonus. |
| ■ | Performance Bonus—Generally, the performance bonus represents more than a majority of portfolio manager total cash compensation. |
The performance bonus is based on a
combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter.
The quantitative
portion is based on the pre-tax performance of assets managed by the portfolio manager over one-, three-, and five-year periods relative to peer group universes and/or indices (“benchmarks”). As of
December 31, 2017, the following benchmarks were used to measure the following portfolio managers’ performance for the following Portfolios:
AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio
Portfolio Manager: Roger Morley
Benchmark(s): MSCI World Index (net div)
Benchmark(s): MSCI World Index (net div)
Portfolio Manager: Ryan
McAllister
Benchmark(s): MSCI World Index (net div)
Benchmark(s): MSCI World Index (net div)
AST MFS Growth Portfolio
Portfolio Manager: Eric Fischman
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index
Portfolio Manager: Eric Fischman
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index
Portfolio Manager:
Matthew Sabel*
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index
Portfolio Manager: Paul Gordon
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index
*As of September 1, 2018 Matthew
Sabel will no longer be a portfolio manager of the Portfolio.
AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio
Portfolio Manager: Nevin Chitkara
Benchmark: Russell 1000® Value Index
Portfolio Manager: Nevin Chitkara
Benchmark: Russell 1000® Value Index
Portfolio Manager: Steven
Gorham
Benchmark: Russell 1000® Value Index
Benchmark: Russell 1000® Value Index
Additional or different benchmarks,
including versions of indices, custom indices, and linked indices that combine performance of different indices for different portions of the time period may also be used. Primary weight is given to portfolio
performance over a three-year time period with lesser consideration given to portfolio performance over one- and five-year periods (adjusted as appropriate if the portfolio manager has served for less than five
years).
117
The qualitative portion is based on
the results of an annual internal peer review process (conducted by other portfolio managers, analysts, and traders) and management's assessment of overall portfolio manager contributions to investor relations and the
investment process (distinct from fund and other account performance). This performance bonus may be in the form of cash and/or a deferred cash award, at the discretion of management. A deferred cash award is issued
for a cash value and becomes payable over a three-year vesting period if the portfolio manager remains in the continuous employ of MFS or its affiliates. During the vesting period, the value of the unfunded deferred
cash award will fluctuate as though the portfolio manager had invested the cash value of the award in an MFS Fund(s) selected by the portfolio manager. A selected fund may be, but is not required to be, a fund that is
managed by the portfolio manager.
Portfolio managers also typically
benefit from the opportunity to participate in the MFS Equity Plan. Equity interests and/or options to acquire equity interests in MFS or its parent company are awarded by management, on a discretionary basis, taking
into account tenure at MFS, contribution to the investment process and other factors.
Finally, portfolio managers also
participate in benefit plans (including a defined contribution plan and health and other insurance plans) and programs available generally to other employees of MFS. The percentage such benefits represent of any
portfolio manager's compensation depends upon the length of the individual's tenure at MFS and salary level, as well as other factors.
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
MFS seeks to identify potential conflicts of interest resulting from a portfolio manager's management of both the Portfolio and other accounts, and has adopted policies and procedures
designed to address such potential conflicts.
The management of multiple funds
and accounts (including proprietary accounts) gives rise to conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives and strategies, benchmarks, time horizons and fees as a portfolio manager must
allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. In certain instances there are securities which are suitable for the Portfolio as well as for accounts of MFS or its subsidiaries with
similar investment objectives. MFS’ trade allocation policies may give rise to conflicts of interest if the Portfolio's orders do not get fully executed or are delayed in getting executed due to being aggregated
with those of other accounts of MFS or its subsidiaries. A portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely affect the value of the Portfolio's investments. Investments
selected for funds or accounts other than the Portfolio may outperform investments selected for the Portfolio.
When two or more clients are
simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed by MFS to be fair and equitable to each. Allocations may be based on many factors
and may not always be pro rata based on assets managed. The allocation methodology could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Fund is concerned.
MFS and/or a portfolio manager may
have a financial incentive to allocate favorable or limited opportunity investments or structure the timing of investments to favor accounts other than the Portfolio, for instance, those that pay a higher advisory fee
and/or have a performance adjustment and/or include an investment by the portfolio manager.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management,
Inc.
COMPENSATION.
Morgan Stanley’s compensation structure is based on a total reward system of base salary and incentive compensation, which is paid either in the form of cash bonus, or for employees
meeting the specified deferred compensation eligibility threshold, partially as a cash bonus and partially as mandatory deferred compensation. Deferred compensation granted to Investment Management employees are
generally granted as a mix of deferred cash awards under the Investment Management Alignment Plan (IMAP) and equity-based awards in the form of stock units. The portion of incentive compensation granted in the form of
a deferred compensation award and the terms of such awards are determined annually by the Compensation, Management Development and Succession Committee of the Morgan Stanley Board of Directors.
Base salary compensation.
Generally, portfolio managers receive base salary compensation based on the level of their position with the Adviser.
Incentive compensation. In addition
to base compensation, portfolio managers may receive discretionary year-end compensation.
Incentive compensation may
include:
| ■ | Cash Bonus. |
| ■ | Deferred Compensation: |
| ■ | A mandatory program that defers a portion of incentive compensation into restricted stock units or other awards based on Morgan Stanley common stock or other plans that are subject to vesting and other conditions. |
118
| ■ | IMAP is a cash-based deferred compensation plan designed to increase the alignment of participants’ interests with the interests of the Advisor’s clients. For eligible employees, a portion of their deferred compensation is mandatorily deferred into IMAP on an annual basis. Awards granted under IMAP are notionally invested in referenced funds available pursuant to the plan, which are funds advised by Investment Management. Portfolio managers are required to notionally invest a minimum of 25% of their account balance in the designated funds that they manage and are included in the IMAP notional investment fund menu. |
| ■ | Deferred compensation awards are typically subject to vesting over a multi-year period and are subject to cancellation through the payment date for competition, cause (i.e., any act or omission that constitutes a breach of obligation to the Company, including failure to comply with internal compliance, ethics or risk management standards, and failure or refusal to perform duties satisfactorily, including supervisory and management duties), disclosure of proprietary information, and solicitation of employees or clients. Awards are also subject to clawback through the payment date if an employee’s act or omission (including with respect to direct supervisory responsibilities) causes a restatement of the Firm’s consolidated financial results, constitutes a violation of the Firm’s global risk management principles, policies and standards, or causes a loss of revenue associated with a position on which the employee was paid and the employee operated outside of internal control policies. |
Investment Management compensates
employees based on principles of pay-for-performance, market competitiveness and risk management. Eligibility for, and the amount of any, discretionary compensation is subject to a multi-dimensional process.
Specifically, consideration is given to one or more of the following factors, which can vary by portfolio management team and circumstances:
| ■ | Revenue and profitability of the business and/or each fund/accounts managed by the portfolio manager |
| ■ | Revenue and profitability of the Firm |
| ■ | Return on equity and risk factors of both the business units and Morgan Stanley |
| ■ | Assets managed by the portfolio manager |
| ■ | External market conditions |
| ■ | New business development and business sustainability |
| ■ | Contribution to client objectives |
| ■ | The pre-tax investment performance of the funds/accounts managed by the portfolio manager (which may, in certain cases, be measured against the applicable benchmark(s) and/or peer group(s) over one, three and five-year periods. |
| ■ | Individual contribution and performance |
Further, the Firm’s Global
Incentive Compensation Discretion Policy requires compensation managers to consider only legitimate, business related factors when exercising discretion in determining variable incentive compensation, including
adherence to Morgan Stanley’s core values, conduct, disciplinary actions in the current performance year, risk management and risk outcomes.
Other Accounts Managed by the
Portfolio Managers
Because the portfolio managers may
manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to
favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Adviser and/or Sub- Advisers may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may
receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of
interest could exist to the extent the Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers have proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain accounts or when certain accounts are
investment options in the Adviser’s and/or Sub-Advisers’ employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor these accounts over others. If the
Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers manage accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, the Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the
benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers have adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that
they believe are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Because the portfolio managers may manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and
certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Sub-Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher
than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee
accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of interest could exist to the extent the Sub-Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain
accounts or when certain accounts are investment options in the Sub-Adviser’s employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor these accounts over
others. If the Sub-Adviser manages accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, the
119
Sub-Adviser could be seen as harming the
performance of the Fund for the benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Sub-Adviser has adopted trade allocation and other policies and
procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.
Brokerage Selection
MSIM, as the Fund’s
sub-adviser, is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, for broker-dealer selection and for negotiation of commission rates. MSIM is prohibited from directing brokerage transactions on the
basis of the referral of clients or the sale of shares of advised investment companies. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In
the OTC market, securities may be traded as agency transactions through broker dealers or traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission,
although the price of the security usually includes profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price that includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally
referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid.
On occasion, the Fund may purchase
certain money market instruments directly from an issuer without payment of a commission or concession. Money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for
their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer.
The Fund anticipates that certain
of its transactions involving foreign securities will be effected on foreign securities exchanges. There is also generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges and brokers than in
the United States. MSIM serves as investment adviser to a number of clients, including other investment companies. MSIM attempts to equitably allocate purchase and sale transactions among the Fund and other client
accounts. To that end, MSIM considers various factors, including respective investment objectives, relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, availability of cash for investment, size of
investment commitments generally held and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Fund and other client accounts.
MSIM selects the brokers or dealers
that will execute the purchases and sales of investment securities for the Fund. Selection of approved brokers for execution is based on three main criteria: access to liquidity, provision of capital and quality of
execution. MSIM effects transactions with those broker-dealers under the obligation to seek best execution. MSIM may place portfolio transactions with those brokers and dealers who also furnish research and other
services to the Fund and/or MSIM. Services provided may include certain research services (as described below), as well as effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as
clearance, settlement and custody).
MSIM and its affiliated investment
advisers have established commission sharing arrangements under a commission management program (the “Commission Management Program” or “CMP”), pursuant to which execution and research costs or
a portion of those costs are decoupled in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.
“Approved Equity CMP Partner
Brokers” are those executing brokers with which MSIM or its affiliated investment advisers have agreement(s) to accrue research commission credits for the benefit of clients. Over a certain time period, the
research credits are pooled at the Approved Equity CMP Partner Brokers and a third party vendor (also known as the “CMP Aggregator”) who will, under MSIM’s supervision, act as the administrator of
certain CMP related activities which may include reconciliation of research credits with brokers, as well as holding research credits in an account for purposes of distribution to applicable research providers at a
later time. These research credits are subsequently used to pay for eligible research services.
Under the CMP, MSIM and its
affiliated investment advisers select approved equity brokers (which include MSIM’s affiliates) for execution services and after accumulation of commissions at such brokers, MSIM and/or its affiliated investment
advisers instruct these approved equity brokers to transfer a predetermined percentage of commissions to an aggregator. MSIM and/or its affiliated investment advisers then instruct the aggregator to utilize these
balances to pay for eligible research provided by executing brokers or third-party research providers on MSIM’s and its affiliated investment advisers’ Approved Research Provider List. Generally, MSIM and
its affiliated investment advisers will direct the aggregator and/or approved equity broker to record research credits based upon a previously agreed-upon allocation and will periodically instruct the aggregator
and/or approved equity broker to direct specified dollar amounts from that pool to pay for eligible research services provided by third-party research providers and/or executing brokers. The research credits are
pooled among MSIM and its affiliated investment advisers and allocated on behalf of both MSIM and its affiliated investment advisers. Likewise, the research services obtained under the CMP are shared among MSIM and
its affiliated investment advisers.
For those costs not decoupled, but
retained by broker-dealers, MSIM also effects transactions with brokers which directly pay for proprietary research services provided in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “1934 Act”). Such transactions include equity transactions effected on an agency basis.
120
Transactions involving client
accounts managed by two or more affiliated investment advisers may be aggregated and executed using the services of broker-dealers that provide third-party benefits/research so long as all client accounts involved in
the transaction benefit from one or more of the services offered by such broker-dealer.
The research services received
include those of the nature described above and other services that aid MSIM in fulfilling its investment decision-making responsibilities, including (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the
advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; and (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries,
securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts. Where a particular item has both research and non-research related uses, MSIM will make a reasonable allocation of the cost
of the item between research and non-research uses and will only pay for the portion of the cost allocated to research uses with client brokerage transactions.
Certain investment professionals
and other employees of MSIM are also officers of affiliated investment advisers and may provide investment advisory services to clients of such affiliated investment advisers. Research services furnished or paid for
by brokers through whom MSIM effects transactions for a particular account may be used by MSIM or its affiliated investment advisers in servicing its other accounts, and not all such services may be used for the
benefit of the client which pays the brokerage commission that results in the receipt of such research services. Commissions paid to brokers providing research services may be higher than those charged by brokers not
providing such services.
MSIM’s personnel also provide
research and trading support to personnel of certain affiliated investment advisers. Research related costs may be shared by affiliated investment advisers and may benefit the clients of such affiliated investment
advisers.
Research services that benefit MSIM
may be received in connection with commissions generated by clients of its affiliated investment advisers.
MSIM and its affiliated investment
advisers make a good faith determination of the value of research services in accordance with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, UK Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority Rules and other relevant
regulatory requirements.
MSIM and certain of its affiliates
currently serve as an investment adviser to a number of clients, including other investment companies, and may in the future act as investment adviser to others. It is the practice of MSIM and its affiliates to cause
purchase and sale transactions (including transactions in certain initial and secondary public offerings) to be allocated among clients whose assets they manage (including the Fund) in such manner they deem equitable.
In making such allocations among the Fund and other client accounts, various factors may be considered, including the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable
securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Fund and other client accounts. MSIM and its
affiliates may operate one or more order placement facilities and each facility will implement order allocation in accordance with the procedures described above. From time to time, each facility may transact in a
security at the same time as other facilities are trading in that security.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC
COMPENSATION.
Neuberger Berman's compensation philosophy is one that focuses on rewarding performance and incentivizing our employees. We are also focused on creating a compensation process that we
believe is fair, transparent, and competitive with the market.
Compensation for
Portfolio Managers consists of fixed (salary) and variable (bonus) compensation but is more heavily weighted on the variable portion of total compensation and is paid from a team compensation pool made available to
the portfolio management team with which the Portfolio Manager is associated. The size of the team compensation pool is determined based on a formula that takes into consideration a number of factors including the
pre-tax revenue that is generated by that particular portfolio management team, less certain adjustments. The bonus portion of the compensation is discretionary and is determined on the basis of a variety of criteria,
including investment performance (including the aggregate multi-year track record), utilization of central resources (including research, sales and operations/support), business building to further the longer term
sustainable success of the investment team, effective team/people management, and overall contribution to the success of Neuberger Berman. Certain Portfolio Managers may manage products other than mutual funds, such
as high net worth separate accounts. For the management of these accounts, a Portfolio Manager may generally receive a percentage of pre-tax revenue determined on a monthly basis less certain deductions. The
percentage of revenue a Portfolio Manager receives pursuant to this arrangement will vary based on certain revenue thresholds. Neuberger Berman has policies and procedures in place to monitor and manage any conflicts
of interest that may arise as a result of this structure.
The terms of our long-term
retention incentives are as follows:
121
Employee-Owned
Equity. Certain employees (primarily senior leadership and investment professionals) participate in Neuberger Berman’s equity ownership structure, which was designed to incentivize and retain key personnel. We
also offer an equity acquisition program which allows employees a more direct opportunity to invest Neuberger Berman.
In addition, in prior years certain
employees may have elected to have a portion of their compensation delivered in the form of equity, which, in certain instances, is vested upon issuance and in other instances vesting aligns with the vesting of our
Contingent Compensation Plan (vesting over 3 years).
For confidentiality and privacy
reasons, we cannot disclose individual equity holdings or program participation.
Contingent
Compensation. Certain employees may participate in the Neuberger Berman Group Contingent Compensation Plan (the “CCP”) to serve as a means to further align the interests of our employees with the success
of the firm and the interests of our clients, and to reward continued employment. Under the CCP, up to 20% of a participant’s annual total compensation in excess of $500,000 is contingent and subject to vesting.
The contingent amounts are maintained in a notional account that is tied to the performance of a portfolio of Neuberger Berman investment strategies as specified by the firm on an employee-by-employee basis. By having
a participant’s contingent compensation tied to Neuberger Berman investment strategies, each employee is given further incentive to operate as a prudent risk manager and to collaborate with colleagues to
maximize performance across all business areas. In the case members of investment teams, including Portfolio Managers, the CCP is currently structured so that such employees have exposure to the investment strategies
of their respective teams as well as the broader Neuberger Berman portfolio. In prior years, employees may have elected to have a portion of their contingent amounts delivered in the form of NBSH equity (either vested
or unvested, depending on the terms of the plain for that year). Neuberger Berman determines annually which employees participate in the program based on total compensation for the applicable year.
Restrictive Covenants. Most
investment professionals, including Portfolio Managers, are subject to notice periods and restrictive covenants which include employee and client non-solicit restrictions as well as restrictions on the use of
confidential information. In addition, depending on participation levels, certain senior professionals who have received equity have also agreed to additional notice and transition periods and, in some cases,
non-compete restrictions. For confidentiality and privacy reasons, we cannot disclose individual restrictive covenant arrangements.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a Portfolio Manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account. The management of
multiple funds and accounts (including proprietary accounts) may give rise to actual or potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different or similar objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and
fees, as the Portfolio Manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The Portfolio Manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely
impact the value of securities held by a fund, and which may include transactions that are directly contrary to the positions taken by a fund. For example, a Portfolio Manager may engage in short sales of securities
for another account that are the same type of securities in which a fund it manages also invests. In such a case, the Portfolio Manager could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the
account engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. Additionally, if a Portfolio Manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than
one fund or other account, a fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity. Further, Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers (“NBIA”) may take an investment position or action for a fund or
account that may be different from, inconsistent with, or have different rights than (e.g., voting rights, dividend or repayment priorities or other features that may conflict with one another), an action or position
taken for one or more other funds or accounts, including a fund, having similar or different objectives. A conflict may also be created by investing in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure (e.g.,
equity or debt, or different positions in the debt structure). Those positions and actions may adversely impact, or in some instances benefit, one or more affected accounts, including the funds. Potential conflicts
may also arise because portfolio decisions and related actions regarding a position held for a fund or another account may not be in the best interests of a position held by another fund or account having similar or
different objectives. If one account were to buy or sell portfolio securities shortly before another account bought or sold the same securities, it could affect the price paid or received by the second account.
Securities selected for funds or accounts other than a fund may outperform the securities selected for the fund. Finally, a conflict of interest may arise if NBIA and a Portfolio Manager have a financial incentive to
favor one account over another, such as a performance-based management fee that applies to one account but not all funds or accounts for which the Portfolio Manager is responsible. In the ordinary course of operations
certain businesses within the Neuberger Berman organization (the “Firm”) may seek access to material non-public information. For instance, certain loan portfolio managers may utilize material non-public
information in purchasing loans and from time to time, may be offered the opportunity on behalf of applicable clients to participate on a creditors committee, which participation may provide access to material
non-public information. The Firm maintains procedures that address the process by which material non-public information may be acquired intentionally by the Firm. When considering whether to acquire material
non-public information, the Firm will take into account the interests of all clients and will endeavor to act fairly to all clients. The intentional acquisition of material non-public information may give rise to a
potential conflict of interest since the Firm may be prohibited
122
from rendering investment advice to clients
regarding the public securities of such issuer and thereby potentially limiting the universe of public securities that the Firm, including a fund, may purchase or potentially limiting the ability of the Firm,
including a fund, to sell such securities. Similarly, where the Firm declines access to (or otherwise does not receive) material non-public information regarding an issuer, the portfolio managers may base investment
decisions for its clients, including a fund, with respect to loan assets of such issuer solely on public information, thereby limiting the amount of information available to the portfolio managers in connection with
such investment decisions.
NBIA has adopted certain compliance
procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
Parametric Portfolio Associates
LLC.
COMPENSATION.
Parametric believes that its
compensation packages, which are described below, are adequate to attract and retain high-caliber professional employees. Please note that compensation for investment professionals is not based directly on investment
performance or assets managed, but rather on the overall performance of responsibilities. In this way, the interests of portfolio managers are aligned with the interests of investors without providing incentive to
take undue or insufficient investment risk. It also removes a potential motivation for fraud.
Parametric Compensation
Structure.
Compensation of investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary; (2) an annual cash bonus; and (3) annual equity-based compensation.
Parametric investment professionals
also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to Parametric employees. Compensation of Parametric professionals are reviewed on an annual basis. Stock-based compensation
awards and adjustments in base salary and bonuses are typically paid and/or put into effect at, or shortly after, the firm’s fiscal year-end, October 31.
Method Parametric uses to Determine
Compensation.
Parametric seeks to compensate investment professionals commensurate with responsibilities and performance while remaining competitive with other firms within the investment management
industry.
Salaries, bonuses and stock-based
compensation are also influenced by the operating performance of Parametric and its parent company, Eaton Vance Corp. (“EVC”). Cash bonuses are determined based on a target percentage of Parametric’s
profits. While the salaries of investment professionals are comparatively fixed, cash bonuses and stock-based compensation may fluctuate from year-to-year, based on changes in financial performance and other factors.
Parametric also offers opportunities to move within the organization, as well as incentives to grow within the organization by promotion.
Additionally, Parametric
participates in compensation surveys that benchmark salaries against other firms in the industry. This data is reviewed, along with a number of other factors, so that compensation remains competitive with other firms
in the industry.
The firm also maintains the
following arrangements:
| ■ | Employment contracts for key investment professionals and senior leadership. |
| ■ | Eligible employees receive Eaton Vance equity grants that vest over a 5-year period from grant date. The vesting schedule for each grant is 10% in year 1, 15% in year 2, 20% in year 3, 25% in year 4, and 30% in year 5. |
| ■ | Ownership stake in Parametric Equity Plans for key employees. |
| ■ | Profit Sharing that vests over a 5-year period from employee’s start date. The vesting schedule for the Profit Sharing is 20% per year from the employee’s start date. |
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
It is possible that conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager's management of the investments of the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio on the one hand and the
investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible on the other. For example, a portfolio manager may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, resources and investment
opportunities among the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio and other accounts he or she advises. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions between a Fund or Portfolio and the other
accounts, a portfolio manager may take action with respect to another account that differs from the action taken with respect to the Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio. In some cases, another account managed by a
portfolio manager may compensate the investment adviser based on the performance of the securities held by that account. The existence of such a performance based fee may create additional conflicts of interest for
the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities. Whenever conflicts of interest arise, the portfolio manager will endeavor to exercise his or her discretion in a
manner that he or she believes is equitable to all interested persons. Parametric has adopted several policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts including: a code of ethics; and policies
which govern Parametric's trading practices, including among other things the aggregation and allocation of trades
123
among clients, brokerage allocation, cross trades
and best execution on the performance of the securities held by that account. The existence of such a performance based fee may create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of
management time, resources and investment opportunities. Whenever conflicts of interest arise, the portfolio manager will endeavor to exercise his or her discretion in a manner that he or she believes is equitable to
all interested persons. Parametric has adopted several policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts including: a code of ethics; and policies which govern Parametric's trading practices,
including among other things the aggregation and allocation of trades among clients, brokerage allocation, cross trades and best execution.
Pacific Investment Management Company
LLC.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
PIMCO’s approach to compensation seeks to provide professionals with a Total Compensation Plan and process that is driven by PIMCO’s mission and values. Key Principles on
Compensation Philosophy include:
| ■ | PIMCO’s pay practices are designed to attract and retain high performers; |
| ■ | PIMCO’s pay philosophy embraces a corporate culture of rewarding strong performance, a strong work ethic, and meritocracy; |
| ■ | PIMCO’s goal is to ensure key professionals are aligned to PIMCO’s long-term success through equity participation; and |
| ■ | PIMCO’s “Discern and Differentiate” discipline guides total compensation levels. |
The Total Compensation Plan
consists of three components. The compensation program for portfolio managers is designed to align with clients’ interests, emphasizing each portfolio manager’s ability to generate long-term investment
success for PIMCO’s clients. A portfolio manager’s compensation is not based solely on the performance of any Fund or any other account managed by that portfolio manager:
Base Salary – Base salary is
determined based on core job responsibilities, positions/levels and market factors. Base salary levels are reviewed annually, when there is a significant change in job responsibilities or position, or a significant
change in market levels.
Performance Bonus –
Performance bonuses are designed to reward risk-adjusted performance and contributions to PIMCO’s broader investment process. The compensation process is not formulaic and the following non-exhaustive list of
qualitative and quantitative criteria are considered when determining the total compensation for portfolio managers:
| ■ | Performance measured over a variety of longer- and shorter-term periods, including 5-year, 4-year, 3-year, 2-year and 1-year dollar-weighted and account-weighted, pre-tax total and risk-adjusted investment performance as judged against the applicable benchmarks (which may include internal investment performance-related benchmarks) for each account managed by a portfolio manager (including the Funds) and relative to applicable industry peer groups; greatest emphasis is placed on 5-year and 3-year performance, followed by 1-year performance; |
| ■ | Consistency of investment performance across portfolios of similar mandate and guidelines, rewarding low dispersion and consistency of outperformance; |
| ■ | Appropriate risk positioning and risk management mindset which includes consistency with PIMCO’s investment philosophy, the Investment Committee’s positioning guidance, absence of defaults, and appropriate alignment with client objectives; |
| ■ | Contributions to mentoring, coaching and/or supervising members of team; |
| ■ | Collaboration, idea generation, and contribution of investment ideas in the context of PIMCO’s investment process, Investment Committee meetings, and day-to-day management of portfolios; |
| ■ | With much lesser importance than the aforementioned factors: amount and nature of assets managed by the portfolio manager, contributions to asset retention, and client satisfaction. |
PIMCO’s partnership culture
further rewards strong long term risk adjusted returns with promotion decisions almost entirely tied to long term contributions to the investment process. 10-year performance can also be considered, though not
explicitly as part of the compensation process.
Deferred Compensation – Long
Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) and/or M Options which is awarded to key professionals. Employees who reach a total compensation threshold are delivered their annual compensation in a mix of cash and/or
deferred compensation. PIMCO incorporates a progressive allocation of deferred compensation as a percentage of total compensation, which is in line with market practices.
| ■ | The LTIP provides participants with deferred cash awards that appreciate or depreciate based on PIMCO’s operating earnings over a rolling three-year period. The plan provides a link between longer term company performance and participant pay, further motivating participants to make a long term commitment to PIMCO’s success. |
| ■ | The M Unit program provides mid-to-senior level employees with the potential to acquire an equity stake in PIMCO over their careers and to better align employee incentives with the Firm’s long-term results. In the program, options are awarded and vest over a number of years and may convert into PIMCO equity which shares in the profit distributions of the Firm. M Units are non-voting common equity of PIMCO and provide a mechanism for individuals to build a significant equity stake in PIMCO over time. |
124
The Carried
Interest Compensation Plan awards entitle eligible individuals who provide services to PIMCO’s Alternative Funds a percentage (“points”) of the carried interest otherwise payable to PIMCO in the
event that the applicable performance measurements described in the Alternative Fund's partnership agreements are achieved. The awards are granted before any payments are made in respect of the awards and payout is
contingent on long-term performance, and are intended to align the interests of the employees with that of PIMCO and the investors in the Alternative Funds. While subject to forfeiture and vesting terms, payments to
participants are generally made if and when the applicable carried interest payments are made to PIMCO.
Participation in LTIP and M Unit
program is contingent upon continued employment at PIMCO.
Profit Sharing Plan. Portfolio
managers who are Managing Directors of PIMCO receive compensation from a non-qualified profit sharing plan consisting of a portion of PIMCO’s net profits. Portfolio managers who are Managing Directors receive an
amount determined by the Compensation Committee, based upon an individual’s overall contribution to the firm.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
From time to time, potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of the investments of a Portfolio, on the one hand, and the management
of other accounts, on the other. Potential and actual conflicts of interest may also arise as a result of PIMCO’s other business activities and PIMCO’s possession of material non-public information about
an issuer. Other accounts managed by a portfolio manager might have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Funds, track the same index a Portfolio tracks or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities
that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Funds. The other accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than the Funds. Potential and actual conflicts of interest may also arise
as a result of PIMCO serving as investment adviser to accounts that invest in the Funds. In this case, such conflicts of interest could in theory give rise to incentives for PIMCO to, among other things, vote proxies
or redeem shares of a Portfolio in a manner beneficial to the investing account but detrimental to the Fund. Conversely, PIMCO’s duties to the Funds, as well as regulatory or other limitations applicable to the
Funds, may affect the courses of action available to PIMCO-advised accounts (including certain Funds) that invest in the Funds in a manner that is detrimental to such investing accounts.
Because PIMCO is affiliated with
Allianz, a large multi-national financial institution, conflicts similar to those described below may occur between the Funds or other accounts managed by PIMCO and PIMCO’s affiliates or accounts managed by
those affiliates. Those affiliates (or their clients), which generally operate autonomously from PIMCO, may take actions that are adverse to the Funds or other accounts managed by PIMCO. In many cases, PIMCO will not
be in a position to mitigate those actions or address those conflicts, which could adversely affect the performance of the Funds or other accounts managed by PIMCO.
Knowledge and Timing of Fund
Trades. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager’s day-to-day management of a Portfolio. Because of their positions with the Funds, the portfolio managers know the size,
timing and possible market impact of a Portfolio’s trades. It is theoretically possible that the portfolio managers could use this information to the advantage of other accounts they manage and to the possible
detriment of a Portfolio.
Investment Opportunities. A
potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager’s management of a number of accounts with varying investment guidelines. Often, an investment opportunity may be suitable for both a
Portfolio and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, but may not be available in sufficient quantities for both the Fund and the other accounts to participate fully. In addition, regulatory issues applicable
to PIMCO or one or more Funds or other accounts may result in certain Funds not receiving securities that may otherwise be appropriate for them. Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held
by a Portfolio and another account. PIMCO has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities on a fair and equitable basis over time.
Under PIMCO’s allocation
procedures, investment opportunities are allocated among various investment strategies based on individual account investment guidelines and PIMCO’s investment outlook. PIMCO has also adopted additional
procedures to complement the general trade allocation policy that are designed to address potential conflicts of interest due to the side-by-side management of the Funds and certain pooled investment vehicles,
including investment opportunity allocation issues.
Conflicts potentially limiting a
Portfolio’s investment opportunities may also arise when the Fund and other PIMCO clients invest in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure, such as when the Fund owns senior debt obligations of
an issuer and other clients own junior tranches of the same issuer. In such circumstances, decisions over whether to trigger an event of default, over the terms of any workout, or how to exit an investment may result
in conflicts of interest. In order to minimize such conflicts, a portfolio manager may avoid certain investment opportunities that would potentially give rise to conflicts with other PIMCO clients or PIMCO may enact
internal procedures designed to minimize such conflicts, which could have the effect of limiting a Portfolio’s investment opportunities. Additionally, if PIMCO acquires material non-public confidential
information in connection with its business activities for other clients, a portfolio manager may be restricted from purchasing securities or selling securities for a Portfolio. Moreover, a Portfolio or other account
managed by PIMCO may invest in a transaction in which one or more other Funds or accounts managed by PIMCO are expected to
125
participate, or already have made or will seek to
make, an investment. Such Funds or accounts may have conflicting interests and objectives in connection with such investments, including, for example and without limitation, with respect to views on the operations or
activities of the issuer involved, the targeted returns from the investment, and the timeframe for, and method of, exiting the investment. When making investment decisions where a conflict of interest may arise, PIMCO
will endeavor to act in a fair and equitable manner as between a Portfolio and other clients; however, in certain instances the resolution of the conflict may result in PIMCO acting on behalf of another client in a
manner that may not be in the best interest, or may be opposed to the best interest, of a Portfolio.
Performance Fees. A portfolio
manager may advise certain accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based entirely or partially on performance. Performance fee arrangements may create a conflict of interest for the portfolio manager in
that the portfolio manager may have an incentive to allocate the investment opportunities that he or she believes might be the most profitable to such other accounts instead of allocating them to a Portfolio. PIMCO
has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities between the Funds and such other accounts on a fair and equitable basis over time.
PGIM INVESTMENTS LLC
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
Prudential provides compensation opportunities to eligible employees to motivate and reward the achievement of outstanding results by providing market-based programs that:
| ■ | Attract and reward highly qualified employees |
| ■ | Align with critical business goals and objectives |
| ■ | Link to the performance results relevant to the business segment and Prudential |
| ■ | Retain top performers |
| ■ | Pay for results and differentiate levels of performance |
| ■ | Foster behaviors and contributions that promote Prudential's success |
The components of compensation for
a Vice President in PGIM Investments consists of base salary, annual incentive compensation and long term incentive compensation.
Base Pay Overview:
The Prudential compensation structure is organized in grades, each with its own minimum and maximum base pay (i.e., salary). The grades reflect pay patterns in the market. Each job in the
plan—from CEO through an entry-level job—is included in one of the grades. The main determinant of placement in the base pay structure is market data. On an annual basis, Corporate Compensation collects
and analyzes market data to determine if any change to the placement of job in the structure is necessary to maintain market competitiveness. If necessary, structural compensation changes (e.g., increases to base pay
minimum and maximums) will be effective on the plan's effective date for base pay increases.
Annual Incentive Compensation
Overview:
The plan provides an opportunity for all participants to share in the annual results of Prudential, as well as the results of their division or profit center. Results are reviewed and
incentive payments are made as early as practicable after the close of the plan year. Incentive payments are awarded based on organizational performance—which determines the available dollar amounts—and
individual performance. Individual performance will be evaluated on the basis of contributions relative to others in the organization. Incentive payments are granted from a budgeted amount of money that is made
available by the Company. Initial budgets are developed by determining the competitive market rates for incentives as compared to our comparator companies. Each organization's budget pool may be increased or decreased
based on organizational performance. Organizational performance is determined by a review of performance relative to our comparator group, as well as key measures indicated in our business plan, such as Return on
Required Equity (RORE), earnings and revenue growth.
Long Term Incentive Compensation
Overview:
In addition, executives at the Vice President level and above are eligible to participate in a long term incentive program to provide an ownership stake in Prudential Financial. Long-Term
incentives currently consist of restricted stock and stock options. The stock options vest
1
⁄
3
per year over 3 years and the restricted stock vests 100% at the end of 3 years.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
PGIM Investments follows Prudential Financial's policies on business ethics, personal securities trading by investment personnel, and information barriers and has adopted a code of ethics,
allocation policies, supervisory procedures and conflicts of interest policies, among other policies and procedures, which are designed to ensure that clients are not harmed by these potential or actual conflicts of
interests; however, there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will detect and ensure avoidance, disclosure or mitigation of each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
PGIM FIXED INCOME
COMPENSATION
.
General.
The base salary of an investment professional in the PGIM Fixed Income unit of PGIM is based on market data relative to similar positions as well as the past performance, years of experience
and scope of responsibility of the individual. Incentive compensation, including the annual cash bonus, the long-term equity grant and grants under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plans, is primarily
based on such person’s contribution to PGIM Fixed Income’s goal of providing investment performance to
126
clients consistent
with portfolio objectives, guidelines and risk parameters and market- based data such as compensation trends and levels of overall compensation for similar positions in the asset management industry. In addition, an
investment professional’s qualitative contributions to the organization and its commercial success are considered in determining incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not solely based on the
performance of, or value of assets in, any single account or group of client accounts.
An investment professional’s
annual cash bonus is paid from an annual incentive pool. The pool is developed as a percentage of PGIM Fixed Income’s operating income and the percentage used to calculate the pool may be refined by factors such
as:
| ■ | business initiatives; |
| ■ | the number of investment professionals receiving a bonus and related peer group compensation; |
| ■ | financial metrics of the business relative to those of appropriate peer groups; and |
| ■ | investment performance of portfolios: (i) relative to appropriate peer groups and/or (ii) as measured against relevant investment indices. |
Long-Term Compensation
Long-term
compensation consists of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial) restricted stock and grants under the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan. Grants under the long-term incentive
plan and targeted long-term incentive plan, are participation interests in notional accounts with a beginning value of a specified dollar amount. For the long-term incentive plan, the value attributed to these
notional accounts increases or decreases over a defined period of time based, in part, on the performance of investment composites representing a number of PGIM Fixed Income’s investment strategies. With respect
to targeted long-term incentive awards, the value attributed to the notional accounts increases or decreases over a defined period of time based on the performance of either (i) a long-short investment composite or
(ii) a commingled investment vehicle. An investment composite is an aggregation of accounts with similar investment strategies. The long-term incentive plan is designed to more closely align compensation with
investment performance and the growth of PGIM Fixed Income’s business. In addition, the targeted long-term incentive plan is designed to align the interests of certain PGIM Fixed Income’s investment
professionals with the performance of a particular long-short composite or commingled investment vehicle. The chief investment officer/head of PGIM Fixed Income also receives (i) performance shares which represent the
right to receive shares of Prudential Financial common stock conditioned upon, and subject to, the achievement of specified financial performance goals by Prudential Financial; (ii) book value units which track the
book value per share of Prudential Financial; and (iii) Prudential Financial stock options. Each of the restricted stock, long-term incentive plan grants, performance shares and book value units and stock options is
subject to vesting requirements.
POTENTIAL Conflicts of Interest.
Like other investment advisers, PGIM Fixed Income is subject to various conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of its business. PGIM Fixed Income strives to identify potential risks,
including conflicts of interest, that are inherent in its business, and conducts annual conflict of interest reviews. When actual or potential conflicts of interest are identified, PGIM Fixed Income seeks to address
such conflicts through one or more of the following methods:
| ■ | elimination of the conflict; |
| ■ | disclosure of the conflict; or |
| ■ | management of the conflict through the adoption of appropriate policies, procedures or other mitigants. |
PGIM Fixed Income follows the
policies of Prudential Financial on business ethics, personal securities trading by investment personnel, and information barriers. PGIM Fixed Income has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies and conflicts of
interest policies, among others, and has adopted supervisory procedures to monitor compliance with its policies. PGIM Fixed Income cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent,
or result in the disclosure of, each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
Side-by-Side Management of Accounts
and Related Conflicts of Interest.
PGIM Fixed Income’s side-by-side management of multiple accounts can create conflicts of interest. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how PGIM Fixed Income
addresses these conflicts.
| ■ | Performance Fees— PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. This side-by-side management may be deemed to create an incentive for PGIM Fixed Income and its investment professionals to favor one account over another. Specifically, PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates could be considered to have the incentive to favor accounts for which PGIM Fixed Income or an affiliate receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in order to bolster performance and increase its fees. |
| ■ | Affiliated accounts— PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts on behalf of its affiliates as well as unaffiliated accounts. PGIM Fixed Income could be considered to have an incentive to favor accounts of affiliates over others. |
| ■ | Large accounts—large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts and certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s strategies have higher fees than others. As a result, a portfolio manager could be considered to have an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for PGIM Fixed Income. |
127
| ■ | Long only and long/short accounts— PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts that only allow it to hold securities long as well as accounts that permit short selling. PGIM Fixed Income may, therefore, sell a security short in some client accounts while holding the same security long in other client accounts. These short sales could reduce the value of the securities held in the long only accounts. In addition, purchases for long only accounts could have a negative impact on the short positions. |
| ■ | Securities of the same kind or class— PGIM Fixed Income sometimes buys or sells for one client account securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client at prices that may be different. PGIM Fixed Income may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in PGIM Fixed Income’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side. |
| ■ | Financial interests of investment professionals— PGIM Fixed Income investment professionals may invest in certain investment vehicles that it manages, including mutual funds and private funds. Also, certain of these investment vehicles are options under the 401(k) and deferred compensation plans offered by Prudential Financial. In addition, the value of grants under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan is affected by the performance of certain client accounts. As a result, PGIM Fixed Income investment professionals may have financial interests in accounts managed by PGIM Fixed Income or that are related to the performance of certain client accounts. |
| ■ | Non-discretionary accounts— PGIM Fixed Income provides non-discretionary investment advice to some clients and manages others on a discretionary basis. Trades in non-discretionary accounts could occur before, in concert with, or after PGIM Fixed Income executes similar trades in its discretionary accounts. The non-discretionary clients may be disadvantaged if PGIM Fixed Income investment advice to them after it initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa. |
How PGIM Fixed Income Addresses
These Conflicts of Interest.
PGIM Fixed Income has developed policies and procedures designed to address the conflicts of interest with respect to its different types of side-by-side management described
above.
| ■ | The chief investment officer/head of PGIM Fixed Income periodically reviews and compares performance and performance attribution for each client account within its various strategies during meetings typically attended by members of PGIM Fixed Income’s senior leadership team, chief compliance officer or his designee, and senior portfolio managers. |
| ■ | In keeping with PGIM Fixed Income’s fiduciary obligations, its policy with respect to trade aggregation and allocation is to treat all of its accounts fairly and equitably over time. PGIM Fixed Income’s trade management oversight committee, which generally meets quarterly, is responsible for providing oversight with respect to trade aggregation and allocation. Its compliance group periodically reviews a sampling of new issue allocations and related documentation to confirm compliance with the trade aggregation and allocation procedures. In addition, the compliance and investment risk management groups review forensic reports regarding new issue and secondary trade activity on a quarterly basis. This forensic analysis includes such data as the: (i) number of new issues allocated in the strategy; (ii) size of new issue allocations to each portfolio in the strategy; (iii) profitability of new issue transactions; and (iv) portfolio turnover. The results of these analyses are reviewed and discussed at PGIM Fixed Income’s trade management oversight committee meetings. The procedures above are designed to detect patterns and anomalies in PGIM Fixed Income’s side-by-side management and trading so that it may assess and improve its processes. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income has procedures that specifically address its side-by-side management of long/short and long only portfolios. These procedures address potential conflicts that could arise from differing positions between long/short and long only portfolios. In addition, lending opportunities with respect to securities for which the market is demanding a slight premium rate over normal market rates are allocated to long only accounts prior to allocating the opportunities to long/short accounts. |
Conflicts Related to PGIM Fixed
Income’s Affiliations.
As an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, PGIM Fixed Income is part of a diversified, global financial services organization. PGIM Fixed Income is affiliated with many
types of U.S. and non-U.S. financial service providers, including insurance companies, broker-dealers, commodity trading advisors, commodity pool operators and other investment advisers. Some of its employees are
officers of some of these affiliates.
| ■ | Conflicts Arising Out of Legal Restrictions . PGIM Fixed Income may be restricted by law, regulation, contract or other constraints as to how much, if any, of a particular security it may purchase or sell on behalf of a client, and as to the timing of such purchase or sale. Sometimes these restrictions apply as a result of its relationship with Prudential Financial and its other affiliates. For example, PGIM Fixed Income does not purchase securities issued by Prudential Financial for client accounts. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income’s holdings of a security on behalf of its clients are required, under some SEC rules, to be aggregated with the holdings of that security by other Prudential Financial affiliates. These holdings could, on an aggregate basis, exceed certain reporting or ownership thresholds. Prudential Financial tracks these aggregated holdings and may restrict purchases to avoid exceeding these thresholds because of the potential consequences to Prudential Financial if such thresholds are exceeded. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income could receive material, non-public information with respect to a particular issuer and, as a result, be unable to execute transactions in securities of that issuer for its clients. For example, PGIM Fixed Income’s bank loan team often invests in private bank loans in connection with which the borrower provides material, non-public information, resulting in restrictions on trading securities issued by those borrowers. PGIM Fixed Income has procedures in place to carefully consider whether to intentionally accept material, non-public information with respect to certain issuers. PGIM Fixed Income is generally able to avoid receiving material, non-public information from its affiliates and other units within PGIM by maintaining information barriers. In some instances, it may create an isolated information barrier around a small number of its employees so that material, non-public information received by such employees is not attributed to the rest of PGIM Fixed Income. |
128
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Outside Business Activity . From time to time, certain of PGIM Fixed Income employees or officers may engage in outside business activity, including outside directorships. Any outside business activity is subject to prior approval pursuant to PGIM Fixed Income’s personal conflicts of interest and outside business activities policy. Actual and potential conflicts of interest are analyzed during such approval process. PGIM Fixed Income could be restricted in trading the securities of certain issuers in client portfolios in the unlikely event that an employee or officer, as a result of outside business activity, obtains material, non-public information regarding an issuer. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Investment of Client Assets in Affiliated Funds . PGIM Fixed Income may invest client assets in funds that it manages or subadvises for an affiliate. PGIM Fixed Income may also invest cash collateral from securities lending transactions in these funds. These investments benefit both PGIM Fixed Income and its affiliate. |
| ■ | PICA General Account . Because of the substantial size of the general account of The Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA), trading by PICA’s general account, including PGIM Fixed Income’s trades on behalf of the account, may affect market prices. Although PGIM Fixed Income does not expect that PICA’s general account will execute transactions that will move a market frequently, and generally only in response to unusual market or issuer events, the execution of these transactions could have an adverse effect on transactions for or positions held by other clients. |
Conflicts Related to Securities
Holdings and Other Financial Interests
| ■ | Prudential Financial, PICA, PGIM Fixed Income and other affiliates of PGIM at times have financial interests in, or relationships with, companies whose securities PGIM Fixed Income holds, purchase or sells in its client accounts. Certain of these interests and relationships are material to PGIM Fixed Income or to the Prudential enterprise. At any time, these interests and relationships could be inconsistent or in potential or actual conflict with positions held or actions taken by PGIM Fixed Income on behalf of PGIM Fixed Income’s client accounts. For example: |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income invests in the securities of one or more clients for the accounts of other clients. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates sell various product and/or services to certain companies whose securities PGIM Fixed Income purchases and sells for PGIM Fixed Income clients. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income invests in the debt securities of companies whose equity is held by its affiliates. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates hold public and private debt and equity securities of a large number of issuers and may invest in some of the same companies as other client accounts but at different levels in the capital structure. For example: Affiliated accounts can hold the senior debt of an issuer whose subordinated debt is held by PGIM Fixed Income’s clients or hold secured debt of an issuer whose public unsecured debt is held in client accounts. In the event of restructuring or insolvency, the affiliated accounts as holders of senior debt may exercise remedies and take other actions that are not in the interest of, or are adverse to, other clients that are the holders of junior debt. To the extent permitted by applicable law, PGIM Fixed Income may also invest client assets in offerings of securities the proceeds of which are used to repay debt obligations held in affiliated accounts or other client accounts. PGIM Fixed Income’s interest in having the debt repaid creates a conflict of interest. PGIM Fixed Income has adopted a refinancing policy to address this conflict. Certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates (as well as directors or officers of its affiliates) are officers or directors of issuers in which PGIM Fixed Income invests from time to time. These issuers may also be service providers to PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income may invest client assets in securities backed by commercial mortgage loans that were originated or are serviced by an affiliate. In general, conflicts related to the financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that PGIM Fixed Income makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such client. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to the Offer and Sale of Securities. Certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s employees may offer and sell securities of, and interests in, commingled funds that it manages or subadvises. There is an incentive for PGIM Fixed Income’s employees to offer these securities to investors regardless of whether the investment is appropriate for such investor since increased assets in these vehicles will result in increased advisory fees to it. In addition, such sales could result in increased compensation to the employee. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Long-Term Compensation. The performance of many client accounts is not reflected in the calculation of changes in the value of participation interests under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plan. This may be because the composite representing the strategy in which the account is managed is not one of the composites included in the calculation or because the account is excluded from a specified composite due to guideline restrictions or other factors. In addition, the performance of only a small number of our investment strategies is covered under PGIM Fixed Income’s targeted long-term incentive plan. As a result of the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan, PGIM Fixed Income’s portfolio managers from time to time have financial interests related to the investment performance of some, but not all, of the accounts they manage. To address potential conflicts related to these financial interests, PGIM Fixed Income has procedures, including trade allocation and supervisory review procedures, designed to confirm that each of its client accounts is managed in a manner that is consistent with PGIM Fixed Income’s fiduciary obligations, as well as with the account’s investment objectives, investment strategies and restrictions. For example, PGIM Fixed Income’s chief investment officer/head reviews performance among similarly managed accounts on a quarterly basis during meetings typically attended by members of PGIM Fixed Income’s senior leadership team, chief compliance officer of his designee, and senior portfolio managers. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Trading—Personal Trading by Employees . Personal trading by PGIM Fixed Income employees creates a conflict when they are trading the same securities of types of securities as PGIM Fixed Income trades on behalf of its clients. This conflict is mitigated by PGIM Fixed Income’s personal trading standards and procedure. |
129
In general, conflicts related to
the securities holdings and financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that PGIM Fixed Income makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such
client.
Conflicts Related to Valuation and
Fees.
When client
accounts hold illiquid or difficult to value investments, PGIM Fixed Income faces a conflict of interest when making recommendations regarding the value of such investments since its management fees are generally
based on the value of assets under management. PGIM Fixed Income believes that its valuation policies and procedures mitigate this conflict effectively and enable it to value client assets fairly and in a manner that
is consistent with the client’s best interests. In addition, single client account clients often calculate fees based on the valuation of assets provided by their custodian or administrator.
PGIM Real Estate.
COMPENSATION
. PGIM Real Estate’s compensation philosophy is to provide a competitive total compensation package that engages, motivates and retains top talent while rewarding the achievement of
outstanding business results obtained while modeling our Principles and Leadership Competencies.
PGIM Real Estate’s Portfolio
Managers are compensated based on the overall performance of PGIM Real Estate, Portfolio Investment Performance relative to benchmarks and absolute and relative levels of individual performance and contribution.
There are generally three elements
of total compensation: base salary, annual incentive cash bonus and long term compensation.
Base salary levels are reviewed
annually to determine if adjustments are required due to individual performance, job scope change and/or a comparison to market compensation data.
Annual cash bonus awards are
determined based on individual contributions to firm performance and relative placement in the market range. The annual cash bonus pool is determined by senior management based on several PGIM Real Estate financial
performance measures and other factors including investment performance and organization/talent development.
Individuals at the Vice President
level and above are also eligible to receive long term compensation in the form of an annual long term grant. The grant is a combination of deferred cash and Prudential Restricted Stock and cliff vests in three years.
During that period, the value of the grant increases or decreases based on the performance of the accounts on which the participant works directly and the performance of all discretionary equity real estate accounts
that PGIM Real Estate manages. The increase or decrease in the award for individuals who do not work directly on specific portfolios, e.g., research, transactions and client relations, is based on the performance of
all the accounts under management.
Additional, select senior managers
are eligible to participate in an incentive fee sharing program (carried interest) for closed-end funds.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
PGIM Real Estate is a division of PGIM, Inc. (PGIM), which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial and is part of a full scale global financial services
organization, affiliated with insurance companies, investment advisers and broker-dealers. PGIM Real Estate's portfolio managers are often responsible for managing multiple accounts, including accounts of affiliates,
institutional accounts, mutual funds, insurance company separate accounts and various pooled investment vehicles, such as commingled trust funds and unregistered funds. These affiliations and portfolio management
responsibilities may cause potential and actual conflicts of interest. PGIM Real Estate aims to conduct itself in a manner it considers to be the most fair and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all of its
clients, including the Fund.
Management of multiple accounts and
funds side-by-side may raise potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities, the aggregation and allocation of trades and cross trading. PGIM Real Estate has developed policies
and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest.
There may be restrictions imposed
by law, regulation or contract regarding how much, if any, of a particular security PGIM Real Estate may purchase or sell on behalf of a Fund, and as to the timing of such purchase or sale. Such restrictions may come
into play as a result of PGIM Real Estate’s relationship with Prudential Financial and its other affiliates. The Fund may be prohibited from engaging in transactions with its affiliates even when such
transactions may be beneficial for the Fund. Certain affiliated transactions are permitted in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund and reviewed by the Independent Trustees of the Fund.
PGIM Real Estate may come into
possession of material, non-public information with respect to a particular issuer and as a result be unable to execute purchase or sale transactions in securities of such issuer for a Fund. PGIM Real Estate, on
behalf of client portfolios, engages in real estate and other transactions with REITs and real estate operating companies and may thereby obtain material,
130
non-public information about issuers, resulting in
restrictions in trading in securities of such issuers. PGIM Real Estate generally is able to avoid certain other potential conflicts due to the possession of material, non-public information by maintaining information
barriers to prevent the transfer of this information between units of PGIM Real Estate and PGIM as well as between affiliates and PGIM.
Certain affiliates of PGIM Real
Estate develop and may publish credit research that is independent from the research developed within PGIM Real Estate. PGIM Real Estate may hold different opinions on the investment merits of a given security, issuer
or industry such that PGIM Real Estate may be purchasing or holding a security for the Fund and an affiliated entity may be selling or recommending a sale of the same security or other securities of the issuer.
Conversely, PGIM Real Estate may be selling a security for the Fund and an affiliated entity may be purchasing or recommending a buy of the same security or other securities of the same issuer. In addition, PGIM Real
Estate's affiliated broker-dealers or investment advisers may be executing transactions in the market in the same securities as the Fund at the same time. PGIM Real Estate may cause securities transactions to be
executed for the Fund concurrently with authorizations to purchase or sell the same securities for other accounts managed by PGIM Real Estate, including proprietary accounts or accounts of affiliates. In these
instances, the executions of purchases or sales, where possible, are allocated equitably among the various accounts (including the Fund).
PGIM Real Estate may buy or sell,
or may direct or recommend that one client buy or sell, securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for the Fund, at prices which may be different. In addition, PGIM Real Estate may, at any time,
execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and trade in the opposite direction or not trade for any other account, including the Portfolio, due to differences in investment
strategy or client direction.
The fees charged to advisory
clients by PGIM Real Estate may differ depending upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, the unit providing the advisory services, the particular strategy, the size of a portfolio being managed, the
relationship with the client, the origination and service requirements and the asset class involved. Fees may also differ based on account type (e.g., commingled accounts, trust accounts, insurance company separate
accounts, and corporate, bank or trust-owned life insurance products). Fees are negotiable so one client with similar investment objectives or goals may be paying a higher fee than another client. Fees paid by certain
clients may also be higher due to performance based fees which increase based on the performance of a portfolio above an established benchmark.
Large clients generate more revenue
for PGIM Real Estate than do smaller accounts. A portfolio manager may be faced with a conflict of interest when allocating scarce investment opportunities given the benefit to PGIM Real Estate of favoring accounts
that pay a higher fee or generate more income for PGIM. To address this conflict of interest, PGIM Real Estate has adopted allocation policies as well as supervisory procedures that are intended to fairly allocate
investment opportunities among competing client accounts. PGIM Real Estate manages certain funds that are subject to incentive compensation on a side-by-side basis with other accounts including the Fund.
PGIM Real Estate has implemented
policies and procedures to address potential conflicts of interest arising out of such side-by-side management.
Conflicts of interest may also
arise regarding proxy voting. A committee of senior business representatives together with relevant regulatory personnel oversees the proxy voting process and monitors potential conflicts of interest relating to proxy
voting.
PGIM Real Estate and certain of its
affiliates engage in various activities related to investment in real estate. For example, PGIM Real Estate or any of its affiliates may enter into financing arrangements with issuers of real estate securities,
including the making of loans secured by the assets or by the credit of the issuer of the real estate securities and may, in certain circumstances, exercise of creditor or other remedies, against the issuer of such
real estate securities in connection with such financing arrangements. In addition, PGIM Real Estate or any of its affiliates may buy or sell, or may direct or recommend that another person buy or sell, securities of
the same kind or class, or from the same issuer as are purchased or sold for this or any other account under the direction of PGIM Real Estate or any of its affiliates. PGIM Real Estate or its affiliates as a part of
its direct investment in real estate on behalf of clients, may obtain material non-public information regarding an issuer of securities that the fund may hold or wish to hold. As a consequence of these activities,
PGIM Real Estate's ability to purchase or sell, or to chose the timing of purchase or sale of, real estate securities of a given issuer may be restricted by contract or by applicable laws, including ERISA or federal
securities laws.
Prudential Financial and the
general account of The Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA) may at times have various levels of financial or other interests in companies whose securities may be purchased or sold in PGIM's client accounts,
including the Portfolio. These financial interests may at any time be in potential or actual conflict or may be inconsistent with positions held or actions taken by PGIM on behalf of the Fund. These interests can
include loan servicing, debt or equity financing, services related to advising on merger and acquisition issues, strategic corporate relationships or investments and the offering of investment advice in various forms.
Thus PGIM may invest Fund assets in the securities of companies with which PGIM or an affiliate of PGIM has a financial relationship, including investment in the securities of companies that are advisory clients of
PGIM.
131
PGIM Real Estate follows Prudential
Financial's policies on business ethics, personal securities trading by investment personnel, and information barriers and has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies, supervisory procedures and conflicts of
interest policies, among other policies and procedures, which are designed to ensure that clients are not harmed by these potential and actual conflicts of interests; however, there is no guarantee that such policies
and procedures will detect and will ensure avoidance or disclosure of each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
QUANTITATIVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES
LLC (QMA)
COMPENSATION.
QMA’s investment professionals are compensated through a combination of base salary, a performance-based annual cash incentive bonus and an annual long-term incentive grant. QMA
regularly utilizes third party surveys to compare its compensation program against leading asset management firms to monitor competitiveness.
An investment
professional’s incentive compensation, including both the annual cash bonus and long-term incentive grant, is largely driven by a person’s contribution to QMA’s goal of providing investment
performance to clients consistent with portfolio objectives, guidelines and risk parameters, as well as such person’s qualitative contributions to the organization. An investment professional’s long-term
incentive grant is currently divided into two components: (i) 80% of the value of the grant is subject to increase or decrease based on the performance of certain QMA strategies, and (ii) 20% of the value of the grant
consists of restricted stock of Prudential Financial, Inc. (QMA’s ultimate parent company). The long-term incentive grants are subject to vesting requirements. The incentive compensation of each investment
professional is not based solely or directly on the performance of a fund (or any other individual account managed by QMA) or the value of the assets of a fund (or any other individual account managed by QMA).
The annual cash bonus pool is
determined quantitatively based on two primary factors: 1) investment performance of composites representing QMA’s various investment strategies on a 1-year and 3-year basis relative to appropriate market peer
groups and the indices against which QMA’s strategies are managed, and 2) business results as measured by QMA’s pretax income.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Like other investment advisers, QMA is subject to various conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of its business. QMA strives to identify potential risks, including conflicts of
interest, that are inherent in its business, and conducts annual conflict of interest reviews. When actual or potential conflicts of interest are identified, QMA seeks to address such conflicts through one or more of
the following methods:
| ■ | Elimination of the conflict; |
| ■ | Disclosure of the conflict; or |
| ■ | Management of the conflict through the adoption of appropriate policies and procedures. |
QMA follows Prudential
Financial’s policies on business ethics, personal securities trading, and information barriers. QMA has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies and conflicts of interest policies, among others, and has
adopted supervisory procedures to monitor compliance with its policies. QMA cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent, or result in the disclosure of, each and every situation
in which a conflict may arise.
Side-by-Side Management of Accounts
and Related Conflicts of Interest.
Side-by-side management of multiple accounts can create incentives for QMA to favor one account over another. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how QMA addresses these
conflicts.
| ■ | Asset-Based Fees vs. Performance-Based Fees; Other Fee Considerations . QMA manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. Asset-based fees are calculated based on the value of a client’s portfolio at periodic measurement dates or over specified periods of time. Performance-based fees are generally based on a share of the total return of a portfolio, and may offer greater upside potential to QMA than asset-based fees, depending on how the fees are structured. This side-by-side management could create an incentive for QMA to favor one account over another. Specifically, QMA could have the incentive to favor accounts for which it receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in order to bolster performance and increase its fees. In addition, since fees are negotiable, one client may be paying a higher fee than another client with similar investment objectives or goals. In negotiating fees, QMA takes into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, the investment strategy, the size of a portfolio being managed, the relationship with the client, and the required level of service. Fees may also differ based on account type. For example, fees for commingled vehicles, including those that QMA subadvises, may differ from fees charged for single client accounts. |
| ■ | Long Only/Long-Short Accounts. QMA manages accounts that only allow it to hold securities long as well as accounts that permit short selling. QMA may, therefore, sell a security short in some client accounts while holding the same security long in other client accounts, creating the possibility that QMA is taking inconsistent positions with respect to a particular security in different client accounts. |
| ■ | Compensation/Benefit Plan Accounts/Other Investments by Investment Professionals . QMA manages certain funds and strategies whose performance is considered in determining long-term incentive plan benefits for certain investment professionals. Investment professionals involved in the management of those accounts in these strategies have an incentive to favor them over other accounts |
132
| they manage in order to increase their compensation. Additionally, QMA’s investment professionals may have an interest in funds in those strategies if the funds are chosen as options in their 401(k) or deferred compensation plans offered by Prudential or if they otherwise invest in those funds directly. | |
| ■ | Affiliated Accounts. QMA manages accounts on behalf of its affiliates as well as unaffiliated accounts. QMA could have an incentive to favor accounts of affiliates over others. |
| ■ | Non-Discretionary Accounts or Models. QMA provides non-discretionary model portfolios to some clients and manages other portfolios on a discretionary basis. The non-discretionary clients may be disadvantaged if QMA delivers the model investment portfolio to them after it initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa. |
| ■ | Large Accounts/Higher Fee Strategies . Large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts and certain strategies have higher fees than others. As a result, a portfolio manager has an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for QMA. |
| ■ | Securities of the Same Kind or Class . QMA may buy or sell, or may direct or recommend that one client buy or sell, securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client, at prices that may be different. QMA may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account, due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies effecting trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in QMA’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side. |
How QMA Addresses These Conflicts
of Interest.
The conflicts of interest described above with respect to different types of side-by-side management could influence QMA’s allocation of investment opportunities as well as its timing,
aggregation and allocation of trades. QMA has developed policies and procedures designed to address these conflicts of interest. QMA's Conflicts of Interest and related policies stress that investment decisions are to
be made in accordance with the fiduciary duties owed to each account without giving consideration to QMA or QMA personnel's pecuniary, investment or other financial interests.
In keeping with its fiduciary
obligations, QMA’s policies with respect to allocation and aggregation are to treat all of its accounts fairly and equitably. QMA’s investment strategies generally require that QMA invest its
clients’ assets in securities that are publicly traded. QMA generally does not participate in initial public offerings. QMA's investment strategies are team managed, reducing the likelihood that one portfolio
would be favored over other portfolios managed by the team. These factors significantly reduce the risk that QMA could favor one client over another in the allocation of investment opportunities. QMA’s
compliance procedures with respect to these policies include independent reviews by its compliance unit of the timing, allocation and aggregation of trades and the allocation of investment opportunities. These
procedures are designed to detect patterns and anomalies in QMA’s side-by-side management and trading so that QMA may take measures to correct or improve its processes. QMA’s trade management oversight
committee, which consists of senior members of its management team, reviews trading patterns on a periodic basis.
QMA rebalances portfolios
periodically with frequencies that vary with market conditions and investment objectives and may differ across portfolios in the same strategy based on variations in portfolio characteristics and constraints. QMA may
aggregate trades for all portfolios rebalanced on any given day, where appropriate and consistent with its duty of best execution. Orders are generally allocated at the time of the transaction, or as soon as possible
thereafter, on a pro rata basis equal to each account’s appetite for the issue when such appetite can be determined. As mentioned above, QMA’s compliance unit performs periodic reviews to determine that
all portfolios are rebalanced consistently, over time, within all equity strategies.
With respect to QMA’s
management of long-short and long only accounts, the security weightings (positive or negative) in each account are always determined by a quantitative algorithm. An independent review is performed by the compliance
unit to assess whether any such positions would represent a departure from the quantitative algorithm used to derive the positions in each portfolio. QMA’s review is also intended to identify situations where
QMA would seem to have conflicting views of the same security in different portfolios, although such views may actually be reasonable and consistent due to differing portfolio constraints.
QMA’s Relationships with
Affiliates and Related Conflicts of Interest.
As an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, QMA is part of a diversified, global financial services organization. It is affiliated with many types of financial service
providers, including broker-dealers, insurance companies, commodity pool operators and other investment advisers. Some of its employees are officers of some of these affiliates.
Conflicts Related to QMA’s
Affiliations.
Conflicts Arising
Out of Legal Restrictions.
QMA may be restricted by law, regulation or contract as to how much, if any, of a particular security it may purchase or sell on behalf of a client, and as to the timing of such purchase or
sale. These restrictions may apply as a result of QMA’s relationship with Prudential Financial and its other affiliates. For example, QMA’s holdings of a security on behalf of its clients are required,
under certain regulations, to be aggregated with the holdings of that security by other Prudential Financial affiliates. These holdings could, on an aggregate basis, exceed certain reporting thresholds. QMA tracks
these aggregate holdings and may restrict purchases to avoid crossing such thresholds. In addition, QMA could receive material, non-public information with respect to a particular
133
issuer from an affiliate and, as a result, be
unable to execute purchase or sale transactions in securities of that issuer for its clients. QMA is generally able to avoid receiving material, non-public information from its affiliates by maintaining information
barriers to prevent the transfer of information between affiliates.
The Fund may be prohibited from
engaging in transactions with its affiliates even when such transactions may be beneficial for the Fund. Certain affiliated transactions are permitted in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund and reviewed by
the independent board members of the Fund.
Conflicts Arising Out of Certain
Vendor Agreements.
QMA and its affiliates, from time to time, have service agreements with various vendors that are also investment consultants. Under these agreements, QMA or its affiliates compensate the
vendors for certain services, including software, market data and technology services. QMA’s clients may also retain these vendors as investment consultants. The existence of service agreements between these
consultants and QMA may provide an incentive for the investment consultants to favor QMA when they advise their clients. QMA does not, however, condition its purchase of services from consultants upon their
recommending QMA to their clients. QMA will provide clients with information about services that QMA or its affiliates obtain from these consultants upon request. QMA retains third party advisors and other service
providers to provide various services for QMA as well as for funds that QMA manages or subadvises. A service provider may provide services to QMA or one of its funds while also providing services to PGIM, Inc. (PGIM)
other PGIM-advised funds, or affiliates of PGIM, and may negotiate rates in the context of the overall relationship. QMA may benefit from negotiated fee rates offered to its funds and vice-versa. There is no assurance
that QMA will be able to obtain advantageous fee rates from a given service provider negotiated by its affiliates based on their relationship with the service provider, or that it will know of such negotiated fee
rates.
Conflicts Related to QMA’s
Asset Allocation Services.
QMA performs asset allocation services as subadviser for affiliated mutual funds managed or co-managed by the Investment Manager, including for some Portfolios offered by the Fund. QMA may,
under these arrangements, allocate assets to an asset class within which funds or accounts that QMA directly manages will be selected. In these circumstances, QMA receives both an asset allocation fee and a management
fee. As a result, QMA has an incentive to allocate assets to an asset class that it manages in order to increase its fees. To help mitigate this conflict, the compliance group monitors the asset allocation to
determine that the investments were made within the established guidelines by asset class.
In certain arrangements QMA
subadvises mutual funds for the Investment Manager through a program where they have selected QMA as a manager, resulting in QMA’s collection of subadvisory fees from them. The Investment Manager also selects
managers for some of QMA’s asset allocation products and, in certain cases, is compensated by QMA for these services under service agreements. The Investment Manager and QMA may have a mutual incentive to
continue these types of arrangements that benefit both companies. These and other types of conflicts of interest are reviewed to verify that appropriate oversight is performed.
Conflicts Arising Out of Securities
Holdings and Other Financial Interests.
QMA, Prudential Financial, Inc., the general account of the Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA) and accounts of other affiliates of QMA (collectively, affiliated accounts) may, at
times, have financial interests in, or relationships with, companies whose securities QMA may hold, purchase or sell in its client accounts. This may occur, for example, because affiliated accounts hold public and
private debt and equity securities of a large number of issuers and may invest in some of the same companies as QMA’s client accounts. At any time, these interests and relationships could be inconsistent or in
potential or actual conflict with positions held or actions taken by QMA on behalf of its client accounts. For instance, QMA may invest client assets in the equity of companies whose debt is held by an affiliate. QMA
may also invest in the securities of one or more clients for the accounts of other clients. While these conflicts cannot be eliminated, QMA has implemented policies and procedures, including adherence to PGIM’s
information barrier policy, that are designed to ensure that investments of clients are managed in their best interests.
Certain of QMA’s employees
may offer and sell securities of, and units in, commingled funds that QMA manages or subadvises. Employees may offer and sell securities in connection with their roles as registered representatives of Prudential
Investment Management Services LLC (a broker-dealer affiliate), or as officers, agents, or approved persons of other affiliates. There is an incentive for QMA’s employees to offer these securities to investors
regardless of whether the investment is appropriate for such investor since increased assets in these vehicles will result in increased advisory fees to QMA. In addition, although sales commissions are not paid for
such activities, such sales could result in increased compensation to the employee. To mitigate this conflict, QMA performs suitability checks on new clients as well as on an annual basis with respect to all
clients.
A portion of the long-term
incentive grant of some of QMA’s investment professionals will increase or decrease based on the annual performance of several of QMA’s strategies over a defined time period. Consequently, some of
QMA’s portfolio managers from time to time have financial interests in the accounts they advise. To address potential conflicts related to these financial interests, QMA has procedures, including supervisory
review procedures, designed to verify that each of its accounts is managed in a manner that is consistent with QMA’s fiduciary obligations, as well as with the account’s investment objectives, investment
strategies and restrictions.
134
Specifically,
QMA’s chief investment officer will perform a comparison of trading costs between the advised accounts whose performance is considered in connection with the long-term incentive grant and other accounts, to
verify that such costs are consistent with each other or otherwise in line with expectations. The results of the analysis are discussed at a trade meeting of QMA's Trade Management Oversight Committee.
Conflicts of Interest in the Voting
Process.
Occasionally, a conflict of interest may arise in connection with proxy voting. For example, the issuer of the securities being voted may also be a client or affiliate of QMA. When QMA
identifies an actual or potential conflict of interest between QMA and its clients or affiliates, QMA votes in accordance with the policy of its proxy vendor rather than its own policy. In that manner, QMA seeks to
maintain the independence and objectivity of the vote.
Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC
COMPENSATION.
AllianzGI US’s compensation system is designed to support its corporate values and culture. While AllianzGI US acknowledges the importance of financial incentives and seeks to pay top
quartile compensation for top quartile performance, it also believes that compensation is only one of a number of critically important elements that allow the emergence of a strong, winning culture that attracts,
retains and motivates talented investors and teams.
The primary components of
compensation at AllianzGI US are the base salary and an annual discretionary variable compensation payment. This variable compensation component typically comprises a cash bonus that pays out immediately as well as a
deferred component, for members of staff whose variable compensation exceeds a certain threshold. The deferred component for most recipients would be a notional award of the Long Term Incentive Program (LTIP); for
members of staff whose variable compensation exceeds an additional threshold, the deferred compensation is itself split 50%/50% between the LTIP and a Deferral into Funds program (DIF). Deferral rates increase in line
with the overall variable compensation and can reach up to 42%. Overall awards, splits and components are regularly reviewed to ensure they meet industry best practice and, where applicable, at a minimum comply with
regulatory standards.
Base salary typically reflects
scope, responsibilities and experience required in a particular role, be it on the investment side or any other function in the company. Base compensation is regularly reviewed against peers with the help of
compensation survey data. Base compensation is typically a greater percentage of total compensation for more junior positions, while for the most senior roles it will be a comparatively small component, often capped
and only adjusted every few years.
Discretionary variable compensation
is primarily designed to reflect the achievements of an individual against set goals, over a certain time period. For an investment professional these goals will typically be 70% quantitative and 30% qualitative. The
former will reflect a weighted average of investment performance over a three-year rolling time period (one-year (25%) and three year (75%) results) and the latter reflects contributions to broader team goals,
contributions made to client review meetings, product development or product refinement initiatives. Portfolio managers have their performance metric aligned with the benchmarks of the client portfolios they
manage.
The LTIP element of the variable
compensation cliff vests three years after each (typically annual) award. Its value is directly tied to the operating result of AllianzGI US over the three year period of the award.
The DIF element of the variable
compensation cliff vests three years after each (typically annual) award and enables these members of staff to invest in a range of AllianzGI US funds (investment professionals are encouraged to invest into their own
funds or funds where they may be influential from a research or product group relationship perspective). Again, the value of the DIF awards is determined by the growth of the fund(s) value over the three year period
covering each award.
Assuming an annual deferral of 33%
over a three year period, a typical member of AllianzGI US’s staff will have roughly one year’s variable compensation (3x33%) as a deferred component “in the bank.” Three years after the first
award, and for as long as deferred components were awarded without break, cash payments in each year will consist of the annual cash bonus for that current year’s performance as well as a payout from LTIP/DIF
commensurate with the prior cumulative three-year performance.
There are a small number of revenue
sharing arrangements that generate variable compensation for specialist investment teams, as well as commission payments for a limited number of members of staff in distribution. These payments are subject to the same
deferral rules and deferred instruments as described above for the discretionary compensation element.
In addition to competitive
compensation, the firm’s approach to retention includes providing a challenging career path for each professional, a supportive culture to ensure each employee’s progress and a full benefits package.
135
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
Like other investment professionals with multiple clients, a portfolio manager for a Fund may face certain potential conflicts of interest in connection with managing both the Fund and
other accounts at the same time. The paragraphs below describe some of these potential conflicts, which AllianzGI US believes are faced by investment professionals at most major financial firms.
AllianzGI US has adopted compliance
policies and procedures that address certain of these potential conflicts. The management of accounts with different advisory fee rates and/or fee structures, including accounts that pay advisory fees based on account
performance (“performance fee accounts”), may raise potential conflicts of interest by creating an incentive to favor higher-fee accounts. These potential conflicts may include, among others:
| ■ | The most attractive investments could be allocated to higher-fee accounts or performance fee accounts. |
| ■ | The trading of higher-fee accounts could be favored as to timing and/or execution price. For example, higher -fee accounts could be permitted to sell securities earlier than other accounts when a prompt sale is desirable or to buy securities at an earlier and more opportune time. |
| ■ | The investment management team could focus their time and efforts primarily on higher-fee accounts due to a personal stake in compensation. |
When AllianzGI US considers the
purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of a Fund as well as other accounts, AllianzGI US’s trading desk may, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, aggregate the
securities to be sold or purchased. Aggregation of trades may create the potential for unfairness to a Fund or another account if one account is favored over another in allocating the securities purchased or
sold—for example, by allocating a disproportionate amount of a security that is likely to increase in value to a favored account. AllianzGI US considers many factors when allocating securities among accounts,
including the account’s investment style, applicable investment restrictions, availability of securities, available cash and other current holdings. AllianzGI US attempts to allocate investment opportunities
among accounts in a fair and equitable manner. However, accounts are not assured of participating equally or at all in particular investment allocations due to such factors as noted above. “Cross trades,”
in which one AllianzGI US account sells a particular security to another account (potentially saving transaction costs for both accounts), may also pose a potential conflict of interest when cross trades are effected
in a manner perceived to favor one client over another. For example, AllianzGI US may cross a trade between aperformance fee account and a fixed fee account that results in a benefit to the performance fee account and
a detriment to the fixed fee account. AllianzGI US has adopted compliance procedures that provide that all cross trades are to be made at an independent current market price, as required by law.
Another potential conflict of
interest may arise from the different investment objectives and strategies of a Fund and other accounts. For example, another account may have a shorter-term investment horizon or different investment objectives,
policies or restrictions than a Fund. Depending on another account’s objectives or other factors, a portfolio manager may give advice and make decisions that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature
of decisions made, with respect to a Fund. In addition, investment decisions are subject to suitability for the particular account involved. Thus, a particular security may not be bought or sold for certain accounts
even though it was bought or sold for other accounts at the same time. More rarely, a particular security may be bought for one or more accounts managed by a portfolio manager when one or more other accounts are
selling the security (including short sales). There may be circumstances when purchases or sales of portfolio securities for one or more accounts may have an adverse effect on other accounts. AllianzGI US maintains
trading policies designed to provide portfolio managers an opportunity to minimize the effect that short sales in one portfolio may have on holdings in other portfolios.
A portfolio manager who is
responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as
complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund.
The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.
A Fund’s portfolio manager(s)
may be able to select or influence the selection of the broker/dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the Fund. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide AllianzGI US with
brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available.
These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. In order to be assured of continuing to receive services considered of value to its clients, AllianzGI US has adopted a brokerage
allocation policy embodying the concepts of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determines in
good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the Fund and the Sub-Adviser’s other clients, a portfolio manager’s decision as to
the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.
136
A Fund’s portfolio manager(s)
may also face other potential conflicts of interest in managing a Fund, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict that could be deemed to exist in managing both the Funds and other
accounts. In addition, a Fund’s portfolio manager may also manage other accounts (including their personal assets or the assets of family members) in their personal capacity.
AllianzGI US’s investment
personnel, including each Fund’s portfolio manager, are subject to restrictions on engaging in personal securities transactions pursuant to AllianzGI US’s Code of Business Conduct and Code of Ethics (the
“Code”), which contain provisions and requirements designed to identify and address conflicts of interest between personal investment activities and the interests of the Funds. The Code is designed to
ensure that the personal securities transactions, activities and interests of the employees of AllianzGI US will not interfere with (i) making decisions in the best interest of advisory clients (including the Funds)
or (ii) implementing such decisions while, at the same time, allowing employees to invest for their own accounts.
T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED (COLLECTIVELY, T. ROWE PRICE)
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED (COLLECTIVELY, T. ROWE PRICE)
PORTFOLIO MANAGER COMPENSATION
STRUCTURE.
Portfolio manager compensation consists primarily of a base salary, a cash bonus, and an equity incentive that usually comes in the form of restricted stock grants. Compensation is variable
and is determined based on the following factors:
Investment performance over 1-, 3-,
5-, and 10-year periods is the most important input. The weightings for these time periods are generally balanced and are applied consistently across similar strategies. T. Rowe Price (and T. Rowe Price Hong Kong, T.
Rowe Price Singapore, and T. Rowe Price International, as appropriate), evaluates performance in absolute, relative, and risk-adjusted terms. Relative performance and risk-adjusted performance are typically determined
with reference to the broad-based index (e.g., S&P 500 Index) and the Lipper index (e.g., Large-Cap Growth Index) set forth in the total returns table in the fund’s prospectus, although other benchmarks may
be used as well. Investment results are also measured against comparably managed funds of competitive investment management firms. The selection of comparable funds is approved by the applicable investment steering
committee and is the same as the selection presented to the directors of the T. Rowe Price Funds in their regular review of fund performance. Performance is primarily measured on a pretax basis although tax efficiency
is considered.
Compensation is viewed with a
long-term time horizon. The more consistent a manager’s performance over time, the higher the compensation opportunity. The increase or decrease in a fund’s assets due to the purchase or sale of fund
shares is not considered a material factor. In reviewing relative performance for fixed-income funds, a fund’s expense ratio is usually taken into account. Contribution to T. Rowe Price’s overall
investment process is an important consideration as well. Leveraging ideas and investment insights across the global investment platform; working effectively with and mentoring others; and other contributions to our
clients, the firm or our culture are important components of T. Rowe Price’s long-term success and are highly valued.
All employees of T. Rowe Price,
including portfolio managers, participate in a 401(k) plan sponsored by T. Rowe Price Group. In addition, all employees are eligible to purchase T. Rowe Price common stock through an employee stock purchase plan that
features a limited corporate matching contribution. Eligibility for and participation in these plans is on the same basis for all employees. Finally, all vice presidents of T. Rowe Price Group, including all portfolio
managers, receive supplemental medical/hospital reimbursement benefits.
This compensation structure is used
for all portfolios managed by the portfolio manager.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
Portfolio managers at T. Rowe Price and its affiliates may manage multiple accounts. These accounts may include, among others, mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of
institutions such as pension funds, colleges and universities, foundations), offshore funds and common trust accounts. Portfolio managers make investment decisions for each portfolio based on the investment
objectives, policies, practices and other relevant investment considerations that the managers believe are applicable to that portfolio. Consequently, portfolio managers may purchase (or sell) securities for one
portfolio and not another portfolio. T. Rowe Price and its affiliates have adopted brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures that they believe are reasonably designed to address any potential conflicts
associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. Also, as disclosed under the “Portfolio Manager Compensation” above, our portfolio managers' compensation is determined in the same manner
with respect to all portfolios managed by the portfolio manager.
T. Rowe Price funds may, from time
to time, own shares of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar is a provider of investment research to individual and institutional investors, and publishes ratings on mutual funds, including the T. Rowe Price Funds. T. Rowe
Price manages the Morningstar retirement plan and T. Rowe Price and its affiliates pay Morningstar for a variety of products and services. In addition, Morningstar may provide investment consulting and investment
management services to clients of T. Rowe Price or its affiliates.
137
Since the T. Rowe
Price funds and other accounts have different investment objectives or strategies, potential conflicts of interest may arise in executing investment decisions or trades among client accounts. For example, if T. Rowe
Price purchases a security for one account and sells the same security short (either directly or through derivatives, such as total return equity swaps) for another account, such a trading pattern could disadvantage
either the account that is long or short. It is possible that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more T. Rowe Price funds and other accounts (and vice versa), and
create potential trading conflicts, such as when long and short positions are being executed at the same time. To mitigate these potential conflicts of interest, T. Rowe Price has implemented policies and procedures
requiring trading and investment decisions to be made in accordance with T. Rowe Price’s fiduciary duties to all accounts, including the T. Rowe Price funds. Pursuant to these policies, portfolio managers are
generally prohibited from managing multiple strategies where they hold the same security long in one strategy and short in another, except in certain circumstances, including where an investment oversight committee
has specifically reviewed and approved the holdings or strategy. Additionally, T. Rowe Price has implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure the fair and equitable allocation
of trades, both long and short, to minimize the impact of trading activity across client accounts. T. Rowe Price monitors short sales to determine whether its procedures are working as intended and that such short
sale activity is not materially impacting our trade executions and long positions for other clients
TEMPLETON GLOBAL ADVISORS LIMITED
Portfolio managers that provide
investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other
products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation. This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a
matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function
and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory
fees.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives,
benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for
the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed
by a portfolio manager are managed
using the same investment strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar
portfolios, which may minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce
potential conflicts of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited
investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible
funds and other accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio
manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased
assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Finally, the management of personal
accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions designed to prevent a
wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that could
result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund
have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict
arises.
COMPENSATION.
The investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers
receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on
individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account
over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
138
Base salary
Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus
Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus.
Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested
interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus
compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment
Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin
Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
| ■ | Investment performance . Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years measured against risk benchmarks developed by the fixed income management team. The pretax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate. |
| ■ | Non-investment performance . The more qualitative contributions of the portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including business knowledge, productivity, customer service, creativity, and contribution to team goals, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award. |
| ■ | Responsibilities . The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal. |
Additional long-term equity-based
compensation
Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based
compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC
(TSW)
PORTFOLIO MANAGER COMPENSATION
: For each portfolio manager, TSW’s compensation structure includes the following components: base salary, annual bonus, retirement plan employer contribution and access to a
voluntary income deferral plan and participation in the TSW equity plan.
Base Salary
. Each portfolio manager is paid a fixed base salary, which varies among portfolio managers depending on the experience and responsibilities of the portfolio manager as well as
employment market conditions and competitive industry standards.
Bonus.
Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus. Targeted bonus amounts vary among portfolio managers based on the experience level and responsibilities of
the portfolio manager. Bonus amounts are discretionary and based on an assessment of the portfolio manager’s meeting specific job responsibilities and goals. Investment performance versus peer groups and
benchmarks are taken into consideration.
Retirement Plan Employer
Contribution
. All employees are eligible to receive an annual retirement plan employer contribution under a qualified retirement plan, subject to IRS limitations. The contributions are made
as a percent of eligible compensation and are at the sole discretion of TSW.
Deferred Compensation Plan
. Portfolio managers meeting certain requirements are also eligible to participate in a voluntary, nonqualified deferred compensation plan that allows participants to defer a portion
of their income on a pre-tax basis and potentially earn tax-deferred returns.
Equity Plan
. Key employees may be awarded deferred TSW equity grants. In addition, key employees may purchase TSW equity directly.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST
. TSW seeks to minimize actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise from its management of the Fund and management of non-Fund accounts. TSW has designed and
implemented policies and procedures to address (although may not eliminate) potential conflicts of interest, including, among others, performance based fees; hedge funds; aggregation, allocation, and best execution of
orders; TSW’s Code of Ethics which requires personnel to act solely in the best interest of their clients and imposes certain restrictions on the ability of Access Persons to engage in personal securities
transactions for their own account(s), and procedures to ensure soft dollar arrangements meet the necessary requirements of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. TSW seeks to treat all
clients fairly and to put clients’ interests first.
139
UBS Asset Management (Americas)
Inc.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER COMPENSATION. UBS
Asset Management’s compensation and benefits programs are designed to provide its investment professionals with incentives to excel and to promote an entrepreneurial, performance-oriented culture with clear
accountability. They also align the interests of investment professionals with those of our clients and other stakeholders.
In general, the total compensation
received by the portfolio managers and analysts at UBS Asset Management consists of two elements: a fixed component (base salary and benefits) and an annual discretionary performance award that is correlated with
investment performance.
Fixed component (base salary and
benefits):
| ■ | Set with the aim of being competitive in the industry and monitored and adjusted periodically with reference to the relevant local labor market in order to remain so. |
| ■ | The fixed component is used to recognize the experience, skills and knowledge that each portfolio manager or analyst brings to their role. |
Performance award:
| ■ | Determined annually on a discretionary basis. |
| ■ | Based on the individual’s financial and non-financial contribution—as assessed through a rigorous performance assessment process—as well as on the performance of their respective function, of UBS Asset Management and of UBS as a whole. |
| ■ | Delivered in cash and, when total compensation is over a defined threshold, partly in deferral vehicles. |
| ■ | For awards subject to deferral, the deferred amount is calculated using graduated marginal deferral rates, which increase as the value of the performance award increases. |
| ■ | Deferred amounts are then delivered via two deferral vehicles – 75% in the UBS Asset Management Equity Ownership Plan (AM EOP) and 25% in the Deferred Contingent Capital Plan (DCCP): |
| ■ | AM EOP awards vest over five years with 40% of the award vesting in year two, 40% in year three and 20% in year five, provided the vesting conditions, including continued service, are met and the awards have not been forfeited on or before the vesting dates. Deferred awards under the AM EOP are granted in the form of Notional Funds. The Notional Funds are aligned to selected UBS Asset Management funds. They provide for a high level of transparency and correlation between an employee’s compensation and the investment performance of UBS Asset Management. This enhances the alignment of investment professionals’ and other employees’ interests with those of our clients. |
| ■ | The DCCP was introduced for performance year 2012 onwards as a key component of UBS's compensation framework to align compensation incentives with the capital strength of the firm. Awards under the DCCP vest 100% in year five, subject to vesting conditions, including continued employment, and subject to forfeiture. |
The DCCP aligns the interests of
our key employees with the interests of external investors and, alongside the AM EOP, ensures an appropriate balance between client and other stakeholder alignment.
For our Equities,
Fixed Income, Investment Solutions and Passive investment areas:
From January 1, 2015, UBS Asset
Management introduced a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI)-led model for each business area, aligning our business steering logic with our strategic priorities. For our investment areas, sustainable investment
performance is a major component of the KPI model.
Portfolio managers’
performance awards are subject to detailed KPIs, mainly focused on investment performance of relevant client portfolios and funds, and also including some other factors such as risk management and client focus.
Investment performance is assessed annually over rolling one, three and five years against benchmark, performance target and peers. This ensures that the interests of portfolio managers are aligned with those of our
clients. In addition, we evaluate our passive strategies in terms of how closely the performance of the strategies tracks their respective benchmarks over time.
For analysts, performance awards
are, in general, based on the performance of some combination of model and/or client portfolios, generally evaluated over one and three years. This is coupled with a qualitative assessment of their contribution
considering factors such as the quality of their research, stock recommendations and their communication within and between teams and with portfolio managers.
Of all amounts deferred, 75% is
granted in the AM EOP. Within the AM EOP, 50% of the Notional Funds amount is allocated to a core balanced fund aligned to a diversified range of internally managed funds. The other 50% is aligned to the most
representative fund managed by/contributed to by the investment professional to further align their interests with those of our clients and other stakeholders.
140
POTENTIAL
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
UBS AM’s management of the Portfolio and other accounts could result in potential conflicts of interest if the Portfolio and other accounts have different objectives, benchmarks and
fees because the portfolio management team must allocate its time and investment expertise across multiple accounts, including the Portfolio. A portfolio manager and his or her team manage the Portfolio and other
accounts utilizing a model portfolio approach that groups similar accounts within a model portfolio. UBS AM manages accounts according to the appropriate model portfolio, including where possible, those accounts that
have specific investment restrictions. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across accounts, which may minimize the potential for conflicts of
interest.
If a portfolio manager identifies a
limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one account or model portfolio, the Portfolio may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of filled purchase or
sale orders across all eligible model portfolios and accounts. To deal with these situations, UBS AM has adopted procedures for allocating portfolio trades across multiple accounts to provide fair treatment to all
accounts.
The management of personal accounts
by a portfolio manager may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest. UBS AM has adopted a Code of Ethics that governs such personal trading but there is no assurance that the Code will adequately address all
such conflicts.
UBS Group AG (“UBS”),
the parent company of UBS AM, is a worldwide full-service investment banking, broker-dealer, asset management and financial services organization. As a result, UBS AM and UBS (including, for these purposes, their
directors, partners, officers and employees) worldwide, including the entities and personnel who may be involved in the investment activities and business operations of the Portfolio, are engaged in businesses and
have interests other than that of managing the Portfolio. These activities and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial, consultative, and other interests in transactions, companies,
securities and other instruments that may be engaged in, purchased or sold by the Portfolio. To address these potential conflicts, UBS and UBS AM have established various policies and procedures that are reasonably
designed to detect and prevent these potential conflicts of interest and prevent clients from being disadvantaged.
UBS AM may purchase or sell, or
recommend for purchase or sale, for the Portfolio or its other accounts securities of companies: (i) with respect to which its affiliates act as an investment banker or financial adviser; (ii) with which its
affiliates have other confidential relationships; (iii) in which its affiliates maintain a position; (iv) for which its affiliates make a market; or (v) in which it or its officers, directors or employees or those of
its affiliates own securities or otherwise have an interest. Except to the extent prohibited by law or regulation or by client instruction, UBS AM may recommend to the Portfolio or its other clients, or purchase for
the Portfolio or its other clients, securities of issuers in which UBS has an interest as described in this paragraph.
From time to time and subject to
client approval, UBS AM may rely on certain affiliates to execute trades for the Portfolio or its other accounts. For each security transaction effected by a UBS affiliate, UBS AM may compensate and such UBS affiliate
may retain such compensation for effecting the transaction, and UBS AM may receive affiliated group credit for generating such business.
Transactions undertaken by UBS or
client accounts managed by UBS (“Client Accounts”) may adversely impact the Portfolio. UBS and one or more Client Accounts may buy or sell positions while the Portfolio is undertaking the same or a
differing, including potentially opposite, strategy, which could disadvantage the Portfolio.
UBS AM and its
advisory affiliates utilize a common portfolio and trading platform for its clients. Certain investment professionals and other employees of UBS AM are officers of advisory affiliates and related persons and may
provide investment advisory services to clients of such affiliated entities. UBS AM’s personnel also provide research and trading support to personnel of certain advisory affiliates. Research-related costs may
be shared by advisory affiliates and related persons and may benefit the clients of such advisory affiliates. Since research services are shared between UBS AM and its advisory affiliates, UBS AM and its advisory
affiliates maintain an aggregated soft dollar budget. Therefore, research services that benefit UBS AM’s clients may be paid for with commissions generated by clients of its advisory affiliates. Similarly,
research services paid for by commissions generated by UBS AM’s clients may benefit advisory affiliates and their clients. UBS AM does not allocate the relative costs or benefits of research received from
brokers or dealers among its clients because UBS AM believes that the research received is, in the aggregate, of assistance in fulfilling UBS AM’s overall responsibilities to its clients. The research may be
used in connection with the management of accounts other than those for which trades are executed by the brokers or dealers providing the research. For example, equity research may be used for fixed income funds and
accounts.
While UBS AM selects brokers
primarily on the basis of the execution capabilities, UBS AM, in its discretion, may cause a client to pay a commission to brokers or dealers for effecting a transaction for that client in excess of the amount another
broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction. This may be done when UBS AM has determined in good faith that the commission is reasonable
141
in relation to the value of the execution,
brokerage and/or research services provided by the broker. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest, in that UBS AM have an incentive to choose a broker or dealer
that provides research services, instead of one that charges a lower commission rate but does not provide any research.
Victory Capital Management Inc.
(“Victory Capital”)
Victory
Capital’s portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more mutual funds as well as other accounts, such as separate accounts, and other pooled investment vehicles, such as collective trust funds
or unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage other accounts which have materially higher fee arrangements than the Portfolio and may, in the future, manage other accounts which have a performance-based
fee. A portfolio manager also may make personal investments in accounts they manage or support. The side-by-side management of the Portfolio along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by
incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offerings; and/or (3) desirable trade
allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, to assist in the investment decision-making process for its clients, including the Portfolio, Victory Capital may use brokerage commissions generated from securities
transactions to obtain research and/or brokerage services from broker-dealers. Thus, Victory Capital may have an incentive to select a broker that provides research through the use of brokerage, rather than paying for
execution only. Certain other trading practices, such as cross-trading between the Portfolio and another account, also may raise conflict of interest issues. Victory Capital has adopted numerous compliance policies
and procedures, including a Code of Ethics, brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition,
Victory Capital has a designated Chief Compliance Officer (selected in accordance with the federal securities laws) and compliance staff whose activities are focused on monitoring the activities of Victory Capital
investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that Victory Capital's compliance program will achieve its intended
result.
Victory Capital has designed the
structure of its portfolio managers’ compensation to (1) align portfolio managers’ interests with those of Victory Capital’s clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment
performance, (2) help Victory Capital attract and retain high-quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to Victory Capital’s overall financial success.
Each of the
Victory Capital portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing the Portfolio, separate accounts, other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts
(including any accounts for which Victory Capital receives a performance fee) (together, “Accounts”). A portfolio manager’s base salary is dependent on the manager’s level of experience and
expertise. Victory Capital monitors each manager’s base salary relative to salaries paid for similar positions with peer firms by reviewing data provided by various consultants that specialize in competitive
salary information. Such data, however, is not considered to be a definitive benchmark. Each of the investment franchises employed by Victory Capital (including RS Investments) may earn incentive compensation based on
a percentage of Victory Capital’s revenue attributable to fees paid by Accounts managed by the team. The chief investment officer of each team, in coordination with Victory Capital, determines the allocation of
the incentive compensation earned by the team among the team’s portfolio managers by establishing a “target” incentive for each portfolio manager based on the manager’s level of experience and
expertise in the manager’s investment style. Individual performance is based on objectives established annually using performance metrics such as portfolio structure and positioning, research, stock selection,
asset growth, client retention, presentation skills, marketing to prospective clients and contribution to Victory Capital’s philosophy and values, such as leadership, risk management and teamwork. The annual
incentive bonus also factors in individual investment performance of each portfolio manager’s portfolio or client accounts relative to a selected peer group(s). The overall performance results for a manager are
based on the composite performance of all Accounts managed by that manager on a combination of one, three and five year rolling performance periods as compared to the performance information of a peer group of
similarly-managed competitors.
Victory Capital’s portfolio
managers may participate in the equity ownership plan of Victory Capital’s parent company. There is an ongoing annual equity pool granted to certain employees based on their contribution to the firm. Eligibility
for participation in these incentive programs depends on the manager’s performance and seniority.
WEDGE Capital
Management, LLP
COMPENSATION.
Incentive compensation plans have been structured to reward all professionals for their contribution to the overall growth and profitability of the firm. Compensation is not directly tied
to fund performance or growth in assets for any fund or other account managed by a portfolio manager. General Partners, including Brian J. Pratt , John Norman and Caldwell Calame, are compensated via a percentage of
the firm's net profitability following a peer review, which focuses on performance in their specific area of responsibility, as well as their contribution to the general management of the firm, and their importance to
the firm in the future. Other investment professionals, receive a competitive salary and bonus based on the firm's investment and business success and their specific contribution to that record.
142
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
During the normal course of managing assets for multiple clients of varying types and asset levels, WEDGE will inevitably encounter conflicts of interest that could, if not properly
addressed, be harmful to one or more of its clients. Those of a material nature that are encountered most frequently surround security selection, brokerage selection, employee personal securities trading, proxy voting
and the allocation of securities. WEDGE is therefore, forced to consider the possible personal conflicts that occur for an analyst and portfolio manager as well as those for the firm when a security is recommended for
purchase or sale. When trading securities, WEDGE must address the issues surrounding the selection of brokers to execute trades considering the personal conflicts of the trader and the firm's conflict to obtain best
execution of client transactions versus offsetting the cost of research or enhancing its relationship with a broker for potential future gain. And finally, WEDGE must consider the implications that a limited supply or
demand for a particular security poses on the allocation of that security across accounts.
To mitigate these conflicts and
ensure its clients are not negatively impacted by the adverse actions of WEDGE or its employees, WEDGE has implemented a series of policies including its Personal Security Trading Policy, Proxy Voting Policy, Equity
Trading Policy, Trading Error Policy, and others designed to prevent and detect conflicts when they occur. WEDGE reasonably believes that these and other policies combined with the periodic review and testing
performed by its compliance professionals adequately protects the interests of its clients.
Wellington Management Company LLP
Portfolio Manager Compensation
Wellington
Management Company LLP (Wellington Management) receives a fee based on the assets under management of a Portfolio as set forth in the Investment Subadvisory Agreement between Wellington Management and the Manager on
behalf of a Portfolio. Wellington Management pays its investment professionals out of its total revenues, including the advisory fees earned with respect to a Portfolio. The following information is as of December 31,
2017.
Wellington Management’s
compensation structure is designed to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals necessary to deliver high quality investment management services to its clients. Wellington Management’s
compensation of the Fund’s managers listed in the prospectus who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of a Portfolio (the “Investment Professional”) includes a base salary and
incentive components. The base salary for each Investment Professional who is a partner (a “Partner”) of Wellington Management Group LLP, the ultimate holding company of Wellington Management, is generally
a fixed amount that is determined by the managing partners of Wellington Management Group LLP. The base salary for the other Investment Professionals is determined by the Investment Professionals’ experience and
performance in their role as an Investment Professional. Base salaries for Wellington Management’s employees are reviewed annually and may be adjusted based on the recommendation of an Investment
Professional’s manager, using guidelines established by Wellington Management's Compensation Committee, which has final oversight responsibility for base salaries of employees of the firm. Each Investment
Professional, with the exception of Stahl and Thomas, is eligible to receive an incentive payment based on the revenues earned by Wellington Management from the Fund managed by the Investment Professional and
generally each other account managed by such Investment Professional. The Investment Professional's incentive payment relating to the Fund is linked to the gross pre-tax performance of the Fund managed by the
Investment Professional compared to the benchmark index and/or peer group identified below over one, three, and five year periods, with an emphasis on five year results. Wellington Management applies similar incentive
compensation structures (although the benchmarks or peer groups, time periods and rates may differ) to other accounts managed by the Investment Professional, including accounts with performance fees.
Portfolio-based incentives across
all accounts managed by an investment professional can, and typically do, represent a significant portion of an investment professional's overall compensation; incentive compensation varies significantly by individual
and can vary significantly from year to year. The Investment Professionals may also be eligible for bonus payments based on their overall contribution to Wellington Management’s business operations. Senior
management at Wellington Management may reward individuals as it deems appropriate based on other factors. Each Partner is eligible to participate in a Partner-funded tax qualified retirement plan, the contributions
to which are made pursuant to an actuarial formula. Messrs. Gorman, Chally, Stahl, Soukas, Sullivan and Thomas are Partners.
| Portfolio | Benchmark Index and/or Peer Group for Incentive Period |
| AST Small Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | Russell 2000 Growth Index |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Hedged to USD |
| AST Wellington Management Total Return Portfolio | Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS (1-10) Yr Index |
Potential Conflicts
143
Individual investment professionals
at Wellington Management manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of institutions, such as pension funds, insurance companies,
foundations, or separately managed account programs sponsored by financial intermediaries), bank common trust accounts, and hedge funds. A Portfolio’s managers listed in the prospectus who are primarily
responsible for the day-to-day management of a Portfolio (“Investment Professionals”) generally manage accounts in several different investment styles. These accounts may have investment objectives,
strategies, time horizons, tax considerations and risk profiles that differ from those of a Portfolio. The Investment Professionals make investment decisions for each account, including a Portfolio, based on the
investment objectives, policies, practices, benchmarks, cash flows, tax and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that account. Consequently, the Investment Professionals may purchase or sell
securities, including IPOs, for one account and not another account, and the performance of securities purchased for one account may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other accounts. Alternatively,
these accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to a Portfolio and thus the accounts may have similar, and in some cases nearly identical, objectives, strategies and/or holdings to that of a Portfolio.
An Investment Professional or other
investment professionals at Wellington Management may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of a Portfolio, or make investment
decisions that are similar to those made for a Portfolio, both of which have the potential to adversely impact a Portfolio depending on market conditions. For example, an investment professional may purchase a
security in one account while appropriately selling that same security in another account. Similarly, an Investment Professional may purchase the same security for a Portfolio and one or more other accounts at or
about the same time. In those instances the other accounts will have access to their respective holdings prior to the public disclosure of a Portfolio’s holdings. In addition, some of these accounts have fee
structures, including performance fees, which are or have the potential to be higher, in some cases significantly higher, than the fees Wellington Management receives for managing a Portfolio. Messrs. Chally, Siegle,
McLane, Stahl, Sullivan and Thomas also manage accounts which pay performance allocations to Wellington Management or its affiliates. Because incentive payments paid by Wellington Management to the Investment
Professionals are tied to revenues earned by Wellington Management and, where noted, to the performance achieved by the manager in each account, the incentives associated with any given account may be significantly
higher or lower than those associated with other accounts managed by a given Investment Professional. Finally, the Investment Professionals may hold shares or investments in the other pooled investment vehicles and/or
other accounts identified above.
Wellington Management’s goal
is to meet its fiduciary obligation to treat all clients fairly and provide high quality investment services to all of its clients. Wellington Management has adopted and implemented policies and procedures, including
brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which it believes address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Wellington Management monitors a variety of
areas, including compliance with primary account guidelines, the allocation of IPOs, and compliance with the firm’s Code of Ethics, and places additional investment restrictions on investment professionals who
manage hedge funds and certain other accounts. Furthermore, senior investment and business personnel at Wellington Management periodically review the performance of Wellington Management’s investment
professionals. Although Wellington Management does not track the time an investment professional spends on a single account, Wellington Management does periodically assess whether an investment professional has
adequate time and resources to effectively manage the investment professional’s various client mandates.
Western Asset Management Company
Western Asset Management Company Limited
Western Asset Management Company Limited
COMPENSATION.
At Western Asset, one compensation
methodology covers all employees, including investment professionals.
Standard compensation includes
competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits, incentive bonus and a retirement plan which includes an employer match and discretionary profit sharing. Incentive bonuses are usually distributed in May.
The Firm’s compensation
philosophy is to manage fixed costs by paying competitive base salaries, but reward performance through the incentive bonus. A total compensation range for each position within Western Asset is derived from annual
market surveys and other relevant compensation-related data that benchmark each role to their job function and peer universe. This method is designed to base the reward for employees with total compensation reflective
of the external market value of their skills, experience, and ability to produce desired results. Furthermore, the incentive bonus makes up the variable component of total compensation. Additional details regarding
the incentive bonus are below:
| ■ | Each employee participates in the annual review process in which a formal performance review is conducted at the end of the year and also a mid-year review is conducted halfway through the fiscal year. |
| ■ | The incentive bonus is based on one’s individual contributions to the success of one’s team performance and the Firm. The overall success of the Firm will determine the amount of funds available to distribute for all incentive bonuses. |
144
| ■ | Incentive compensation is the primary focus of management decisions when determining Total Compensation, as base salaries are purely targeting to pay a competitive rate for the role. |
| ■ | Western Asset offers long-term incentives (in the form of deferred cash or Legg Mason restricted stock) as part of the discretionary bonus for eligible employees. The eligibility requirements are discretionary and the plan participants include all investment professionals, sales and relationship management professionals and senior managers. The purpose of the plan is to retain key employees by allowing them to participate in the plans where the awards are denominated in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock or are invested into a variety of Western Asset and Legg Mason funds. These contributions plus the investment gains are paid to the employee if he/she remains employed and in good standing with Western Asset until the discretionary contributions become vested. Discretionary contributions made to the Plan will be placed in a special trust that restricts management's use of and access to the money. |
| ■ | Under limited circumstances, employees may be paid additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance or as a retention tool. These incentives may include Legg Mason stock options. |
For portfolio managers, the formal
review process also includes the use of a Balanced Scorecard to measure performance. The Balanced Scorecard includes one-, three-, and five-year investment performance, monitoring of risk, (portfolio dispersion and
tracking error), client support activities, adherence to client portfolio objectives and guidelines, and certain financial measures (assets under management and revenue trends). In reviewing investment performance,
one-, three-, and five-year annualized returns are measured against appropriate market peer groups and to each fund's benchmark index. These are structured to reward sector specialists for contributions to the Firm as
well as relative performance of their specific portfolios/product and are determined by the professional’s job function and performance as measured by the review process.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
.
Western Asset has adopted
compliance policies and procedures to address a wide range of potential conflicts of interest that could directly impact client portfolios. For example, potential conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the
management of multiple portfolios (including portfolios managed in a personal capacity). These could include potential conflicts of interest related to the knowledge and timing of a portfolio’s trades,
investment opportunities and broker selection. Portfolio managers are privy to the size, timing, and possible market impact of a portfolio’s trades.
It is possible that an investment
opportunity may be suitable for both a portfolio and other accounts managed by a portfolio manager, but may not be available in sufficient quantities for both the portfolio and the other accounts to participate fully.
Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by a portfolio and another account. A conflict may arise where the portfolio manager may have an incentive to treat an account preferentially as
compared to a portfolio because the account pays a performance-based fee or the portfolio manager, the Advisers or an affiliate has an interest in the account. The Firm has adopted procedures for allocation of
portfolio transactions and investment opportunities across multiple client accounts on a fair and equitable basis over time. All eligible accounts that can participate in a trade share the same price on a pro-rata
allocation basis to ensure that no conflict of interest occurs. Trades are allocated among similarly managed accounts to maintain consistency of portfolio strategy, taking into account cash availability, investment
restrictions and guidelines, and portfolio composition versus strategy.
With respect to securities
transactions, the Adviser determines which broker or dealer to use to execute each order, consistent with their duty to seek best execution of the transaction. However, with respect to certain other accounts (such as
pooled investment vehicles that are not registered investment companies and other accounts managed for organizations and individuals), the Firm may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or
dealers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker or dealer. In these cases, trades for a portfolio in a particular security may be placed separately from, rather than aggregated with, such
other accounts. Having separate transactions with respect to a security may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the possible detriment of a portfolio or
the other account(s) involved. Additionally, the management of multiple portfolios and/or other accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each portfolio and/or
other account. Western Asset’s team approach to portfolio management and block trading approach works to limit this potential risk.
The Firm also maintains a gift and
entertainment policy to address the potential for a business contact to give gifts or host entertainment events that may influence the business judgment of an employee. Employees are permitted to retain gifts of only
a nominal value and are required to make reimbursement for entertainment events above a certain value. All gifts (except those of a de minimus value) and entertainment events that are given or sponsored by a business
contact are required to be reported in a gift and entertainment log which is reviewed on a regular basis for possible issues.
Employees of the Firm have access
to transactions and holdings information regarding client accounts and the Firm’s overall trading activities. This information represents a potential conflict of interest because employees may take advantage of
this information as they trade in their personal accounts. Accordingly, the Firm maintains a Code of Ethics that is compliant with Rule 17j-1 and Rule 204A-1 to
145
address personal
trading. In addition, the Code of Ethics seeks to establish broader principles of good conduct and fiduciary responsibility in all aspects of the Firm’s business. The Code of Ethics is administered by the Legal
& Compliance Department and monitored through the Firm’s compliance monitoring program.
Western Asset may also face other
potential conflicts of interest with respect to managing client assets, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict of interest that could be deemed to exist. The Firm also maintains a
compliance monitoring program and engages independent auditors to conduct a SOC 1/ISAE 3402 audit on an annual basis. These steps help to ensure that potential conflicts of interest have been addressed.
William Blair Investment Management,
LLC
COMPENSATION.
The compensation of William Blair portfolio managers is based on the firm's mission: “to achieve success for its clients.” The Fund's portfolio managers are partners of William
Blair, and their compensation consists of a base salary, a share of the firm's profits and, in some instances, a discretionary bonus. Each portfolio manager’s compensation is determined by the head of William
Blair's Investment Management Department, subject to the approval of the firm's Executive Committee. The base salary is fixed and each portfolio manager’s ownership stake can vary over time based upon the
portfolio manager’s sustained contribution to the firm's revenue, profitability, long-term investment performance, intellectual capital and brand reputation. In addition, the discretionary bonus (if any) is
based, in part, on the long-term investment performance, profitability and assets under management of all accounts managed by each portfolio manager, including the Fund.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Since the portfolio managers manage other accounts in addition to the Fund, conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the portfolio managers' management of a Portfolio's
investments on the one hand and the investments of such other accounts on the other hand. However, William Blair has adopted policies and procedures designed to address such conflicts, including, among others,
policies and procedures relating to allocation of investment opportunities, soft dollars and aggregation of trades. William Blair also has adopted a Code of Ethics which requires employees to act solely in the best
interest of clients and imposes certain restrictions on the ability of its employees to engage in personal securities transactions for their own accounts.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
CUSTODIAN.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corp., 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10286 serves as Custodian for the Trust's portfolio securities and cash, and in that capacity, maintains certain
financial accounting books and records pursuant to an agreement with the Trust. Subcustodians provide custodial services for any foreign assets held outside the United States.
TRANSFER AGENT AND SHAREHOLDER
SERVICING AGENT.
Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC (PMFS), 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, serves as the transfer and dividend disbursing agent of the Trust. PMFS is an affiliate of PGIM
Investments. PMFS provides customary transfer agency services to the Trust, including the handling of shareholder communications, the processing of shareholder transactions, the maintenance of shareholder account
records, the payment of dividends and distributions, and related functions. For these services, PMFS receives compensation from the Trust and is reimbursed for its transfer agent expenses which include an annual fee
per shareholder account, a monthly inactive account fee per shareholder account and its out-of-pocket expenses; including but not limited to postage, stationery, printing, allocable communication expenses and other
costs.
BNY Mellon Asset
Servicing (US) Inc. (BNYAS) serves as sub-transfer agent to the Trust. PMFS has contracted with BNYAS, 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, to provide certain administrative functions to the Transfer
Agent. PMFS will compensate BNYAS for such services.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM.
KPMG LLP, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, served as the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and in that capacity
will audit the annual financial statements for the Trust for the next fiscal year.
SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES
. Goldman Sachs Bank USA, doing business as Goldman Sachs Agency Lending (GSAL), serves as the securities lending agent for the Trust, and in that role administers the Portfolios’
securities lending program
pursuant to the terms of a securities lending agency
agreement entered into between the Trust on behalf of each Portfolio and
GSAL.
As securities lending agent, GSAL
is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from each Portfolio’s portfolio. GSAL is responsible for the administration and management of each Portfolio’s securities lending
program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and
documented with the Portfolio’s custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral is delivered by the borrower(s), and arranging for the investment
of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with each Portfolio’s investment guidelines.
146
GSALreceives as
compensation for its services a portion of the amount earned by each Portfolio for lending securities.
The table below sets forth, for
each Portfolio’s most recently completed fiscal year, the Portfolio’s gross income received from securities lending activities, the fees and/or other compensation paid by the Portfolio for securities
lending activities, and the net income earned by the Portfolio for securities lending activities. The table below also discloses any other fees or payments incurred by each Portfolio resulting from lending
securities.
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio |
AST
Advanced Strategies Portfolio |
AST
AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
AST
AQR Large-Cap Portfolio |
AST
Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 625,019 | $ 7,817,881 | $ 210,608 | $ 432,364 | N/A |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (18,886) | $ (217,628) | $ (3,865) | $ (5,995) | N/A |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (39,698) | $ (446,286) | $ (13,033) | $ (29,040) | N/A |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(394,967) | $(5,159,742) | $(158,021) | $(342,491) | N/A |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(453,551) | $(5,823,656) | $(174,919) | $(377,526) | N/A |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 171,468 | $ 1,994,225 | $ 35,689 | $ 54,838 | N/A |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio |
AST
BlackRock/ LoomisSayles Bond Portfolio |
AST
BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2018 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2019 |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $1,056,610 | $ 549,852 | $ 192,375 | $ 27,337 | $ 526 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (34,236) | $ (13,733) | $ (5,492) | $ (582) | $ (26) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (67,241) | $ (36,235) | $ (12,001) | $ (1,904) | $ (27) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $ (645,781) | $(375,882) | $(126,447) | $(20,104) | $(252) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $ (747,258) | $(425,850) | $(143,940) | $(22,590) | $(305) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 309,352 | $ 124,002 | $ 48,435 | $ 4,747 | $ 221 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Bond Portfolio 2020 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2021 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2022 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2023 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2024 |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $20,237 | $41,696 | $23,503 | $885 | $662 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (333) | $ (766) | $ (389) | $ (11) | $ (30) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (1,572) | $ (3,174) | $ (1,768) | $ (49) | $ (37) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
147
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Bond Portfolio 2020 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2021 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2022 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2023 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2024 |
|
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(15,298) | $(30,963) | $(18,575) | $(730) | $(428) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(17,203) | $(34,903) | $(20,732) | $(790) | $(495) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 3,034 | $ 6,793 | $ 2,771 | $ 95 | $ 167 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Bond Portfolio 2025 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2026 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2027 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2028 |
AST
Bond Portfolio 2029 |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 214 | $ 52,760 | $ 96,004 | N/A | N/A |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (4) | $ (1,510) | $ (1,532) | N/A | N/A |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (19) | $ (3,316) | $ (5,904) | N/A | N/A |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(154) | $(35,213) | $(74,266) | N/A | N/A |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(177) | $(40,039) | $(81,702) | N/A | N/A |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 37 | $ 12,721 | $ 14,302 | N/A | N/A |
| Securities Lending Activities | ||||
|
AST
Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio |
AST
ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio |
AST
Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio |
AST
AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | N/A | $ 708,407 | $ 560,902 | $ 2,920,235 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | ||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | N/A | $ (13,828) | $ (8,006) | $ (121,058) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | N/A | $ (45,043) | $ (36,796) | $ (145,672) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | N/A | $(523,256) | $(443,857) | $(1,533,276) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | N/A | $(582,127) | $(488,659) | $(1,800,006) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | N/A | $ 126,280 | $ 72,243 | $ 1,120,229 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Global Real Estate Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $298,622 | $1,337,596 | $2,020,940 | $574,982 | $2,237,919 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
148
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Global Real Estate Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
|
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (11,229) | $ (28,111) | $ (56,429) | $ (21,435) | $ (42,026) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (16,342) | $ (87,375) | $ (117,085) | $ (31,118) | $ (141,273) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(169,196) | $ (965,208) | $(1,334,728) | $(327,282) | $(1,675,196) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(196,767) | $(1,080,694) | $(1,508,242) | $(379,835) | $(1,858,495) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 101,855 | $ 256,902 | $ 512,698 | $ 195,147 | $ 379,424 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Government Money Market Portfolio |
AST
High Yield Portfolio |
AST
Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
International Growth Portfolio |
AST
International Value Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | N/A | $ 2,434,771 | $ 3,423,563 | $ 2,991,828 | $1,924,989 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | N/A | $ (75,585) | $ (90,145) | $ (139,332) | $ (172,349) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | N/A | $ (153,328) | $ (182,213) | $ (139,247) | $ (38,415) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | N/A | $(1,520,406) | $(2,331,397) | $(1,430,654) | $ (151,914) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | N/A | $(1,749,319) | $(2,603,755) | $(1,709,233) | $ (362,678) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | N/A | $ 685,452 | $ 819,808 | $ 1,282,595 | $1,562,311 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Investment Grade Bond Portfolio |
AST
J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio |
AST
J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio |
AST
J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio |
AST
Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 1,315,738 | $ 2,429,147 | $191,767 | $1,575,885 | $1,030,661 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (23,790) | $ (95,042) | $ (15,246) | $ (69,784) | $ (22,946) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (91,548) | $ (130,576) | $ (4,466) | $ (81,323) | $ (64,447) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $ (983,215) | $(1,345,187) | $ (38,788) | $ (788,504) | $ (735,915) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(1,098,553) | $(1,570,805) | $ (58,500) | $ (939,611) | $ (823,308) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 217,185 | $ 858,342 | $133,267 | $ 636,274 | $ 207,353 |
149
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
LoomisSayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
AST
Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio |
AST
MFS Global Equity Portfolio |
AST
MFS Growth Portfolio |
AST
MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 4,688,326 | $1,326,164 | $ 687,727 | $ 581,584 | $ 439,116 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (67,823) | $ (37,691) | $ (16,527) | $ (9,548) | $ (6,630) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (295,680) | $ (85,436) | $ (39,500) | $ (36,641) | $ (26,425) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(3,709,294) | $ (833,429) | $(482,641) | $(448,790) | $(346,466) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(4,072,797) | $ (956,556) | $(538,668) | $(494,979) | $(379,521) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 615,529 | $ 369,608 | $ 149,059 | $ 86,605 | $ 59,595 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio |
AST
Neuberger Berman/ LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio |
AST
Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
AST
Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 2,822,314 | $ 2,316,514 | $ 375,821 | $ 276,238 | N/A |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (45,309) | $ (68,377) | $ (10,648) | $ (10,629) | N/A |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (187,490) | $ (128,806) | $ (22,013) | $ (14,846) | N/A |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(2,177,148) | $(1,501,212) | $(247,717) | $(154,535) | N/A |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(2,409,947) | $(1,698,395) | $(280,378) | $(180,010) | N/A |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 412,367 | $ 618,119 | $ 95,443 | $ 96,228 | N/A |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Prudential Core Bond Portfolio |
AST
Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio |
AST
QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
AST
QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
AST
Quantitative Modeling Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 438,501 | $ 7,820,735 | $ 481,778 | N/A | N/A |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (12,110) | $ (219,481) | $ (8,449) | N/A | N/A |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (25,069) | $ (444,285) | $ (32,173) | N/A | N/A |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(292,654) | $(5,166,936) | $(364,179) | N/A | N/A |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(329,833) | $(5,830,702) | $(404,801) | N/A | N/A |
150
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Prudential Core Bond Portfolio |
AST
Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio |
AST
QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
AST
QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
AST
Quantitative Modeling Portfolio |
|
| Net income from securities lending activities | $108,668 | $1,990,033 | $76,977 | N/A | N/A |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
RCM World Trends Portfolio |
AST
Small-Cap Growth Portfolio |
AST
Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
AST
Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 3,245,445 | $ 3,779,683 | $ 3,092,779 | $ 2,703,690 | $12,247,508 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (147,658) | $ (121,713) | $ (92,847) | $ (104,874) | $ (365,337) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (160,078) | $ (211,592) | $ (174,580) | $ (134,834) | $ (688,838) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(1,582,302) | $(2,339,709) | $(1,977,541) | $(1,512,659) | $ (7,877,704) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(1,890,038) | $(2,673,014) | $(2,244,968) | $(1,752,367) | $ (8,931,879) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 1,355,407 | $ 1,106,669 | $ 847,811 | $ 951,323 | $ 3,315,629 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
AST
T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
AST
T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio |
AST
Templeton Global Bond Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $1,029,280 | $ 2,996,717 | $ 661,421 | $1,094,576 | N/A |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (53,107) | $ (103,208) | $ (8,464) | $ (60,682) | N/A |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (42,003) | $ (155,760) | $ (32,237) | $ (47,259) | N/A |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $ (452,230) | $(1,806,414) | $(420,184) | $ (437,223) | N/A |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | N/A |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $ (547,340) | $(2,065,382) | $(460,885) | $ (545,164) | N/A |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 481,940 | $ 931,335 | $ 200,536 | $ 549,412 | N/A |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
AST
Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
AST
Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
||
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $929,536 | $1,811,922 | $1,243,523 | $18,055 | |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (13,688) | $ (52,715) | $ (28,633) | $ (750) | |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (60,495) | $ (105,956) | $ (81,503) | $ (906) | |
151
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
AST
Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
AST
Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
AST
Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
||
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(731,030) | $(1,175,714) | $(867,067) | $ (9,772) | |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(805,213) | $(1,334,385) | $(977,203) | $(11,428) | |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 124,323 | $ 477,537 | $ 266,320 | $ 6,627 | |
Prudential Financial, Inc.
(Prudential), the parent company of the Manager, self-reported in February 2016 to the SEC and certain other regulators that, in some cases, it failed to maximize securities lending income for certain of the
Trust’s Portfolios due to a long-standing restriction benefitting Prudential. The Board was not notified of the restriction until after it had been removed. Prudential paid each of the affected Portfolios an
amount equal to the estimated loss associated with the unauthorized restriction. At the Board’s direction, this payment occurred on June 30, 2016. The estimated opportunity loss was calculated by an independent
consultant hired by Prudential whose calculation methodology was subsequently reviewed by a consultant retained by the independent trustees of the Portfolios. The amount of opportunity loss payment to each of the
Portfolios is disclosed in the Trust’s annual report to shareholders in the respective Portfolios’ “Statement of Changes in Net Assets” and “Financial Highlights” as “Capital
Contributions”. In addition to the above, Prudential has paid and continues to directly pay certain legal, audit and other charges in connection with the matter on behalf of the Portfolios. The SEC staff and
other regulators are currently reviewing the matter.
DISTRIBUTOR.
The Trust has distribution arrangements with PAD, pursuant to which PAD serves as the distributor for the shares of each Portfolio. PAD is an affiliate of the Investment Managers.
The Trust’s distribution
agreement with respect to the Trust and the Portfolios (Distribution Agreement) has been approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, with respect to each Portfolio. The Distribution
Agreement will remain in effect from year to year provided that the Distribution Agreement’s continuance is approved annually by (i) a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not parties to the agreement
and, if applicable, who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Shareholder Services and Distribution Plan (the 12b-1Plan) or any such related agreement, by a vote cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Agreements and (ii) either by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, as
applicable.
The Trust has adopted the 12b-1Plan
in the manner prescribed under Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the 12b-1Plan, each Portfolio (except for AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Preservation
Asset Allocation Portfolio, and AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio) is authorized to pay PAD an annual shareholder services and distribution fee of 0.25% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.
The shareholder services and
distribution fee paid by each Portfolio to PAD is intended to compensate PAD and its affiliates for various administrative services, including but not limited to the filing, printing and delivery of the Trust’s
prospectus and statement of additional information, annual and semi-annual shareholder reports, and other required regulatory documents, responding to shareholder questions and inquiries relating to the Portfolios,
and related functions and services. In addition, pursuant to the 12b-1Plan, the fee is intended to compensate PAD and its affiliates for various services rendered and expenses incurred in connection with activities
intended to result in the sale or servicing of the shares of the covered Portfolios. These activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ■ | printing and mailing of prospectuses, statements of additional information, supplements, proxy statement materials, and annual and semi-annual reports for current owners of variable life or variable annuity contracts indirectly investing in the shares (the Contracts); |
| ■ | reconciling and balancing separate account investments in the Portfolios; |
| ■ | reconciling and providing notice to the Trust of net cash flow and cash requirements for net redemption orders; |
| ■ | confirming transactions; |
| ■ | providing Contract owner services related to investments in the Portfolios, including assisting the Trust with proxy solicitations, including providing solicitation and tabulation services, and investigating and responding to inquiries from Contract owners that relate to the Portfolios; |
| ■ | providing periodic reports to the Trust and regarding the Portfolios to third-party reporting services; |
152
| ■ | paying compensation to and expenses, including overhead, of employees of PAD and other broker-dealers and financial intermediaries that engage in the distribution of the shares including, but not limited to, commissions, service fees and marketing fees; |
| ■ | printing and mailing of prospectuses, statements of additional information, supplements and annual and semi-annual reports for prospective Contract owners; |
| ■ | paying expenses relating to the development, preparation, printing and mailing of advertisements, sales literature, and other promotional materials describing and/or relating to the Portfolios; |
| ■ | paying expenses of holding seminars and sales meetings designed to promote the distribution of the shares; |
| ■ | paying expenses of obtaining information and providing explanations to Contract owners regarding investment objectives, policies, performance and other information about the Trust and its Portfolios; |
| ■ | paying expenses of training sales personnel regarding the Portfolios; and |
| ■ | providing other services and bearing other expenses for the benefit of the Portfolios, including activities primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Trust. |
The 12b-1Plan is of a type known as
a “compensation” plan because payments are made for services rendered to the covered Portfolios of the Trust regardless of the level of actual expenditures by PAD. However, as part of their oversight of
the operations of the Trust and the 12b-1Plan, the Trustees consider and examine all payments made to PAD and all expenditures by PAD for purposes of reviewing operations under the 12b-1Plan. As required under Rule
12b-1, the 12b-1Plan provides that PAD and any other person(s) authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Portfolios pursuant to the 12b-1Plan or any related agreement will provide to the
Board, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Fees payable to PAD under the 12b-1Plan are accrued daily
and paid bi-weekly.
The 12b-1Plan and any related
agreement will continue in effect, with respect to each Portfolio, for a period of more than one year only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of (a) the Board and
(b) the Trust’s Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the 12b-1Plan or such agreement, as applicable. In addition, the 12b-1Plan and any related agreement may
be terminated at any time with respect to any Portfolio by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities representing the shares of that Portfolio. The
12b-1Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution and shareholder service fees permissible with respect to any Portfolio until it has been approved by the Board and by a vote of at least a
majority of the outstanding voting securities representing the shares of that Portfolio.
The amounts received by PAD from
each Portfolio pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan during the most recently completed fiscal year are set out in the table below:
| Amounts Received by PAD | |
| Portfolio Name | Amount |
| AST Academic Strategies Portfolio | $5,997,253 |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | $21,717,905 |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | $544,705 |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | $6,927,578 |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | None |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | $5,993,441 |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | $9,385,405 |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | $1,603,076 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | $326,438 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | $128,737 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | $229,843 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | $375,879 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | $299,890 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | $110,779 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | $76,623 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | $48,412 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | $658,438 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | $776,505 |
153
| Amounts Received by PAD | |
| Portfolio Name | Amount |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | $17,945 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | None |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | None |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | $3,983,555 |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio | $1,635,451 |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM sm Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) | $12,737,983 |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | $1,026,610 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | $5,127,106 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | $3,345,592 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | $7,543,242 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | $2,411,868 |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | $2,331,308 |
| AST High Yield Portfolio | $3,042,142 |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio | $4,198,144 |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | $5,883,202 |
| AST International Value Portfolio | $5,459,813 |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | $8,361,388 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | $8,077,551 |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio | $1,075,096 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio | $6,444,207 |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | $2,424,260 |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | $6,697,495 |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio | $4,504,872 |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | $1,746,744 |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | $2,742,685 |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio | $3,352,016 |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio | $22,265,306 |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | $2,420,725 |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | $2,030,994 |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | $1,144,458 |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | None |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio | $7,374,663 |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio | $43,294,156 |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio | $6,924,459 |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio | $1,703,262 |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | None |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio | $13,523,855 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | $2,011,518 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | $1,952,934 |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio | $2,586,936 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio | $37,574,892 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio | $2,719,620 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | $5,642,929 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio | $2,743,910 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio | $1,377,439 |
154
| Amounts Received by PAD | |
| Portfolio Name | Amount |
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio | $883,280 |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | $1,004,279 |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio | $5,422,840 |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio | $7,465,576 |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio | $241,066 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS &
BROKERAGE
The Trust has adopted a policy
pursuant to which the Trust and its Investment Managers, subadvisers, and principal underwriter are prohibited from directly or indirectly compensating a broker-dealer for promoting or selling Trust shares by
directing brokerage transactions to that broker. The Trust has adopted procedures for the purpose of deterring and detecting any violations of the policy. The policy permits the Trust, the Investment Managers, and the
subadvisers to use selling brokers to execute transactions in portfolio securities so long as the selection of such selling brokers is the result of a decision that executing such transactions is in the best interest
of the Trust and is not influenced by considerations about the sale of Portfolio shares.
The Investment Managers are
responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities, futures contracts and options on such securities and futures for the Trust, the selection of brokers, dealers and futures commission merchants to effect the
transactions and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. On a national securities exchange, broker-dealers may receive negotiated brokerage commissions on Trust portfolio transactions, including options,
futures, and options on futures transactions and the purchase and sale of underlying securities upon the exercise of options. On a foreign securities exchange, commissions may be fixed. For purposes of this section,
the term “Investment Managers” includes the investment subadvisers. Orders may be directed to any broker or futures commission merchant including, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable
laws, affiliates of the Investment Managers and/or subadvisers (an affiliated broker). Brokerage commissions on US securities, options and futures exchanges or boards of trade are subject to negotiation between the
Investment Managers and the broker or futures commission merchant.
In the over-the-counter market,
securities are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the
dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion,
certain money market instruments and US government agency securities may be purchased directly from the issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid. The Trust will not deal with an affiliated broker in
any transaction in which an affiliated broker acts as principal except in accordance with the rules of the SEC.
In placing orders for portfolio
securities of the Trust, the Investment Managers’ overriding objective is to obtain the best possible combination of favorable price and efficient execution. The Investment Managers seek to effect such
transaction at a price and commission that provides the most favorable total cost of proceeds reasonably attainable in the circumstances. The factors that the Investment Managers may consider in selecting a particular
broker, dealer or futures commission merchant (firms) are the Investment Managers’ knowledge of negotiated commission rates currently available and other current transaction costs; the nature of the portfolio
transaction; the size of the transaction; the desired timing of the trade; the activity existing and expected in the market for the particular transaction; confidentiality; the execution, clearance and settlement
capabilities of the firms; the availability of research and research related services provided through such firms; the Investment Managers’ knowledge of the financial stability of the firms; the Investment
Managers’ knowledge of actual or apparent operational problems of firms; and the amount of capital, if any, that would be contributed by firms executing the transaction. Given these factors, the Trust may pay
transaction costs in excess of that which another firm might have charged for effecting the same transaction.
Unless prohibited
by applicable law, such as the European Union’s Market in Financial Instruments Directive (“MiFID II”), when the Investment Managers select a firm that executes orders or is a party to portfolio
transactions, relevant factors taken into consideration are whether that firm has furnished research and research-related products and/or services, such as research reports, research compilations, statistical and
economic data, computer data bases, quotation equipment and services, research-oriented computer software, hardware and services, reports concerning the performance of accounts, valuations of securities, investment
related periodicals, investment seminars and other economic services and consultations. Such services are used in connection with some or all of the Investment Managers’ investment activities; some of such
services, obtained in connection with the execution of transactions for one investment account, may be used in managing other accounts, and not all of these services may be used in connection with the Trust. The
Investment Managers maintain an internal allocation procedure to identify those firms who have provided them with research and research-related products and/or services, and the amount that was provided, and to
endeavor to direct sufficient commissions to
155
them to ensure the continued receipt of those
services that the Investment Managers believe provide a benefit to the Trust and its other clients. The Investment Managers make a good faith determination that the research and/or service is reasonable in light of
the type of service provided and the price and execution of the related portfolio transactions.
Under MiFID II,
which became effective January 3, 2018, investment managers that are regulated under MiFID II, including certain Investment Managers, are no longer able to use soft dollars to pay for research from brokers. Investment
Managers that are regulated under MiFID II are required to either pay for research out of their own resources or agree with clients to have research costs paid by clients through “research payment
accounts” that are funded out of execution commissions or by a specific client research charge, provided that the payments for research are unbundled from the payments for execution. MiFID II is expected to
limit the ability of certain Investment Managers to pay for research using soft dollars in various circumstances. MiFID II’s research requirements present various compliance and operational considerations for
investment managers and broker-dealers serving clients in both the United States and the European Union, and the Investment Managers have adopted a variety of approaches to complying with the MiFID II requirements.
When the Investment Managers deem
the purchase or sale of equities to be in the best interests of the Trust or its other clients, including Prudential, the Investment Managers may, but are under no obligation to, aggregate the transactions in order to
obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the transactions, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the
Investment Managers in the manner they consider to be most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to its clients. The allocation of orders among firms and the commission rates paid are reviewed
periodically by the Trust's Board of Trustees. Portfolio securities may not be purchased from any underwriting or selling syndicate of which any affiliated broker, during the existence of the syndicate, is a principal
underwriter (as defined in the 1940 Act), except in accordance with rules of the SEC. This limitation, in the opinion of the Trust, will not significantly affect the Trust's ability to pursue its present investment
objective. However, in the future in other circumstances, the Trust may be at a disadvantage because of this limitation in comparison to other funds with similar objectives but not subject to such limitations.
Subject to the above
considerations, an affiliated broker may act as a broker or futures commission merchant for the Trust. In order for an affiliated broker to effect any portfolio transactions for the Trust, the commissions, fees or
other remuneration received by the affiliated broker must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to other firms in connection with comparable transactions involving similar
securities or futures being purchased or sold on an exchange or board of trade during a comparable period of time. This standard would allow the affiliated broker to receive no more than the remuneration which would
be expected to be received by an unaffiliated firm in a commensurate arm's-length transaction. Furthermore, the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees, have adopted procedures which
are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to the affiliated broker (or any affiliate) are consistent with the foregoing standard. In accordance with Section 11 (a) of the
1934 Act, an affiliated broker may not retain compensation for effecting transactions on a national securities exchange for the Trust unless the Trust has expressly authorized the retention of such compensation. The
affiliated broker must furnish to the Trust at least annually a statement setting forth the total amount of all compensation retained by it from transactions effected for the Trust during the applicable period.
Brokerage transactions with an affiliated broker are also subject to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon the broker by applicable law. Transactions in options by the Trust will be subject to limitations
established by each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of options which may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or
held on the same or different exchanges or are written or held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Trust may write or hold may be affected by options written
or held by the Investment Managers and other investment advisory clients of the Investment Managers. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain
other sanctions.
Each Portfolio of the Trust
participates in a voluntary commission recapture program available through Russell Implementation Services, Inc. (Russell). Subadvisers that choose to participate in the program retain the responsibility to seek best
execution and are under no obligation to place any specific trades with a broker available through the program (each, a designated broker). A portion of commissions on trades executed through designated brokers is
rebated to a Portfolio as a credit that can be used by the Portfolio to pay expenses of the Portfolio.
The tables below
set forth information concerning the payment of brokerage commissions by the Portfolios, including the amount of brokerage commissions paid to any affiliated broker, for the three most recently completed fiscal years,
as applicable:
| Total Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio | $1,145,786 | $1,006,917 | $1,664,166 |
| AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio | 1,308,049 | 2,067,605 | 1,642,859 |
156
| Total Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | 130,190 | 69,488 | 93,230 |
| AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio | 101,515 | 55,297 | 47,827 |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio | 494,641 | 993,976 | 624,252 |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio | 174,224 | 26,899 | 15,363 |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio | 55 | 1,031 | None |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 | 12,764 | 10,147 | 22,698 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 | 7,582 | 6,278 | 12,315 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 | 12,563 | 12,606 | 26,554 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 | 18,609 | 21,869 | 48,041 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 | 12,685 | 23,525 | 32,226 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 | 7,416 | 5,320 | 31,852 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 | 6,458 | 1,394 | 18,586 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 | 3,494 | 54,837 | 109,035 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 | 34,342 | 24,047 | 23,314 |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 | 40,392 | 17,978 | None |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 | 1,904 | None | None |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio | 273,185 | 376,031 | 429,131 |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio | 515,791 | 705,437 | 641,756 |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio | 3,196,153 | 2,398,551 | 2,079,638 |
| AST Global Real Estate Portfolio | 450,285 | 626,777 | 769,022 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 3,199,823 | 3,153,964 | 2,044,510 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio | 599,996 | 794,066 | 710,670 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio | 297,732 | 204,206 | 187,441 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | 875,607 | 768,856 | 629,969 |
| AST Government Money Market Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 787,956 | 854,100 | 760,198 |
| AST High Yield Portfolio | 2,308 | 2,564 | 1,464 |
| AST International Growth Portfolio | 1,956,158 | 2,649,402 | 2,925,620 |
| AST International Value Portfolio | 713,235 | 687,763 | 970,612 |
| AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio | 362,530 | 1,216,786 | 450,840 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | 974,305 | 1,170,028 | 929,041 |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio | 155,156 | 77,529 | 70,413 |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio | 925,316 | 1,141,859 | 1,168,433 |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | 373,007 | 331,438 | 322,085 |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | 335,804 | 384,769 | 594,558 |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio | None | None | 1,998 |
| AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio | 77,545 | 155,180 | 93,677 |
| AST MFS Growth Portfolio | 130,123 | 183,026 | 311,260 |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 157,054 | 260,942 | 67,215 |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | 229,134 | 265,464 | 353,656 |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio | 176,191 | 288,467 | 269,852 |
157
| Total Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | 145,898 | 436,820 | 344,170 |
| AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio | 295,787 | 357,397 | 528,658 |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio | 50,462,729 | 5,284,899 | 11,331,207 |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio | 4,997,722 | 1,060,524 | 6,788,475 |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio | 2,572,392 | 567,691 | 3,037,958 |
| AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST RCM World Trends Portfolio | 1,169,403 | 1,069,729 | 981,633 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | 939,831 | 949,211 | 941,237 |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | 628,725 | 774,306 | 888,266 |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio | 927,440 | 915,751 | 1,101,162 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio | 1,975,128 | 2,441,281 | 2,714,343 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio | 381,741 | 307,801 | 176,474 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio | 438,581 | 420,454 | 427,072 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio | 310,559 | 739,918 | 619,322 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio | 600,624 | 539,919 | 560,790 |
| AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio | 134,809 | 216,933 | 388,573 |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio | 1,428,961 | 1,340,087 | 1,444,990 |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio | 324,088 | 781,827 | 384,559 |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio | None | None | None |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliated Brokers: Fiscal Year 2016 | ||||
| Portfolio | Commissions Paid | Broker Name |
% of Commissions
Paid to Broker |
% of Dollar Amt. of Transactions
Involving Commissions Effected through Broker |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio | $74 | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) | $13 | Fidelity Capital Management Corp | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| $3,296 | National Financial Services LLC | 0.14% | 0.05% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio | $23,400 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | 3.04% | 1.63% |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio | $1,899 | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | 0.16% | 0.04% |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio | $1,438 | UBS Financial Services, Inc. | 0.15% | 0.27% |
| AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio | $172 | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | 0.02% | 0.02% |
158
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FUND HISTORY.
The Trust is a managed, open-end investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust, the separate Portfolios of which are diversified, unless otherwise indicated. Formerly, the
Trust was known as the Henderson International Growth Fund, which consisted of only one Portfolio (The Henderson International Growth Fund is currently known as the AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio
(formerly known as the AST Strong International Equity Portfolio, the AST AIM International Equity Portfolio, the AST Putnam International Equity Portfolio and the Seligman Henderson International Equity
Portfolio)).The investment manager was Henderson International, Inc. Shareholders of what was, at the time, the Henderson International Growth Fund, approved certain changes in a meeting held April 17, 1992. These
changes included engagement of a new investment manager, engagement of a Subadviser and election of new Trustees. Subsequent to that meeting, the new Trustees adopted a number of resolutions, including, but not
limited to, resolutions renaming the Trust. Since that time the Trustees have adopted a number of resolutions, including, but not limited to, making new Portfolios available and adopting forms of Investment Management
Agreements and subadvisory Agreements between the Investment Managers and the Trust and the Investment Managers and each subadviser, respectively.
The AST AllianceBernstein Growth
& Income Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Alliance Growth and Income Portfolio and as the AST Lord Abbett Growth and Income Portfolio) was first offered as of May 1, 1992. The AST Government Money Market
Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Money Market Portfolio) was first offered as of November 4, 1992. The AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the Federated Utility Income Portfolio) and
the AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Global Allocation Portfolio, the DeAM Global Allocation Portfolio, the AIM Balanced Portfolio, the AST Putnam Balanced Portfolio and the AST Phoenix
Balanced Asset Portfolio) were first offered as of May 1, 1993. The AST High Yield Portfolio (formerly known as the Goldman Sachs High Yield Portfolio and the AST Federated High Yield Portfolio), the AST T. Rowe Price
Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST State Street Research Small-Cap Growth Portfolio, the AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the PBHG Small-Cap Growth
Portfolio), the AST Janus Small-Cap Growth Portfolio and the Founders Capital Appreciation Portfolio), the Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Hotchkis Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio and the AST
INVESCO Capital Income Portfolio) and the AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio (formerly known as the AST PIMCO Total Return Bond Portfolio) were first offered as of December 31, 1993. The AST T. Rowe Price
Global Bond Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Scudder International Bond Portfolio) was first offered as of May 1, 1994.
The AST International Value
Portfolio (formerly known as the AST LSV International Value Portfolio, the AST DeAM International Equity Portfolio, the AST Founders Passport Portfolio and the Seligman Henderson International Small Cap Portfolio),
the AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio and the AST PIMCO Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio were first offered as of May 2, 1995. The AST AllianceBernstein Large-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST
Alliance Growth Portfolio, AST Oppenheimer Large-Cap Growth Portfolio, and the Robertson Stephens Value + Growth Portfolio) was first offered as of May 2, 1996. The AST International Growth Portfolio (formerly known
as the AST William Blair International Growth Portfolio and the AST Janus Overseas Growth Portfolio), the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Gabelli Small-Cap Value Portfolio and the AST T. Rowe
Price Small Company Value Portfolio) and the AST American Century Income & Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Putnam Value Growth Income Portfolio) were first offered as of January 2, 1997. The AST
Marsico Capital Growth Portfolio was first offered as of December 22, 1997. The AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Lord Abbett Small Cap Value Portfolio), the AST Cohen & Steers
Realty Portfolio, and the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (formerly known as the AST AllianceBernstein Managed Index 500 Portfolio, the AST Sanford Bernstein Managed Index 500 Portfolio and as the AST Bankers Trust
Managed Index 500 Portfolio) were first offered as of January 2, 1998. The AST Neuberger Berman Small-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST DeAM Small-Cap Growth Portfolio and the AST Scudder Small-Cap
Growth Portfolio) was first offered as of January 4, 1999. The AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio and the AST MFS Growth Portfolio were first offered as of October 18, 1999. The AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio
(formerly known as the AST Janus Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio) was first offered as of May 1, 2000. The AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio), the
AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Gabelli All-Cap Value Portfolio), the AST DeAM Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the Janus Strategic Value Portfolio) and the AST Lord Abbett Core
Fixed Income Portfolio (formerly, the AST Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio) were first offered on October 23, 2000. The AST AllianceBernstein Core Value (formerly known as the AST Sanford Bernstein Core Value)
Portfolio was first offered on May 1, 2001.
159
Effective as of December 2, 2005,
the AST Alger All-Cap Growth Portfolio and the AST AllianceBernstein Growth + Value Portfolio were reorganized into the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio and the AST AllianceBernstein Managed Index 500
Portfolio, respectively, and ceased to exist.
The AST Aggressive Asset Allocation
Portfolio, the AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio (formerly the AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio), the AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio
(formerly the AST Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio, and the AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio were each first offered on or about December 5, 2005.
The AST Advanced Strategies
Portfolio, the AST First Trust Balanced Target Portfolio and the AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio were each first offered on or about March 20, 2006.
The AST Western Asset Core Plus
Bond Portfolio, the AST CLS Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST CLS Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST Horizon Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio,
and the AST Niemann Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio were each first offered on or about November 17, 2007.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2018, the
AST Bond Portfolio 2019, and the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio were each first offered on or about January 28, 2008.
The AST Global Real Estate
Portfolio and the AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio were each first offered on or about April 28, 2008.
The AST Focus Four Plus Portfolio
was first offered on or about July 21, 2008.
Effective as of July 18, 2008, the
AST DeAM Small-Cap Value Portfolio was reorganized into the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2016 and the
AST Bond Portfolio 2020 were each first offered on or about January 2, 2009.
Effective as of November 13, 2009,
the AST Focus Four Plus Portfolio was reorganized into the AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2017 and the
AST Bond Portfolio 2021 were each first offered on or about January 14, 2010.
The AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio and the AST Boston Partners Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Jennison Large-Cap Value Portfolio) were each first offered on or about November 16, 2009.
Effective as of March 15, 2010, the
AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio was renamed as the AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio.
Effective as of May 1, 2010, the
AST DeAM Large-Cap Value Portfolio was renamed the AST Value Portfolio. Effective as of July 16, 2010, the AST Value Portfolio was renamed as the AST BlackRock Value Portfolio. Effective as of May 1, 2011, the AST
Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio was renamed the AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2022 was
first offered on or about January 3, 2011.
The AST BlackRock Global Strategies
Portfolio and the AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio were each first offered on or about May 2, 2011.
Effective as of April 29, 2011, the
AST Aggressive Asset Allocation Portfolio was renamed the AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio.
The AST Neuberger Berman Small-Cap
Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio (now known as the AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio) on April 29, 2011.
The AST Prudential Core Bond
Portfolio was first offered on or about October 17, 2011.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2023 was
first offered on or about January 3, 2012.
The AST American Century Income &
Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio on April 30, 2012. The AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio was first offered on April 30, 2012.
160
Effective as of April 27, 2012, the
AST CLS Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named the AST Schroders Global Tactical Portfolio.
Effective as of August 20, 2012,
the AST Horizon Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named the AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio.
The AST MFS Large-Cap Value
Portfolio and the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio were first offered on or about August 20, 2012.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2024 was
first offered on or about January 2, 2013.
Effective as of December 17, 2012,
the AST CLS Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named AST Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio.
The AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth
Portfolio, AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, AST QMA Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, and AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio were each first offered on or about February 25, 2013.
Effective on or about April 29,
2013, the following Portfolios were re-named: AST T. Rowe Price Global Bond Portfolio was re-named AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio. AST Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named AST Goldman Sachs
Multi-Asset Portfolio. AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio was re-named AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio. AST Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named AST RCM World Trends
Portfolio.
Effective on or about April 29,
2013, the following new Portfolios of the Trust commenced operations: AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio, AST BlackRock iShares ETF Portfolio, AST Defensive Asset Allocation Portfolio, and AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio.
Effective on or about July 15,
2013, the following Portfolios were re-named: AST BlackRock Value Portfolio was re-named AST Herndon Large-Cap Value Portfolio. AST Marsico Capital Growth Portfolio was re-named AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio.
Effective on or about November 4,
2013, the AST Long Duration Bond Portfolio was re-named as AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2025 was
first offered on or about January 2, 2014.
The AST T. Rowe Price Growth
Opportunities Portfolio was first offered on or about February 10, 2014.
Effective on or about February 10,
2014, the AST First Trust Balanced Target Portfolio was re-named as AST FI Pyramis
®
Quantitative Portfolio.
Effective on or about February 10,
2014, the AST Goldman Sachs Concentrated Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio.
The following
Portfolios were first offered on or about April 28, 2014: AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio, AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio,
AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio, AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio, AST Managed Equity Portfolio, AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio, AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio, and AST
T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio.
The AST Legg Mason Diversified
Growth Portfolio was first offered on or about November 24, 2014.
Effective on November 24, 2014, the
AST Jennison Large-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST Boston Partners Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on November 24, 2014, the
AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio was re-named as AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2026 was
first offered on January 2, 2015.
The AST QMA International Core
Equity Portfolio was first offered on January 5, 2015.
Effective on January 5, 2015, the
AST PIMCO Total Return Bond Portfolio was re-named as AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio.
161
The following Portfolios were first
offered on or about July 13, 2015: AST AB Global Bond Portfolio, AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio, AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio, AST Managed
Alternatives Portfolio, AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio, AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio, AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio, and AST Wellington Management Real Total Return
Portfolio.
Effective on July 13, 2015, the AST
PIMCO Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio was re-named as AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST FI Pyramis
®
Asset Allocation Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Franklin Templeton Founding Funds Allocation Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Franklin Templeton Founding Funds Plus Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST RCM World Trends Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Neuberger Berman Core Bond Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed-Income Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Schroders Multi-Asset World Strategies Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Schroders Global Tactical Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2027 was
first offered on January 4, 2016.
Effective on or about April 25,
2016, the AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on or about April 25,
2016, the AST Large-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST Hotchkis &Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on or about September 12,
2016, the AST Money Market Portfolio was re-named as AST Government Money Market Portfolio.
Effective on or about September 12,
2016, the AST Herndon Large-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST Value Equity Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST QMA Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Boston Partners Large-Cap Value Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST BlackRock iShares ETF Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Defensive Asset Allocation Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Schroders Global Tactical Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Value Equity Portfolio was re-named as AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
The AST Bond
Portfolio 2028 was first offered on January 3, 2017.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2029 was
first offered on January 2, 2018.
162
The AST American
Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio was first offered on April 30, 2018.
Effective on or about April 30,
2018, the AST FI Pyramis
®
Quantitative Portfolio was re-named as AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio.
If approved by the Trustees, the
Trust may add more Portfolios and may cease to offer any existing Portfolios in the future.
Effective as of May 1, 2007, the
Trust changed its name from American Skandia Trust to Advanced Series Trust.
DESCRIPTION OF
SHARES AND ORGANIZATION.
As of the date of this SAI, the beneficial interest in the Trust is divided into 89 separate Portfolios, each offering one class of shares.
The Trust's Second Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust, dated December 1, 2005, which governs certain Trust matters, permits the Trust's Board of Trustees to issue multiple classes of shares, and within each class, an unlimited number of
shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $.001 per share. Each share entitles the holder to one vote for the election of Trustees and on all other matters that are not specific to one class of shares, and to
participate equally in dividends, distributions of capital gains and net assets of each applicable Portfolio. Only shareholders of shares of a specific Portfolio may vote on matters specific to that Portfolio. Shares
of one class may not bear the same economic relationship to the Trust as shares of another class. In the event of dissolution or liquidation, holders of shares of a Portfolio will receive pro rata, subject to the
rights of creditors, the proceeds of the sale of the assets held in such Portfolio less the liabilities attributable to such Portfolio. Shareholders of a Portfolio will not be liable for the expenses, obligations or
debts of another Portfolio.
No preemptive or conversion rights
apply to any of the Trust's shares. The Trust's shares, when issued, will be fully paid, non-assessable and transferable. The Trustees may at any time create additional series of shares without shareholder
approval.
Generally, there will not be annual
meetings of shareholders of any Portfolio of the Trust. A Trustee may, in accordance with certain rules of the SEC, be removed from office when the holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding
shares either present a written declaration to the Trust's custodian or vote in person or by proxy at a meeting called for this purpose. In addition, the Trustees will promptly call a meeting of shareholders to remove
a Trustee(s) when requested to do so in writing by record holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding shares. Finally, the Trustees shall, in certain circumstances, give such shareholders access to a list of the
names and addresses of all other shareholders or inform them of the number of shareholders and the cost of mailing their request.
Under Massachusetts law,
shareholders could, under certain circumstances, be held liable for the obligations of the Trust. However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires
that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees to all parties, and each party thereto must expressly waive all rights of
action directly against shareholders. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of the Trust's property for all loss and expense of any shareholder of the Trust held liable on account of being or
having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust would be unable to meet its obligations wherein
the complaining party was held not to be bound by the disclaimer.
The Declaration of Trust further
provides that the Trustees will have no personal liability to any person in connection with the Trust property or affairs of the Trust except for that arising from his bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of his duty to that person. All persons must look solely to the Trust property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the Trust's affairs. In general, the Declaration
of Trust provides for indemnification by the Trust of the Trustees and officers of the Trust except with respect to any matter as to which the Trustee or officer acted in bad faith, or with willful misfeasance, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of his duties.
From time to time, Prudential
Financial, Inc. and/or its insurance company affiliates have purchased shares of the Trust to provide initial capital and to enable the Portfolios to avoid unrealistically poor investment performance that might
otherwise result because the amounts available for investment are too small. Prudential will not redeem any of its shares until a Portfolio is large enough so that redemption will not have an adverse effect upon
investment performance. Prudential will vote its shares in the same manner and in the same proportion as the shares held by the separate accounts that invest in the Trust, which in turn, are generally voted in
accordance with instructions from Contract owners.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
To the knowledge
of the Trust, the following persons/entities owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the Portfolios of the Trust as of April 3, 2018. As of April 3, 2018, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust, as a group owned
less than 1% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Trust.
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
208,913,003.426 / 58.68% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
19,624,692.508 / 5.51% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
127,219,931.814 / 35.73% | |
| AST Advanced Strategies |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
352,961,648.070 / 73.67% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
35,155,263.591 / 7.34% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
90,266,634.138 / 18.84% | |
| AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,228,660.521 / 10.55% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,450,565.221 / 11.61% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
13,218,488.040 / 62.60% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
1,508,266.542 / 7.14% | |
| AST AQR Large-Cap |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
16,764,046.790 / 11.90% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
70,222,871.836 / 49.84% |
164
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
45,811,509.139 / 32.51% | |
| AST Balanced Asset Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
421,941,208.163 / 68.01% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
42,184,355.635 / 6.80% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
143,964,070.887 / 23.21% | |
| AST BlackRock Global Strategies |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
139,298,640.857 / 79.01% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ LIFE ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
14,221,974.065 / 8.07% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
10,942,274.565 / 6.21% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,931,082.357 / 5.07% | |
| AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
13,613,507.128 / 5.02% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
123,154,269.667 / 45.39% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
14,662,295.942 / 5.40% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
86,649,934.330 / 31.94% |
165
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,196,562.002 / 8.30% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
15,108,261.918 / 24.13% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
28,836,047.414 / 46.05% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,508,766.433 / 5.60% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,862,304.285 / 7.76% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2018 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
3,775,559.357 / 44.83% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
703,440.687 / 8.35% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,914,201.468 / 46.48% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2019 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
3,161,733.060 / 38.46% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
716,851.233 / 8.72% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,311,618.242 / 52.45% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2020 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,410,976.459 / 16.95% |
166
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
6,713,784.600 / 80.65% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2021 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
3,310,340.998 / 45.59% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
491,772.219 / 6.77% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,458,036.897 / 47.62% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2022 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,332,349.753 / 40.80% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
366,960.380 / 6.42% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,015,882.616 / 52.76% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2023 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
631,912.135 / 21.25% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,241,669.681 / 75.37% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2024 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,672,956.871 / 19.30% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
435,715.309 / 5.03% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
6,551,184.176 / 75.60% |
167
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2025 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,196,647.598 / 23.62% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,747,154.876 / 73.96% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
8,483,372.454 / 38.33% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,752,418.970 / 7.92% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,822,516.826 / 53.42% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
9,366,423.685 /35.34% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,385,115.992 / 5.23% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
15,738,141.205 / 59.38% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,623,707.253 / 31.94% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
459,954.407 / 5.60% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,631,541.424 / 56.38% | |
| AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
300,000.000 / 43.39% |
168
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NJ
PLNJ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENTS OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 28.92% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
73,620.288 / 10.65% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
116,535.658 / 16.85% | |
| AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
472,417,713.509 / 63.03% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
38,043,191.408 / 5.08% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
238,451,625.235 / 31.81% | |
| AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
9,242,066.953 / 9.96% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
7,822,251.187 / 8.43% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
39,683,551.909 / 42.76% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
25,630,481.077 / 27.62% | |
| AST Cohen & Steers Realty |
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL PRUBENEFIT FUNDING ATTN TESSIE BUSINELLI 80 LIVINGSTON AVENUE BUILDING, ROS 3 ROSELAND NJ 07068-0000 |
3,852,276.611 / 7.08% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
21,267,572.549 / 39.08% |
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
12,161,386.148 / 22.35% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
12,890,767.741 / 23.69% | |
| AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis ® Quantitative Portfolio) |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
246,225,379.846 / 70.87% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
27,236,886.303 / 7.84% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
73,370,681.531 / 21.12% | |
| AST Global Real Estate |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
6,174,669.585 / 19.21% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,855,755.409 / 8.88% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
22,206,960.208 / 69.08% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
19,945,893.378 / 35.28% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
22,318,566.659 / 39.48% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,835,549.775 / 10.32% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,771,315.897 / 6.67% |
170
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
61,798,709.907 / 42.56% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
49,877,086.719 / 34.35% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,528,725.428 / 7.94% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
161,361,947.097 / 72.86% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
16,060,047.651 / 7.25% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
44,024,086.580 / 19.88% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value |
AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO
ATTN TED LOCKWOOD & EDWARD CAMPBELL 2 GATEWAY CTR 6TH FL NEWWARK NJ 07102-5008 |
2,318,187.645 / 5.50% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
14,431,595.324 / 34.26% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,347,758.086 / 19.82% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,106,247.357 / 12.12% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,332,527.223 / 10.29% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,889,514.169 / 9.23% |
171
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Government Money Market ) |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
201,558,429.430 / 27.04% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
511,374,897.560 / 68.61% | |
| AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,035,051.622 / 6.35% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
15,255,918.404 / 24.03% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
9,276,984.782 / 14.61% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
17,392,076.096 / 27.39% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,188,768.505 / 17.62% | |
| AST High Yield |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,862,649.345 / 9.87% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
21,135,131.567 / 23.53% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
17,108,361.431 / 19.05% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,780,516.061 / 6.44% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
25,248,093.275 / 28.11% |
172
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
7,845,626.479 / 8.74% | |
| AST International Growth |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
10,088,464.510 / 7.28% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
15,295,100.196 / 11.03% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
20,247,556.476 / 14.60% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
44,654,343.901 / 32.20% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
14,482,095.368 / 10.44% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
27,996,601.137 / 20.19% | |
| AST International Value |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,005,547.576 / 7.71% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
6,827,769.214 / 6.58% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
6,127,513.466 / 5.90% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
34,888,393.705 / 33.62% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
17,907,449.899 / 17.26% |
173
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
21,948,557.184 / 21.15% | |
| AST Investment Grade Bond |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
231,670,319.901 / 52.80% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
180,809,651.928 / 41.21% | |
| AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
156,712,713.247 / 74.70% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
13,947,332.059 / 6.65% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
39,123,106.589 / 18.65% | |
| AST J.P. Morgan International Equity |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
7,864,092.727 / 51.36% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
880,432.707 / 5.75% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,969,233.653 / 38.98% | |
| AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
79,668,218.347 / 60.53% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
9,127,417.470 / 6.94% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
41,997,451.975 / 31.91% |
174
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,981,172.008 / 8.22% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
7,171,329.166 / 19.77% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,490,100.792 / 6.87% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
12,860,751.438 / 35.46% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,287,357.122 / 22.85% | |
| AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,155,322.130 / 5.53% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
8,858,066.807 / 15.51% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
18,592,872.022 / 32.56% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
13,639,594.161 / 23.89% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,784,117.100 / 15.38% | |
| AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
20,352,744.311 / 14.51% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
53,993,076.741 / 38.50% |
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
20,013,438.038 / 14.27% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
14,341,370.618 / 10.23% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
19,445,983.302 / 13.87% | |
| AST MFS Global Equity |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
21,101,669.651 / 59.79% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,288,727.772 / 31.98% | |
| AST MFS Growth |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,743,241.140 / 7.52% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
6,835,503.872 / 13.73% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
9,066,007.212 / 18.21% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
16,194,902.992 / 32.53% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
10,429,386.761 / 20.95% | |
| AST MFS Large-Cap Value |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
7,332,606.511 / 9.38% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
8,403,359.968 / 10.75% |
176
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
31,358,767.859 / 40.11% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
20,431,159.722 / 26.13% | |
| AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
725,385,592.007 / 87.13% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
107,167,757.973 / 12.87% | |
| AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO ATTN BRIAN AHRENS & ANDREI MARINICH 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
164,036.682 / 9.39% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
IRELP SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 11.44% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
270,376.972 / 15.47% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
113,354.633 / 6.49% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
1,000,000.000 / 57.22% | |
| AST New Discovery Asset Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
40,620,734.085 / 72.74% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
4,167,419.629 / 7.46% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
10,925,433.757 / 19.57% |
177
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
22,350,589.816 / 46.60% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,538,675.026 / 5.29% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,599,486.426 / 24.18% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
8,162,409.121 / 17.02% | |
| AST Preservation Asset Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
278,765,688.084 / 66.40% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
30,506,685.332 / 7.27% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
107,573,391.201 / 25.62% | |
| AST Prudential Core Bond |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
73,233,402.131 / 30.01% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
24,742,538.066 / 10.14% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
51,518,945.330 / 21.11% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
69,874,140.158 / 28.63% | |
| AST Prudential Growth Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
844,354,730.187 / 70.41% |
178
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
73,460,835.014 / 6.13% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
278,029,661.388 / 23.18% | |
| AST QMA Large-Cap |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
16,585,345.936 / 11.93% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
69,437,626.403 / 49.93% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
45,304,818.197 / 32.58% | |
| AST QMA US Equity Alpha |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
8,783,455.738 / 37.73% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
6,269,651.695 / 26.93% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
6,246,641.083 / 26.83% | |
| AST Quantitative Modeling |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
67,293,762.567 / 86.58% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
7,743,694.261 / 9.96% | |
| AST RCM World Trends |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
290,390,723.957 / 77.62% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
29,449,073.234 / 7.87% |
179
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
53,804,280.535 / 14.38% | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth |
AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO
ATTN TED LOCKWOOD & EDWARD CAMPBELL 2 GATEWAY CTR 6TH FL NEWWARK NJ 07102-5008 |
1,441,659.172 / 7.69% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
5,489,505.565 / 29.28% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,445,501.976 / 18.38% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,327,285.010 / 17.74% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,142,180.704 / 11.42% | |
| AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO
ATTN TED LOCKWOOD & EDWARD CAMPBELL 2 GATEWAY CTR 6TH FL NEWWARK NJ 07102-5008 |
3,279,146.440 / 8.09% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
8,836,975.282 / 21.79% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
12,049,367.250 / 29.71% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
7,228,997.977 / 17.83% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,855,672.404 / 11.97% | |
| AST Small-Cap Value |
AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO
ATTN TED LOCKWOOD & EDWARD CAMPBELL 2 GATEWAY CTR 6TH FL NEWWARK NJ 07102-5008 |
2,416,902.258 / 7.64% |
180
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
4,894,304.976 / 15.45% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
9,151,445.440 / 28.94% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,443,195.083 / 17.22% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,737,302.500 / 11.82% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,162,906.513 / 10.00% | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
391,522,334.766 / 75.34% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
40,575,724.295 / 7.81% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
86,282,720.980 / 16.60% | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
106,306,546.376 / 92.09% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
9,130,205.046 / 7.91% | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
23,329,530.198 / 31.81% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
16,422,845.390 / 22.39% |
181
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
14,278,149.853 / 19.47% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
9,199,781.754 / 12.54% | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
7,922,469.140 / 9.15% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
8,837,277.310 / 10.21% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,709,764.122 / 6.60% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
34,150,298.485 / 39.46% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
21,968,875.347 / 25.38% | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
11,513,340.624 / 51.96% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ LIFE ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,320,437.218 / 5.96% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,232,226.193 / 5.56% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
5,959,513.402 / 26.89% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,003,928.004 / 9.04% |
182
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST Templeton Global Bond |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
16,962,372.255 / 52.99% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
12,667,564.177 / 39.57% | |
| AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
4,441,646.064 / 28.28% |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
3,295,157.556 / 20.98% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
1,330,574.552 / 8.47% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
4,851,528.333 / 30.89% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
873,112.015 / 5.56% | |
| AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
102,885,044.059 / 73.18% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
9,289,761.642 / 6.61% | |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
22,532,012.368 / 16.03% | |
| AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
47,317,176.546 / 19.81% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
57,147,055.873 / 23.93% |
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | No. Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRU ANNUITY LIFE ASSURANCE CORP
PALAC - ANNUITY ATTN: SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK NJ 07102 |
38,974,972.943 / 16.32% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
33,253,244.573 / 13.92% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
45,114,955.429 / 18.89% | |
| AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,707,093.510 / 31.41% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST LEGG MASON DIVERSIFIED GROWTH PORTFOLIO ATTN SCOTT ROUSE 880 3RD AVE FL 7 NEW YORK NY 10022-4730 |
808,292.021 / 9.38% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
620,912.696 / 7.20% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
1,624,689.381 / 18.85% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
2,314,641.397 / 26.85% |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial
statements of the Trust for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 have been incorporated into this SAI by reference to the annual report to shareholders. Such financial statements have been audited by KPMG LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports thereon are included in the Trust’s annual reports to shareholders. KPMG LLP’s principal business address is 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10154.
The Trust's Annual Reports for the
year ended December 31, 2017 can be obtained without charge by calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to the Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
184
PART II
INVESTMENT RISKS &
CONSIDERATIONS
Set forth below are descriptions of
some of the types of investments and investment strategies that a Portfolio may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. A Portfolio may invest in the types of
investments and investment strategies that are consistent with its investment objective, policies and any limitations described in the prospectus and in the SAI.
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET
ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO, AST ADVANCED STRATEGIES PORTFOLIO, AST HIGH YIELD PORTFOLIO, AST BLACKROCK LOW DURATION BOND PORTFOLIO, AND AST BLACKROCK/LOOMIS SAYLES BOND PORTFOLIO:
With respect to futures contracts, (which are cash settled contracts and are marked to market on a daily basis), the Portfolio may segregate or earmark liquid assets in an amount equal to
the Portfolio's daily marked to market (net) obligation, if any, (or in other words the Portfolio's daily net liability, if any).
AST GOLDMAN SACHS
LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will have a non-fundamental investment policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets in large capitalization companies. For these
purposes, large capitalization companies are those that have market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index. As of February 28, 2018, the median market capitalization of the Russell 1000® Value Index was
approximately $9.51 billion and the largest company by capitalization was approximately $511.14 billion.
The size of the companies in the
Russell 1000
®
Value Index will change with market conditions. If the market capitalization of a company held by the Portfolio moves
outside the range of the Russell 1000
®
Value Index, the Portfolio may, but is not required to, sell the securities.
Although the Portfolio will invest
primarily in publicly-traded US securities, it may invest in foreign securities, including securities quoted in foreign currencies and emerging country securities. The Portfolio may also invest in fixed income
securities, such as government, corporate, and bank debt obligations.
AST COHEN & STEERS REALTY
PORTFOLIO:
Short sales may not at any one time exceed 25% of the Portfolio's net assets; the value of securities of any one issuer in which the Portfolio is short may not exceed the lesser of 2% of
the Portfolio's net assets or 2% of the securities of any class of issuer.
AST GLOBAL REAL ESTATE
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will normally invest at least 80% of its investable assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity-related securities of real estate companies.
This means that the Portfolio will concentrate its investments in companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from the ownership, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or
residential real estate or companies that have at least 50% of their assets in these types of real estate-related areas. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets in ownership interests in commercial real
estate through investments in private real estate. The Portfolio will execute its strategy of acquiring ownership interests in commercial real estate through investments in, for example, single member limited
liability companies where the Portfolio is the sole member, joint ventures, other equity-linked investments, and mezzanine debt.
AST GOLDMAN SACHS MID-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of net assets in foreign currency-denominated securities and not publicly traded in the US. The Portfolio will not invest more than 5% of assets in
inverse floaters. The Portfolio will not enter into futures contracts or options on futures if the aggregate amount of the Portfolio's commitments under such contracts and options would exceed the value of the
Portfolio's total assets. The Portfolio may invest in foreign forward currency contracts up to the value of the Portfolio's assets.
AST GOLDMAN SACHS SMALL-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO:
Unlisted options, together with other illiquid securities, are subject to a limit of 15% of the Portfolio's net assets. Premiums paid for foreign currency put options will not exceed 5% of
the Portfolio's net assets. The Portfolio does not intend to write covered call options with respect to securities with an aggregate market value of more than 5% of its gross assets at the time the option is written.
The Portfolio will not write puts having an aggregate exercise price of greater than 25% of net Portfolio assets. The Portfolio will not purchase options on stocks not held in the Portfolio's portfolio, and will not
write call options on stocks or stock indices if after such purchase, the aggregate premiums paid for such options would exceed 20% of net Portfolio assets.
185
The Portfolio may make short sales
of securities or maintain a short position, provided that when a short position is open the Portfolio owns an equal amount of such securities or securities convertible or exchangeable for securities of the same issuer
(without payment of additional consideration). Not more than 25% of Portfolio's net assets may be subject to short sales; the Portfolio does not intend to have more than 5% of net assets (determined at the time of the
short sale) subject to short sales against-the-box. The Portfolio has no present intention to commit more than 5% of gross assets to investing in debt securities.
AST HOTCHKIS & WILEY LARGE-CAP
VALUE PORTFOLIO
: The Portfolio may borrow for temporary or emergency purposes in amounts not exceeding 10% of total Portfolio assets. No more than 25% of total Portfolio assets can be held as collateral
for short sales at any one time.
AST INTERNATIONAL GROWTH
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of assets in zero coupon bonds, pay-in-kind and step securities.
AST INTERNATIONAL VALUE
PORTFOLIO
: The Portfolio will not enter into futures and options where the aggregate initial margins and premiums exceed 5% of the fair market value of its total assets after taking into account
unrealized profits and losses on options entered into. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of total assets in fixed income securities which are unrated or rated below investment grade at either time of purchase or as a
result of a reduction in rating after purchase.
AST J.P. MORGAN INTERNATIONAL
EQUITY PORTFOLIO
: Investments in REITs will not exceed 5% of total Portfolio assets. Reverse repurchase agreements may not exceed 10% of total Portfolio assets. The Portfolio will not engage in leverage,
and will not purchase additional securities while borrowings from banks exceed 5% of total Portfolio assets. The Portfolio will not enter into forward contracts, futures contracts or options unless it owns an
offsetting position in securities, currencies, or other options, forward contracts or futures contracts or it has cash or liquid assets with value sufficient to covert its potential obligations. The Portfolio will not
write options if, after such sale, the aggregate value of securities or obligations underlying the outstanding options exceeds 20% of the Portfolio's total assets, and will not purchase options if at the time of the
investment the aggregate premiums paid for the options exceeds 5% of total Portfolio assets.
AST J.P. MORGAN STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio intends to use futures, forward agreements, options, swaps and other derivatives (collectively Derivatives) to the extent permitted by the prospectus and shall not be limited
by any contrary disclosure contained in Part II. The Portfolio is not subject to the “Limitation on Currency Hedging” discussed in Part II and may engage in such hedging to the extent permitted by the 1940
Act.
AST LOOMIS SAYLES LARGE-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will not enter into any futures contracts or options on futures contracts if the aggregate amount of the Portfolio's commitments under outstanding futures contract positions
and options on futures contracts would exceed the Portfolio's total assets. The Portfolio will not invest more than 5% in high yield/high risk (junk bonds) and mortgage and asset-backed securities. The Portfolio will
not enter into any interest rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is rated in one of the three highest rating categories of at
least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization at the time of entering into the transaction.
AST LORD ABBETT CORE FIXED INCOME
PORTFOLIO
: The Portfolio may invest directly in foreign currencies or hold financial instruments that provide exposure to foreign currencies, in particular “hard currencies,” or may
invest in securities that trade in, or receive revenues in, foreign currencies. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in securities issued by non-US entities and denominated in currencies other than the
US dollar. The Portfolio, with respect to 5% of its net assets, may engage in spot transactions and may use forward contracts to protect against uncertainty in the level of future exchange rates. The Portfolio, with
respect to up to 5% of its net assets, may take positions in options on foreign currencies to hedge against the risk that foreign exchange rate fluctuations will affect the value of foreign securities the Portfolio
holds or intends to purchase. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in convertible securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in municipal bonds that, at the time of purchase, are
investment grade or determined by Lord Abbett to be of comparable quality. The Portfolio will not purchase an option if, as a result of such purchase, more than 10% of its net assets would be invested in premiums for
such options, (2) may write covered put options to the extent that cover for such options does not exceed 15% of the Portfolio's net assets, and (3) may only sell (write) covered call options with respect to
securities having an aggregate market value of less than 25% of the Portfolio's net assets at the time an option is written. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in structured notes and collateralized
loan obligations (“CLOs”) (all tranches), a type of asset-backed security.
186
The Portfolio will not enter into
short sales (except short sales against-the-box) if immediately after such sale the aggregate value of all collateral plus the amount in a segregated account exceeds one-third of the value of the Portfolio's net
assets. The Portfolio will not enter into futures and related options that do not constitute bona fide hedging positions if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate initial margin deposits plus premiums paid by it for
open options positions, less the amount by which such options are “in the money,” would exceed 5% of total Portfolio assets.
The Portfolio may invest up to 10%
of its net assets in Senior Loans. A Senior Loan is typically originated, negotiated and structured by a US or foreign commercial bank, insurance company, finance company or other financial institution (the Agent) for
a group of loan investors (Loan Investors). The Agent typically administers and enforces the Senior Loan on behalf of the other Loan Investors in the syndicate. In addition, an institution, typically but not always
the Agent, holds any collateral on behalf of the Loan Investors.
Senior Loans primarily include
senior floating rate loans and secondarily senior floating rate debt obligations (including those issued by an asset-backed pool), and interests therein. Loan interests primarily take the form of assignments purchased
in the primary or secondary market. Loan interests may also take the form of participation interests in, or novations of, a Senior Loan. Such loan interests may be acquired from US or foreign commercial banks,
insurance companies, finance companies or other financial institutions who have made loans or are Loan Investors or from other investors in loan interests.
AST GOVERNMENT
MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may invest in certain government supported asset-backed notes in reliance on no-action relief issued by the SEC that such securities may be considered as government securities
for purposes of compliance with the diversification requirements under Rule 2a-7.
AST NEUBERGER BERMAN/LSV MID-CAP
VALUE PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will limit counterparties in OTC options transactions to dealers with at least $20 million in net worth as reported in their latest financial statements. The Portfolio may
invest in lower-rated foreign debt securities subject to the Portfolio's 15% limitation on lower-rated debt securities. The Portfolio may not purchase any foreign currency-denominated securities if, after such
purchase more than 10% of total Portfolio assets would be invested in such securities. Where the Portfolio engages in foreign forward currency contracts for hedging purposes, it will not enter in such contracts to
sell currency or maintain a net exposure to such contracts if their consummation would obligate the Portfolio to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of its portfolio securities or other assets
denominated in that currency. The Portfolio will generally not enter into foreign forward currency contracts with a term of greater than one year.
The Portfolio may write and
purchase covered call and put options on foreign currencies in amounts not exceeding 5% of net assets. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of net assets in zero coupon bonds.
AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may not purchase any foreign-currency denominated securities if after such purchase more than 10% of total assets would be invested in such securities. The Portfolio will
generally not enter into a foreign forward contract with a duration of more than one year. The Portfolio may write and purchase covered call and put options on foreign currencies in amounts not exceeding 5% of net
assets.
AST SMALL-CAP GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will not engage in short sales if the market value of all Portfolio securities sold short would exceed 25% of net assets of the Portfolio. The value of the securities of any
one issuer which may be shorted is limited to the lesser of 2% of the value of the Portfolio's net assets or 2% of the securities of any class of the issuer. Short sales against-the-box are not subject to these
limits.
AST SMALL-CAP VALUE
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio's investments in junk bonds are limited to 5% of total assets. The Portfolio will not write a covered call option or put option if, as a result, the aggregate market value of
all portfolio securities or currencies covering call or put options exceeds 25% of the market value of the Portfolio's net assets.
AST T. ROWE PRICE ASSET ALLOCATION
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will not write a covered call option or put option if, as a result, the aggregate market value of all portfolio securities or currencies covering call or put options exceeds
25% of the market value of the Portfolio's net assets. The Portfolio will not commit more than 5% of its assets to premiums when purchasing call and put options.
The Portfolio may
also invest in TIPS, or Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities. TIPS are inflation-linked securities issued by the US government. Inflation-linked securities are income-generating instruments whose interest and
principal payments are adjusted for inflation—a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money. Inflation linked bonds are also issued by corporations, US government agencies, states, and
foreign countries. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the consumer price index (CPI). A fixed coupon rate is
applied to the inflation adjusted principal so that as inflation rises, both the principal value and the interest payments increase. This can provide
187
investors with a hedge against inflation, as it
helps preserve the purchasing power of your investment. Because of this inflation-adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Municipal inflation bonds
generally have a fixed principal amount and the inflation component is reflected in the nominal coupon.
Inflation-protected bonds normally
will decline in price when real interest rates rise. (A real interest rate is calculated by subtracting the inflation rate from a nominal interest rate. For example, if a 10-year Treasury note is yielding 5% and rate
of inflation is 2%, the real interest rate is 3%.) If inflation is negative, the principal and income of an inflation-protected bond will decline and could result in losses for the portfolio.
AST T. ROWE PRICE LARGE-CAP GROWTH
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of assets in warrants and rights. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of total assets in securities of foreign issuers. The Portfolio will not sell a call
or put option written by it if, as a result of the sale, the aggregate of the Portfolio's portfolio securities subject to outstanding call or put options (valued at the lower of the option price or market value of
such securities) would exceed 15% of the Portfolio's total assets. The aggregate cost of all outstanding options purchased and held by the Portfolio, including options on market indices, will at no time exceed 10% of
the Portfolio's total assets.
AST T. ROWE PRICE
LARGE-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may write call and put options up to 25% of net assets and may purchase put and call options so long as no more than 5% of net assets invested in premiums on such options. The
Portfolio will not engage in OTC options if the amount invested by the Portfolio in other illiquid securities exceeds 15% of net Portfolio assets. The Portfolio will not invest more than 5% of assets in inverse
floaters.
For some loans, such as revolving
credit facility loans (revolvers), a Loan Investor may have certain obligations pursuant to the Loan Agreement that may include the obligation to make additional loans in certain circumstances. The Portfolio generally
will reserve against these contingent obligations by segregating or otherwise designating a sufficient amount of permissible liquid assets. Delayed draw term loans are similar to revolvers, except that once drawn upon
by the borrower during the commitment period, they remain permanently drawn and become term loans. A prefunded L/C term loan is a facility created by the Borrower in conjunction with an Agent, with the loan backed by
letters of credit. Each participant in a prefunded L/C term loan fully funds its commitment amount to the Agent for the facility.
AST T. ROWE PRICE NATURAL RESOURCES
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will not write covered call or put options if, as a result, the aggregate market value of all portfolio securities covering call or put options exceeds 25% of the Portfolio's
net assets. The Portfolio will not commit more than 5% of total assets to premiums when purchasing call or put options. The Portfolio may invest up to 50% of total assets in US dollar-denominated and non-US
dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers.
AST TEMPLETON GLOBAL BOND
PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of assets in below investment-grade high risk bonds and invest up to 100% of its assets in emerging market securities. The Portfolio may invest up to 30%
of its assets in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The Portfolio will generally not invest more than 5% of its assets in any individual corporate issuer. However, the Portfolio may place assets in bank
deposits or other short-term bank instruments with a maturity of up to 30 days provided that the bank has a short term credit rating of A1+ (or if unrated, the equivalent as determined by the subadviser); and the
Portfolio may not maintain more than 10% of total assets with any single bank. The Portfolio may maintain more than 5% of its total assets, including cash and currencies, in custodial accounts or deposits of the
Trust’s custodian or subcustodians. To hedge risks, or for the purpose of enhancing returns, the Portfolio may invest in exchange traded and over-the-counter currency options, options on currency futures, fixed
income total return swaps, options on credit default swaps, credit linked notes, CDOs (all tranches), CLOs (all tranches) and inflation index swaps. The Portfolio will not write covered call or put options if,
as a result, the aggregate market value of all portfolio securities covering call or put options exceeds 25% of the Portfolio's net assets. The Portfolio will not commit more than 5% of total assets to premiums when
purchasing call or put options.
AST WEDGE CAPITAL
MID-CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of assets in more speculative convertible debt securities with a rating of or equivalent of B or better by S&P. The Portfolio may invest up to 5% of
assets in junk bonds. The Portfolio may pledge, mortgage or hypothecate up to 20% of assets to secure permissible borrowings.
AST WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT HEDGED
EQUITY PORTFOLIO:
The Portfolio will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing in a broadly diversified portfolio of common stocks while also pursuing an equity index option overlay. The equity
index option overlay involves the purchase of put options on the S&P 500 Index and the sale of call and put options on the S&P 500 Index.
Under normal circumstances, the
Portfolio currently expects to be fully invested and will invest at least 80% of its net assets in the common stocks of small, medium and large companies. The Portfolio's policy of investing at least 80% of its net
assets in common stocks is a non-fundamental policy of the Portfolio and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval. The Portfolio may
188
also invest up to 30% of its assets in the equity
securities of foreign issuers and non-dollar denominated securities, including companies that conduct their principal business activities in emerging markets or whose securities are traded principally on exchanges in
emerging markets. The Portfolio may trade securities actively.
The equity index option overlay
strategy is designed to help mitigate capital losses in adverse market environments over a short period of time and employs a put/spread collar to meet this goal. To reduce the Portfolio's risk of loss due to a sharp
decline in the value of the general equity market over a short period of time, the Portfolio intends to purchase index put options on the S&P 500 with respect to a substantial portion of the value of its common
stock holdings. In order to help lessen the cost of the long put protection, the equity index option strategy will also involve the sale of call options on the S&P 500 Index and the sale of a deeper
“out-of-the-money” put option on the S&P 500 Index with respect to a significant portion of the Portfolio's common stock holdings. The Portfolio may use options based upon other indices if Wellington
Management deems this appropriate in particular market circumstances or based on the Portfolio's common stock holdings.
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities directly or indirectly represent a participation interest in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream
of payments generated by particular assets such as motor vehicle or credit card receivables. Payments of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of
credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the entities issuing the securities. Asset-backed securities may be classified as pass-through certificates or collateralized obligations.
Pass-through certificates are
asset-backed securities which represent an undivided fractional ownership interest in an underlying pool of assets. Pass-through certificates usually provide for payments of principal and interest received to be
passed through to their holders, usually after deduction for certain costs and expenses incurred in administering the pool. Because pass-through certificates represent an ownership interest in the underlying assets,
the holders thereof bear directly the risk of any defaults by the obligors on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support.
Asset-backed securities issued in
the form of debt instruments, also known as collateralized obligations, are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Such
assets are most often trade, credit card or automobile receivables. The assets collateralizing such asset-backed securities are pledged to a trustee or custodian for the benefit of the holders thereof. Such issuers
generally hold no assets other than those underlying the asset-backed securities and any credit support provided. As a result, although payments on such asset-backed securities are obligations of the issuers, in the
event of defaults on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support, the issuing entities are unlikely to have sufficient assets to satisfy their obligations on the related asset-backed securities.
Credit-Related Asset-Backed
Securities.
This type of asset-backed security is collateralized by a basket of underlying corporate bonds or other securities, including junk bonds. Unlike the traditional asset-backed securities
described above, these asset-backed securities often do have the benefit of a security interest or ownership interest in the related collateral. With a credit-related asset-backed security, the underlying bonds have
the risk of being prepaid prior to maturity. Although generally not pre-payable at any time, some of the underlying bonds may have call options, while others may have maturity dates that are earlier than the
asset-backed security itself. As with traditional asset-backed securities described above, the Portfolio bears the risk of loss of the resulting increase or decrease in yield to maturity after a prepayment of an
underlying bond. However, the primary risk associated with credit-related asset-backed securities is the potential loss of principal associated with losses on the underlying bonds.
Collateralized Loan Obligations
(CLOs).
This type of asset-backed security is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured
loans, and subordinate corporate loans, as well as loans rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the quality of the underlying loans and may be
characterized by the Portfolio as illiquid securities.
For credit-related asset-backed
securities and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of
defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior
tranche from a trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, other tranches can experience
substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to particular
underlying assets as a class.
Government Money Market
Portfolio:
AST Government Money Market Portfolio (the Government Money Market Portfolio) may choose to invest in certain government-supported asset-backed notes in reliance on no-action relief issued
by the SEC that such securities may be considered government securities for purposes of compliance with the diversification requirements under Rule 2a-7.
189
BORROWING AND LEVERAGE.
A Portfolio may borrow up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets (calculated at the time of the borrowing). The Portfolio may pledge up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of its total assets to secure these borrowings. If a Portfolio's asset coverage for borrowings falls below 300%, the Portfolio will take prompt action to reduce its borrowings. If a
Portfolio borrows to invest in securities, any investment gains made on the securities in excess of interest paid on the borrowing will cause the net asset value of the shares to rise faster than would otherwise be
the case. On the other hand, if the investment performance of the additional securities purchased fails to cover their cost (including any interest paid on the money borrowed) to the Portfolio, the net asset value of
the Portfolio's shares will decrease faster than would otherwise be the case. This is the speculative factor known as “leverage.”
A Portfolio may borrow from time to
time, at the investment subadviser's discretion, to take advantage of investment opportunities, when yields on available investments exceed interest rates and other expenses of related borrowing, or when, in the
investment adviser's opinion, unusual market conditions otherwise make it advantageous for the Portfolio to increase its investment capacity. A Portfolio will only borrow when there is an expectation that it will
benefit a Portfolio after taking into account considerations such as interest income and possible losses upon liquidation. Borrowing by a Portfolio creates an opportunity for increased net income but, at the same
time, creates risks, including the risks associated with leveraging. A Portfolio may borrow through forward rolls, dollar rolls or reverse repurchase agreements, although no Portfolio currently has any intention of
doing so, except for portfolios managed by PIMCO.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.
Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest payments paid on corporate debt securities or the dividend preference on a preferred stock until such time as the convertible
security matures or is redeemed or until the holder elects to exercise the conversion privilege. The characteristics of convertible securities make them appropriate investments for an investment company seeking a high
total return from capital appreciation and investment income. These characteristics include the potential for capital appreciation as the value of the underlying common stock increases, the relatively high yield
received from dividend or interest payments as compared to common stock dividends and decreased risks of decline in value relative to the underlying common stock due to their fixed income nature. As a result of the
conversion feature, however, the interest rate or dividend preference on a convertible security is generally less than would be the case if the securities were issued in nonconvertible form.
In analyzing convertible
securities, the subadviser(s) will consider both the yield on the convertible security relative to its credit quality and the potential capital appreciation that is offered by the underlying common stock, among other
things.
Convertible securities are issued
and traded in a number of securities markets. Even in cases where a substantial portion of the convertible securities held by a Portfolio are denominated in US dollars, the underlying equity securities may be quoted
in the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. With respect to convertible securities denominated in a currency different from that of the underlying equity securities, the conversion price may be based
on a fixed exchange rate established at the time the security is issued. As a result, fluctuations in the exchange rate between the currency in which the debt security is denominated and the currency in which the
share price is quoted will affect the value of the convertible security. As described below, a Portfolio is authorized to enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in which it may seek to reduce the effect of
such fluctuations.
Apart from currency considerations,
the value of convertible securities is influenced by both the yield of nonconvertible securities of comparable issuers and by the value of the underlying common stock. The value of a convertible security viewed
without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield) is sometimes referred to as its “investment value.” To the extent interest rates change, the investment value of the
convertible security typically will fluctuate. However, at the same time, the value of the convertible security will be influenced by its “conversion value,” which is the market value of the underlying
common stock that would be obtained if the convertible security were converted. Conversion value fluctuates directly with the price of the underlying common stock. If, because of a low price of the common stock the
conversion value is substantially below the investment value of the convertible security, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value.
To the extent the conversion value
of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the price of the convertible security will be influenced principally by its conversion value. A convertible security
will sell at a premium over the conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security. The yield and conversion premium of
convertible securities issued in Japan and the Euromarket are frequently determined at levels that cause the conversion value to affect their market value more than the securities' investment value.
Holders of convertible securities
generally have a claim on the assets of the issuer prior to the common stockholders but may be subordinated to other debt securities of the same issuer. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the
option of the issuer at a price established in the charter provision, indenture or other governing instrument pursuant to which the convertible security was issued. If a convertible security held by a Portfolio is
called for redemption, the Portfolio will be required to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Certain convertible debt securities may provide a put option to
the holder, which entitles the holder to cause the security to be redeemed by the issuer at a premium over the stated principal amount of the debt security under certain circumstances.
190
Synthetic convertible securities
may be either (i) a debt security or preferred stock that may be convertible only under certain contingent circumstances or that may pay the holder a cash amount based on the value of shares of underlying common stock
partly or wholly in lieu of a conversion right (a Cash-Settled Convertible), (ii) a combination of separate securities chosen by the subadviser(s) in order to create the economic characteristics of a convertible
security, i.e., a fixed income security paired with a security with equity conversion features, such as an option or warrant (a Manufactured Convertible) or (iii) a synthetic security manufactured by another party.
Synthetic convertible securities
may include either Cash-Settled Convertibles or Manufactured Convertibles. Cash-Settled Convertibles are instruments that are created by the issuer and have the economic characteristics of traditional convertible
securities but may not actually permit conversion into the underlying equity securities in all circumstances. As an example, a private company may issue a Cash-Settled Convertible that is convertible into common stock
only if the company successfully completes a public offering of its common stock prior to maturity and otherwise pays a cash amount to reflect any equity appreciation. Manufactured Convertibles are created by the
subadviser(s) by combining separate securities that possess one of the two principal characteristics of a convertible security, i.e., fixed income (fixed income component) or a right to acquire equity securities
(convertibility component). The fixed income component is achieved by investing in nonconvertible fixed income securities, such as nonconvertible bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The
convertibility component is achieved by investing in call options, warrants, or other securities with equity conversion features (equity features) granting the holder the right to purchase a specified quantity of the
underlying stocks within a specified period of time at a specified price or, in the case of a stock index option, the right to receive a cash payment based on the value of the underlying stock index.
A Manufactured Convertible differs
from traditional convertible securities in several respects. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a unitary market value, a Manufactured Convertible is comprised of two or more
separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the total “market value” of such a Manufactured Convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed income component and its convertibility
component.
More flexibility is possible in the
creation of a Manufactured Convertible than in the purchase of a traditional convertible security. Because many corporations have not issued convertible securities, the subadviser(s) may combine a fixed income
instrument and an equity feature with respect to the stock of the issuer of the fixed income instrument to create a synthetic convertible security otherwise unavailable in the market. The subadviser(s) may also
combine a fixed income instrument of an issuer with an equity feature with respect to the stock of a different issuer when the subadviser(s) believe such a Manufactured Convertible would better promote a Portfolio's
objective than alternate investments. For example, the subadviser(s) may combine an equity feature with respect to an issuer's stock with a fixed income security of a different issuer in the same industry to diversify
the Portfolio's credit exposure, or with a US Treasury instrument to create a Manufactured Convertible with a higher credit profile than a traditional convertible security issued by that issuer. A Manufactured
Convertible also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately and, upon purchasing the separate securities, “combined” to create a Manufactured Convertible. For
example, a Portfolio may purchase a warrant for eventual inclusion in a Manufactured Convertible while postponing the purchase of a suitable bond to pair with the warrant pending development of more favorable market
conditions.
The value of a Manufactured
Convertible may respond differently to certain market fluctuations than would a traditional convertible security with similar characteristics. For example, in the event a Portfolio created a Manufactured Convertible
by combining a short-term US Treasury instrument and a call option on a stock, the Manufactured Convertible would likely outperform a traditional convertible of similar maturity that is convertible into that stock
during periods when Treasury instruments outperform corporate fixed income securities and underperform during periods when corporate fixed income securities outperform Treasury instruments.
CORPORATE LOANS.
Commercial banks and other financial institutions make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates
that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or the prime rate of US banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less
responsive to shifts in market interest rates. Because the trading market for corporate loans is less developed than the secondary market for bonds and notes, a Portfolio may experience difficulties from time to time
in selling its corporate loans. Borrowers frequently provide collateral to secure repayment of these obligations. Leading financial institutions often act as agent for a broader group of lenders, generally referred to
as a “syndicate.” The syndicate's agent arranges the corporate loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. If the agent develops financial problems, a Portfolio may not recover
its investment, or there might be a delay in the Portfolio's recovery. By investing in a corporate loan, a Portfolio becomes a member of the syndicate.
As in the case of junk bonds, the
corporate loans in which a Portfolio may invest can be expected to provide higher yields than higher-rated fixed income securities but may be subject to greater risk of loss of principal and income. There are,
however, some significant differences between corporate loans and junk bonds. Corporate loans are frequently secured by pledges of liens and security interests in the assets of the borrower, and the holders of
corporate loans are frequently the beneficiaries of debt service subordination provisions imposed on the borrower's bondholders. These arrangements are designed to give corporate loan investors preferential
191
treatment over junk bond investors in the event of
a deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer. Even when these arrangements exist, however, there can be no assurance that the principal and interest owed on the corporate loans will be repaid in full. Corporate
loans generally bear interest at rates set at a margin above a generally recognized base lending rate that may fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, in the case of the Prime Rate of a US bank, or that may be adjusted on
set dates, typically 30 days but generally not more than one year, in the case of LIBOR. Consequently, the value of corporate loans held by a Portfolio may be expected to fluctuate significantly less than the value of
fixed rate junk bond instruments as a result of changes in the interest rate environment. On the other hand, the secondary dealer market for corporate loans is not as well developed as the secondary dealer market for
junk bonds, and therefore presents increased market risk relating to liquidity and pricing concerns.
A Portfolio may acquire interests
in corporate loans by means of a novation, assignment or participation. In a novation, a Portfolio would succeed to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and become a contracting party under the
credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation. As an alternative, a Portfolio may purchase an assignment, in which case the Portfolio may be required to rely on the assigning institution to demand payment and
enforce its rights against the borrower but would otherwise typically be entitled to all of such assigning institution's rights under the credit agreement. Participation interests in a portion of a debt obligation
typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution selling the participation interest and not with the borrower. In purchasing a loan participation, a Portfolio generally will have no right to
enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Portfolio may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in
which it has purchased the participation. As a result, a Portfolio will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation to the Portfolio.
CYBER SECURITY AND OPERATIONAL
RISK.
With the increasing use of technology and computer systems in general and, in particular, the Internet to conduct necessary business functions, each Portfolio and its service providers is
susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. These risks, which are often collectively referred to as “cyber security” risks, may include deliberate or malicious attacks, as well as
unintentional events and occurrences. Cyber security is generally defined as the technology, operations and related protocol surrounding and protecting a user’s computer hardware, network, systems and
applications and the data transmitted and stored therewith. These measures ensure the reliability of a user’s systems, as well as the security, availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data
assets.
Deliberate cyber attacks can
include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to computer systems in order to misappropriate and/or disclose sensitive or confidential information; deleting, corrupting or modifying data; and causing
operational disruptions. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (in order to prevent access to
computer networks). In addition to deliberate breaches engineered by external actors, cyber security risks can also result from the conduct of malicious, exploited or careless insiders, whose actions may result in the
destruction, release or disclosure of confidential or proprietary information stored on an organization’s systems.
Cyber security
failures or breaches, whether deliberate or unintentional, arising from a Portfolios’ third-party service providers (e.g., custodians, financial intermediaries, transfer agents), subadvisers, shareholder usage
of unsecure systems to access personal accounts, as well as breaches suffered by the issuers of securities in which the Portfolios invests, may cause significant disruptions in the business operations of the
Portfolios. Potential impacts may include, but are not limited to, potential financial losses for the Portfolios and the issuers’ securities, the inability of shareholders to conduct transactions with the
Portfolios, an inability of the Portfolios to calculate net asset value (NAV), and disclosures of personal or confidential shareholder information.
In addition to direct impacts on
Portfolios shareholders, cyber security failures by a Portfolios and/or its service providers and others may result in regulatory inquiries, regulatory proceedings, regulatory and/or legal and litigation costs to the
Portfolios, and reputational damage. The Portfolios may incur reimbursement and other expenses, including the costs of litigation and litigation settlements and additional compliance costs. The Portfolios may also
incur considerable expenses in enhancing and upgrading computer systems and systems security following a cyber security failure.
The rapid proliferation of
technologies, as well as the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists, and others continue to pose new and significant cyber security threats. Although the Portfolios and its
service providers and subadvisers may have established business continuity plans and risk management systems to mitigate cyber security risks, there can be no guarantee or assurance that such plans or systems will be
effective, or that all risks that exist, or may develop in the future, have been completely anticipated and identified or can be protected against. Furthermore, the Portfolios cannot control or assure the efficacy of
the cyber security plans and systems implemented by third-party service providers, the subadvisers, and the issuers in which a Portfolios invests.
A Portfolio’s investments or
its service providers may be negatively impacted due to operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and
technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third-party service providers or trading counterparties. In particular, these errors or failures as well as
192
other technological issues may adversely affect the
Portfolios’ ability to calculate their NAVs in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period. Although the Portfolios attempt to minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not
possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect a Portfolio or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. A Portfolio and its
shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
DEBT SECURITIES.
Debt securities, such as bonds, involve credit risk. This is the risk that the issuer will not make timely payments of principal and interest. The degree of credit risk depends on the
issuer's financial condition and on the terms of the bonds. Changes in an issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of a Portfolio's investment in that
issuer. Credit risk is reduced to the extent a Portfolio limits its debt investments to US Government securities. All debt securities, however, are subject to interest rate risk. This is the risk that the value of the
security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term
securities.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.
A Portfolio may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may
not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are receipts or shares
typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a
similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs and ADSs, in registered form, are designed for use in the
US securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. A
Portfolio may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less
information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts are generally subject to the same risks as
the foreign securities that they evidence or into or for which they may be converted or exchanged, as well as the risks associated with foreign investments.
DERIVATIVES.
A Portfolio may use instruments referred to as derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments the value of which is derived from another security, a commodity (such as gold or oil), a
currency or an index (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500 Index or the prime lending rate). Derivatives allow a Portfolio to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Portfolio is exposed
more quickly and efficiently than transactions in other types of instruments. Each Portfolio may use derivatives for hedging purposes. A Portfolio may also use derivatives to seek to enhance returns. The use of a
derivative is speculative if the Portfolio is primarily seeking to achieve gains, rather than offset the risk of other positions. When the Portfolio invests in a derivative for speculative purposes, the Portfolio will
be fully exposed to the risks of loss of that derivative, which may sometimes be greater than the derivative's cost. No Portfolio may use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be
prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly.
The use of derivative instruments
involves risks different from, and/or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying assets or references. The use of derivative instruments is a highly specialized activity that
involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the portfolio manager is incorrect in the forecasts of security or market values, interest
rates or currency exchange rates, as applicable, the investment performance of a Portfolio would be less favorable than it would have been if derivative instruments were not used. Potential losses from certain
derivative instruments are unlimited. Derivative instruments can be highly volatile, illiquid, subject to counterparty risk and difficult to value. There is also the risk that changes in the value of a derivative
instrument held by a Portfolio for hedging purposes may not correlate with the Portfolio’s investments which are intended to be hedged, which could impact Portfolio performance. A Portfolio may choose not to
invest in derivative instruments because of their cost, limited availability or other reasons.
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.
A Portfolio may invest in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). ETFs, which may be unit investment trusts or mutual funds, and typically hold portfolios of securities designed to track the
performance of various broad securities indexes or sectors of such indexes. ETFs provide another means, in addition to futures and options on indexes, of including stock index exposure in these Portfolios' investment
strategies. A Portfolio will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such ETF. In addition, an investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an
investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies, and policies.
HEDGING.
Hedging is a strategy in which a derivative or security is used to offset the risks associated with other Portfolio holdings. Losses on the other investment may be substantially reduced by
gains on a derivative that reacts in an opposite manner to market movements. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a different manner than
anticipated by a Portfolio or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in
193
the value of the derivative will not match those of
the holdings being hedged as expected by a Portfolio, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced or may be increased. The inability to close options and futures positions also could have
an adverse impact on a Portfolio's ability to hedge effectively its portfolio. There is also a risk of loss by the Portfolio of margin deposits or collateral in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the
Portfolio has an open position in an option, a futures contract or a related option. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio's hedging strategies will be effective or that hedging transactions will be available to
a Portfolio. No Portfolio is required to engage in hedging transactions and each Portfolio may choose not to do so.
INDEXED AND INVERSE SECURITIES.
A Portfolio may invest in securities the potential return of which is based on an index or interest rate. As an illustration, a Portfolio may invest in a security whose value is based on
changes in a specific index or that pays interest based on the current value of an interest rate index, such as the prime rate. A Portfolio may also invest in a debt security that returns principal at maturity based
on the level of a securities index or a basket of securities, or based on the relative changes of two indices. In addition, certain Portfolios may invest in securities the potential return of which is based inversely
on the change in an index or interest rate (that is, a security the value of which will move in the opposite direction of changes to an index or interest rate). For example, a Portfolio may invest in securities that
pay a higher rate of interest when a particular index decreases and pay a lower rate of interest (or do not fully return principal) when the value of the index increases. If a Portfolio invests in such securities, it
may be subject to reduced or eliminated interest payments or loss of principal in the event of an adverse movement in the relevant interest rate, index or indices. Indexed and inverse securities may involve credit
risk, and certain indexed and inverse securities may involve leverage risk, liquidity risk and currency risk. A Portfolio may invest in indexed and inverse securities for hedging purposes or to seek to increase
returns. When used for hedging purposes, indexed and inverse securities involve correlation risk. (Furthermore, where such a security includes a contingent liability, in the event of such an adverse movement, a
Portfolio may be required to pay substantial additional margin to maintain the position.)
INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS.
Each Portfolio may invest in initial public offerings (IPOs). An IPO is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. IPOs are often issued by smaller, younger companies
seeking capital to expand, but can also be done by large privately owned companies looking to become publicly traded.
In an IPO, the issuer obtains the
assistance of an underwriting firm, which helps it determine what type of security to issue (common or preferred), best offering price and time to bring it to market. The volume of IPOs and the levels at which the
newly issued stocks trade in the secondary market are affected by the performance of the stock market overall. If IPOs are brought to the market, availability may be limited and a Portfolio may not be able to buy any
shares at the offering price, or if it is able to buy shares, it may not be able to buy as many shares at the offering price as it would like.
Investing in IPOs entails risks.
Importantly, the prices of securities involved in IPOs are often subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than more established stocks. It is difficult to predict what the stock will do on its initial
day of trading and in the near future since there is often little historical data with which to analyze the company. Also, most IPOs are of companies going through a transitory growth period, and they are therefore
subject to additional uncertainty regarding their future value.
PARTICIPATION NOTES
. Participation Notes (P-Notes) are a type of equity-linked derivative which generally are traded over-the-counter. Even though a P-Note is intended to reflect the performance of the
underlying equity securities, the performance of a P-Note will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the P-Note seeks to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses.
SWAP
AGREEMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into swap transactions, including but not limited to, interest rate, index, credit default, total return and, to the extent that it may invest in foreign
currency-denominated securities, currency exchange rate swap agreements. In addition, certain portfolios may enter into options on swap agreements (swap options). These swap transactions are entered into in an attempt
to obtain a particular return when it is considered desirable to do so, possibly at a lower cost to the Portfolio than if a Portfolio had invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired return.
Swap agreements are two party
contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns
(or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on or calculated with respect to particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be
exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” that is, the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a
particular interest rate or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index or other investments or instruments.
194
Most swap agreements entered into
by a Portfolio would calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a “net basis.” Consequently a Portfolio's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal
only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the net amount). The Portfolio's current obligations under a swap
agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Portfolio) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation of liquid assets.
To the extent that a Portfolio
enters into swaps on other than a net basis, the amount maintained in a segregated account will be the full amount of the Portfolio's obligations, if any, with respect to such swaps, accrued on a daily basis. Inasmuch
as segregated accounts are established for these hedging transactions, the investment adviser and the Portfolio believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly, will not treat them as
being subject to its borrowing restrictions. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Portfolio will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreement related to the transaction. Since
swaps are individually negotiated, the Portfolio expects to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between its rights to receive a return on its portfolio securities and its rights and obligations to receive and
pay a return pursuant to swaps. The Portfolio will enter into swaps only with parties meeting creditworthiness standards of the investment subadviser. The investment subadviser will monitor the creditworthiness of
such parties.
CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP AGREEMENTS AND
SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into credit default swap agreements and similar agreements, and may also buy credit-linked securities. The credit default swap agreement or similar instrument
may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by a Portfolio. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract may be obligated to pay the protection
“seller” an up front or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided generally that no credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller
generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller
may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. A Portfolio may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If a Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the
Portfolio recovers nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount
of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value. As a seller, a Portfolio generally receives an up front payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, provided
that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference
entity that may have little or no value.
Credit default swaps and similar
instruments involve greater risks than if a Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly, since, in addition to general market risks, they are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit
risks. A Portfolio will enter into credit default swap agreements and similar instruments only with counterparties who are rated investment grade quality by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating
organization at the time of entering into such transaction or whose creditworthiness is believed by the subadviser(s) to be equivalent to such rating. A buyer also will lose its investment and recover nothing should
no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the up front or periodic payments
previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Portfolio. When a Portfolio acts as a seller of a credit default swap or a similar instrument, it
is exposed to many of the same risks of leverage since, if a credit event occurs, the seller may be required to pay the buyer the full notional value of the contract net of any amounts owed by the buyer related to its
delivery of deliverable obligations.
CREDIT LINKED SECURITIES.
Among the income producing securities in which a Portfolio may invest are credit linked securities, which are issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle that, in turn, invests in a
derivative instrument or basket of derivative instruments, such a credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and other securities, in order to provide exposure to certain fixed income markets. For instance, a Portfolio
may invest in credit linked securities as a cash management tool in order to gain exposure to a certain market and/or to remain fully invested when more traditional income producing securities are not
available.
Like an investment in a bond,
investments in these credit linked securities represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the security. However, these
payments are conditioned on the issuer's receipt of payments from, and the issuer's potential obligations to, the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the issuer invests. For
instance, the issuer may sell one or more credit default swaps, under which the issuer would receive a stream of payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with
respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default occurs, the stream of payments may stop and the issuer would be obligated to pay the counterparty the par (or other agreed upon
value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that a Portfolio would receive. A Portfolio's investments in these instruments are indirectly subject to the
risks associated with derivatives. It is also expected that the securities will be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Accordingly, there may be no established trading market for the securities and they may
constitute illiquid investments.
195
TOTAL RETURN SWAP
AGREEMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into total return swap agreements. Total return swap agreements are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments based on the change in market
value of the underlying assets, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest
rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market. Total
return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to the Portfolio’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Portfolio would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the
swap. Total return swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to a Portfolio thereunder. Swap agreements also bear the risk that the Portfolio will not be able to meet its
obligation to the counterparty. Generally, the Portfolio will enter into total return swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out with a Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only
the net amount of the two payments). The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Portfolio's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each total return swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of
cash or liquid instruments having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be segregated by a Portfolio. If the total return swap transaction is entered into on other than a net basis,
the full amount of a Portfolio's obligations will be accrued on a daily basis, and the full amount of the Portfolio's obligations will be segregated by a Portfolio in an amount equal to or greater than the market
value of the liabilities under the total return swap agreement or the amount it would have cost the Portfolio initially to make an equivalent direct investment, plus or minus any amount a Portfolio is obligated to pay
or is to receive under the total return swap agreement.
Unless otherwise noted, a
Portfolio's net obligations in respect of all swap agreements (i.e., the aggregate net amount owed by the Portfolio) is limited to 15% of its net assets. This limitation does not apply to the AST Bond Portfolios (2018
-2029) and AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio.
NON-STANDARD WARRANTS
. From time to time, a Portfolio may use synthetic foreign equity securities derivatives in the form non-standard warrants, often referred to as low exercise price warrants or participatory
notes or low exercise price options (LEPOs), to gain indirect exposure to issuers in certain countries, such as India. These securities are issued by banks and other financial institutions. The buyer of a low exercise
price warrant effectively pays the full value of the underlying common stock at the outset. LEPOs are different from standard warrants in that they do not give their holders the right to receive a security of the
issuer upon exercise. Rather, LEPOs pay the holder the difference in price of the underlying security between the date the LEPO was purchased and the date it is sold. LEPOs entail the same risks as other over-the
counter derivatives. These include the risk that the counterparty or issuer of the LEPO may not be able to fulfill its obligations, that the holder and counterparty or issuer may disagree as to the meaning or
application of contractual terms, or that the instrument may not perform as expected. Additionally, while LEPOs may be listed on an exchange, there is no guaranty that a liquid market will exist or that the
counterparty or issuer of a LEPO will be willing to repurchase the LEPO when a Portfolio wishes to sell it. A discussion of the risk factors relating to derivatives is set out in the sub-section entitled “Risk
Factors in Derivatives”.
OPTIONS ON SECURITIES AND SECURITIES
INDEXES.
A Portfolio may invest in options on individual securities, baskets of securities or particular measurements of value or rate (an index), such as an index of the price of treasury
securities or an index representative of short term interest rates.
Such investments may be made on
exchanges and in the over-the-counter (OTC) markets. In general, exchange-traded options have standardized exercise prices and expiration dates and require the parties to post margin against their obligations, and the
performance of the parties' obligations in connection with such options is guaranteed by the exchange or a related clearing corporation. OTC options have more flexible terms negotiated between the buyer and the
seller, but generally do not require the parties to post margin and are subject to greater credit risk. OTC options also involve greater liquidity risk. See “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions;
Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives” below.
A Portfolio will write only
“covered” options. A written option is covered if, so long as a Portfolio is obligated the option, it (1) owns an offsetting position in the underlying security or currency or (2) segregates cash or other
liquid assets, in an amount equal to or greater than its obligation under the option.
CALL OPTIONS.
A Portfolio may purchase call options on any of the types of securities or instruments in which it may invest. A call option gives a Portfolio the right to buy, and obligates the seller to
sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period. A Portfolio also may purchase and sell call options on indices. Index options are similar to options on securities except that,
rather than taking or making delivery of securities underlying the option at a specified price upon exercise, an index option gives the holder the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the
index upon which the option is based is greater than the exercise price of the option.
196
Each Portfolio may only write
(i.e., sell) covered call options on the securities or instruments in which it may invest and to enter into closing purchase transactions with respect to certain of such options. A covered call option is an option in
which a Portfolio either owns an offsetting position in the underlying security or currency, or the Portfolio segregates cash or other liquid assets in an amount equal to or greater than its obligation under the
option. The principal reason for writing call options is the attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. By writing covered call options, a
Portfolio gives up the opportunity, while the option is in effect, to profit from any price increase in the underlying security above the option exercise price. In addition, a Portfolio's ability to sell the
underlying security will be limited while the option is in effect unless the Portfolio enters into a closing purchase transaction. A closing purchase transaction cancels out a Portfolio's position as the writer of an
option by means of an offsetting purchase of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has written. Covered call options also serve as a partial hedge to the extent of the premium received against
the price of the underlying security declining.
PUT OPTIONS.
A Portfolio may purchase put options to seek to hedge against a decline in the value of its securities or to enhance its return. By buying a put option, a Portfolio acquires a right to sell
such underlying securities or instruments at the exercise price, thus limiting the Portfolio's risk of loss through a decline in the market value of the securities or instruments until the put option expires. The
amount of any appreciation in the value of the underlying securities or instruments will be partially offset by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and any related transaction costs. Prior to its
expiration, a put option may be sold in a closing sale transaction and profit or loss from the sale will depend on whether the amount received is more or less than the premium paid for the put option plus the related
transaction costs. A closing sale transaction cancels out a Portfolio's position as the purchaser of an option by means of an offsetting sale of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has
purchased. A Portfolio also may purchase uncovered put options.
Each Portfolio may write (i.e.,
sell) put options on the types of securities or instruments that may be held by the Portfolio, provided that such put options are covered, meaning that such options are secured by segregated, liquid instruments. A
Portfolio will receive a premium for writing a put option, which increases the Portfolio's return. A Portfolio will not sell puts if, as a result, more than 25% of the Portfolio's net assets would be required to cover
its potential obligations under its hedging and other investment transactions.
FUTURES.
A Portfolio may engage in transactions in futures and options thereon. Futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts which obligate a purchaser to take delivery, and a seller to make
delivery, of a specific amount of an asset at a specified future date at a specified price. No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Rather, upon purchasing or selling a futures contract a Portfolio is
required to deposit collateral (margin) equal to a percentage (generally less than 10%) of the contract value. Each day thereafter until the futures position is closed, the Portfolio will pay additional margin
representing any loss experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day or be entitled to a payment representing any profit experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day. Futures involve
substantial leverage risk.
The sale of a futures contract
limits a Portfolio's risk of loss through a decline in the market value of portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract prior to the futures contract's expiration date. In the event the market value of the
portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract increases rather than decreases, however, a Portfolio will realize a loss on the futures position and a lower return on the portfolio holdings than would have
been realized without the purchase of the futures contract.
The purchase of a futures contract
may protect a Portfolio from having to pay more for securities as a consequence of increases in the market value for such securities during a period when the Portfolio was attempting to identify specific securities in
which to invest in a market the Portfolio believes to be attractive. In the event that such securities decline in value or a Portfolio determines not to complete an anticipatory hedge transaction relating to a futures
contract, however, the Portfolio may realize a loss relating to the futures position.
A Portfolio is also authorized to
purchase or sell call and put options on futures contracts including financial futures and stock indices in connection with its hedging activities. Generally, these strategies would be used under the same market and
market sector conditions (i.e., conditions relating to specific types of investments) in which the Portfolio entered into futures transactions. A Portfolio may purchase put options or write (i.e., sell) call options
on futures contracts and stock indices rather than selling the underlying futures contract in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of its securities. Similarly, a Portfolio can purchase call options, or
write put options on futures contracts and stock indices, as a substitute for the purchase of such futures to hedge against the increased cost resulting from an increase in the market value of securities which the
Portfolio intends to purchase.
A Portfolio may only write
“covered” put and call options on futures contracts. A Portfolio will be considered “covered” with respect to a call option it writes on a futures contract if the Portfolio owns the assets that
are deliverable under the futures contract or an option to purchase that futures contract having a strike price equal to or less than the strike price of the “covered” option and having an expiration date
not earlier than the expiration date of the “covered” option, or if it segregates for the term of the option cash or other liquid assets equal to the fluctuating value of the optioned future. A Portfolio
will be considered “covered” with respect to a put option it writes on a futures contract if it owns an option to sell that futures contract having a strike price equal to or greater than the strike price
of the
197
“covered” option, or if it segregates
for the term of the option cash or other liquid assets at all times equal in value to the exercise price of the put (less any initial margin deposited by the Portfolio with its custodian with respect to such option).
There is no limitation on the amount of a Portfolio's assets that can be segregated.
With respect to futures contracts
that are not legally required to “cash settle,” a Portfolio may cover the open position by setting aside or earmarking liquid assets in an amount equal to the market value of the futures contact. With
respect to futures that are required to “cash settle,” however, a Portfolio is permitted to set aside or earmark liquid assets in an amount equal to the Portfolio's daily marked to market (net) obligation,
if any, (in other words, the Portfolio's daily net liability, if any) rather than the market value of the futures contract. By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligation under cash-settled futures, a
Portfolio will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Portfolio were required to segregate assets equal to the full market value of the futures contract.
Each Portfolio,
except AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, has filed a notice of exemption from regulation as a “commodity pool,” and the Manager has filed a notice of exemption from registration as a
“commodity pool operator” with respect to each Portfolio, under applicable rules issued by the CFTC under the Commodity Exchange Act (the CEA). In order to continue to claim the “commodity
pool” exemption, a Portfolio is limited in its ability to use futures, options and swaps subject to regulation under the CEA for purposes other than bona fide hedging, which is narrowly defined. With respect to
transactions other than for bona fide hedging purposes, either: (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish a Portfolio’s positions in such investments may not exceed 5% of the
liquidation value of the Portfolio’s assets, or (2) the aggregate net notional value of such instruments may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Portfolio’s assets. In addition to meeting one
of the foregoing trading limitations, a Portfolio may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the futures, options or swaps markets.
Based on the trading strategy for
AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, the Portfolio shall be considered a “commodity pool” and the Manager shall be considered a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the Portfolio
under the CEA. Compliance with applicable CFTC disclosure, reporting and recordkeeping regulations may increase this Portfolio’s gross expenses.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS.
A Portfolio may engage in spot and forward foreign exchange transactions and currency swaps, purchase and sell options on currencies and purchase and sell currency futures and related
options thereon (collectively, Currency Instruments) for purposes of hedging against the decline in the value of currencies in which its portfolio holdings are denominated against the US dollar or, with respect to
certain Portfolios, to seek to enhance returns. Such transactions could be effected with respect to hedges on non-US dollar denominated securities owned by a Portfolio, sold by a Portfolio but not yet delivered, or
committed or anticipated to be purchased by a Portfolio. As an illustration, a Portfolio may use such techniques to hedge the stated value in US dollars of an investment in a yen-denominated security. In such
circumstances, for example, the Portfolio may purchase a foreign currency put option enabling it to sell a specified amount of yen for dollars at a specified price by a future date. To the extent the hedge is
successful, a loss in the value of the yen relative to the dollar will tend to be offset by an increase in the value of the put option. To offset, in whole or in part, the cost of acquiring such a put option, the
Portfolio may also sell a call option which, if exercised, requires it to sell a specified amount of yen for dollars at a specified price by a future date (a technique called a straddle). By selling such a call option
in this illustration, the Portfolio gives up the opportunity to profit without limit from increases in the relative value of the yen to the dollar. “Straddles” of the type that may be used by a Portfolio
are considered to constitute hedging transactions and are consistent with the policies described above. No Portfolio will attempt to hedge all of its foreign portfolio positions.
FORWARD FOREIGN
EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS.
Forward foreign exchange transactions are OTC contracts to purchase or sell a specified amount of a specified currency or multinational currency unit at a price and future date set at the
time of the contract. Spot foreign exchange transactions are similar but require current, rather than future, settlements
Portfolio will enter into foreign exchange transactions for purposes of hedging either a specific transaction or a portfolio position, or, with respect to certain Portfolios, to seek to
enhance returns. A Portfolio may enter into a foreign exchange transaction for purposes of hedging a specific transaction by, for example, purchasing a currency needed to settle a security transaction or selling a
currency in which the Portfolio has received or anticipates receiving a dividend or distribution. A Portfolio may enter into a foreign exchange transaction for purposes of hedging a portfolio position by selling
forward a currency in which a portfolio position of the Portfolio is denominated or by purchasing a currency in which the Portfolio anticipates acquiring a portfolio position in the near future. A Portfolio may also
hedge portfolio positions through currency swaps, which are transactions in which one currency is simultaneously bought for a second currency on a spot basis and sold for the second currency on a forward basis.
Forward foreign exchange transactions involve substantial currency risk, and also involve credit and liquidity risk.
CURRENCY FUTURES.
A Portfolio may also seek to enhance returns or hedge against the decline in the value of a currency against the US dollar through use of currency futures or options thereon. Currency
futures are similar to forward foreign exchange transactions except that futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts. See “Futures” above. Currency futures involve substantial currency risk, and
also involve leverage risk.
198
CURRENCY OPTIONS.
A Portfolio may also seek to enhance returns or hedge against the decline in the value of a currency against the US dollar through the use of currency options. Currency options are similar
to options on securities, but in consideration for an option premium the writer of a currency option is obligated to sell (in the case of a call option) or purchase (in the case of a put option) a specified amount of
a specified currency on or before the expiration date for a specified amount of another currency. A Portfolio may engage in transactions in options on currencies either on exchanges or OTC markets. See “Types of
Options” above and “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives” below. Currency options involve substantial currency risk, and may also involve credit,
leverage or liquidity risk.
LIMITATIONS ON
CURRENCY HEDGING.
Most Portfolios will not speculate in Currency Instruments although certain Portfolios may use such instruments to seek to enhance returns. Accordingly, except for portfolios managed by
PIMCO and PGIM, a Portfolio will not hedge a currency in excess of the aggregate market value of the securities that it owns (including receivables for unsettled securities sales), or has committed to or anticipates
purchasing, which are denominated in such currency. A Portfolio may, however, hedge a currency by entering into a transaction in a Currency Instrument denominated in a currency other than the currency being hedged (a
“cross-hedge”). A Portfolio will only enter into a cross-hedge if the Manager believes that (i) there is a demonstrable high correlation between the currency in which the cross-hedge is denominated and the
currency being hedged, and (ii) executing a cross-hedge through the currency in which the cross-hedge is denominated will be significantly more cost-effective or provide substantially greater liquidity than executing
a similar hedging transaction by means of the currency being hedged.
RISK FACTORS IN HEDGING FOREIGN
CURRENCY RISKS.
Hedging transactions involving Currency Instruments involve substantial risks, including correlation risk. While a Portfolio's use of Currency Instruments to effect hedging strategies is
intended to reduce the volatility of the net asset value of the Portfolio's shares, the net asset value of the Portfolio's shares will fluctuate. Moreover, although Currency Instruments will be used with the intention
of hedging against adverse currency movements, transactions in Currency Instruments involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted and that the Portfolio's hedging strategies
will be ineffective. To the extent that a Portfolio hedges against anticipated currency movements that do not occur, the Portfolio may realize losses and decrease its total return as the result of its hedging
transactions. Furthermore, a Portfolio may only engage in hedging activities from time to time and may not be engaging in hedging activities when movements in currency exchange rates occur.
In connection with its trading in
forward foreign currency contracts, a Portfolio will contract with a foreign or domestic bank, or foreign or domestic securities dealer, to make or take future delivery of a specified amount of a particular currency.
There are no limitations on daily price moves in such forward contracts, and banks and dealers are not required to continue to make markets in such contracts. There have been periods during which certain banks or
dealers have refused to quote prices for such forward contracts or have quoted prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which the bank or dealer is prepared to buy and that at which it is prepared to
sell. Governmental imposition of credit controls might limit any such forward contract trading. With respect to its trading of forward contracts, if any, a Portfolio will be subject to the risk of bank or dealer
failure and the inability of, or refusal by, a bank or dealer to perform with respect to such contracts. Any such default would deprive the Portfolio of any profit potential or force the Portfolio to cover its
commitments for resale, if any, at the then market price and could result in a loss to the Portfolio.
It may not be possible for a
Portfolio to hedge against currency exchange rate movements, even if correctly anticipated, in the event that (i) the currency exchange rate movement is so generally anticipated that the Portfolio is not able to enter
into a hedging transaction at an effective price, or (ii) the currency exchange rate movement relates to a market with respect to which Currency Instruments are not available and it is not possible to engage in
effective foreign currency hedging. The cost to a Portfolio of engaging in foreign currency transactions varies with such factors as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions
then prevailing. Since transactions in foreign currency exchange usually are conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.
RISK FACTORS IN
DERIVATIVES.
Derivatives are volatile and involve significant risks. In addition to the risks described in the Prospectus, the use of derivatives for hedging purposes involves correlation risk. If the
value of the derivative moves more or less than the value of the hedged instruments, a Portfolio will experience a gain or loss that will not be completely offset by movements in the value of the hedged
instruments.
A Portfolio intends to enter into
transactions involving derivatives only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market for such instruments or, in the case of illiquid instruments traded in OTC transactions, such instruments satisfy the criteria
set forth below under “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives.” However, there can be no assurance that, at any specific time, either a liquid secondary
market will exist for a derivative or the Portfolio will otherwise be able to sell such instrument at an acceptable price. It may therefore not be possible to close a position in a derivative without incurring
substantial losses, if at all.
199
FOREIGN INVESTMENT RISKS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in foreign equity and/or debt securities. Foreign debt securities include certain foreign bank obligations and US dollar or foreign currency-denominated
obligations of foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, international agencies and supranational entities.
Foreign Market Risk.
Portfolios that may invest in foreign securities offer the potential for more diversification than a Portfolio that invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign
markets have often (though not always) performed differently than securities in the United States. However, such investments involve special risks not present in US investments that can increase the chances that a
Portfolio will lose money. In particular, a Portfolio is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult
for the Portfolio to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States.
Foreign Economy Risk.
The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of
capital, resources, and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic
sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely
affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of
certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair a
Portfolio's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Portfolio's assets or income back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect a Portfolio's operations. Other foreign market risks
include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts, and political and social
instability. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries.
Currency Risk and Exchange
Risk.
Securities in which a Portfolio invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the US dollar. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of a
Portfolio's portfolio. Generally, when the US dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer US dollars. Conversely, when the
US dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more US dollars. This risk, generally known as “currency risk,”
means that a stronger US dollar will reduce returns for US investors while a weak US dollar will increase those returns.
Governmental Supervision and
Regulation/Accounting Standards.
Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors
comparable to the US securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic
information about that company. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as US
accounting standards, it may be harder for Portfolio management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition.
Certain Risks of Holding Portfolio
Assets Outside the United States.
A Portfolio generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to
the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on a Portfolio's ability to recover its assets if a
foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for a Portfolio to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the
United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount a Portfolio can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Portfolio as compared
to investment companies that invest only in the United States.
Settlement Risk.
Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve
certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of US investments. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be
unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these
problems may make it difficult for a Portfolio to carry out transactions. If a Portfolio cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of
its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If a Portfolio cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or,
if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Portfolio could be liable to that party for any losses incurred.
200
Dividends or interest on, or
proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thereby reducing the amount available for distribution to shareholders.
Certain
transactions in derivatives (such as futures transactions or sales of put options) involve substantial leverage risk and may expose a Portfolio to potential losses, which exceed the amount originally invested by the
Portfolio. When a Portfolio engages in such a transaction, the Portfolio will deposit in a segregated account at its custodian liquid securities with a value at least equal to the Portfolio's exposure, on a
mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). Such segregation will ensure that a Portfolio has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the
transaction, but will not limit the Portfolio's exposure to loss.
Additional Risk Factors of OTC
Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives.
Certain derivatives traded in OTC markets, including indexed securities, swaps and OTC options, involve substantial liquidity risk. The absence of liquidity may make it difficult or
impossible for a Portfolio to sell such instruments promptly at an acceptable price. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for a Portfolio to ascertain a market value for such instruments. A
Portfolio will, therefore, acquire illiquid OTC instruments (i) if the agreement pursuant to which the instrument is purchased contains a formula price at which the instrument may be terminated or sold, or (ii) for
which the Manager anticipates the Portfolio can receive on each business day at least two independent bids or offers, unless a quotation from only one dealer is available, in which case that dealer's quotation may be
used.
Because derivatives traded in OTC
markets are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation and generally do not require payment of margin, to the extent that a Portfolio has unrealized gains in such instruments or has deposited collateral
with its counterparty the Portfolio is at risk that its counterparty will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations. A Portfolio will attempt to minimize the risk that a counterparty will become
bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations by engaging in transactions in derivatives traded in OTC markets only with financial institutions that appear to have substantial capital or that have provided the
Portfolio with a third-party guaranty or other credit enhancement.
RECENT EVENTS IN EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES
. A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced
to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have
needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These
difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within and beyond Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may
result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse
effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, in June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to withdraw from the European Union (commonly referred to as “Brexit”),
and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the euro, the common currency of the European Union. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion,
is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching. Brexit may have a significant impact on the economies of the United Kingdom and Europe as well as the broader global economy, which may cause increased
volatility and illiquidity in global financial markets, and potentially lower economic growth in these and other markets. In addition, Brexit may cause other member states to contemplate withdrawing from the EU, which
would likely prolong political and economic instability in the region and cause additional market disruption. Whether or not a Portfolio invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure
to European issuers or countries, these events could result in losses to the Portfolio, as there may be negative effects on the value and liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments and/or the Portfolio's ability
to enter into certain transactions.
DISTRESSED
SECURITIES.
A Portfolio may invest in securities, including corporate loans purchased in the secondary market, which are the subject of bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise in default as to the
repayment of principal and/or interest at the time of acquisition by the Portfolio or are rated in the lower rating categories (Ca or lower by Moody's and CC or lower by S&P or Fitch) or which, if unrated, are in
the judgment of the Manager of equivalent quality (Distressed Securities). Investment in Distressed Securities is speculative and involves significant risks. Distressed Securities frequently do not produce income
while they are outstanding and may require a Portfolio to bear certain extraordinary expenses in order to protect and recover its investment.
A Portfolio will generally make
such investments only when the Manager believes it is reasonably likely that the issuer of the Distressed Securities will make an exchange offer or will be the subject of a plan of reorganization pursuant to which the
Portfolio will receive new securities. However, there can be no assurance that such an exchange offer will be made or that such a plan of reorganization will be adopted. In addition, a significant period of time may
pass between the time at which a Portfolio makes its investment in Distressed Securities and the time that any such exchange offer or plan of reorganization is completed. During this period, it is unlikely that a
Portfolio will receive any interest payments on the Distressed Securities, the Portfolio will be subject to significant uncertainty as to
201
whether or not the exchange offer or plan of
reorganization will be completed and the Portfolio may be required to bear certain extraordinary expenses to protect and recover its investment. Even if an exchange offer is made or plan of reorganization is adopted
with respect to Distressed Securities held by a Portfolio, there can be no assurance that the securities or other assets received by a Portfolio in connection with such exchange offer or plan of reorganization will
not have a lower value or income potential than may have been anticipated when the investment was made. Moreover, any securities received by a Portfolio upon completion of an exchange offer or plan of reorganization
may be restricted as to resale. As a result of a Portfolio's participation in negotiations with respect to any exchange offer or plan of reorganization with respect to an issuer of Distressed Securities, the Portfolio
may be restricted from disposing of such securities.
ILLIQUID OR RESTRICTED
SECURITIES.
Each Portfolio (other than the Government Money Market Portfolio) generally may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. The Government Money Market Portfolio may invest
up to 5% of its net assets in illiquid securities. An illiquid security is one that may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price used to determine the
Portfolio's net asset value. Illiquid securities include, but are not limited to, certain securities sold in private placements with restrictions on resale and not traded, repurchase agreements maturing in more than
seven days, and other investment determined not to be readily marketable. The 15% and 5% limits are applied as of the date a Portfolio purchases an illiquid security. It is possible that a Portfolio's holding of
illiquid securities could exceed the 15% limit (5% for the Government Money Market Portfolio), for example as a result of market developments or redemptions.
Each Portfolio may purchase certain
restricted securities that can be resold to institutional investors and which may be determined to be liquid pursuant to the procedures of the Portfolios. In many cases, those securities are traded in the
institutional market under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and are called Rule 144A securities. Securities determined to be liquid under these procedures are not subject to the 15% and 5% limits.
Investments in illiquid securities
involve more risks than investments in similar securities that are readily marketable. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid securities. Investment of a Portfolio's assets in
illiquid securities may restrict the ability of the Portfolio to dispose of its investments in a timely fashion and for a fair price as well as its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. The risks
associated with illiquidity will be particularly acute where a Portfolio's operations require cash, such as when a Portfolio has net redemptions, and could result in the Portfolio borrowing to meet short-term cash
requirements or incurring losses on the sale of illiquid investments.
Illiquid securities are often
restricted securities sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. In many cases, the privately placed
securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or due to contractual restrictions on resale. To the extent privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated
transactions, the prices realized from the sales could be less than those originally paid by the Portfolio or less than the fair value of the securities. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded
may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. If any privately placed securities held by a Portfolio are required to
be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, the Portfolio may be required to bear the expenses of registration. Private placement investments may involve investments in
smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risks than investments in more established companies. These issuers may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on
a limited management group. In making investments in private placement securities, a Portfolio may obtain access to material non-public information, which may restrict the Portfolio's ability to conduct transactions
in those securities.
In October 2016,
the SEC adopted a new rule that regulates the management of liquidity risk by certain investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, such as the Portfolios. The new rule may impact the Portfolios’
performance and ability to achieve their respective investment objectives. The Manager continues to evaluate the potential impact of this new rule, which has a compliance date of December 1, 2018 as it relates to the
Portfolios.
INVESTMENT IN EMERGING MARKETS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in the securities of issuers domiciled in various countries with emerging capital markets. Specifically, a country with an emerging capital market includes,
but is not necessarily limited to, any country that the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations or its authorities has determined to have a low or middle income economy. In addition, the
subadviser has broad discretion to identify or determine those countries that it considers to qualify as emerging markets. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern
Europe and Africa. Investments in emerging markets may be more susceptible to the risks associated with foreign investments.
Such capital markets are emerging
in a dynamic political and economic environment brought about by events over recent years that have reshaped political boundaries and traditional ideologies. In such a dynamic environment, there can be no assurance
that these capital markets will continue to present viable investment opportunities for a Portfolio. In the past, governments of such nations have
202
expropriated substantial amounts of private
property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that a Portfolio could lose the entire
value of its investments in the affected markets. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors.
Restrictions on Certain
Investments.
A number of publicly traded closed-end investment companies have been organized to facilitate indirect foreign investment in developing countries, and certain of such countries, such as
Thailand, South Korea, Chile and Brazil have specifically authorized such Portfolios. There also are investment opportunities in certain of such countries in pooled vehicles that resemble open-end investment
companies. In accordance with the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of other investment companies, not more than 5% of which may be invested in any one such company. In
addition, under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may not own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any investment company. These restrictions on investments in securities of investment companies may limit
opportunities for a Portfolio to invest indirectly in certain developing countries. New shares of certain investment companies may at times be acquired only at market prices representing premiums to their net asset
values. If a Portfolio acquires shares of other investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses of the Portfolio (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the
expenses of such other investment companies. See also “Investments in Other Investment Companies.”
Restrictions on Foreign Investments
in Asia-Pacific Countries.
Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as a
Portfolio. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the
investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. There can
be no assurance that a Portfolio will be able to obtain required governmental approvals in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to a Portfolio's purchase
of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.
The manner in which foreign
investors may invest in companies in certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of a Portfolio. For example, a Portfolio
may be required in certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Portfolio. Re-registration may in some
instances not be able to occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which a Portfolio may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain
corporate actions. There also may be instances where a Portfolio places a purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign
investors has been filled, depriving the Portfolio of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.
Substantial limitations may exist
in certain countries with respect to a Portfolio's ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. A Portfolio could be adversely affected by delays in, or
a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Portfolio of any restrictions on investments. For example, in September 1998, Malaysia imposed
currency controls that limited a Portfolio's ability to repatriate proceeds of Malaysian investments. It is possible that Malaysia, or certain other countries may impose similar restrictions or other restrictions
relating to their currencies or to securities of issuers in those countries. To the extent that such restrictions have the effect of making certain investments illiquid, securities may not be available to meet
redemptions. Depending on a variety of financial factors, the percentage of a Portfolio's portfolio subject to currency controls may increase. In the event other countries impose similar controls, the portion of the
Portfolio's assets that may be used to meet redemptions may be further decreased. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the
operations of a Portfolio. For example, investments may be withdrawn from the People's Republic of China only in US or Hong Kong dollars and only at an exchange rate established by the government once each week. In
certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities. The 1940 Act restricts a Portfolio's investments in any equity securities of an issuer
that, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may restrict a Portfolio's investments
in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.
Risk of Investing through Stock
Connect.
China A-shares (“A-shares”) are equity securities of companies based in mainland China that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange
(“SSE”) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”). Foreign investment in A-shares on the SSE and SZSE has historically not been permitted, other than through a license granted under regulations
in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) known as the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor and Renminbi (“RMB”) Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor systems. Each license permits
investment in A-shares only up to a specified quota.
203
Investment in eligible A-shares
listed and traded on the SSE is also permitted through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (“Stock Connect”). Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing program established by Hong Kong
Securities Clearing Company Limited (“HKSCC”), the SSE and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited (“CSDCC”) that aims to provide mutual stock market access between the PRC
and Hong Kong by permitting investors to trade and settle shares on each market through their local exchanges. Certain Portfolios may invest in A-shares through Stock Connect or on such other stock exchanges in China
which participate in Stock Connect from time to time. Under Stock Connect, the Portfolio’s trading of eligible A-shares listed on the SSE would be effectuated through its Hong Kong broker.
Although no individual investment
quotas or licensing requirements apply to investors in Stock Connect, trading through Stock Connect’s Northbound Trading Link is subject to aggregate and daily investment quota limitations that require that buy
orders for A-shares be rejected once the remaining balance of the relevant quota drops to zero or the daily quota is exceeded (although the Portfolio will be permitted to sell A-shares regardless of the quota
balance). These limitations may restrict the Portfolio from investing in A-shares on a timely basis, which could affect the Portfolio’s ability to effectively pursue its investment strategy. Investment quotas
are also subject to change.
Investment in eligible A-shares
through Stock Connect is subject to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that could pose risks to the Portfolio. A-shares purchased through Stock Connect generally may not be sold or otherwise transferred
other than through Stock Connect in accordance with applicable rules. For example, PRC regulations require that in order for an investor to sell any A-shares on a certain trading day, there must be sufficient A-shares
in the investor’s account before the market opens on that day. If there are insufficient A-shares in the investor’s account, the sell order will be rejected by the SSE. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong
(“SEHK”) carries out pre-trade checking on sell orders of certain stocks listed on the SSE market (“SSE Securities”) of its participants (i.e., stock brokers) to ensure that this requirement is
satisfied. While shares must be designated as eligible to be traded under Stock Connect, those shares may also lose such designation, and if this occurs, such shares may be sold but cannot be purchased through Stock
Connect. In addition, Stock Connect will only operate on days when both the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore,
an investment in A-shares through Stock Connect may subject the Portfolio to a risk of price fluctuations on days where the Chinese market is open, but Stock Connect is not trading. Moreover, day (turnaround) trading
is not permitted on the A-shares market. If an investor buys A-shares on day “T,” the investor will only be able to sell the A-shares on or after day T+1. Further, since all trades of eligible Stock
Connect A-shares must be settled in RMB, investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of offshore RMB, which cannot be guaranteed.
A-shares held through the nominee
structure under Stock Connect will be held through HKSCC as nominee on behalf of investors. The precise nature and rights of the Portfolio as the beneficial owner of the SSE Securities through HKSCC as nominee is not
well defined under PRC law. There is lack of a clear definition of, and distinction between, legal ownership and beneficial ownership under PRC law and there have been few cases involving a nominee account structure
in the PRC courts. The exact nature and methods of enforcement of the rights and interests of the Portfolio under PRC law is also uncertain. In the unlikely event that HKSCC becomes subject to winding up proceedings
in Hong Kong there is a risk that the SSE Securities may not be regarded as held for the beneficial ownership of the Portfolio or as part of the general assets of HKSCC available for general distribution to its
creditors. Notwithstanding the fact that HKSCC does not claim proprietary interests in the SSE Securities held in its omnibus stock account in the CSDCC, the CSDCC as the share registrar for SSE listed companies will
still treat HKSCC as one of the shareholders when it handles corporate actions in respect of such SSE Securities. HKSCC monitors the corporate actions affecting SSE Securities and keeps participants of Central
Clearing and Settlement System (“CCASS”) informed of all such corporate actions that require CCASS participants to take steps in order to participate in them. Investors may only exercise their voting
rights by providing their voting instructions to the HKSCC through participants of the CCASS. All voting instructions from CCASS participants will be consolidated by HKSCC, who will then submit a combined single
voting instruction to the relevant SSE-listed company.
The Portfolio’s investments
through Stock Connect’s Northbound Trading Link are not covered by Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Portfolio. Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Portfolio is established to pay compensation to
investors of any nationality who suffer pecuniary losses as a result of default of a licensed intermediary or authorized financial institution in relation to exchange-traded products in Hong Kong. In addition, since
the Portfolio is carrying out Northbound trading through securities brokers in Hong Kong but not PRC brokers, it is not protected by the China Securities Investor Protection Portfolio in the PRC.
Market participants are able to
participate in Stock Connect subject to meeting certain information technology capability, risk management and other requirements as may be specified by the relevant exchange and/or clearing house. Further, the
“connectivity” in Stock Connect requires the routing of orders across the border of Hong Kong and the PRC. This requires the development of new information technology systems on the part of the SEHK and
exchange participants. There is no assurance that these systems will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets. In the event that the relevant systems fail to
function properly, trading in A-shares through Stock Connect could be disrupted.
204
Stock Connect launched on
November 17, 2014 and is in its initial stages. The current regulations are untested and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied or interpreted going forward. In addition, the current regulations are
subject to change and there can be no assurance that Stock Connect will not be discontinued. New regulations may be issued from time to time by the regulators and stock exchanges in PRC and Hong Kong in connection
with operations, legal enforcement and cross-border trades under Stock Connect. The Portfolio may be adversely affected as a result of such changes. Furthermore, the securities regimes and legal systems of PRC and
Hong Kong differ significantly and issues may arise based on these differences. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in both markets through Stock Connect could be disrupted
and the Portfolio’s ability to achieve its investment objective may be adversely affected. In addition, the Portfolio’s investments in A-shares through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese
securities regulations and listing rules, among other restrictions. Further, different fees, costs and taxes are imposed on foreign investors acquiring A-shares obtained through Stock Connect, and these fees, costs
and taxes may be higher than comparable fees, costs and taxes imposed on owners of other securities providing similar investment exposure.
A-Share Market Suspension
Risk.
A-shares may only be bought from, or sold to, the Portfolio at times when the relevant A-shares may be sold or purchased on the relevant Chinese stock exchange. The A-shares market has
historically had a higher propensity for trading suspensions than many other global equity markets. Trading suspensions in certain stocks could lead to greater market execution risk and costs for the Portfolio. The
SSE currently applies a daily price limit, set at 10%, of the amount of fluctuation permitted in the prices of A-shares during a single trading day. The daily price limit refers to price movements only and does not
restrict trading within the relevant limit. There can be no assurance that a liquid market on an exchange will exist for any particular A-share or for any particular time.
INVESTMENT IN OTHER INVESTMENT
COMPANIES.
Each Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds. In accordance with the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in
securities of other investment companies. In addition, under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may not own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any investment company and not more than 5% of the value of the
Portfolio's total assets may be invested in securities of any investment company. (These limits do not restrict a Feeder Fund from investing all of its assets in shares of its Master Portfolio).
Notwithstanding
the limits discussed above, a Portfolio may invest in other investment companies without regard to the limits set forth above, provided that the Portfolio complies with Rules 12d1-1, 12d1-2 and 12d1-3 promulgated by
the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act or otherwise permitted by exemptive order, SEC releases, no-action letters or similar interpretation. As with other investments, investments in other
investment companies are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Portfolio acquires shares in investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Portfolio
(including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such investment companies (including management and advisory fees). Investments by a money Portfolio in wholly-owned investment companies
created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed an investment in other investment companies.
JUNK BONDS.
Junk bonds are debt securities that are rated below investment grade by the major rating agencies or are unrated securities that the subadviser believes are of comparable quality. Although
junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, they are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for a Portfolio. The major risks in junk bond investments
include the following:
| ■ | Junk bonds are issued by less credit worthy companies. These securities are vulnerable to adverse changes in the issuer's industry and to general economic conditions. Issuers of junk bonds may be unable to meet their interest or principal payment obligations because of an economic downturn, specific issuer developments or the unavailability of additional financing. |
| ■ | The issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. If the issuer experiences financial stress, it may be unable to meet its debt obligations. The issuer's ability to pay its debt obligations also may be lessened by specific issuer developments, or the unavailability of additional financing. |
| ■ | Junk bonds are frequently ranked junior to claims by other creditors. If the issuer cannot meet its obligations, the senior obligations are generally paid off before the junior obligations. |
| ■ | Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Portfolio before it matures. If an issuer redeems the junk bonds, a Portfolio may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income. |
| ■ | Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Negative economic developments may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on other higher rated fixed income securities. |
| ■ | Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed income securities even under normal economic conditions. There are fewer dealers in the junk bond market, and there may be significant differences in the prices quoted for junk bonds by the dealers. Because they are less liquid, judgment may play a greater role in valuing certain of a Portfolio's portfolio securities than in the case of securities trading in a more liquid market. |
| ■ | A Portfolio may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. |
205
LIQUIDATION OF PORTFOLIOS.
Each Portfolio reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time, to merge or reorganize itself, or to cease operations and liquidate at any time.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in money market instruments. Money market instruments include cash equivalents and short-term obligations of US banks, certificates of deposit, short-term
obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies. Money market instruments also include bankers' acceptances, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and Eurodollar obligations issued or
guaranteed by bank holding companies in the US, their subsidiaries and foreign branches, by foreign banking institutions, and by the World Bank and other multinational instrumentalities, as well as commercial paper
and other short-term obligations of, and variable amount master demand notes, variable rate notes and similar agreements issued by, US and foreign corporations.
MONEY MARKET FUND REFORM.
In July 2014, the SEC adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. Rule 2a-7 imposes quality, liquidity and other requirements on any registered mutual fund that holds itself out to
the public as a money market fund. The Government Money Market Portfolio is subject to Rule 2a-7. Compliance with the various provisions of the amendments took effect over the course of 2015 and 2016. The new
regulations impact money market funds differently depending upon the types of investors that will be permitted to invest in a fund, and the types of securities in which a fund may invest.
“Retail” money market
funds have policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit their beneficial owners to natural persons. All other money market funds are considered to be “institutional” money market funds. Retail and
institutional money market funds are further classified by their investments. “Prime” money market funds are permitted to invest primarily in corporate or other non-government securities, “US
government” money market funds are required to invest a very high percentage of their assets in US government securities and “municipal” money market funds are required to invest significantly in
municipal securities.
Under the revised rule,
institutional prime money market funds and institutional municipal money market funds are required to value their portfolio securities using market-based factors, and sell and redeem shares at prices based on a
floating net asset value. A floating net asset value is calculated by rounding to the fourth decimal place in the case of a money market fund with a $1.0000 share price. Retail money market funds and institutional US
government money market funds are not subject to the floating net asset value requirement.
Under the revised rule, any type of
money market fund is permitted to impose a discretionary liquidity fee of up to 2% on redemptions or temporarily suspend redemptions (also known as “gate”) if the money market fund’s weekly liquid
assets (as defined in Rule 2a-7) fall below 30% of the fund’s total assets and the money market fund’s board of trustees determines that the fee or gate is in the fund’s best interests. Once imposed,
a discretionary liquidity fee or redemption gate will remain in effect until the fund’s board of trustees determines that the fee or gate is no longer in the fund’s best interests or the next business day
after the fund’s weekly liquid assets return to 30% of the fund’s total assets, whichever occurs first. Regardless, the redemption gate is required to be lifted no later than the 10th business day after
the gate is imposed, and a money market fund may not impose a redemption gate for more than 10 business days in any rolling 90-calendar day period.
Under the revised rule, any type of
money market fund (except for US government money market funds) is required to impose a liquidity fee of 1% on all redemptions if the money market fund’s weekly liquid assets (as defined in Rule 2a-7) fall below
10% of the fund’s total assets, unless the fund’s board of trustees determines that the fee is not in the fund’s best interests, or that a lower or higher (up to 2%) liquidity fee is in the
fund’s best interests.
Other requirements of the revised
rule include enhanced website disclosure obligations, the adoption of a new form for disclosure of certain material events (such as the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates), stronger diversification
requirements and enhanced stress testing.
Pursuant to investment policy
changes approved by the Board, effective September 12, 2016, the Government Money Market Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Money Market Portfolio) is managed as a US government money market fund under Rule 2a-7,
which means that it invests at least 99.5% or more of its assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized with cash or other government securities. At the
election of the Board, the Government Money Market Portfolio is not subject to a liquidity fee and/or a redemption gate on redemptions, which might apply to other types of money market funds should certain triggering
events specified in Rule 2a-7 occur. However, the Board reserves the right, with notice to shareholders, to change the policy with respect to liquidity fees and/or redemption gates, thereby permitting the
Portfolio to impose such fees and gates in the future.
MORTGAGE-BACKED
SECURITIES.
Investing in mortgage-backed securities involves certain unique risks in addition to those generally associated with investing in fixed income securities and in the real estate industry in
general. These unique risks include the failure of a party to meet its commitments under the related operative documents, adverse interest rate changes and the effects of prepayments on mortgage cash flows.
Mortgage-backed securities are “pass-through” securities, meaning that principal and interest payments made by
206
the borrower on the underlying mortgages are passed
through to a Portfolio. The value of mortgage-backed securities, like that of traditional fixed income securities, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However,
mortgage-backed securities differ from traditional fixed income securities because of their potential for prepayment without penalty. The price paid by a Portfolio for its mortgage-backed securities, the yield the
Portfolio expects to receive from such securities and the average life of the securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying mortgages. In a period of
declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay the underlying mortgages more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the mortgage-backed securities. Moreover, when a
Portfolio reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid.
To the extent that a Portfolio
purchases mortgage-backed securities at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and principal prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If a Portfolio buys such securities at a discount, both
scheduled payments of principal and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and will accelerate the recognition of income which, when distributed to shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary
income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying mortgages may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change a security
that was considered short or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a long-term security. Since long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term
securities, maturity extension risk could increase the inherent volatility of the Portfolio. Under certain interest rate and prepayment scenarios, a Portfolio may fail to recoup fully its investment in mortgage-backed
securities notwithstanding any direct or indirect governmental or agency guarantee.
Most mortgage-backed securities are
issued by Federal government agencies such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), or by government sponsored enterprises such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) or the
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). Principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities issued by the Federal government and some Federal government agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, are
guaranteed by the Federal government and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Mortgage-backed securities issued by other government agencies or government sponsored enterprises, such as Freddie
Mac or Fannie Mae, are backed only by the credit of the government agency or enterprise and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. While certain mortgage-related securities receive
government or private support, there is no assurance that such support will remain in place in the future. Additionally, mortgage-backed securities issued by government agencies or sponsored enterprises like Freddie
Mac or Fannie Mae generally have very little credit risk, but may be subject to substantial interest rate risks. Private mortgage-backed securities are issued by private corporations rather than government agencies
and are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Some mortgage-backed securities, including those issued by government agencies and government-sponsored enterprises, may be based on pools of loans that are
originated by an affiliate of the Manager.
In September 2008, the US Treasury
placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under conservatorship and appointed the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to manage their daily operations. In addition, the US Treasury entered into purchase agreements with
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to provide them with capital in exchange for senior preferred stock. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae.
Participation certificates representing interests in mortgages from Freddie Mac’s national portfolio are guaranteed as to the timely payment of interest and principal by Freddie Mac. Private, government, or
government-related entities may create mortgage loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to those described above. The mortgages underlying these securities may be alternative mortgage instruments
(that is, mortgage instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms to maturity may be shorter than customary).
MUNICIPAL SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may, from time to time, invest in municipal bonds including general obligation and revenue bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its
faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest, whereas revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the
proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. A Portfolio may also invest in municipal notes including tax, revenue and bond anticipation notes which are issued to obtain Portfolios for various public
purposes.
Municipal securities include notes
and bonds issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities and the District of Columbia, the interest on which is
generally eligible for exclusion from federal income tax and, in certain instances, applicable state or local income and personal property taxes. Such securities are traded primarily in the over-the-counter market.
The interest rates payable on
certain municipal bonds and municipal notes are not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. Municipal bonds and notes of this type are called “variable rate” obligations. The interest
rate payable on a variable rate obligation is adjusted either at predesignated intervals or whenever there is a change in the market rate of interest on which the interest rate payable is based. Other features may
include the right whereby a Portfolio may demand prepayment of the principal amount of the obligation prior to its stated maturity (a demand feature) and the right of the issuer to prepay the principal amount prior to
maturity. The
207
principal benefit of a variable rate obligation is
that the interest rate adjustment minimizes changes in the market value of the obligation. As a result, the purchase of variable rate obligations should enhance the ability of a Portfolio to maintain a stable NAV per
share and to sell an obligation prior to maturity at a price approximating the full principal amount of the obligation.
Variable or floating rate
securities include participation interests therein and inverse floaters. Floating rate securities normally have a rate of interest that is set as a specific percentage of a designated base rate, such as the rate on
Treasury Bonds or Bills. The interest rate on floating rate securities changes whenever there is a change in the designated base interest rate. Variable rate securities provide for a specific periodic adjustment in
the interest rate based on prevailing market rates and generally would allow a Portfolio to demand payment of the obligation on short notice at par plus accrued interest, which amount may, at times, be more or less
than the amount the Portfolio paid for them. Some floating rate and variable rate securities have maturities longer than 397 calendar days but afford the holder the right to demand payment at dates earlier than the
final maturity date. Such floating rate and variable rate securities will be treated as having maturities equal to the demand date or the period of adjustment of the interest rate whichever is longer.
An inverse floater is a debt
instrument with a floating or variable interest rate that moves in the opposite direction of the interest rate on another security or the value of an index. Changes in the interest rate on the other security or index
inversely affect the residual interest rate paid on the inverse floater, with the result that the inverse floater's price will be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed rate bond. Generally, income from
inverse floating rate bonds will decrease when short-term interest rates increase, and will increase when short-term interest rates decrease. Such securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment
leverage, since they may increase or decrease in value in response to changes, as an illustration, in market interest rates at a rate that is a multiple (typically two) of the rate at which fixed-rate, long-term,
tax-exempt securities increase or decrease in response to such changes. As a result, the market values of such securities generally will be more volatile than the market values of fixed-rate tax-exempt securities.
While inverse floaters may expose a Portfolio to leverage risk, they do not constitute borrowings for purposes of a Portfolio's restrictions on borrowings. For additional information relating to inverse floaters,
please see “Indexed and Inverse Securities.”
REAL ESTATE RELATED SECURITIES.
Although no Portfolio may invest directly in real estate, certain Portfolios may invest in equity securities of issuers that are principally engaged in the real estate industry. Therefore,
an investment in such a Portfolio is subject to certain risks associated with the ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the
value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage Portfolios or other limitations on access to capital; overbuilding; risks associated with leverage;
market illiquidity; extended vacancies of properties; increase in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws or other governmental regulation; costs resulting
from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting from, environmental problems; tenant bankruptcies or other credit problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods,
earthquakes or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents, including decreases in market rates for rents; investment in developments that are not completed or that are subject to delays in
completion; and changes in interest rates. To the extent that assets underlying a Portfolio's investments are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, the Portfolio may be subject to
certain of the foregoing risks to a greater extent. Investments by a Portfolio in securities of companies providing mortgage servicing will be subject to the risks associated with refinancings and their impact on
servicing rights. In addition, if a Portfolio receives rental income or income from the disposition of real property acquired as a result of a default on securities the Portfolio owns, the receipt of such income may
adversely affect the Portfolio's ability to retain its tax status as a regulated investment company because of certain income source requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
(REITS).
Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the
value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified geographically or by
property type, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. REITs must also meet certain requirements under the Code to avoid entity level tax and be eligible to
pass-through certain tax attributes of their income to shareholders. REITs are consequently subject to the risk of failing to meet these requirements for favorable tax treatment and of failing to maintain their
exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. REITs are also subject to the risks of changes in the Code, affecting their tax status.
REITs (especially mortgage REITs)
are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT's investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT's
investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT's investments in such loans will gradually
align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate
obligations.
208
Investing in certain REITs involves
risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. These REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt
or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as these REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P
500 Index. The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may
own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which the REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may incur significant amounts of leverage.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.
A Portfolio may invest in securities pursuant to repurchase agreements. A Portfolio will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties meeting creditworthiness standards as set forth
in the Portfolio's repurchase agreement procedures.
Under such agreements, the other
party agrees, upon entering into the contract with a Portfolio, to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed-upon time and price in a specified currency, thereby determining the yield during the term of the
agreement. This results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such period, although such return may be affected by currency fluctuations. In the case of repurchase agreements, the prices
at which the trades are conducted do not reflect accrued interest on the underlying obligation. Such agreements usually cover short periods, such as under one week. Repurchase agreements may be construed to be
collateralized loans by the purchaser to the seller secured by the securities transferred to the purchaser.
In the case of a repurchase
agreement, as a purchaser, a Portfolio will require all repurchase agreements to be fully collateralized at all times by cash or other liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the resale price. The seller is
required to provide additional collateral if the market value of the securities falls below the repurchase price at any time during the term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of default by the seller under a
repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the Portfolio but only constitute collateral for the seller's obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore,
the Portfolio may suffer time delays and incur costs or possible losses in connection with disposition of the collateral.
A Portfolio may participate in a
joint repurchase agreement account with other investment companies managed by PGIM Investments pursuant to an order of the SEC. On a daily basis, any uninvested cash balances of the Portfolio may be aggregated with
those of such investment companies and invested in one or more repurchase agreements. Each Portfolio participates in the income earned or accrued in the joint account based on the percentage of its investment.
DOLLAR ROLLS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into dollar rolls. In a dollar roll, a Portfolio sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially
similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date from the same party. During the roll period, a Portfolio foregoes principal and interest paid on the securities. A Portfolio is compensated by the
difference between the current sale price and the forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the drop) as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The Portfolio will
establish a segregated account in which it will maintain cash or other liquid assets, marked to market daily, having a value equal to its obligations in respect of dollar rolls.
Dollar rolls involve the risk that
the market value of the securities retained by the Portfolio may decline below the price of the securities, the Portfolio has sold but is obligated to repurchase under the agreement. In the event the buyer of
securities under a dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Portfolio's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver,
whether to enforce the Portfolio's obligation to repurchase the securities. Cash proceeds from dollar rolls may be invested in cash or other liquid assets.
SECURITIES LENDING.
Unless otherwise noted, the Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions subject to applicable regulatory requirements and guidance,
including the requirements that: (1) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33 1/3% of the total assets of the Portfolio; (2) the borrower pledge and maintain with the Portfolio
collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government having at all times a value of not less than 100% of the value of the securities lent; and (3)
the loan be made subject to termination by the Portfolio at any time. Goldman Sachs Bank USA d/b/a Goldman Sachs Agency Lending (GSAL) serves as securities lending agent for the Portfolio, and in that role administers
the Portfolio’s securities lending program. As compensation for these services, GSAL receives a portion of any amounts earned by the Portfolio through lending securities.
The Portfolio may invest the cash
collateral and/or it may receive a fee from the borrower. To the extent that cash collateral is invested, it will be invested in an affiliated prime money market fund and will be subject to market depreciation or
appreciation. The Portfolio will be responsible for any loss that results from this investment of collateral.
209
On termination of the loan, the
borrower is required to return the securities to the Portfolio, and any gain or loss in the market price during the loan would inure to the Portfolio. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the
securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, the Portfolio could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. In such situations, the Portfolio may
sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement
investment is purchased.
During the time portfolio
securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Portfolio an amount equivalent to any dividend or interest paid on such securities. Voting or consent rights which accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower.
However, all loans may be terminated at any time to facilitate the exercise of voting or other consent rights with respect to matters considered to be material. The Portfolio bears the risk that there may be a delay
in the return of the securities which may impair the Portfolio’s ability to exercise such rights.
SECURITIES OF SMALLER OR EMERGING
GROWTH COMPANIES.
Investment in smaller or emerging growth companies involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in more established companies. The securities of smaller or
emerging growth companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established companies or the market average in general. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or
financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group.
While smaller or
emerging growth company issuers may offer greater opportunities for capital appreciation than large cap issuers, investments in smaller or emerging growth companies may involve greater risks and thus may be considered
speculative. The Manager believes that properly selected companies of this type have the potential to increase their earnings or market valuation at a rate substantially in excess of the general growth of the economy.
Full development of these companies and trends frequently takes time.
Small cap and emerging growth
securities will often be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. As a
result, the disposition by a Portfolio of portfolio securities to meet redemptions or otherwise may require a Portfolio to make many small sales over a lengthy period of time, or to sell these securities at a discount
from market prices or during periods when, in the Manager’s judgment, such disposition is not desirable.
While the process of selection and
continuous supervision by the Manager does not, of course, guarantee successful investment results, it does provide access to an asset class not available to the average individual due to the time and cost involved.
Careful initial selection is particularly important in this area as many new enterprises have promise but lack certain of the factors necessary to prosper. Investing in small cap and emerging growth companies requires
specialized research and analysis. In addition, many investors cannot invest sufficient assets in such companies to provide wide diversification.
Small companies are generally
little known to most individual investors although some may be dominant in their respective industries. The Manager believes that relatively small companies will continue to have the opportunity to develop into
significant business enterprises. A Portfolio may invest in securities of small issuers in the relatively early stages of business development that have a new technology, a unique or proprietary product or service, or
a favorable market position. Such companies may not be counted upon to develop into major industrial companies, but Portfolio management believes that eventual recognition of their special value characteristics by the
investment community can provide above-average long-term growth to the portfolio.
Equity securities of specific small
cap issuers may present different opportunities for long-term capital appreciation during varying portions of economic or securities markets cycles, as well as during varying stages of their business development. The
market valuation of small cap issuers tends to fluctuate during economic or market cycles, presenting attractive investment opportunities at various points during these cycles.
Smaller companies, due to the size
and kinds of markets that they serve, may be less susceptible than large companies to intervention from the Federal government by means of price controls, regulations or litigation.
SHORT SALES AND
SHORT SALES AGAINST-THE-BOX.
Certain Portfolios may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the
Portfolio does not own declines in value. When a Portfolio makes a short sale, it borrows the security sold short and delivers it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. A Portfolio may have to pay
a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to turn over any payments received on such borrowed securities to the lender of the securities. The Portfolio may not be able to limit any losses resulting
from share price volatility if the security indefinitely continues to increase in value at such specified time.
210
A Portfolio
secures its obligation to replace the borrowed security by depositing collateral with the broker-dealer, usually in cash, US Government securities or other liquid securities similar to those borrowed. With respect to
the uncovered short positions, a Portfolio is required to (1) deposit similar collateral with its custodian or otherwise segregate collateral on its records, to the extent that the value of the collateral in the
aggregate is at all times equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the security sold short, or (2) a Portfolio must otherwise cover its short position. Depending on arrangements made with the
broker-dealer from which the Portfolio borrowed the security, regarding payment over of any payments received by a Portfolio on such security, a Portfolio may not receive any payments (including interest) on its
collateral deposited with such broker-dealer. Because making short sales in securities that it does not own exposes a Portfolio to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative
exposure risk. As a result, if a Portfolio makes short sales in securities that increase in value, it will likely underperform similar mutual Portfolios that do not make short sales in securities they do not own. A
Portfolio will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Portfolio replaces the borrowed security. A Portfolio will
realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at an acceptable price.
Although a Portfolio's gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is limited only by the maximum attainable price of the security, less the price at which the security was
sold and may, theoretically, be unlimited.
Certain Portfolios may also make
short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box is a short sale in which a Portfolio owns an equal amount of the securities sold short, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, with or without payment
of any further consideration, such securities. However, if further consideration is required in connection with the conversion or exchange, cash or other liquid assets, in an amount equal to such consideration must be
segregated on a Portfolio's records or with its Custodian.
SOVEREIGN DEBT.
Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal
and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its
cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the
government entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a government entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from
foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements
may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic
performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend Portfolios to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or
willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt. Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to
extend further loans to government entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.
STANDBY COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS.
A Portfolio may enter into standby commitment agreements. These agreements commit a Portfolio, for a stated period of time, to purchase a stated amount of securities that may be issued and
sold to that Portfolio at the option of the issuer. The price of the security is fixed at the time of the commitment. At the time of entering into the agreement the Portfolio is paid a commitment fee, regardless of
whether or not the security is ultimately issued. A Portfolio will enter into such agreements for the purpose of investing in the security underlying the commitment at a price that is considered advantageous to the
Portfolio. A Portfolio will limit its investment in such commitments so that the aggregate purchase price of securities subject to such commitments, together with the value of portfolio securities subject to legal
restrictions on resale that affect their marketability, will not exceed 15% of its net assets taken at the time of the commitment. A Portfolio segregates liquid assets in an aggregate amount equal to the purchase
price of the securities underlying the commitment. There can be no assurance that the securities subject to a standby commitment will be issued, and the value of the security, if issued, on the delivery date may be
more or less than its purchase price. Since the issuance of the security underlying the commitment is at the option of the issuer, the Portfolio may bear the risk of a decline in the value of such security and may not
benefit from any appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period. The purchase of a security subject to a standby commitment agreement and the related commitment fee will be recorded on the date
on which the security can reasonably be expected to be issued, and the value of the security thereafter will be reflected in the calculation of a Portfolio's net asset value. The cost basis of the security will be
adjusted by the amount of the commitment fee. In the event the security is not issued, the commitment fee will be recorded as income on the expiration date of the standby commitment.
STRIPPED SECURITIES.
Stripped securities are created when the issuer separates the interest and principal components of an instrument and sells them as separate securities. In general, one security is entitled
to receive the interest payments on the underlying assets (the interest only or “IO” security) and the other to receive the principal payments (the principal only or “PO” security). Some
stripped securities may receive a combination of interest and principal payments. The yields to maturity on IOs and POs are sensitive to the expected or anticipated rate of principal payments (including prepayments)
on the related underlying assets, and principal payments
211
may have a material effect on yield to maturity. If
the underlying assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Portfolio may not fully recoup its initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the underlying assets experience less than anticipated
prepayments of principal, the yield on POs could be adversely affected. Stripped securities may be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and rates of prepayment.
STRUCTURED NOTES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in structured notes. The values of the structured notes in which a Portfolio will invest may be linked to equity securities or equity indices or other
instruments or indices (reference instruments). These notes differ from other types of debt securities in several respects. The interest rate or principal amount payable at maturity may vary based on changes in the
value of the equity security, instrument, or index. A structured note may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, its value or interest rate may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument
increases. Similarly, its value may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument decreases. Further, the change in the principal amount payable with respect to, or the interest rate of, a structured
note may be a multiple of the percentage change (positive or negative) in the value of the underlying reference instrument(s).
Investments in structured notes
involve certain risks, including the credit risk of the issuer and the normal risks of price changes in response to changes in interest rates. Further, in the case of certain structured notes, a decline or increase in
the value of the reference instrument may cause the interest rate to be reduced to zero, and any further declines or increases in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. The
percentage by which the value of the structured note decreases may be far greater than the percentage by which the value of the reference instrument increases or decreases. Finally, these securities may be less liquid
than other types of securities, and may be more volatile than their underlying reference instruments.
SUPRANATIONAL ENTITIES.
A Portfolio may invest in debt securities of supranational entities. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the European Steel and
Coal Community, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The government members, or “stockholders,” usually make initial capital contributions to the supranational entity and in
many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the supranational entity is unable to repay its borrowings.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGY AND
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS.
Each Portfolio may temporarily invest without limit in money market instruments, including commercial paper of US corporations, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and other
obligations of domestic banks, and obligations issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or its instrumentalities, as part of a temporary defensive strategy or to maintain liquidity to meet redemptions.
Money market instruments typically have a maturity of one year or less as measured from the date of purchase.
A Portfolio also may temporarily
hold cash or invest in money market instruments pending investment of proceeds from new sales of Portfolio shares or during periods of portfolio restructuring.
WARRANTS AND RIGHTS.
Warrants and rights are securities permitting, but not obligating, the warrant holder to subscribe for other securities. Buying a warrant does not make a Portfolio a shareholder of the
underlying stock. The warrant holder has no right to dividends or votes on the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more
speculative than other equity-based investments.
WHEN ISSUED SECURITIES, DELAYED
DELIVERY SECURITIES AND FORWARD COMMITMENTS.
A Portfolio may purchase or sell securities that it is entitled to receive on a when issued basis. A Portfolio may also purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery basis or through a
forward commitment. These transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities by a Portfolio at an established price with payment and delivery taking place in the future. A Portfolio enters into these transactions
to obtain what is considered an advantageous price to the Portfolio at the time of entering into the transaction. No Portfolio has established any limit on the percentage of its assets that may be committed in
connection with these transactions. When a Portfolio purchases securities in these transactions, the Portfolio segregates liquid securities in an amount equal to the amount of its purchase commitments.
There can be no assurance that a
security purchased on a when issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold through a forward commitment will be delivered. The value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be
more or less than the Portfolio's purchase price. The Portfolio may bear the risk of a decline in the value of the security in these transactions and may not benefit from an appreciation in the value of the security
during the commitment period.
US GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in adjustable rate and fixed rate US Government securities. US Government securities are instruments issued or guaranteed by the US Treasury or by an agency
or instrumentality of the US Government. US Government guarantees do not extend to the yield or value of the securities or a Portfolio's shares. Not all US Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit
of the United States. Some are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency.
212
US Treasury securities include
bills, notes, bonds and other debt securities issued by the US Treasury. These instruments are direct obligations of the US Government and, as such, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. They
differ primarily in their interest rates, the lengths of their maturities and the dates of their issuances. US Government guarantees do not extend to the yield or value of the securities or a Portfolio’s
shares.
Securities issued by agencies of
the US Government or instrumentalities of the US Government, including those which are guaranteed by Federal agencies or instrumentalities, may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Obligations of the Ginnie Mae, the Farmers Home Administration and the Small Business Administration are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. In the case of securities not backed by the full faith
and credit of the United States, a Portfolio must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the
agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments.
Certain Portfolios may also invest
in component parts of US Government securities, namely either the corpus (principal) of such obligations or one or more of the interest payments scheduled to be paid on such obligations. These obligations may take the
form of (1) obligations from which the interest coupons have been stripped; (2) the interest coupons that are stripped; (3) book-entries at a Federal Reserve member bank representing ownership of obligation components;
or (4) receipts evidencing the component parts (corpus or coupons) of US Government obligations that have not actually been stripped. Such receipts evidence ownership of component parts of US Government obligations
(corpus or coupons) purchased by a third party (typically an investment banking firm) and held on behalf of the third party in physical or book-entry form by a major commercial bank or trust company pursuant to a
custody agreement with the third party. A Portfolio may also invest in custodial receipts held by a third party that are not US Government securities. US Government securities may be affected by changing interest
rates.
ZERO COUPON SECURITIES, PAY-IN-KIND
SECURITIES AND DEFERRED PAYMENT SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in zero coupon securities. Zero coupon securities are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during
the life of the security. The discount approximates the total amount of interest the security will accrue and compound over the period until maturity on the particular interest payment date at a rate of interest
reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the par value of the security. While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of
such securities are deemed to have received income (phantom income) annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is
that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at the same rate eliminates
the risk of being unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder's ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For
this reason, some of these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently, which
fluctuation increases the longer the period to maturity. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are
willing to defer receipt of cash.
A Portfolio accrues income with
respect to these securities for Federal income tax and accounting purposes prior to the receipt of cash payments. Zero coupon securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event
of adverse market conditions than comparable rated securities paying cash interest at regular intervals. In addition to the above-described risks, there are certain other risks related to investing in zero coupon
securities. During a period of severe market conditions, the market for such securities may become even less liquid. In addition, as these securities do not pay cash interest, a Portfolio's investment exposure to
these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are held in the Portfolio's portfolio. Further, to maintain its qualification for pass-through treatment under
the Federal tax laws, a Portfolio is required to distribute income to its shareholders and, consequently, may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate the cash, or
may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash to satisfy these distributions, as they relate to the income accrued but not yet received. The required distributions will result in an increase in a Portfolio's
exposure to such securities.
Pay-in-kind securities are
securities that have interest payable by delivery of additional securities. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the aggregate par value of the securities. Deferred payment securities are securities that
remain a zero coupon security until a predetermined date, at which time the stated coupon rate becomes effective and interest becomes payable at regular intervals. Holders of these types of securities are deemed to
have received income (phantom income) annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments which do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not
only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at the same rate eliminates the risk of being unable to invest
distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder's ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason, some of these securities
may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities which pay interest currently, which fluctuation increases the longer the
period to maturity. These investments benefit the
213
issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt
service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of cash. Zero coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred payment securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value
and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparable rated securities paying cash interest at regular intervals.
In addition to the above described
risks, there are certain other risks related to investing in zero coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred payment securities. During a period of severe market conditions, the market for such securities may become even less
liquid. In addition, as these securities do not pay cash interest, the Portfolio's investment exposure to these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are
held in the Portfolio's portfolio. Further, to maintain its qualification for pass-through treatment under the federal tax laws, the Portfolio is required to distribute income to its shareholders and, consequently,
may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate the cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash to satisfy these distributions, as they relate to the
distribution of phantom income and the value of the paid-in-kind interest. The required distributions will result in an increase in the Portfolio's exposure to such securities.
NET ASSET VALUES
Any purchase or sale of Portfolio
shares is made at the net asset value, or NAV, of such shares. The price at which a purchase or redemption is made is based on the next calculation of the NAV after the order is received in good order. The NAV of each
Portfolio is typically determined on each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of the exchange's regular trading session (which is generally 4:00 p.m. New York time). The Trust will not treat an intraday
unscheduled disruption in NYSE trading as a closure of the NYSE and will price its shares as of 4:00 p.m. if the particular disruption directly affects only the NYSE. The NYSE is closed on most national holidays and
Good Friday. The Trust does not price, and shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem, the Trust's shares on days when the NYSE is closed but the primary markets for the Trust's foreign securities are open,
even though the value of these securities may have changed. Conversely, the Trust will ordinarily price its shares, and shareholders may purchase and redeem shares, on days that the NYSE is open but foreign securities
markets are closed.
The securities held by each of the
Trust's portfolios are valued based upon market quotations or, if not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Trust may use fair
value pricing if it determines that a market quotation is not reliable based, among other things, on market conditions that occur after the quotation is derived or after the closing of the primary market on which the
security is traded, but before the time that the NAV is determined. This use of fair value pricing most commonly occurs with securities that are primarily traded outside of the US because such securities present
time-zone arbitrage opportunities when events or conditions affecting the prices of specific securities or the prices of securities traded in such markets generally occur after the close of the foreign markets but
prior to the time that a Portfolio determines its NAV.
The Trust may also use fair value
pricing with respect to US traded securities if, for example, trading in a particular security is halted and does not resume before a Portfolio calculates its NAV or the exchange on which a security is traded closes
early. In addition, fair value pricing is used for securities where the pricing agent or principal market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment
of the Investment Managers (or subadviser) does not represent fair value. Different valuation methods may result in differing values for the same security. The fair value of a portfolio security that a Portfolio uses
to determine its NAV may differ from the security's published or quoted price. If a Portfolio needs to implement fair value pricing after the NAV publishing deadline but before shares of the Portfolio are processed,
the NAV you receive or pay may differ from the published NAV price. For purposes of computing each Portfolio's NAV, we will value the each Portfolio's futures contracts 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on
the NYSE. Except when we fair value securities, we normally value each foreign security held by the Trust as of the close of the security's primary market.
Fair value pricing procedures are
designed to result in prices for a Portfolio's securities and its NAV that are reasonable in light of the circumstances which make or have made market quotations unavailable or unreliable, and to reduce arbitrage
opportunities available to short-term traders. There is no assurance, however, that fair value pricing will more accurately reflect the market value of a security than the market price of such security on that day or
that it will prevent dilution of a Portfolio's NAV by short-term traders. In the event that the fair valuation of a security results in a change of $0.01 or more to a Portfolio’s NAV per share and/or in the
aggregate results in a change of one half of one percent or more of a Portfolio’s daily NAV, the Board of Trustees shall promptly be notified, in detail, of the fair valuation, and the fair valuation will be
reported on at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. Also, the Board of Trustees receives, on an interim basis, minutes of the meetings of the Trust’s Valuation Committee that occur between regularly
scheduled Board meetings.
The NAV for each of the Portfolios
other than the Government Money Market Portfolio is determined by a simple calculation. It's the total value of a Portfolio (assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of shares outstanding. As explained
below, the Government Money Market Portfolio uses the amortized cost method of valuation, which is designed to permit the Government Money Market Portfolio to maintain a stable NAV of $1 per share. Although the price
of each share is designed to remain the same, the Government Money Market Portfolio issues additional shares when dividends are declared.
214
To determine a Portfolio's NAV, its
holdings are valued as follows:
Equity securities for which the
primary market is on an exchange (whether domestic or foreign) shall be valued at the last sale price on such exchange or market on the day of valuation or, if there was no sale on such day, at the mean between the
last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Securities included within the NASDAQ market shall be valued at the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP) on
the day of valuation, or if there was no NOCP issued, at the last sale price on such day. Securities included within the NASDAQ market for which there is no NOCP and no last sale price on the day of valuation shall be
valued at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Equity securities that are not sold on an exchange or NASDAQ are generally
valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker.
A Portfolio may own securities that
are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Portfolios do not price their shares. Therefore, the value of a Portfolio's assets may change on days when shareholders cannot
purchase or redeem Portfolio shares.
All Short-term Debt Securities held
by the Government Money Market Portfolio are valued at amortized cost. The amortized cost valuation method is widely used by mutual funds. It means that the security is valued initially at its purchase price and then
decreases in value by equal amounts each day until the security matures. It almost always results in a value that is extremely close to the actual market value. The Trust's Board of Trustees has established procedures
to monitor whether any material deviation between valuation and market value occurs and if so, will promptly consider what action, if any, should be taken to prevent unfair results to Contract owners.
For each Portfolio other than the
Government Money Market Portfolio, short-term debt securities, including bonds, notes, debentures and other debt securities, and money market instruments such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers'
acceptances and obligations of domestic and foreign banks for which market quotations are readily available, are valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker (if available, otherwise a primary
market dealer).
Convertible debt securities that
are traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed convertible debt securities for which the primary market is believed by PGIM Investments or a subadviser to be over-the-counter, are valued on the day of
valuation at an evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing agent or, in the absence of valuation provided by an independent pricing agent, at the bid price provided by a principal market maker or primary
market dealer.
Other debt securities—those
that are not valued on an amortized cost basis—are valued using an independent pricing service. Options on stock and stock indexes that are traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale
price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was no such sale on such day, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such exchange.
Futures contracts and options on
futures contracts are valued at the last sale price at the close of the commodities exchange or board of trade on which they are traded. If there has been no sale that day, the securities will be valued at the mean
between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on that exchange or board of trade.
Forward currency exchange contracts
are valued at the cost of covering or offsetting such contracts calculated on the day of valuation. Securities which are valued in accordance herewith in a currency other than US dollars shall be converted to US
dollar equivalents at a rate obtained from a recognized bank, dealer or independent service on the day of valuation.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options are
valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by a dealer (which may be the counterparty). A subadviser will monitor the market prices of the securities underlying the OTC options with a view to determining
the necessity of obtaining additional bid and ask quotations from other dealers to assess the validity of the prices received from the primary pricing dealer.
TAXATION
This discussion of federal income
tax consequences applies to the Participating Insurance Companies because they are the direct shareholders of the Trust. Contract owners should consult their Contract prospectus for information relating to the tax
matters applicable to their Contracts. In addition, variable contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the Trust, including the application of state
and local taxes.
215
Each Portfolio currently intends to
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, each Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits will be “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating
Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes. Distributions may be made to the various separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies in the form of additional shares
(not in cash).
Under Code Section 817(h), a
segregated asset account upon which a variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy is based must be “adequately diversified.” A segregated asset account will be adequately diversified if it
satisfies one of two alternative tests set forth in Treasury regulations. For purposes of these alternative diversification tests, a segregated asset account investing in shares of a regulated investment company will
be entitled to “look-through” the regulated investment company to its pro rata portion of the regulated investment company's assets, provided the regulated investment company satisfies certain conditions
relating to the ownership of its shares. The Trust intends to satisfy these ownership conditions. Further, the Trust intends that each Portfolio separately will be adequately diversified. Accordingly, a segregated
asset account investing solely in shares of a Portfolio will be adequately diversified, and a segregated asset account investing in shares of one or more Portfolios and shares of other adequately diversified funds
generally will be adequately diversified.
The foregoing discussion of federal
income tax consequences is based on tax laws and regulations in effect on the date of this SAI, and is subject to change by legislative or administrative action. A description of other tax considerations generally
affecting the Trust and its shareholders is found in the section of the Prospectus entitled “Federal Income Taxes.” No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Trust or
its shareholders. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of state or local tax matters. The discussion herein and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO
HOLDINGS
PORTFOLIOS OTHER THAN THE GOVERNMENT
MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO.
Each Portfolio's portfolio holdings as of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters are made public, as required by law, in the Trust's annual and semi-annual reports. These reports
are filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR and mailed to shareholders within 60 days after the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters. The Trust's annual and semi-annual reports are posted on the Trust's website. Each
Portfolio's portfolio holdings as of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters are made public and filed with the SEC on Form N-Q within 60 days after the end of the Portfolio's first and third fiscal quarters.
In addition, the Trust may provide a full list of each Portfolio's portfolio holdings as of the end of each month on its website no sooner than approximately three business days prior to the end of the following
month. The Trust may also release, at a sleeve level and/or the composite level, each Portfolio's top ten holdings (or in the case of a fund of funds the complete list of portfolio funds and/or the top ten holdings of
the portfolio funds), and summary statistics regarding sectors, countries and/or industries and other characteristics, as of each month end, with all such information posted to the Trust’s website approximately
15 days after the end of the month, unless noted otherwise herein.
In addition to the forgoing, the
AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio may disclose on its website on both the 15th day of each month and the last day of each month a percentage breakdown of its assets that are invested in Equity Underlying Portfolios
(as defined in its Prospectus) versus Debt-Money Market Underlying Portfolios (as defined in its Prospectus). Such information for the AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio shall be as of a date at least five calendar
days prior to its release. If the 15th day or the last day of any particular month is a non-business day, such holdings information for the AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio shall be provided as of the immediately
preceding business day.
GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET
PORTFOLIO.
The Government Money Market Portfolio will release complete portfolio holdings and certain other portfolio information to the SEC as filed on Form N-MFP and to its website as required by
Rules 2a-7 and 301b-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
When authorized by the Trust's
Chief Compliance Officer and another officer of the Trust, portfolio holdings information may be disseminated more frequently or at different periods than as described above. The Trust has entered into ongoing
arrangements to make available information about the Trust's portfolio holdings. Parties receiving this information may include intermediaries that distribute the Trust’s shares, third party providers of
auditing, custody, proxy voting and other services for the Trust, rating and ranking organizations, and certain affiliated persons of the Trust, as described below. The procedures utilized to determine eligibility are
set forth below:
Procedures for Release of Portfolio
Holdings Information:
1. A request for release of
Portfolio holdings shall be provided by such third party setting forth a legitimate business purpose for such release which shall specify the Portfolio, the terms of such release, and frequency (e.g., level of detail
staleness). The request shall address whether there are any conflicts of interest between the Portfolio and the investment adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter or any affiliated person thereof and how such
conflicts shall be dealt with to demonstrate that the disclosure is in the best interest of the shareholders of the Portfolio.
216
2. The request shall be forwarded
to the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust, or his delegate, for review and approval.
3. A confidentiality agreement in
the form approved by an officer of the Trust must be executed with the recipient of the Portfolio holdings information.
4. An officer of the Portfolio
shall approve the release and agreement. Copies of the release and agreement shall be sent to PGIM Investments’ law department.
5. Written notification of the
approval shall be sent by such officer to PGIM Investments’ Fund Administration Department to arrange the release of Portfolio holdings information.
6. PGIM Investments’ Fund
Administration Department shall arrange for the release of Portfolio holdings information by the Portfolio's custodian bank(s).
As of the date of this Statement of
Additional Information, the Trust will provide:
1. Traditional External
Recipients/Vendors
| ■ | Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC uses a third party called Syntel Inc. to assist with the custodial reconciliation process. |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to RiskMetrics Group, Broadridge and Glass, Lewis & Co (proxy voting administrator/agents) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to RickMetrics Group (securities class action claims services administrator) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to each Portfolio's subadviser(s) (as identified in the Trust’s prospectus), Custodian Bank (Bank of New York and/or PNC, as applicable), sub-custodian (Citibank, NA (foreign sub-custodian)) and accounting agents (which includes the Custodian Bank and any other accounting agent that may be appointed) at the end of each day. When a Portfolio has more than one subadviser, each subadviser receives holdings information only with respect to the “sleeve” or segment of the Portfolio for which the subadviser has responsibility; |
| ■ | Full holdings to a Portfolio's independent registered public accounting firm (KPMG LLP) as soon as practicable following the Portfolio's fiscal year-end or on an as-needed basis; and |
| ■ | Full holdings to financial printers (RR Donnelly and/or VG Reed, as applicable) as soon as practicable following the end of a Portfolio's quarterly, semi-annual and annual period ends. |
2. Analytical Service Providers
| ■ | Portfolio trades on a quarterly basis to Abel/Noser Corp. (an agency-only broker and transaction cost analysis company) as soon as practicable following a Portfolio's fiscal quarter-end; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to FT Interactive Data (a fair value information service) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to FactSet Research Systems, Inc. and Lipper, Inc. (analytical services/investment research providers) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Vestek (for preparation of fact sheets) at the end of each day (Target Funds and selected Prudential Mutual Funds only); |
| ■ | Full holdings on a quarterly basis to Plexus (review of brokerage transactions) as soon as practicable following a Portfolio's fiscal quarter-end; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to FactSet Research Systems Inc. (analytical services) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Glass, Lewis & Co. (proxy voting services) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Markit WSO Corporation (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to State Street Bank and Trust Company (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio, AST International Growth Portfolio, AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio, and AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Bloomberg LP (analytical services) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services (UK) Limited (formerly, Copal Partners (UK) Limited) (certain investment guideline monitoring and coding activities, as well as analytical services and reporting functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to MSCI, Inc (analytical services) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
217
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Syntel Inc. (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day. |
In each case, the information
disclosed must be for a legitimate business purpose and is subject to a confidentiality agreement intended to prohibit the recipient from trading on or further disseminating such information (except for legitimate
business purposes). Such arrangements will be monitored on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed by the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer and PGIM Investments’ Law Department on an annual basis.
In addition, certain authorized
employees of PGIM Investments receive portfolio holdings information on a quarterly, monthly or daily basis or upon request, in order to perform their business functions. All PGIM Investments employees are subject to
the requirements of the personal securities trading policy of Prudential Financial, Inc., which prohibits employees from trading on, or further disseminating confidential information, including portfolio holdings
information.
In no instance may
the Manager or the Trust receive any compensation or consideration in exchange for the portfolio holdings information.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust
has approved PGIM Investments’ Policy for the Dissemination of Portfolio Holdings. The Board shall, on a quarterly basis, be advised of any revisions to the list of detailing the recipients of the portfolio
holdings information and the reason for such disclosure. The Board has delegated oversight of the Trust's disclosure of portfolio holdings to the Chief Compliance Officer.
Arrangements pursuant to which the
Trust discloses non-public information with respect to its portfolio holdings do not provide for any compensation in return for the disclosure of the information.
There can be no assurance that the
Trust's policies and procedures on portfolio holdings information will protect the Trust from the potential misuse of such information by individuals or entities that come into possession of the information.
PROXY VOTING
The Board has delegated to the
Trust's investment manager, PGIM Investments, the responsibility for voting any proxies and maintaining proxy recordkeeping with respect to each Portfolio. The Trust authorizes the Manager to delegate, in whole or in
part, its proxy voting authority to its investment subadviser or third party vendors consistent with the policies set forth below. The proxy voting process shall remain subject to the supervision of the Board,
including any committee thereof established for that purpose.
The Manager and the Board view the
proxy voting process as a component of the investment process and, as such, seek to ensure that all proxy proposals are voted with the primary goal of seeking the optimal benefit for each Portfolio. Consistent with
this goal, the Board views the proxy voting process as a means to encourage strong corporate governance practices and ethical conduct by corporate management. The Manager and the Board maintain a policy of seeking to
protect the best interests of each Portfolio should a proxy issue potentially implicate a conflict of interest between a Portfolio and the Manager or its affiliates.
The Manager delegates to each
Portfolio's subadviser(s) the responsibility for voting each Portfolio's proxies. The subadviser is expected to identify and seek to obtain the optimal benefit for the Portfolio it manages, and to adopt written
policies that meet certain minimum standards, including that the policies be reasonably designed to protect the best interests of a Portfolio and delineate procedures to be followed when a proxy vote presents a
conflict between the interests of the Portfolio and the interests of the subadviser or its affiliates.
The Manager and the Board expect
that the subadviser will notify the Manager and the Board at least annually of any such conflicts identified and confirm how the issue was resolved. In addition, the Manager expects that the subadviser will deliver to
the Manager, or its appointed vendor, information required for filing the Form N-PX with the SEC. Information regarding how each Portfolio of the Trust voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities during the
most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available on the Trust’s website and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
CODES OF ETHICS
The Board has
adopted a Code of Ethics. In addition, the Manager, investment subadviser(s) and Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics (the Codes). The Codes apply to access persons (generally, persons who have access to
information about a Portfolio's investment program) and permit personnel subject to the Codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by a Portfolio. However, the protective
provisions of the Codes prohibit certain investments and limit such personnel from making investments during periods when the Portfolio is making such investments. The Codes are on public file with, and are available
from, the SEC.
218
APPENDIX I: DESCRIPTION OF BOND
RATINGS
S&P Global
Ratings (S&P)
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings
AAA:
An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA:
An obligation rated AA differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A:
An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the
obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB:
An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the
obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BB:
An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic
conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B:
An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC:
An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment
on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC:
An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C:
The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action has been taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued.
Plus (+) or Minus (–):
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories
Commercial Paper Ratings
A-1:
This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus
sign (+) designation.
A-2:
Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
Notes Ratings
An S&P notes rating reflects the
liquidity factors and market risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a notes rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The
following criteria will be used in making that assessment.
| ■ | Amortization schedule-the longer the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
| ■ | Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
Note rating symbols are as
follows:
SP-1:
Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2:
Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
219
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
(MOODY'S)
Debt Ratings
Aaa:
Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edged.” Interest
payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair
the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa:
Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower
than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than the Aaa securities.
A:
Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are
considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa:
Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate
for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative
characteristics as well.
Ba:
Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very
moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B:
Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any
long period of time may be small.
Caa:
Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca:
Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C:
Bonds which are rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment
standing.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers
1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating category from Aa to Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issuer is in the higher end of its letter rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; the modifier 3
indicates that the issuer is in the lower end of the letter ranking category.
Short-Term Ratings
Moody's short-term debt ratings are
opinions of the ability of issuers to honor senior financial obligations and contracts. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted.
PRIME-1:
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of
the following characteristics:
| ■ | Leading market positions in well-established industries. |
| ■ | High rates of return on Portfolios employed. |
| ■ | Conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection. |
| ■ | Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation. |
| ■ | Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity. |
PRIME-2:
Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This normally will be evidenced by many of the characteristics
cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external
conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
220
MIG 1:
This designation denotes best quality. There is strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for
refinancing.
MIG 2:
This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample although not so large as in the proceeding group.
FITCH, INC.
International Long-Term Credit
Ratings
AAA:
Highest Credit Quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial
commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA:
Very High Credit Quality. AA ratings denote a very low expectation of credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not
significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A:
High Credit Quality. A ratings denote a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be
more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB:
Good Credit Quality. BBB ratings indicate that there is currently a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but
adverse changes in circumstances and in economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.
BB:
Speculative. BB ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial
alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.
B:
Highly Speculative. B ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for
continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC, CC, C:
High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A CC rating
indicates that default of some kind appears probable. C ratings signal imminent default.
International Short-Term Credit
Ratings
F1:
Highest Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit
feature.
F2:
Good Credit Quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.
F3:
Fair Credit Quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.
B:
Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C:
High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic investment.
Plus (+) or Minus (–):
Plus or minus signs may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA long-term rating category, to categories
below CCC, or to short-term ratings other than F1.
APPENDIX II: PROXY VOTING
POLICIES OF THE SUBADVISERS
AFFINITY INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy
221
The Client will retain discretion
with respect to voting proxies, or will delegate discretion with respect to voting such proxies to a third party. The Custodian Bank of the Account will forward to the Client or its designee (including Affinity if
Client delegates to the discretion to vote such proxies) any proxy materials it receives that pertains to the securities in the Account.
In the event Client delegates proxy
voting discretion to Affinity then, unless otherwise given specific instructions in writing by Client, Affinity shall vote all proxies according to Glass Lewis & Co.’s Proxy Paper and Investment Manager
Guidelines (Guidelines). The Guidelines are designed to maximize returns for investment managers by voting in a manner consistent with such managers’ active investment decision-making. The Guidelines are
designed to increase investor’s potential financial gain through the use of the shareholder vote while also allowing management and the board discretion to direct the operations, including governance and
compensation, of the firm. The Guidelines will ensure that all issues brought to shareholders are analyzed in light of the fiduciary responsibilities unique to investment advisors on behalf of Clients. The Guidelines
will encourage the maximization of return for such Clients through identifying and avoiding financial, audit and corporate governance risks.
Affinity shall retain originals or
copies of proxy materials it receives and a record of how it voted through Broadridge’s, (a third-party provider) Proxy Edge platform. In addition, other than forwarding to Client any materials received by
Affinity with respect to legal actions (such as notices of bankruptcy and class action suits) pertaining to assets in the Account, Affinity will take no actions with respect to such legal actions, which remains the
responsibility of the Client. Affinity will be responsible for voting with respect to corporate actions, such as tender offers and rights offering, involving the securities in the Account. The potential for conflicts
of interests with respect to proxy votes is mitigated as result of the firm’s adoption of the Guidelines of a third-party provider.
Affinity is not required to vote
every client proxy and refraining from voting should not necessarily be construed as a violation of Affinity’s fiduciary obligations. Affinity shall at no time ignore or neglect its proxy voting
responsibilities. However, there may be times when refraining from voting is in the client’s best interest, such as when an adviser’s analysis of a particular client proxy reveals that the cost of voting
the proxy may exceed the expected benefit to the client (i.e., casting a vote on a foreign security may require that the adviser engage a translator or travel to a foreign country to vote in person). Such position
also complies with Interpretive Bulletin 94-2 of the DOL.
The portfolio management team shall
be responsible for making voting decisions with respect to all client proxies, where a proxy is not voted in accordance with Glass Lewis recommendations. Such decisions shall be in writing and provided to the Chief
Compliance Officer who will then ensure that such proxy votes are submitted in a timely manner.
Upon request, Affinity will provide
any client a copy of the Guidelines along with detailed information on how individual proxies were voted.
ALPHASIMPLEX GROUP, LLC
The Adviser believes that proxy
voting is an important right of shareholders and reasonable care and diligence must be undertaken to ensure that such rights are properly and timely exercised. However, the Adviser expects that the securities in which
it will invest on behalf of the Fund (e.g., futures and forwards) will not have voting rights, and therefore, the Adviser does not expect to vote proxies for securities held by the Fund. If the Adviser does vote
proxies with respect to the Fund's investments, it will vote in a manner that is consistent with what it believes to be the best interests of the Fund.
AQR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
(“AQR”)
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
AS AMENDED: NOVEMBER
2017
LAST REVIEWED: NOVEMBER 2017
I. STATEMENT OF POLICY
Proxy voting is an
important right of shareholders and reasonable care and diligence must be undertaken to seek to ensure that such rights are properly and timely exercised. AQR Capital Management, LLC (“AQR”) generally
retains proxy voting authority with respect to securities purchased for its clients. AQR will seek to vote proxies in the best interest of its clients and in accordance with this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures
(the “Policy”).
AQR’s processes and practices
seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual funds. For most proxy proposals the evaluation will result in the same position being taken across all of the funds and the funds voting as a
block. In some cases, however, a fund may vote differently, depending upon the nature and objective of the fund, the composition of its portfolio, and other factors.
222
II. USE OF
THIRD-PARTY PROXY VOTING SERVICE
The U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission and its staff have expressed the view that although the voting of proxies remains the duty of an investment adviser, an investment adviser may contract with a proxy advisory firm to perform certain
functions with respect to proxy voting so long as the investment adviser ascertains, among other things, whether the proxy advisory firm has the capacity and competence to adequately analyze proxy issues.
AQR has engaged Institutional
Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), an independent third-party proxy advisory firm, to provide proxy voting services with respect to securities held in a given fund or account. ISS’ proxy voting
services include, but are not limited to, receiving proxy ballots, working with AQR’s custodian banks, executing votes and maintaining vote records. ISS votes according to ISS’s proxy voting guidelines
subscribed by a given AQR fund or account, unless instructed otherwise by AQR.
AQR also requires ISS to identify
and provide information regarding any material business changes or conflicts of interest on an ongoing basis. Where a conflict of interest may exist, AQR requires ISS to provide information on how said conflict is
being addressed. If, as a result of the AQR’s examination of ISS’s conflicts of interest, a determination is made that a material conflict of interest exists, AQR’s Chief Compliance Officer (the
“CCO”) or designee will determine whether to follow ISS’s recommendation or take other action with respect to the proxy vote.
At least annually, the Compliance
Department will review the capacity and competence of ISS. Specifically, the Compliance Department will:
1. Review ISS’s proxy voting
guidelines and assess the adequacy of the guidelines, including assessing whether the guidelines are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of AQR’s clients;
2. Review
ISS’s procedures to seek to ensure that its proxy voting recommendations are based on current and accurate information;
3. Review a sample of ISS’s
proxy votes to review whether ISS has complied with ISS’s proxy voting guidelines; and
4. Obtain a certification or other
information from ISS regarding its independence and impartiality.
III. VOTING PROCEDURES
ISS is responsible
for coordinating with AQR’s clients’ custodians to seek to ensure that all proxy materials received by custodians relating to a client’s securities are processed in a timely fashion. Proxies relating
to securities held in client accounts will typically be sent directly to ISS. In the event that proxy materials are sent to AQR directly instead of ISS, AQR will use reasonable efforts to identify and forward those
materials promptly to ISS for processing.
As noted in Section II, ISS will
vote proxies in accordance with the subscribed proxy voting guidelines, unless instructed otherwise by AQR.
IV. VOTING GUIDELINES
To the extent that AQR is voting a
proxy itself and not utilizing ISS’s recommendation, AQR will be required to vote proxies in a way that, in AQR’s best judgment, is in the best interest of AQR’s clients holding such securities.
Unless prior approval is obtained from the CCO or designee, the following guidelines will generally be adhered to when AQR is voting a proxy itself:
1. AQR will not engage in conduct
that involves an attempt to change or influence the control of a public company. In addition, all communications regarding proxy issues or corporate actions between companies or their agents, or with fellow
shareholders, shall be for the sole purpose of expressing and discussing AQR's concerns for its advisory clients' interests and not for an attempt to influence or control management;
2. AQR will not announce its voting
intentions and the reasons therefore; and
3. AQR will not
initiate a proxy solicitation or otherwise seek proxy-voting authority from any other public company shareholder.
AQR or ISS may not vote a proxy in
certain situations, including but not limited to, when:
1. The cost of voting a proxy
outweighs the benefit of voting;
2. AQR is not given enough time to
process the vote;
223
3. AQR has an outstanding sell
order or intends to sell the applicable security prior to the voting date;
4. There are restrictions on
trading resulting from the exercise of a proxy; or
5. Voting would cause an undue
burden to AQR.
Additionally, from time to time,
AQR or ISS may be unable to cast a vote prior to the cutoff date for reasons including, but not limited to, timing of transferring proxy information. AQR does not view non-voted proxy ballots to be a material issue
for either the clients or AQR’s investment strategies. AQR typically follows a systematic, research-driven approach, applying quantitative tools to process fundamental information and manage risk, significantly
reducing the importance and usefulness of the proxies AQR receives and votes, or causes to be voted, on behalf of its clients.
Moreover, some of AQR’s
strategies primarily focus on portfolio management and research related to macro trading strategies which are implemented through the use of derivatives. These strategies typically do not hold equity securities with
voting rights, but may, in certain circumstances, hold an exchange traded fund (“ETF”) for the purpose of managing market exposure. For these funds and accounts that only have a de minimis exposure to
equites via an ETF used for equitization, AQR will not vote proxies.
V. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OF
THE ADVISER
AQR mitigates
potential conflicts of interest by generally voting in accordance with the pre-determined voting recommendations outlined in the subscribed voting guidelines of our independent third party provider, ISS. However, from
time to time, AQR may determine to vote contrary to the recommendation of ISS which could give rise to potential conflicts of interest.
In the event that AQR intends to
directly vote a proxy in a manner that is inconsistent with ISS’s recommendation, the Compliance Department will examine any conflicts that exist between the interests of AQR and its clients. This examination
includes, but is not limited to, a review of any material economic interest, including outside business activities, of AQR, its personnel, and its affiliates with the issuer of the security in question.
If, as a result of the Compliance
Department’s examination, a material conflict of interest is found to exist, AQR will determine whether:
1. Directly voting the meeting is
in the best interests of the client;
2. ISS’s recommendation
should be followed; or
3. The client should approve the
ISS recommendation.
VI. DISCLOSURE
Upon request, AQR will furnish a
copy of this Policy to the requesting client and information on how the client’s proxies were voted. If a client requests how the client’s proxies were voted, AQR will prepare a written response to the
client that lists, with respect to each voted proxy that the client has inquired about:
1. The name of the issuer;
2. The proposal voted upon; and
3. The election made for the
proposal.
VII. AQR FUNDS
On an annual basis, AQR will
provide, or cause ISS to provide, to the AQR Funds’ administrator or other designee on a timely basis, any and all reports and information necessary to prepare and file Form N-PX, which is required by Rule
30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
VIII. PROXY RECORDKEEPING
AQR will maintain
the following records with respect to this Policy:
1. A copy of the Policy, and any
amendments thereto;
2. A copy of any
document AQR created that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies, or that memorializes that decision.
224
AQR will cause ISS
to maintain the following records below under this Policy for a period of no less than 5 years as required by SEC Rule 204-2. In addition, ISS will promptly produce such records upon request. Records will include:
1. A copy of the ISS Proxy Voting
Guidelines;
2. A copy of ISS’s policies
and procedures related to voting of proxies and management of conflicts of interest;
3. A copy of each research report
prepared by ISS;
4. A copy of each proxy ballot
received; and
5. A record of each vote cast.
IX. REVIEW OF POLICY AND
PROCEDURES
The Compliance Department shall
review, no less frequently than annually, the adequacy of this Policy to ensure it has been implemented effectively, including whether the Policy continues to be reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in
the best interests of its clients.
_____________________
1
The term “AQR” includes AQR Capital Management, LLC and CNH Partners, LLC and their respective investment advisory affiliates.
2
Form N-PX is required to contain an AQR Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 and must be filed no later than August 31 of
each year.
BLACKROCK, INC. AND ITS
SUBSIDIARIES
These guidelines should be read in
conjunction with BlackRock's Global Corporate Governance and Engagement Principles.
Introduction.
BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, BlackRock) seek to make proxy voting decisions in the manner most likely to protect and promote the economic value of the securities
held in client accounts. The following issue-specific proxy voting guidelines (the Guidelines) are intended to summarize BlackRock's general philosophy and approach to issues that may commonly arise in the proxy
voting context for US Securities. These Guidelines are not intended to limit the analysis of individual issues at specific companies and are not intended to provide a guide to how BlackRock will vote in every
instance. Rather, they share our view about corporate governance issues generally, and provide insight into how we typically approach issues that commonly arise on corporate ballots. They are applied with discretion,
taking into consideration the range of issues and facts specific to the company and the individual ballot item.
Voting Guidelines.
These guidelines are divided into six key themes which group together the issues that frequently appear on the agenda of annual and extraordinary meetings of shareholders.
The six key themes are:
| ■ | Boards and directors |
| ■ | Auditors and audit-related issues |
| ■ | Capital structure, mergers, asset sales and other special transactions |
| ■ | Remuneration and benefits |
| ■ | Social, ethical and environmental issues |
| ■ | General corporate governance matters |
BOARDS AND DIRECTORS.
Director elections.
BlackRock generally supports board nominees in most uncontested elections. However, BlackRock may withhold votes from the entire board in certain situations, including, but not limited
to:
| ■ | Where a board fails to implement shareholder proposals that receive a majority of votes cast at a prior shareholder meeting, and the proposals, in our view, have a direct and substantial impact on shareholders' fundamental rights or long-term economic interests. |
| ■ | Where a board implements or renews a poison pill without seeking shareholder approval beforehand or within a reasonable period of time after implementation. |
BlackRock may withhold votes from
members of particular board committees (or prior members, as the case may be) in certain situations, including, but not limited to:
225
| ■ | An insider or affiliated outsider who sits on any of the board's key committees (i.e., audit, compensation, nominating and governance), which we believe generally should be entirely independent. However, BlackRock will examine a board's complete profile when questions of independence arise prior to casting a withhold vote for any director. For controlled companies, as defined by the US stock exchanges, we will only vote against insiders or affiliates who sit on the audit committee, but not other key committees. |
| ■ | Members of the audit committee during a period when the board failed to facilitate quality, independent auditing. |
| ■ | Members of the audit committee where substantial accounting irregularities suggest insufficient oversight by that committee. |
| ■ | Members of the audit committee during a period in which we believe the company has aggressively accounted for its equity compensation plans. |
| ■ | Members of the compensation committee during a period in which executive compensation appears excessive relative to performance and peers, and where we believe the compensation committee has not already substantially addressed this issue. |
| ■ | Members of the compensation committee where the company has repriced options without contemporaneous shareholder approval. |
| ■ | The chair of the nominating committee, or where no chair exists, the nominating committee member with the longest tenure, where board members have previously received substantial withhold votes and the board has not taken appropriate action to respond to shareholder concerns. This may not apply in cases where BlackRock did not support the initial withhold vote. |
| ■ | The chair of the nominating committee, or where no chair exists, the nominating committee member with the longest tenure, where the board is not composed of a majority of independent directors. However, this would not apply in the case of a controlled company. |
BlackRock may withhold votes from
individual board members in certain situations, including, but not limited to:
| ■ | Where BlackRock obtains evidence that casts significant doubt on a director's qualifications or ability to represent shareholders. |
| ■ | Where it appears the director has acted (at the company or at other companies) in a manner that compromises his or her reliability in representing the best long-term economic interests of shareholders. |
| ■ | Where a director has a pattern of attending less than 75% of combined board and applicable key committee meetings. |
Age limits/term limits.
We typically oppose limits on the pool of directors from which shareholders can choose their representatives, especially where those limits are arbitrary or unrelated to the specific
performance or experience of the director in question.
Board size.
We generally defer to the board in setting the appropriate size. We believe directors are generally in the best position to assess what size is optimal to ensure a board's effectiveness.
However, we may oppose boards that appear too small to allow for effective shareholder representation or too large to function efficiently.
Classified board of
directors/staggered terms.
A classified board of directors is one that is divided into classes (generally three), each of which is elected on a staggered schedule (generally for three years). At each annual meeting,
only a single class of directors is subject to reelection (generally one-third of the entire board).
We believe that classification of
the board dilutes shareholders' right to evaluate promptly a board's performance and limits shareholder selection of their representatives. By not having the mechanism to immediately address concerns we may have with
any specific director, we lose the ability to provide valuable feedback to the company. Furthermore, where boards are classified, director entrenchment is more likely, because review of board service generally only
occurs every three years. Therefore, we typically vote against classification and for proposals to eliminate board classification.
Cumulative voting for directors.
Cumulative voting allocates one vote for each share of stock held, times the number of directors subject to election. A shareholder may cumulate his/her votes and cast all of them in favor
of a single candidate, or split them among any combination of candidates. By making it possible to use their cumulated votes to elect at least one board member, cumulative voting is typically a mechanism through which
minority shareholders attempt to secure board representation.
BlackRock may support cumulative
voting proposals at companies where the board is not majority independent. However, we may oppose proposals that further the candidacy of minority shareholders whose interests do not coincide with our fiduciary
responsibility.
Director compensation and equity
programs.
We believe that compensation for independent directors should be structured to align the interests of the directors with those of shareholders, whom the directors have been elected to
represent. We believe that independent director compensation packages based on the company's long-term performance and that include some form of long-term equity compensation are more likely to meet this goal;
therefore, we typically support proposals to provide such compensation packages. However, we will generally oppose shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock, as we believe that
companies should maintain flexibility in administering compensation and equity programs for independent directors, given each company's and director's unique circumstances.
226
Indemnification of directors and
officers.
We generally support reasonable but balanced protection of directors and officers. We believe that failure to provide protection to directors and officers might severely limit a company's
ability to attract and retain competent leadership. We generally support proposals to provide indemnification that is limited to coverage of legal expenses. However, we may oppose proposals that provide indemnity for:
breaches of the duty of loyalty; transactions from which a director derives an improper personal benefit; and actions or omissions not in good faith or those that involve intentional misconduct.
Independent board composition.
We generally support shareholder proposals requesting that the board consist of a two-thirds majority of independent outside directors, as we believe that an independent board faces fewer
conflicts and is best prepared to protect shareholder interests.
Liability insurance for directors
and officers.
Proposals regarding liability insurance for directors and officers often appear separately from indemnification proposals. We will generally support insurance against liability for acts
committed in an individual's capacity as a director or officer of a company following the same approach described above with respect to indemnification.
Limits on director removal.
Occasionally, proposals contain a clause stipulating that directors may be removed only for cause. We oppose this limitation of shareholders' rights.
Majority vote requirements.
BlackRock generally supports the concept of director election by majority vote. Majority voting standards assist in ensuring that directors who are not broadly supported by shareholders are
not elected to serve as their representatives. However, we also recognize that there are many methods for implementing majority vote proposals. Where we believe that the company already has a sufficiently robust
majority voting process in place, we may not support a shareholder proposal seeking an alternative mechanism.
Separation of chairman and CEO
positions.
We generally support shareholder proposals requesting that the positions of chairman and CEO be separated. We may consider the designation of a lead director to suffice in lieu of an
independent chair, but will take into consideration the structure of that lead director's position and overall corporate governance of the company in such cases.
Shareholder access to the proxy.
We believe that shareholders should have the opportunity, when necessary and under reasonable conditions, to nominate individuals to stand for election to the boards of the companies they
own. In our view, securing a right of shareholders to nominate directors without engaging in a control contest can enhance shareholders' ability to participate meaningfully in the director election process, stimulate
board attention to shareholder interests, and provide shareholders an effective means of directing that attention where it is lacking.
We prefer an access mechanism that
is equally applied to companies throughout the market with sufficient protections to limit the potential for abuse. Absent such a mechanism under current law, we consider these proposals on a case-by-case basis. In
evaluating a proposal requesting shareholder access at a company, we consider whether access is warranted at that particular company at that time by taking into account the overall governance structure of the company
as well as issues specific to that company that may necessitate greater board accountability. We also look for certain minimum ownership threshold requirements, stipulations that access can be used only in non-hostile
situations, and reasonable limits on the number of board members that can be replaced through such a mechanism.
AUDITORS AND AUDIT-RELATED
ISSUES.
BlackRock recognizes the critical importance of financial statements that provide a complete and accurate portrayal of a company's financial condition. Consistent with our approach to voting
on boards of directors, we seek to hold the audit committee of the board responsible for overseeing the management of the audit function at a company, and may withhold votes from the audit committee's members where
the board has failed to facilitate quality, independent auditing. We take particular note of cases involving significant financial restatements or material weakness disclosures.
The integrity of financial
statements depends on the auditor effectively fulfilling its role. To that end, we favor an independent auditor. In addition, to the extent that an auditor fails to reasonably identify and address issues that
eventually lead to a significant financial restatement, or the audit firm has violated standards of practice that protect the interests of shareholders, we may also vote against ratification.
From time to time, shareholder
proposals may be presented to promote auditor independence or the rotation of audit firms. We may support these proposals when they are consistent with our views as described above.
CAPITAL STRUCTURE, MERGERS, ASSET
SALES AND OTHER SPECIAL TRANSACTIONS.
In reviewing merger and asset sale proposals, BlackRock's primary concern is the best long-term economic interests of shareholders. While these proposals vary widely in scope and substance,
we closely examine certain salient features in our analyses. The varied nature of these proposals ensures that the following list will be incomplete. However, the key factors that we typically evaluate in considering
these proposals include:
227
| ■ | Market premium: For mergers and asset sales, we make every attempt to determine the degree to which the proposed transaction represents a premium to the company's trading price. In order to filter out the effects of pre-merger news leaks on the parties' share prices, we consider a share price from a time period in advance of the merger announcement. In most cases, business combinations should provide a premium; benchmark premiums vary by industry and direct peer group. Where one party is privately held, we look to the comparable transaction analyses provided by the parties' financial advisors. For companies facing insolvency or bankruptcy, a market premium may not apply. |
| ■ | Strategic reason for transaction: There should be a favorable business reason for the combination. |
| ■ | Board approval/transaction history: Unanimous board approval and arm's-length negotiations are preferred. We examine transactions that involve dissenting boards or that were not the result of an arm's-length bidding process to evaluate the likelihood that a transaction is in shareholders' interests. We also seek to ensure that executive and/or board members' financial interests in a given transaction do not affect their ability to place shareholders' interests before their own. |
| ■ | Financial advisors' fairness opinions: We scrutinize transaction proposals that do not include the fairness opinion of a reputable financial advisor to evaluate whether shareholders' interests were sufficiently protected in the merger process. |
Anti-greenmail provisions.
Greenmail is typically defined as payments to a corporate raider to terminate a takeover attempt. It may also occasionally refer to payments made to a dissident shareholder in order to
terminate a potential proxy contest or shareholder proposal. We typically view such payments as a misuse of corporate assets which denies shareholders the opportunity to review a matter of direct economic concern and
potential benefit to them. Therefore, we generally support proposals to prevent boards from making greenmail payments. However, we generally will oppose provisions designed to limit greenmail payments that appear to
unduly burden or prohibit legitimate use of corporate funds.
Blank check preferred.
See Preferred Stock.
Eliminate preemptive rights.
Preemptive rights give current shareholders the opportunity to maintain their current percentage ownership despite any subsequent equity offerings. These provisions are no longer common in
the US, and may restrict management's ability to raise new capital.
We generally support the
elimination of preemptive rights, but will often oppose the elimination of limited preemptive rights, (e.g., rights that would limit proposed issuances representing more than an acceptable level of dilution).
Equal voting rights.
BlackRock supports the concept of equal voting rights for all shareholders. Some management proposals request authorization to allow a class of common stock to have superior voting rights
over the existing common or to allow a class of common to elect a majority of the board. We oppose such differential voting power as it may have the effect of denying shareholders the opportunity to vote on matters of
critical economic importance to them.
However, when a shareholder
proposal requests to eliminate an existing dual-class voting structure, we seek to determine whether this action is warranted at that company at that time, and whether the cost of restructuring will have a clear
economic benefit to shareholders. We evaluate these proposals on a case-by-case basis, and we consider the level and nature of control associated with the dual-class voting structure as well as the company's history
of responsiveness to shareholders in determining whether support of such a measure is appropriate.
Fair price provisions.
Originally drafted to protect shareholders from tiered, front-end-loaded tender offers, these provisions have largely evolved into anti-takeover devices through the imposition of
supermajority vote provisions and high premium requirements. BlackRock examines proposals involving fair price provisions and generally votes in favor of those that appear designed to protect minority shareholders,
but against those that appear designed to impose barriers to transactions or are otherwise against the economic interests of shareholders.
Increase in authorized common
shares.
BlackRock considers industry specific norms in our analysis of these proposals, as well as a company's history with respect to the use of its common shares. Generally, we are predisposed to
support a company if the board believes additional common shares are necessary to carry out the firm's business. The most substantial concern we might have with an increase is the possibility of use of common shares
to fund a poison pill plan that is not in the economic interests of shareholders. Therefore, we generally do not support increases in authorized common shares where a company has no stated use for the additional
common shares and/or has a substantial amount of previously authorized common shares still available for issue that is sufficient to allow the company to flexibly conduct its operations, especially if the company
already has a poison pill in place. We may also oppose proposals that include common shares with unequal voting rights.
228
Increase or issuance of preferred
stock.
These proposals generally request either authorization of a class of preferred stock or an increase in previously authorized preferred stock. Preferred stock may be used to provide
management with the flexibility to consummate beneficial acquisitions, combinations or financings on terms not necessarily available via other means of financing. We generally support these proposals in cases where
the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock where the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.
However, we frequently oppose
proposals requesting authorization of a class of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution and other rights (“blank check” preferred stock) because they may serve as a
transfer of authority from shareholders to the board and a possible entrenchment device. We generally view the board's discretion to establish voting rights on a when-issued basis as a potential anti-takeover device,
as it affords the board the ability to place a block of stock with an investor sympathetic to management, thereby foiling a takeover bid without a shareholder vote. Nonetheless, where the company appears to have a
legitimate financing motive for requesting blank check authority, has committed publicly that blank check preferred shares will not be used for anti-takeover purposes, has a history of using blank check preferred
stock for financings, or has blank check preferred stock previously outstanding such that an increase would not necessarily provide further anti-takeover protection but may provide greater financing flexibility, we
may support the proposal.
Poison pill plans.
Also known as Shareholder Rights Plans, these plans generally involve issuance of call options to purchase securities in a target firm on favorable terms. The options are exercisable only
under certain circumstances, usually accumulation of a specified percentage of shares in a relevant company or launch of a hostile tender offer. These plans are often adopted by the board without being subject to
shareholder vote.
Poison pill proposals generally
appear on the proxy as shareholder proposals requesting that existing plans be put to a vote. This vote is typically advisory and therefore non-binding. We generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to rescind
poison pills.
Where a poison pill is put to a
shareholder vote, our policy is to examine these plans individually. Although we oppose most plans, we may support plans that include a reasonable 'qualifying offer clause.' Such clauses typically require shareholder
ratification of the pill, and stipulate a sunset provision whereby the pill expires unless it is renewed. These clauses also tend to specify that an all cash bid for all shares that includes a fairness opinion and
evidence of financing does not trigger the pill, but forces either a special meeting at which the offer is put to a shareholder vote, or the board to seek the written consent of shareholders where shareholders could
rescind the pill in their discretion. We may also support a pill where it is the only effective method for protecting tax or other economic benefits that may be associated with limiting the ownership changes of
individual shareholders.
Stock splits and reverse stock
splits.
We generally support stock splits that are not likely to negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share. We generally support reverse splits that are designed
to avoid delisting or to facilitate trading in the stock, where the reverse split will not have a negative impact on share value (e.g. one class is reduced while others remain at pre-split levels). In the event of a
proposal to reverse split that would not also proportionately reduce the company's authorized stock, we apply the same analysis we would use for a proposal to increase authorized stock.
REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS.
We note that there are management and shareholder proposals related to executive compensation that appear on corporate ballots. We generally vote on these proposals as described below,
except that we typically oppose shareholder proposals on issues where the company already has a reasonable policy in place that we believe is sufficient to address the issue. We may also oppose a shareholder proposal
regarding executive compensation if the company's history suggests that the issue raised is not likely to present a problem for that company.
Adopt advisory resolutions on
compensation committee reports.
BlackRock generally opposes these proposals, put forth by shareholders, which ask companies to adopt advisory resolutions on compensation committee reports (otherwise known as Say-on-Pay).
We believe that compensation committees are in the best position to make compensation decisions and should maintain significant flexibility in administering compensation programs, given their knowledge of the wealth
profiles of the executives they seek to incentivize, the appropriate performance measures for the company, and other issues internal and/or unique to the company. In our view, shareholders have a sufficient and much
more powerful “say-on-pay” today in the form of director elections, in particular with regards to members of the compensation committee.
Advisory resolutions on
compensation committee reports.
In cases where there is an advisory vote on compensation put forth by management, BlackRock will respond to the proposal as informed by our evaluation of compensation practices at that
particular company, and in a manner that appropriately addresses the specific question posed to shareholders. On the question of support or opposition to executive pay practices our vote is likely to correspond with
our vote on the directors who are compensation committee
229
members responsible for making compensation
decisions. Generally we believe these matters are best left to the compensation committee of the board and that shareholders should not dictate the terms of executive compensation. Our preferred approach to managing
pay-for-performance disconnects is via a withhold vote for the compensation committee.
Claw back proposals.
Claw back proposals are generally shareholder sponsored and seek recoupment of bonuses paid to senior executives if those bonuses were based on financial results that are later restated. We
generally favor recoupment from any senior executive whose compensation was based on faulty financial reporting, regardless of that particular executive's role in the faulty reporting. We typically support these
proposals unless the company already has a robust claw back policy that sufficiently addresses our concerns.
Employee stock purchase plans.
An employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) gives the issuer's employees the opportunity to purchase stock in the issuer, typically at a discount to market value. We believe these plans can
provide performance incentives and help align employees' interests with those of shareholders. The most common form of ESPP qualifies for favorable tax treatment under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. Section
423 plans must permit all full-time employees to participate, carry restrictions on the maximum number of shares that can be purchased, carry an exercise price of at least 85 percent of fair market value on grant date
with offering periods of 27 months or less, and be approved by shareholders. We will typically support qualified ESPP proposals.
Equity compensation plans.
BlackRock supports equity plans that align the economic interests of directors, managers and other employees with those of shareholders. Our evaluation of equity compensation plans in a
post-expensing environment is based on a company's executive pay and performance relative to peers and whether the plan plays a significant role in a pay-for-performance disconnect. We generally oppose plans that
contain “evergreen” provisions allowing for the ongoing increase of shares reserved without shareholder approval. We also generally oppose plans that allow for repricing without shareholder approval.
Finally, we may oppose plans where we believe that the company is aggressively accounting for the equity delivered through their stock plans.
Golden parachutes.
Golden parachutes provide for compensation to management in the event of a change in control. We generally view this as encouragement to management to consider proposals that might be
beneficial to shareholders. We normally support golden parachutes put to shareholder vote unless there is clear evidence of excess or abuse.
We may also support shareholder
proposals requesting that implementation of such arrangements require shareholder approval. In particular, we generally support proposals requiring shareholder approval of plans that exceed 2.99 times an executive's
current compensation.
Option exchanges.
BlackRock may support a request to exchange underwater options under the following circumstances: the company has experienced significant stock price decline as a result of macroeconomic
trends, not individual company performance; directors and executive officers are excluded; the exchange is value neutral or value creative to shareholders; and there is clear evidence that absent repricing the company
will suffer serious employee incentive or retention and recruiting problems.
Pay-for-performance plans.
In order for executive compensation exceeding $1 million to qualify for federal tax deductions, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) requires companies to link that compensation, for
the Company's top five executives, to disclosed performance goals and submit the plans for shareholder approval. The law further requires that a compensation committee comprised solely of outside directors administer
these plans. Because the primary objective of these proposals is to preserve the deductibility of such compensation, we generally favor approval in order to preserve net income.
Pay-for-superior-performance.
These are typically shareholder proposals requesting that compensation committees adopt policies under which a portion of equity compensation requires the achievement of performance goals as
a prerequisite to vesting. We generally believe these matters are best left to the compensation committee of the board and that shareholders should not set executive compensation or dictate the terms thereof. We may
support these proposals if we have a substantial concern regarding the company's compensation practices over a significant period of time, the proposals are not overly prescriptive, and we believe the proposed
approach is likely to lead to substantial improvement. However, our preferred approach to managing pay-for-performance disconnects is via a withhold vote for the compensation committee.
Supplemental executive retirement
plans.
BlackRock may support shareholder proposals requesting to put extraordinary benefits contained in Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERP) agreements to a shareholder vote unless the
company's executive pension plans do not contain excessive benefits beyond what is offered under employee-wide plans.
SOCIAL, ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES.
See Global Corporate Governance and Engagement Principles.
GENERAL CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
MATTERS.
230
Adjourn meeting to solicit
additional votes.
We generally support such proposals when the agenda contains items that we judge to be in shareholders' best long-term economic interests.
Bundled proposals.
We believe that shareholders should have the opportunity to review substantial governance changes individually without having to accept bundled proposals. Where several measures are grouped
into one proposal, BlackRock may reject certain positive changes when linked with proposals that generally contradict or impede the rights and economic interests of shareholders. The decision to support or oppose
bundled proposals requires a balancing of the overall benefits and drawbacks of each element of the proposal.
Change name of corporation.
We typically defer to management with respect to appropriate corporate names.
Confidential voting.
Shareholders most often propose confidential voting as a means of eliminating undue management pressure on shareholders regarding their vote on proxy issues. We generally support proposals
to allow confidential voting. However, we will usually support suspension of confidential voting during proxy contests where dissidents have access to vote information and management may face an unfair
disadvantage.
Other business.
We oppose giving companies our proxy to vote on matters where we are not given the opportunity to review and understand those measures and carry out an appropriate level of shareholder
oversight.
Reincorporation.
Proposals to reincorporate from one state or country to another are most frequently motivated by considerations of anti-takeover protections or cost savings. Where cost savings are the sole
issue, we will typically favor reincorporating. In all instances, we will evaluate the changes to shareholder protection under the new charter/articles/by-laws to assess whether the move increases or decreases
shareholder protections. Where we find that shareholder protections are diminished, we will support reincorporation if we determine that the overall benefits outweigh the diminished rights.
Shareholders' right to call a
special meeting or act by written consent.
In exceptional circumstances and with sufficiently broad support, shareholders should have the opportunity to raise issues of substantial importance without having to wait for management to
schedule a meeting. We therefore believe that shareholders should have the right to call a special meeting or to solicit votes by written consent in cases where a reasonably high proportion of shareholders (typically
a minimum of 15%) are required to agree to such a meeting/consent before it is called, in order to avoid misuse of this right and waste corporate resources in addressing narrowly supported interests. However, we may
oppose this right in cases where the provision is structured for the benefit of a dominant shareholder to the exclusion of others.
Simple majority voting.
We generally favor a simple majority voting requirement to pass proposals. Therefore we will support the reduction or the elimination of supermajority voting requirements to the extent that
we determine shareholders' ability to protect their economic interests is improved. Nonetheless, in situations where there is a substantial or dominant shareholder, supermajority voting may be protective of public
shareholder interests and we may therefore support supermajority requirements in those situations.
Stakeholder provisions.
Stakeholder provisions introduce the concept that the board may consider the interests of constituencies other than shareholders when making corporate decisions. Stakeholder interests vary
widely and are not necessarily consistent with the best long-term economic interests of all shareholders, whose capital is at risk in the ownership of a public company. We believe the board's fiduciary obligation is
to ensure management is employing this capital in the most efficient manner so as to maximize shareholder value, and we oppose any provision that suggests the board should do otherwise.
BOSTON ADVISORS, LLC
Summary of Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures
I. INTRODUCTION
Under the investment management
contracts between Boston Advisors, LLC (“BA”) and most of our clients, the client retains exclusive voting authority over the securities in the client’s portfolio and we do not have any role in proxy
voting. BA assumes responsibility for voting proxies when requested by a client and with respect to clients subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”).
II. STATEMENTS OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
231
A. Policy Statement.
The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), requires us to, at all times, act solely in the best interest of our clients. We have adopted and
implemented these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, which we believe, are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and Rule
206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act.
While retaining final authority to
determine how each proxy is voted, BA has reviewed and determined to follow in most instances the proxy voting policies and recommendations (the “Guidelines”) of Egan-Jones Proxy Services, a proxy research
and consulting firm (“Egan-Jones”). Egan-Jones will track each proxy that BA is authorized to vote on behalf of our clients and will make a recommendation to management of BA as how it would vote such
proxy in accordance with the Guidelines. Unless otherwise directed by BA, Egan-Jones will instruct Proxy-Edge, a proxy voting firm (“Proxy-Edge”) to vote on such matters on our behalf in accordance with
its recommendations. BA will monitor the recommendations from Egan-Jones and may override specific recommendations or may modify the Guidelines in the future.
We have established these Proxy
Voting Policies and Procedures in a manner that is generally intended to result in us voting proxies in an unbiased manner. All proxy votes are ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the
recommendations made by Egan Jones.
B. Conflicts of Interest.
If there is determined to be a material conflict between the interests of our clients on the one hand and our interests (including those of our affiliates, directors, officers, employees
and other similar persons) on the other hand (a “potential conflict”) the matter shall be considered by management.
Proxy proposals that are
“routine,” such as uncontested elections of directors, meeting formalities, and approval of an annual report/financial statements are presumed not to involve a material conflict of interest. Non- routine
proxy proposals are presumed to involve a material conflict of interest, unless BA management determines that neither BA nor its personnel have such a conflict of interest. Non-routine proposals would typically
include any contested matter, including a contested election of directors, a merger or sale of substantial assets, a change in the articles of incorporation that materially affects the rights of shareholders, and
compensation matters for management (e.g., stock option plans and retirement plans).
If BA management determines that BA
has a material conflict of interest then we shall vote the proxy according to the recommendation of Egan- Jones or, if applicable, the client’s proxy voting policies. BA management also reserves the right to
vote a proxy using the following methods:
| ■ | We may obtain instructions from the client on how to vote the proxy. |
| ■ | If we are able to disclose the conflict to the client, we may do so and obtain the client’s consent as to how we will vote on the proposal (or otherwise obtain instructions from the client on how the proxy should be voted). |
We use commercially reasonable
efforts to determine whether a potential conflict may exists, and a potential conflict shall be deemed to exist if and only if one or more of our senior investment staff actually knew or reasonably should have known
of the potential conflict.
C. Limitations on Our
Responsibilities
1. Limited Value.
We may abstain from voting a client proxy if we conclude that the effect on client’s economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is
indeterminable or insignificant.
2. Unjustifiable Costs.
We may abstain from voting a client proxy for cost reasons (e.g., costs associated with voting proxies of non-U.S. securities). In accordance with our
fiduciary duties, we weigh the costs and benefits of voting proxy proposals relating to foreign securities and make an informed decision with respect to whether voting a given proxy proposal is prudent. Our decision
takes into account the effect that the vote of our clients, either by itself or together with other votes, is expected to have on the value of our client’s investment and whether this expected effect would
outweigh the cost of voting.
3. Special Client Considerations.
a. Mutual Funds.
We will vote proxies of our mutual fund clients subject to the funds’ applicable investment restrictions.
b. ERISA Accounts.
With respect our ERISA clients, we vote proxies in accordance with our duty of loyalty and prudence, compliance with the plan documents, as well as our duty
to avoid prohibited transactions.
4. Client Direction.
If a client has a proxy-voting policy and instructs us to follow it, we will comply with that policy upon receipt except when doing so would be contrary
to the client’s economic interests or otherwise imprudent or unlawful. As a fiduciary to ERISA clients, we are required to discharge our duties in accordance with the documents governing the plan (insofar as
they are consistent with
232
ERISA), including statements of proxy voting
policy. We will, on a best efforts basis, comply with each client’s proxy voting policy. If client policies conflict, we may vote proxies to reflect each policy in proportion to the respective client’s
interest in any pooled account (unless voting in such a manner would be imprudent or otherwise inconsistent with applicable law).
D. Disclosure.
A client for which we are responsible for voting proxies may obtain information from us, via Egan-Jones and Proxy Edge records, regarding how we voted the client’s proxies. Clients
should contact their account manager to make such a request.
E. Review and Changes.
We shall from time to time review these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and may adopt changes based upon our experience, evolving industry practices and developments in applicable
laws and regulations. Unless otherwise agreed to with a client, we may change these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures from time to time without notice to, or approval by, any client. Clients may request a current
version of our Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures from their account manager.
F. Delegation.
We may delegate our responsibilities under these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures to a third party, other than Egan Jones provided that we retain final authority and fiduciary
responsibility for proxy voting. If we so delegate our responsibilities, we shall monitor the delegate’s compliance with these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.
G. Maintenance of Records.
We maintain at our principal place of business the records required to be maintained by us with respect to proxies in accordance with the requirements of the Advisers Act and, with respect
to our fund clients, the Investment Company Act of 1940. We may, but need not, maintain proxy statements that we receive regarding client securities to the extent that such proxy statements are available on the
SEC’s EDGAR system. We also may rely upon a third party, such as Egan-Jones or Proxy Edge to maintain certain records required to be maintained by the Advisers Act.
BROWN ADVISORY, LLC.
Brown Advisory shall vote proxies
consistent with its Proxy Policy, a summary of which follows. Generally, the firm’s research analysts vote actively recommended issuers and obtain research from a proxy service for recommendations for
voting proxies of all other issues. Clients may, at any time, opt to change voting authorization. Upon notice that a client has revoked the firm’s authority to vote proxies, the firm will forward
such materials to the party identified by client.
Routine Matters
Since the quality and depth of
management is a primary factor considered when investing in an issuer, the recommendation of the issuer’s management on any issue will be given substantial weight. However, the position of the
issuer’s management will not be supported in any situation where it is determined not to be in the best interests of the client.
Election of Directors
: Proxies shall be voted for a management-proposed slate of directors unless there is a contested election of directors or there are other
compelling corporate governance reasons for withholding votes for such directors. Management proposals to limit director liability consistent with state laws and director indemnification provisions shall be
supported because it is important for companies to be able to attract qualified candidates.
Appointment of Auditors
: Management recommendations shall generally be supported.
Changes in State of Incorporation or Capital Structure
: Management recommendations about re-incorporation shall be supported unless the new jurisdiction in which the
issuer is reincorporating has laws that would materially dilute the rights of shareholders of the issuer. Proposals to increase authorized common stock should be examined on a case-by-case basis. If the
new shares will be used to implement a poison pill or another form of anti-takeover device, or if the issuance of new shares could excessively dilute the value of outstanding shares upon issuance, then such proposals
should be evaluated to determine whether they are in the best interest of the client.
Non-Routine Matters
Corporate Restructurings, Mergers and Acquisitions
: These proposals should be examined on a case-by-case basis because they are an extension of an investment
decision.
Proposals Affecting Shareholder Rights:
Proposals that seek to limit shareholder rights, such as the creation of dual classes of stock, generally should not be
supported.
Anti-takeover Issues:
Measures that impede takeovers or entrench management will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis taking into account the rights of shareholders and
the potential effect on the value of the firm.
233
Executive Compensation
: Although management recommendations should be given substantial weight, proposals relating to executive compensation plans, including stock
option plans, should be examined on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the long-term interests of management and shareholders are properly aligned.
Social and Political Issues
: These types of proposals should generally not be supported if they are not supported by management unless they would have a
readily-determinable, positive financial effect on shareholder value and would not be burdensome or impose unnecessary or excessive costs on the issuer.
Conflicts of Interest
A “conflict of
interest,” means any circumstance when the firm or one of its affiliates (including officers, directors and employees), or in the case where the firm serves as investment adviser to a fund, when the fund or the
principal underwriter, or one or more of their affiliates (including officers, directors and employees), knowingly does business with, receives compensation from, or sits on the board of, a particular issuer or
closely affiliated entity, and, therefore, may appear to have a conflict of interest between its own interests and the interests of clients or fund shareholders in how proxies of that issuer are voted. The firm
should vote proxies relating to such issuers in accordance with the following procedures:
Routine Matters Consistent with Policy
. The firm may vote proxies for routine matters as required by this Policy.
Immaterial Conflicts
: The firm may vote proxies for non-routine matters consistent with this Policy if it determines that the conflict of interest is not material.
A conflict of interest will be considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict has the potential to influence the firm’s decision-making in voting a proxy. Materiality
determinations will be based upon an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances.
Material Conflicts and Non-Routine Matters:
If the firm believes that (A) it has a material conflict and (B) that the issue to be voted upon is non-routine or
is not covered by this Policy, the firm may abstain. The firm may also abstain from voting proxies in other circumstances, including, for example, if voting may be unduly burdensome or expensive, or otherwise
not in the best economic interest of the clients, such as (by example and without limitation) when foreign proxy issuers impose unreasonable or expensive voting or holding requirements or when the costs to effect a
vote would be uneconomic relative to the value of the client’s investment in the issuer.
CLEARBRIDGE INVESTMENTS, LLC.
Proxy Voting Guidelines Procedures
Summary.
ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client
accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.
ClearBridge votes proxies for each
client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the
best interest of the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will
be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, such
recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its responsibility for the proxy vote.
In the case of a proxy issue for
which there is a stated position in the policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the policies that
ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. In the case of a proxy issue for which
there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which
there is a stated position set forth in the policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including
election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructuring, and social and environmental
issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management
professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. An investment team (e.g., ClearBridge SAI investment
team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement ClearBridge's Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote
proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services' (ISS) PVS Voting guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.
234
In furtherance of ClearBridge's
goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge's interests and those of its clients before
voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the
potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships or ClearBridge's business relationships or
the personal or business relationships of other Legg Mason units' employees, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge's General Counsel/Chief Compliance
Officer. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies.
ClearBridge generally takes the
position that non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on
the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business
units.
ClearBridge's Proxy Committee
reviews and addresses conflicts of interest. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is
not brought to the attention of the Proxy Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge's position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance
with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Committee first determines whether such
conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge's decision-making in
voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.
If it is determined by the Proxy
Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is
voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.
COHEN & STEERS CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT, INC.
General Proxy Voting Guidelines
Objectives
Voting rights are an important
component of corporate governance. Cohen & Steers has three overall objectives in exercising voting rights:
| ■ | Responsibility . Cohen & Steers shall seek to ensure that there is an effective means in place to hold companies accountable for their actions. While management must be accountable to its board, the board must be accountable to a company’s shareholders. Although accountability can be promoted in a variety of ways, protecting shareholder voting rights may be among our most important tools. |
| ■ | Rationalizing Management and Shareholder Concerns . Cohen & Steers seeks to ensure that the interests of a company’s management and board are aligned with those of the company’s shareholders. In this respect, compensation must be structured to reward the creation of shareholder value. |
| ■ | Shareholder Communication . Since companies are owned by their shareholders, Cohen & Steers seeks to ensure that management effectively communicates with its owners about the company’s business operations and financial performance. It is only with effective communication that shareholders will be able to assess the performance of management and to make informed decisions on when to buy, sell or hold a company’s securities. |
General Principles
In exercising voting rights, Cohen
& Steers shall conduct itself in accordance with the general principles set forth below.
| ■ | The ability to exercise a voting right with respect to a security is a valuable right and, therefore, must be viewed as part of the asset itself. |
| ■ | In exercising voting rights, Cohen & Steers shall engage in a careful evaluation of issues that may materially affect the rights of shareholders and the value of the security. |
| ■ | Consistent with general fiduciary principles, the exercise of voting rights shall always be conducted with reasonable care, prudence and diligence. |
| ■ | In exercising voting rights on behalf of clients, Cohen & Steers shall conduct itself in the same manner as if Cohen & Steers were the constructive owner of the securities. |
| ■ | To the extent reasonably possible, Cohen & Steers shall participate in each shareholder voting opportunity. |
| ■ | Voting rights shall not automatically be exercised in favor of management-supported proposals. |
235
| ■ | Cohen & Steers, and its officers and employees, shall never accept any item of value in consideration of a favorable proxy voting decision. |
General Guidelines
Set forth below are general
guidelines that Cohen & Steers shall follow in exercising proxy voting rights:
| ■ | Prudence . In making a proxy voting decision, Cohen & Steers shall give appropriate consideration to all relevant facts and circumstances, including the value of the securities to be voted and the likely effect any vote may have on that value. Since voting rights must be exercised on the basis of an informed judgment, investigation shall be a critical initial step. |
| ■ | Third Party Views . While Cohen & Steers may consider the views of third parties, Cohen & Steers shall never base a proxy voting decision solely on the opinion of a third party. Rather, decisions shall be based on a reasonable and good faith determination as to how best to maximize shareholder value. |
| ■ | Shareholder Value . Just as the decision whether to purchase or sell a security is a matter of judgment, determining whether a specific proxy resolution will increase the market value of a security is a matter of judgment as to which informed parties may differ. In determining how a proxy vote may affect the economic value of a security, Cohen & Steers shall consider both short-term and long-term views about a company’s business and prospects, especially in light of our projected holding period on the stock (e.g., Cohen & Steers may discount long-term views on a short-term holding). |
Specific Guidelines
Uncontested Director Elections
Votes on director
nominees should be made on a case-by-case basis using a “mosaic” approach, where all factors are considered in director elections and where no single issue is deemed to be determinative. In evaluating
nominees, we consider the following factors:
| ■ | Whether the nominee attended less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse for the absences; |
| ■ | Whether the nominee is an inside or affiliated outside director and sits on the audit, compensation, or nominating committees and/or the full board serves as the audit, compensation, or nominating committees, or the company does not have one of these committees; |
| ■ | Whether the board ignored a significant shareholder proposal that was approved by a majority of the votes cast in the previous year; |
| ■ | Whether the board, without shareholder approval, instituted a new poison pill plan, extended an existing plan, or adopted a new plan upon the expiration of an existing plan during the past year; |
| ■ | Whether the nominee is the chairman or CEO of a publicly-traded company who serves on more than two (2) public company boards; |
| ■ | In the case of nominees other than the chairman or CEO, whether the nominee serves on more than four (4) public company boards; |
| ■ | If the nominee is an incumbent director, the length of tenure taking into account tenure limits recommended by local corporate governance codes; |
| ■ | Whether the nominee has a material related party transaction or a material conflict of interest with the company; |
| ■ | Whether the nominee (or the entire board) has a record of making poor corporate or strategic decisions or has demonstrated an overall lack of good business judgment; |
| ■ | Material failures of governance, stewardship, risk oversight, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company; and |
| ■ | Actions related to a nominee’s service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company. |
Proxy Access
We recognize the importance of
shareholder access to the ballot process as a means to ensure that boards do not become self-perpetuating and self-serving. However, we are also aware that some proposals may promote certain interest groups and could
be disruptive to the nomination process. We vote on a case-by-case basis considering the proxy access terms in light of a company’s specific circumstances and we may support proxy access proposals when
management and boards have displayed a lack of shareholder accountability.
Proxy Contests
Director Nominees in a Contested Election
Votes in a
contested election of directors are evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering the long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry, management’s track record, the qualifications of the
nominees, and other relevant factors.
Reimbursement of Proxy Solicitation Expenses
In the absence of
compelling reasons, we generally do not support such proposals.
236
Ratification of Auditors
We vote for proposals to ratify
auditors, auditor renumeration and/or proposals authorizing the board to fix audit fees unless an auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; there is reason
to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; the name of the proposed auditor and/or fees paid to the audit firm
are not disclosed by the company in a timely manner prior to the meeting; the auditors are being changed without explanation; or fees paid for non-audit related services are excessive and/or exceed limits set in local
best practice recommendations or law.
In circumstances where fees for
non-audit services include fees related to significant one-time capital structure events; initial public offerings; bankruptcy emergence, and spinoffs; and the company makes public disclosure of the amount and nature
of those fees, then such fees may be excluded from the non-audit fees considered in determining whether non-audit related fees are excessive.
We vote on a case-by-case basis on
auditor rotation proposals. Criteria for evaluating the rotation proposal include, but are not limited to: tenure of the audit firm; establishment and disclosure of a renewal process whereby the auditor is regularly
evaluated for both audit quality and competitive price; length of the rotation period advocated in the proposal; and any significant audit related issues.
Generally, we vote against auditor
indemnification and limitation of liability; however we recognize there may be situations where indemnification and limitations on liability may be appropriate.
Takeover Defenses
While we recognize that a takeover
attempt can be a significant distraction for the board and management to deal with, the simple fact is that the possibility of a corporate takeover keeps management focused on maximizing shareholder value. As a
result, Cohen & Steers opposes measures that are designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers because they can entrench current management. The following are our guidelines on change of control issues:
Shareholder Rights Plans
We review on a case-by-case basis
proposals to ratify shareholder rights plans taking into consideration the length of the plan.
Unequal Voting Rights
Generally, we vote
against the adoption of a dual or multiple class capitalization structure. We support the one-share, one-vote principal for voting.
Classified Boards
We generally vote
in favor of shareholder proposals to declassify a board of directors. In voting on shareholder proposals to declassify a board of directors, we evaluate all facts and circumstances surrounding such proposal, including
whether the current management and board have a history of making good corporate or strategic decisions and whether it would be in the best interests of shareholders.
Cumulative Voting
Having the ability
to cumulate our votes for the election of directors – that is, cast more than one vote for a director about whom they feel strongly – generally increases shareholders’ rights to effect change in the
management of a corporation. However, we acknowledge that cumulative voting promotes special candidates who may not represent the interests of all, or even a majority, of shareholders. In voting on proposals to
institute cumulative voting, we therefore evaluate all facts and circumstances surrounding such proposal and we generally vote against cumulative voting where the company has good corporate governance practices in
place, including majority voting for board elections and de-classified boards.
Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meeting
Cohen & Steers
votes on a case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals requesting companies to amend their governance documents (bylaws and/or charter) in order to allow shareholders to call special meetings.
Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent
We generally vote
against proposals to allow or facilitate shareholder action by written consent to provide a reasonable protection of minority shareholder rights.
237
Shareholder Ability to Alter the Size of the Board
We generally vote
for proposals that seek to fix the size of the board and vote against proposals that give the board the ability to alter the size of the board without shareholder approval. While we recognize the importance of such
proposals, these proposals are sometimes put forth in order to promote the agenda(s) of certain special interest groups and could be disruptive to the management of the company.
Miscellaneous Board Provisions
Board Committees
Boards should delegate key
oversight functions, such as responsibility for audit, nominating and compensation issues, to independent committees. The chairman and members of any committee should be clearly identified in the annual report. Any
committee should have the authority to engage independent advisors where appropriate at the company’s expense.
Audit, nominating and compensation
committees should consist solely of non-employee directors, who are independent of management.
Independent Chairman
We review on a case-by-case basis
proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, taking into consideration the company’s current board leadership and governance structure; company performance, and
any other factors that may be applicable.
Separate Chairman and CEO Role
We will generally vote for
proposals looking to separate the CEO and Chairman roles. We do acknowledge, however, that under certain circumstances, it may be reasonable for the CEO and Chairman roles to be held by a single person.
Lead Directors and Executive Sessions
In cases where the CEO and Chairman
roles are combined or the Chairman is not independent, we will vote for the appointment of a lead independent director and for regular executive sessions (board meetings taking place without the CEO/Chairman
present).
Majority of Independent Directors
We vote for proposals that call for
the board to be composed of a majority of independent directors. We believe that a majority of independent directors can be an important factor in facilitating objective decision making and enhancing accountability to
shareholders.
Independent Committees
We vote for shareholder proposals
requesting that the board’s audit, compensation, and nominating committees consist exclusively of independent directors.
Stock Ownership Requirements
We support measures requiring
senior executives to hold a minimum amount of stock in a company (often expressed as a percentage of annual compensation), which may include restricted stock or restricted stock units.
Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection
We generally support
indemnification provisions that are consistent with the local jurisdiction in which the company has been formed. We vote in favor of proposals providing indemnification for directors and officers with respect to acts
conducted in the normal course of business. We also vote in favor of proposals that expand coverage for directors and officers where, despite an unsuccessful legal defense, the director or officer acted in good faith
and in the best interests of the company and the director or officers’ legal expenses are covered. We vote against proposals that would expand indemnification beyond coverage of legal expenses to coverage of
acts, such as gross negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligations.
Board Size
We generally vote for proposals to
limit the size of the board to 15 members or less.
238
Majority Vote Standard
We generally vote for proposals
asking for the board to initiate the appropriate process to amend the company’s governance documents (charter or bylaws) to provide that director nominees shall be elected by the affirmative vote of the majority
of votes cast at an annual meeting of shareholders.
Supermajority Vote Requirements
We generally support proposals that
seek to lower supermajority voting proposals.
Miscellaneous Governance Provisions
Disclosure of Board Nominees
We generally vote against the
election of directors at companies if the names of the director nominees are not disclosed in a timely manner prior to the meeting. However, we recognize that companies in certain emerging markets may have a
legitimate reason for not disclosing nominee names. In such a rare case, if a company discloses a legitimate reason why such nominee names should not be disclosed, we may vote for the nominees even if nominee names
are not disclosed in a timely manner.
Disclosure of Board Compensation
We generally vote against the
election of directors at companies if the compensation paid to such directors is not disclosed in a timely manner prior to the meeting. However, we recognize that companies in certain emerging markets may have a
legitimate reason for not disclosing such compensation information. In such a rare case, if a company discloses a legitimate reason why such compensation should not be disclosed, we may vote for the nominees even if
compensation is not disclosed in a timely manner.
Confidential Voting
We vote for
shareholder proposals requesting that companies adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals permit management to request that the
dissident group honor its confidential voting policy in proxy contests.
We also vote for management
proposals to adopt confidential voting.
Bundled Proposals
We review on a case-by-case basis
bundled or “conditioned” proxy proposals. In the case of items that are conditioned upon each other, we examine the benefits and costs of the packaged items. In instances where the joint effect of the
conditioned items is not in shareholders’ best interests, we vote against the proposals. If the combined effect is positive, we support such proposals. In the case of bundled director proposals, we will vote for
the entire slate only if we would have otherwise voted for each director on an individual basis.
Date/Location of Meeting
We vote against
shareholder proposals to change the date or location of the shareholders’ meeting.
Adjourn Meeting if Votes are
Insufficient.
Open-end requests for adjournment
of a shareholder meeting generally will not be supported. However, where management specifically states the reason for requesting an adjournment and the requested adjournment is necessary to permit a proposal
that would otherwise be supported under this policy to be carried out, the adjournment request will be supported.
Other Business
Cohen & Steers will generally
vote against proposals to approve other business where we cannot determine the exact nature of the proposal to be voted on.
Disclosure of Shareholder
Proponents
We vote for shareholder proposals
requesting that companies disclose the names of shareholder proponents. Shareholders may wish to contact the proponents of a shareholder proposal for additional information.
239
Capital Structure
Increase Additional Common Stock
We generally vote for increases in
authorized shares, provided that the increase is not greater than three times the number of shares outstanding and reserved for issuance (including shares reserved for stock-related plans and securities convertible
into common stock, but not shares reserved for any poison pill plan).
Votes generally are cast in favor
of proposals to authorize additional shares of stock except where the proposal:
| ■ | creates a blank check preferred stock; or |
| ■ | establishes classes of stock with superior voting rights. |
Blank Check Preferred Stock
Votes generally are cast in
opposition to management proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of preferred stock with unspecific voting, conversion, distribution and other rights, and management proposals to increase the number of
authorized blank check preferred shares. We may vote in favor of this type of proposal when we receive assurances to our reasonable satisfaction that (i) the preferred stock was authorized by the board for the use of
legitimate capital formation purposes and not for anti-takeover purposes, and (ii) no preferred stock will be issued with voting power that is disproportionate to the economic interests of the preferred stock. These
representations should be made either in the proxy statement or in a separate letter from the company to Cohen & Steers.
Pre-emptive Rights
We generally vote against the
issuance of equity shares with pre-emptive rights. However, we may vote for shareholder pre-emptive rights where such pre-emptive rights are necessary taking into account the best interests of the company’s
shareholders. In addition, we acknowledge that international local practices may call for shareholder pre-emptive rights when a company seeks authority to issue shares (e.g., UK authority for the issuance of only up
to 5% of outstanding shares without pre-emptive rights). While we prefer that companies be permitted to issue shares without pre-emptive rights, in deference to international local practices, we will approve issuance
requests with pre-emptive rights.
Dual Class Capitalizations
Because classes of
common stock with unequal voting rights limit the rights of certain shareholders, we vote against adoption of a dual or multiple class capitalization structure. We support the one-share, one-vote principle for
voting.
Restructurings/Recapitalizations
We review proposals to increase
common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan on a case-by-case basis. In voting, we consider the following issues:
| ■ | dilution—how much will ownership interest of existing shareholders be reduced, and how extreme will dilution to any future earnings be? |
| ■ | change in control—will the transaction result in a change in control of the company? |
| ■ | bankruptcy—generally, approve proposals that facilitate debt restructurings unless there are clear signs of self-dealing or other abuses. |
Share Repurchase Programs
Boards may
institute share repurchase or stock buy-back programs for a number of reasons. Cohen & Steers will generally vote in favor of such programs where the repurchase would be in the long-term best interests of
shareholders, and where we believe that this is a good use of the company’s cash.
We will vote against such programs
when shareholders’ interests could be better served by deployment of the cash for alternative uses, or where the repurchase is a defensive maneuver or an attempt to entrench management.
Targeted Share Placements
240
These shareholder
proposals ask companies to seek stockholder approval before placing 10% or more of their voting stock with a single investor. The proposals are typically in reaction to the placement by various companies of a large
block of their voting stock in an employee stock option plan, parent capital fund or with a single friendly investor, with the aim of protecting themselves against a hostile tender offer. These proposals are voted on
a case-by-case basis after reviewing the individual situation of the company receiving the proposal.
Executive and Director
Compensation
Executive Compensation (“Say
on Pay”)
“
Say-on-Pay” votes are determined on a case-by-case basis taking into account the reasonableness of the company’s compensation structure and the adequacy of the disclosure.
We generally vote against in cases
where there are an unacceptable number of problematic pay practices including:
| ■ | Poor linkage between the executives’ pay and the company’s performance and profitability; |
| ■ | The presence of objectionable structural features in the compensation plan, such as excessive perquisites, golden parachutes, tax-gross up provisions, and automatic benchmarking of pay in the top half of the peer group; and |
| ■ | A lack of proportionality in the plan relative to the company’s size and peer group. |
Also, we generally vote for
shareholder proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive and director pay information.
Frequency of Advisory Vote on
Executive Compensation (“Say When on Pay”)
We generally vote
for annual shareholder advisory votes to approve executive compensation.
Equity Compensation Plans
Votes with respect to compensation
plans should be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on a combination of certain plan features and equity grant practices, where positive factors may counterbalance negative factors, and vice versa, as
evaluated in three pillars:
| ■ | Plan Cost: The total estimated cost of the company’s equity plans relative to industry/market cap peers, measured by the company's estimated Shareholder Value Transfer (SVT) in relation to peers and considering both: |
| ■ | SVT based on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants, plus outstanding unvested/unexercised grants; and |
| ■ | SVT based only on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants. |
| ■ | Plan Features: |
| ■ | Automatic single-triggered award vesting upon CIC; |
| ■ | Discretionary vesting authority; |
| ■ | Liberal share recycling on various award types; |
| ■ | Minimum vesting period for grants made under the plan. |
| ■ | Grant Practices: |
| ■ | The company’s three year burn rate relative to its industry/market cap peers; |
| ■ | Vesting requirements in most recent CEO equity grants (3-year look-back); |
| ■ | The estimated duration of the plan based on the sum of shares remaining available and the new shares requested, divided by the average annual shares granted in the prior three years; |
| ■ | The proportion of the CEO's most recent equity grants/awards subject to performance conditions; |
| ■ | Whether the company maintains a claw-back policy; |
| ■ | Whether the company has established post exercise/vesting share-holding requirements. |
We will generally vote against the
plan proposal if the combination of factors indicates that the plan is not, overall, in the shareholders’ interest, or if any of the following apply:
| ■ | Awards may vest in connection with a liberal change in control; |
| ■ | The plan would permit repricing or cash buyout of underwater options without shareholder approval; |
| ■ | The plan is a vehicle for problematic pay practices or a pay-for-performance disconnect; or |
| ■ | Any other plan features that are determined to have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests. |
Approval of Cash or Cash-and-Stock
Bonus Plans
We vote for cash or cash-and-stock
bonus plans to exempt the compensation from limits on deductibility under the provisions of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
241
Golden Parachutes
In general, the guidelines call for
voting against “golden parachute” plans because they impede potential takeovers that shareholders should be free to consider. In particular, we oppose the use of employment contracts that result in cash
grants of greater than three times annual compensation (salary and bonus) and generally withhold our votes at the next shareholder meeting for directors who to our knowledge approved golden parachutes.
Voting on Golden Parachutes in an
Acquisition, Merger, Consolidation, or Proposed Sale
We vote on a case-by-case basis on
proposals to approve the company's golden parachute compensation. Features that may lead to a vote against include:
| ■ | Potentially excessive severance payments (cash grants of greater than three times annual compensation (salary and bonus)); |
| ■ | Agreements that include excessive excise tax gross-up provisions; |
| ■ | Single trigger payments that will happen immediately upon a change in control, including cash payment and such items as the acceleration of performance-based equity despite the failure to achieve performance measures; |
| ■ | Single-trigger vesting of equity based on a definition of change in control that requires only shareholder approval of the transaction (rather than consummation); |
| ■ | Recent amendments or other changes that may make packages so attractive as to influence merger agreements that may not be in the best interests of shareholders; or |
| ■ | The company's assertion that a proposed transaction is conditioned on shareholder approval of the golden parachute advisory vote. |
401(k) Employee Benefit Plans
We vote for proposals to implement
a 401(k) savings plan for employees.
Employee Stock Purchase Plans
We support employee stock purchase
plans, although we generally believe the discounted purchase price should be at least 85% of the current market price.
Stock Holding Periods
Generally vote against all
proposals requiring executives to hold the stock received upon option exercise for a specific period of time.
Transferable Stock Options
Review on a case-by-case basis
proposals to grant transferable stock options or otherwise permit the transfer of outstanding stock options, including cost of proposal and alignment with shareholder interests.
Recoup Bonuses
We vote on a case-by-case on
shareholder proposals to recoup unearned incentive bonuses or other incentive payments made to senior executives if it is later determined that fraud, misconduct, or negligence significantly contributed to a
restatement of financial results that led to the awarding of unearned incentive compensation.
Voting on State Takeover
Statutes
We review on a
case-by-case basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freezeout provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws,
poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, antigreenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions). In voting on these shareholder proposals, we take into account whether the proposal is in
the long-term best interests of the company and whether it would be in the best interests of the company to thwart a shareholder’s attempt to control the board of directors.
Voting on Reincorporation
Proposals
Proposals to change a
company’s state of incorporation are examined on a case-by-case basis. In making our decision, we review management’s rationale for the proposal, changes to the charter/bylaws, and differences in the state
laws governing the companies.
Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings
242
Mergers and Acquisitions
Votes on mergers and acquisitions
should be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors including the following: anticipated financial and operating benefits; offer price (cost vs. premium); prospects of the combined companies; how
the deal was negotiated; and changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights.
We vote against proposals that
require a super-majority of shareholders to approve a merger or other significant business combination. We support proposals that seek to lower super-majority voting requirements.
Nonfinancial Effects of a Merger or
Acquisition
Some companies have proposed a
charter provision which specifies that the board of directors may examine the nonfinancial effect of a merger or acquisition on the company. This provision would allow the board to evaluate the impact a proposed
change in control would have on employees, host communities, suppliers and/or others. We generally vote against proposals to adopt such charter provisions. We feel it is the directors' fiduciary duty to base decisions
solely on the financial interests of the shareholders.
Spin-offs
Votes on spin-offs should be
considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of sale proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.
Asset Sales
Votes on asset sales should be made
on a case-by-case basis after considering the impact on the balance sheet/working capital, value received for the asset, and potential elimination of diseconomies.
Liquidations
Votes on liquidations should be
made on a case-by-case basis after reviewing management’s efforts to pursue other alternatives, appraisal value of assets, and the compensation plan for executives managing the liquidation.
Environmental and Social Issues
We believe that
well-managed companies should be evaluating and assessing how environmental and social matters may enhance or protect shareholder value. However, because of the diverse nature of environmental and social proposals, we
evaluate these proposals on a case-by-case basis. The principles guiding our evaluation of these proposals are whether implementation of a proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value and whether a
proposal can be implemented at a reasonable cost.
Environmental Proposals
We acknowledge that environmental
considerations can pose significant investment risks and opportunities. Therefore, we generally vote in favor of proposals requesting a company disclose information that will aid in the determination of shareholder
value creation or destruction, taking into consideration the following factors:
| ■ | Whether the issues presented have already been effectively dealt with through governmental regulation or legislation; |
| ■ | Whether the disclosure is available to shareholders from the company or from a publicly available source; and |
| ■ | Whether implementation would reveal proprietary or confidential information that could place the company at a competitive disadvantage. |
Social Proposals
We believe board and workforce
diversity are beneficial to the decision-making process and can enhance long-term profitability. Therefore, we generally vote in favor of proposals that seek to increase board and workforce diversity. We vote all
other social proposals on a case-by-case basis, including, but not limited to, proposals related to political and charitable contributions, lobbying, and gender equality and the gender pay gap.
CORECOMMODITY MANAGEMENT, LLC
(CoreCommodity)
CoreCommodity may be responsible for voting on shareholder proxies and may do so only in accordance with the following Proxy Voting Procedures, in the best interest of a client and as agreed to by the advisory client.
CoreCommodity may be responsible for voting on shareholder proxies and may do so only in accordance with the following Proxy Voting Procedures, in the best interest of a client and as agreed to by the advisory client.
General Guidelines
243
We rely on Institutional
Shareholder Services (ISS), a privately-held company, whose ultimate owner is Vestar Associates VI, LP, an affiliate of Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York, NY, to research, vote and
record all proxy ballots for accounts over which we have proxy voting authority. We have adopted the ISS US Proxy Voting Guidelines, as may be amended from time to time.
In voting proxies,
we are guided by general fiduciary principles. Our goal is to act prudently, solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of the accounts we manage. We do not necessarily have an obligation to vote every proxy;
for example we may forego voting proxies if the account no longer holds the position at the time of the vote, or the cost of voting (such as in the case of a vote regarding a foreign issuer that requires being
physically present to vote) outweighs the anticipated benefit to the account. Similarly, in jurisdictions which permit “shareblocking” or require additional documentation to vote proxies (such as power of
attorney) or require additional disclosure of ownership, we may choose to refrain from voting. We only vote the proxies delivered to us from custodians and do not vote proxies for shares that are out on loan to third
parties, and do not seek to recall such shares in order to vote them.
How We Vote
We generally vote proxies in
accordance with the ISS recommendations, and have informed ISS to vote in accordance with these recommendations unless otherwise specified by us. A portfolio manager may request that securities under his management be
voted differently from the ISS recommendations if he believes that such a vote would be in the best interest of the applicable client(s). Such vote requests will be subject to the conflict of interest review described
below.
Conflicts Of Interest
In furtherance of our goal to vote
proxies in the best interests of our clients, we follow procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between our interests and those of our clients before voting proxies on behalf of
such clients. Only votes which are not in accordance with the ISS recommendations are subject to these conflicts of interest procedures.
Procedures for Identifying Conflicts of Interest
We rely on the following to seek to
identify conflicts of interest:
| ■ | Personnel are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of CoreCommodity with respect to voting proxies on behalf of Accounts both as a result of a personal relationship and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of our business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of our compliance officer. |
| ■ | CoreCommodity is deemed to have a material conflict of interest in voting proxies relating to issuers that are our clients and that have historically accounted for or are projected to account for a material percentage of our annual revenues. |
| ■ | CoreCommodity shall not vote proxies relating to issuers on such list on behalf of Accounts until it has been determined that the conflict of interest is not material or a method for resolving such conflict of interest has been agreed upon and implemented. |
Procedures for Assessing Conflicts of Interest and for Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest
All conflicts of interest
identified pursuant to the procedures outlined above must be brought to the attention of the Compliance Officer for resolution. The Compliance Officer will work with appropriate CoreCommodity personnel to determine
whether a conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest will be considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict has the potential to influence our decision-making in voting the
proxy. A conflict of interest shall be deemed material in the event that the issuer that is the subject of the proxy has a client relationship with us of the type described above. All other materiality determinations
will be based on an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. The Compliance Officer shall maintain a written record of all materiality determinations.
If it is determined that a conflict
of interest is not material, we may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.
If it is determined that a conflict
of interest is material, the Compliance Officer will work with appropriate CoreCommodity personnel to agree upon a method to resolve such conflict of interest before voting proxies affected by the conflict of
interest. Such methods may include:
| ■ | disclosing the conflict to clients and obtaining their consent before voting; |
| ■ | suggesting to clients that they engage another party to vote the proxy on their behalf; or |
| ■ | such other method as is deemed appropriate under the circumstances given the nature of the conflict. |
Record Keeping And Oversight
We shall maintain the following
records relating to proxy voting:
| ■ | a copy of these policies and procedures; |
244
| ■ | a copy of each proxy form (as voted); |
| ■ | a copy of each proxy solicitation (including proxy statements) and related materials with regard to each vote; |
| ■ | documentation relating to the identification and resolution of conflicts of interest; |
| ■ | any documents created by us that were material to a proxy voting decision or that memorialized the basis for that decision; and |
| ■ | a copy of each written client request for information on how we voted proxies on behalf of the client, and a copy of any written response by us to any (written or oral) client request for information on how we voted proxies on behalf of the requesting client. |
Such records shall be maintained
and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in our office.
In lieu of keeping copies of proxy
statements, we may rely on proxy statements filed on the EDGAR system as well as on third party records of proxy statements and votes cast if the third party provides an undertaking to provide the documents promptly
upon request.
Monitoring
These Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures will be reviewed on a periodic basis. As part of the review, we will (i) review the capacity and competency of ISS, including the ability of ISS to make recommendations based upon materially accurate
information, and (ii) consider any changes at ISS that may create new conflicts of interest, in each case as deemed necessary by us to ensure that CoreCommodity, acting through ISS, continues to vote proxies in the
best interests of clients. Part of such review may include the periodic sampling of proxy votes made by ISS on behalf of CoreCommodity, generally or with respect to particular types of proposals, as deemed necessary
by us. We may arrange with ISS that ISS will update CoreCommodity of business changes that CoreCommodity considers relevant (i.e., with respect to ISS’ capacity and competency to provide proxy voting advice) and
conflicts policies and procedures.
C.S. McKee, L.P.
Proxy Voting Policy
Objective: The objective of our proxy voting process is to maximize the long-term investment performance of our clients.
Proxy Voting Policy
Objective: The objective of our proxy voting process is to maximize the long-term investment performance of our clients.
Policy
: It is our policy to vote all proxy proposals in accordance with management recommendations except in instances where the effect of particular resolutions could adversely affect shareholder
value. In such cases, it is our policy to vote against these proposals. Examples of proposals which could negatively impact shareholder interests include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Anti-takeover amendments such as
fair price provisions and staggered board provisions.
2. Poison pill provisions designed
to discourage another entity from seeking control.
3. Greenmail attempts.
4. Golden parachutes and related
management entrenchment measures.
5. Oversized stock option grants
and strike price revisions.
It is McKee’s practice to
generally not recall securities unless there is a specific issue that we feel warrants forfeiting the securities lending income. It is generally believed that in most cases the certainty of the securities lending
income outweighs the potential, but unknown benefit, of the proxy vote.
Procedure
: Our procedure for processing proxy statements is as follows:
1. Upon receipt, all proxy material
will be forwarded to the Investment Administrative Assistant for his/her review. Specifically, proxies will be reviewed for material conflict of interest and in such cases will be addressed by the Compliance
Department to ensure that resolutions are voted in the best interest of shareholders.
2. If the proxy proposals are
routine and contain no proposals adverse to the investment interests of our clients, the Investment Administrative Assistant will vote the resolutions in favor of management. The vote will be reviewed and signed by
the CIO, or in his/her absence, by the senior equity portfolio manager.
3. If non-routine proposals or
proposals considered to have a potentially negative investment performance impact are discovered, the Chief Investment Officer will review the particular resolutions thoroughly with the equity manager responsible for
the investment.
4. After this review, if the Chief
Investment Officer determines that specific proposals could have a negative investment performance effect, he will vote against those proposals.
245
5. The Chief Investment Officer
will review any exceptional provisions which are of significant investment interest with the Chief Executive Officer before voting on those issues.
6. Copies of all proxy material,
along with our voting record, will be maintained by the Investment Administrative Assistant.
7. The Chief Investment Officer
will review our proxy voting record with the Chief Executive Officer annually, or more often if necessary.
EARNEST PARTNERS LLC
Proxy Policies
As a general rule, EARNEST Partners
(the Adviser) will vote against actions which would reduce the rights or options of shareholders, reduce shareholder influence over the board of directors and management, reduce the alignment of interests between
management and shareholders, or reduce the value of shareholders’ investments. A partial list of issues that may require special attention are as follows: classified boards, change of state of incorporation,
poison pills, unequal voting rights plans, provisions requiring supermajority approval of a merger, executive severance agreements, and provisions limiting shareholder rights.
In addition, the following will
generally be adhered to unless the Adviser is instructed otherwise in writing by the Client:
| ■ | The Adviser will not actively engage in conduct that involves an attempt to change or influence the control of a portfolio company. |
| ■ | The Adviser will not announce its voting intentions or the reasons for a particular vote. |
| ■ | The Advisor will not participate in a proxy solicitation or otherwise seek proxy voting authority from any other portfolio company shareholder. |
| ■ | The Adviser will not act in concert with any other portfolio company shareholders in connection with any proxy issue or other activity involving the control or management of a portfolio company. |
| ■ | All communications with portfolio companies or fellow shareholders will be for the sole purpose of expressing and discussing the Adviser’s concerns for its Clients’ interests and not in an attempt to influence the control of management. |
Proxy Procedures
The Adviser has designated a Proxy
Director. The Proxy Director will consider each issue presented on each portfolio company proxy. The Proxy Director will also use available resources, including proxy evaluation services, to assist in the analysis of
proxy issues. Proxy issues presented to the Proxy Director will be voted in accordance with the judgment of the Proxy Director, taking into account the general policies outlined above and the Adviser’s Proxy
Voting Guidelines (currently ISS Taft-Hartley Advisory Services Proxy Voting Guidelines). Therefore, it is possible that actual votes may differ from these general policies and the Adviser’s Proxy Voting
Guidelines. In the case where the Adviser believes it has a material conflict of interest with a Client, the Proxy Director will utilize the services of outside third party professionals (currently ISS Taft-Hartley
Advisory Services) to assist in its analysis of voting issues and the actual voting of proxies to ensure that a decision to vote the proxies was based on the Client’s best interest and was not the product of a
conflict of interest. In general, ISS Taft-Hartley Advisory Services Proxy Voting Guidelines are based on a worker-owner view of long-term corporate value and conform to the AFL-CIO proxy voting policy. In the event
the services of an outside third party professional are not available in connection with a conflict of interest, the Adviser will seek the advice of the Client.
A detailed description of the
Adviser’s specific Proxy Voting Guidelines will be furnished upon written request. You may also obtain information about how the Adviser has voted with respect to portfolio company securities by calling,
writing, or emailing us at:
EARNEST Partners
1180 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2300
Atlanta, GA 30309
1180 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2300
Atlanta, GA 30309
invest@earnestpartners.com
404-815-8772
The Adviser reserves the right to
change these policies and procedures at any time without notice.
EMERALD MUTUAL FUND ADVISERS TRUST
EMERALD ADVISERS, INC.
246
The following summary of voting
policies applies to all proxies which either Emerald or Emerald Advisers, Inc. (collectively, EAI) is entitled to vote. In voting proxies, EAI will consider those factors which would affect the value of the investment
and vote in the manner, which in its view, will best serve the economic interest of its clients. Consistent with this objective, EAI will exercise its vote in an activist pro-shareholder manner. EAI generally votes on
various issues as described below.
I. Boards of Directors
A. Election of Directors.
EAI has adopted the following policies regarding election of Directors:
| ■ | Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that boards be comprised of a majority of outside directors. |
| ■ | Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that board audit, compensation and nominating committees be comprised exclusively of outside directors. |
| ■ | Votes should be cast against management proposals to re-elect the board if the board has a majority of inside directors. |
| ■ | Votes should be withheld for directors who have failed to attend 75% of board or committee meetings in cases where management does not provide adequate explanation for the absences. |
| ■ | Votes should be withheld for incumbent directors of poor performing companies; defining poor performing companies as those companies who have below average stock performance (vs. peer group/Wilshire 5000) and below average return on assets and operating margins. |
| ■ | Votes should be cast in favor of proposals to create shareholder advisory committees. These committees will represent shareholders’ views, review management, and provide oversight of the board and their directors. |
B. Selection of Accountants.
EAI will generally support a rotation of accountants to provide a truly independent audit. This rotation should generally occur every 4-5 years.
C. Incentive Stock Plans.
EAI will generally vote against all excessive compensation and incentive stock plans which are not performance related.
D. Preemptive Rights.
This is usually a shareholder request enabling shareholders to participate first in any new offering of common stock. EAI believes that preemptive rights would not add value to
shareholders and would vote against such shareholder proposals.
II. Corporate Governance Issues
A. Provisions Restricting Shareholder
Rights.
These provisions would hamper shareholders ability to vote on certain corporate actions, such as changes in the bylaws, greenmail, poison pills, recapitalization plans, golden parachutes,
and on any item that would limit shareholders’ right to nominate, elect, or remove directors.
Policy
: Vote
Against
management proposals to implement such restrictions and vote
For
shareholder proposals to eliminate them.
B. Anti-Shareholder Measures
. These are measures designed to entrench management so as to make it more difficult to effect a change in control of the corporation. They are generally not in the best interests of
shareholders since they do not allow for the most productive use of corporate assets.
1. Classification of the Board of
Directors
: Policy: Vote Against proposals to classify the Board and support proposals (usually shareholder initiated) to implement annual election of the Board.
2. Shareholder Rights Plans (Poison
Pills)
: Anti-acquisition proposals of this sort come in a variety of forms. The most frequently used benefit is the right to buy shares at discount prices in the event of defined changes in
corporate control. Policy: Vote Against proposals to adopt Shareholder Rights Plans, and vote For Shareholder proposals eliminating such plans.
3. Unequal Voting Rights
: A takeover defense, also known as superstock, which gives holders disproportionate voting rights. EAI adheres to the One Share, One Vote philosophy, as all holders of common equity must
be treated fairly and equally. Policy: Vote Against proposals creating different classes of stock with unequal voting privileges.
4. Supermajority Clauses
: These are implemented by management requiring that an overly large proportion of shareholders (66-95% of shareholders rather than a simple majority) approve business combinations or
mergers, or other measures affecting control. This is another way for management to make changes in control of the company more difficult. Policy: Vote Against management proposals to implement supermajority clauses
and support shareholder proposals to eliminate them.
5. Increases in authorized shares
and/or creation of new classes of common and preferred stock
:
247
a.
Increasing authorized shares
. EAI will support management if it has a stated purpose for increasing the authorized number of common and preferred stock. However, in certain circumstances, it is apparent that
management is proposing these increases as an anti-takeover measure.
Policy
: On a case by case basis, vote
Against
management if they attempt to increase the amount of shares that they are authorized to issue if their intention is to use the excess shares to discourage a beneficial business
combination.
b.
Creation of new classes of stock
. Managements have proposed authorizing shares of new classes of stock, usually preferred stock, which the Board would be able to issue at
their discretion. These “blank check” issues are designed specifically to inhibit a takeover, merger, or accountability to its shareholders.
Policy
:
EAI would vote
Against
management in allowing the Board the discretion to issue any type of “blank check” stock without shareholder approval.
c.
Compensation Plans (Incentive Plans)
.
Policy
: On a case by case basis, vote
Against
attempts by management to adopt proposals that are specifically designed to unduly benefit members of executive management in the event of an acquisition.
d.
Cumulative Voting
. Cumulative voting tends to serve special interests and not those of shareholders.
Policy
:
EAI will vote
Against
any proposals establishing cumulative voting and
For
any proposal to eliminate it.
III. Other Issues
On other major issues involving
questions of community interest or social concerns, EAI generally supports the position of management with certain exceptions involving companies in South Africa or Northern Ireland where EAI actively encourages
corporations to act to promote responsible corporate activity.
EAI may manage a variety of
corporate accounts that are publically traded. EAI will use Glass-Lewis recommendations to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest when voting proxies of its clients that are publically traded companies.
EPOCH INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC.
Proxy Voting and Class Action
Monitoring
Policy
Epoch maintains proxy voting
authority for Client accounts, unless otherwise instructed by the client. Epoch votes proxies in a manner that it believes is most likely to enhance the economic value of the underlying securities held in Client
accounts. Epoch will not respond to proxy solicitor requests unless Epoch determines that it is in the best interest of Clients to do so.
Epoch does not complete
proofs-of-claim on behalf of Clients for current or historical holdings; however, Epoch will assist Clients with collecting information relevant to filing proofs-of-claim when such information is in the possession of
Epoch.
In light of Epoch’s fiduciary
duty to its Clients, and given the complexity of the issues that may be raised in connection with proxy votes, the Firm has retained Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”). ISS is an independent
adviser that specializes in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy-related services to institutional investment managers. The services provided to the Firm include in-depth research, voting recommendations, vote
execution and recordkeeping. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Firm will use its best judgment to vote proxies in the manner it deems to be in the best interests of its Clients. In the event that judgment differs
from that of ISS, the Firm will memorialize the reasons supporting that judgment and retain a copy of those records for the Firm’s files. Additionally, the CCO will periodically review the voting of proxies to
ensure that all such votes, particularly those diverging from the judgment of ISS, were voted consistent with the Firm’s fiduciary duties.
Procedures for Lent Securities and
Issuers in Share-blocking Countries
At times, neither Epoch nor ISS
will be allowed to vote proxies on behalf of Clients when those Clients have adopted a securities lending program. The Firm recognizes that Clients who have adopted securities lending programs have made a general
determination that the lending program provides a greater economic benefit than retaining the ability to vote proxies. Notwithstanding this fact, in the event that the Firm becomes aware of a proxy voting matter that
would enhance the economic value of the client’s position and that position is lent out, the Firm will make reasonable efforts to inform the Client that neither the Firm nor ISS is able to vote the proxy until
the Client recalls the lent security.
248
In certain markets where share
blocking occurs, shares must be “frozen” for trading purposes at the custodian or sub-custodian in order to vote. During the time that shares are blocked, any pending trades will not settle. Depending on
the market, this period can last from one day to three weeks. Any sales that must be executed will settle late and potentially be subject to interest charges or other punitive fees. For this reason, in blocking
markets, the Firm retains the right to vote or not, based on the determination of the Firm’s Investment Personnel. If the decision is made to vote, the Firm will process votes through ISS unless other action is
required as detailed in this policy.
Procedures for Conflicts of
Interest
Epoch has identified the following
potential conflicts of interest:
| ■ | Whether there are any business or personal relationships between Epoch, or an employee of Epoch, and the officers, directors or shareholder proposal proponents of a company whose securities are held in Client accounts that may create an incentive to vote in a manner that is not consistent with the best interests of Epoch’s Clients; |
| ■ | Whether Epoch has any other economic incentive to vote in a manner that is not consistent with the best interests of its Clients; |
If a conflict of interest has been
identified and Epoch intends to deviate from the proxy voting recommendation of ISS, then Epoch shall bring the proxy voting issue to the attention of affected Clients for guidance on how to vote the proxy.
Procedures for Proxy Solicitation
In the event that any officer or
employee of Epoch receives a request to reveal or disclose Epoch’s voting intention on a specific proxy event, then the officer or employee must forward the solicitation to the CCO.
Procedures for Voting Disclosure
Upon request, Epoch will provide
Clients with their specific proxy voting history.
Recordkeeping
Epoch must maintain the
documentation described in the following section for a period of not less than five (5) years, the first two (2) years at its principal place of business. The Firm will be responsible for the following procedures and
for ensuring that the required documentation is retained.
Client Request to Review Proxy
Votes
The Client Service group will
record the identity of the Client, the date of the request, and the disposition (e.g., provided a written or oral response to Client’s request, referred to third party, not a proxy voting Client, other
dispositions, etc.) in a suitable place.
Furnish the information requested,
free of charge, to the Client within a reasonable time period (within 10 business days). Maintain a copy of the written record provided in response to client’s written (including e-mail) or oral request.
Proxy Voting Records
| ■ | The proxy voting record is periodically provided to Epoch by ISS. |
| ■ | Documents prepared or created by Epoch that were material to making a decision on how to vote, or that memorialized the basis for the decision. |
| ■ | Documentation or notes or any communications received from third parties, other industry analysts, third party service providers, company’s management discussions, etc. that were material in the basis for the decision. |
Disclosure
| ■ | The CCO will ensure that Part 2A of Form ADV is updated as necessary to reflect: (i) all material changes to this policy; and (ii) regulatory requirements related to proxy voting disclosure. |
FIRST QUADRANT, L.P.
Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures
Investment Advisers Act of 1940
Rule 206(4)-6 imposes a number of requirements on investment advisers that have voting authority with respect to securities held in their clients’ portfolios. As a fiduciary, First Quadrant owes its clients the
duty of care and loyalty with respect to services undertaking on the clients’ behalves, including proxy voting. To satisfy its duty of loyalty, an adviser must cast the
249
proxy votes in a manner consistent with the best
interests of its clients, and must never put the adviser’s own interest above those of its clients. First Quadrant defines the best interest of a client to mean the best economic interest of the holders of the
same or similar securities of the issuer held in the client’s account.
These written policies and
procedures are designed to reasonably ensure that First Quadrant, L.P. (“First Quadrant”) votes proxies in the best interest of clients for whom First Quadrant has voting authority and describe how the
adviser addresses material conflicts between its interests and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting.
First Quadrant utilizes the
services of an independent outside proxy service, Glass Lewis & Co (“Glass Lewis”), to act as agent for the proxy process, to maintain records on proxy voting for our clients, and to provide
independent research on corporate governance, proxy, and corporate responsibility issues. In addition, First Quadrant has adopted as its own policies those of Glass Lewis’ proxy voting guidelines.
First Quadrant maintains a Proxy
Committee (the “Committee”), made up of senior members of the equity investment team, which is responsible for deciding what is in the best interests of each client when deciding how proxies are voted. The
Committee meets at least annually to review, approve, and adopt as First Quadrant’s own policies, Glass Lewis proxy voting guidelines. Any changes to the Glass Lewis voting guidelines must be reviewed, approved,
and adopted by the Committee when changes occur.
A copy of First Quadrant’s
proxy voting policies is available upon request to its clients. Because circumstances differ between clients, some clients contractually reserve the right to vote their own proxies or contractually may direct First
Quadrant to vote certain of their proxies in a specific manner, in which case the Committee will assume the responsibility for voting the proxies in accordance with the client’s desires.
First Quadrant’s Trade
Operations Group will monitor corporate actions, ensuring notifications from custodians and/or information from Bloomberg or other electronic surveillance systems is recorded in our portfolio management and accounting
systems.
Voting Client Proxies
When a new portfolio is opened and
First Quadrant has ascertained either through language found within the investment management agreement or through written correspondence with the client that First Quadrant is responsible for voting proxies, a letter
is sent to the custodian informing them that Glass Lewis will act as First Quadrant’s proxy voting agent and advising them to forward all proxy material pertaining to the portfolio to Glass Lewis for execution.
Additionally, First Quadrant provides Glass Lewis with a list of the portfolios for which First Quadrant holds voting authority as needed.
Glass Lewis, as proxy voting agent
for First Quadrant, is responsible for analyzing and voting each proxy in a timely manner, maintaining records of proxy statements received and votes cast, and providing reports to First Quadrant, upon request,
concerning how proxies were voted for a client. First Quadrant’s Client Service Dept. is responsible for: setting up new portfolios; determining which portfolios First Quadrant has proxy voting responsibilities;
ensuring the custodians and Glass Lewis are appropriately notified; receiving and forwarding to the Committee, and ultimately Glass Lewis, any direction received from a client to vote a proxy in a specific manner; and
maintaining client documentation and any communications received by First Quadrant related to proxy voting, including records of all communications received from clients requesting information on how their proxies
were voted and First Quadrant’s responses.
With respect to securities out on
loan, please refer to Addendum A for specific policies and procedures regarding the voting of proxies.
Oversight of GLASS LEWIS
As First Quadrant retains ultimate
responsibility for proxies voted by Glass Lewis, First Quadrant’s Proxy Committee will monitor Glass Lewis proxy voting to ensure it is completed in accordance with the proxy voting guidelines adopted by First
Quadrant. First Quadrant’s Proxy Committee will also periodically review Glass Lewis’ business practices, procedures, and potential conflicts that may impact its ability to carry out the described
responsibilities. This monitoring may be accomplished through discussions with Glass Lewis, document and record reviews, or a combination of these approaches.
Conflicts of Interest
The adoption of the Glass Lewis
proxy voting policies provides pre-determined policies for voting proxies and thereby minimizes the potential conflict of interests that could affect the outcome of a vote. The intent of this policy is to minimize the
discretion that First Quadrant may have to interpret what is in the best interest of any client or how to vote proxies in cases where First Quadrant has a material conflict of interest or the appearance of a material
conflict of interest. However, under very limited circumstances First Quadrant
250
will exercise discretion when it believes that the
Glass Lewis’ proxy voting policy does not align with First Quadrant’s clients’ unique interests on the matters being voted on . First Quadrant’s Proxy Voting Committee will maintain the proper
records when it decides to exercise the discretion and vote directly.
Providing Voting Information
First Quadrant will provide
information to its clients on how their securities were voted for their specific portfolio(s). Clients should be directed to contact First Quadrant at 626-795-8220 or fqclientservice@firstquadrant.com for such
information.
Policy last updated: October
2015
_____________________________
1
See Voting Client Proxies section for an explanation of this role.
Franklin Advisers, Inc.
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
PROXY VOTING POLICIES & PROCEDURES
An SEC Compliance Rule Policy and Procedures*
An SEC Compliance Rule Policy and Procedures*
RESPONSIBILITY OF INVESTMENT MANAGER TO VOTE PROXIES
Franklin Advisers, Inc.
(hereinafter the “Investment Manager”) has delegated its administrative duties with respect to voting proxies for securities to the Proxy Group within Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC (the “Proxy
Group”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC provides a variety of general corporate services to its affiliates, including, but not limited to, legal and
compliance activities. Proxy duties consist of analyzing proxy statements of issuers whose stock is owned by any client (including both investment companies and any separate accounts managed by the Investment Manager)
that has either delegated proxy voting administrative responsibility to the Investment Manager or has asked for information and/or recommendations on the issues to be voted.
The Proxy Group will process proxy
votes on behalf of, and the Investment Manager votes proxies solely in the best interests of, separate account clients, the Investment Manager-managed investment company shareholders, or shareholders of funds that
have appointed Franklin Templeton International Services S.à. r.l. (“FTIS S.à.r.l.”) as the Management Company, provided such funds or clients have properly delegated such responsibility in
writing, or, where employee benefit plan assets subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, are involved (“ERISA accounts”), in the best interests of the plan participants
and beneficiaries (collectively, “Advisory Clients”), unless (i) the power to vote has been specifically retained by the named fiduciary in the documents in which the named fiduciary appointed the
Investment Manager or (ii) the documents otherwise expressly prohibit the Investment Manager from voting proxies. The Investment Manager recognizes that the exercise of voting rights on securities held by ERISA plans
for which the Investment Manager has voting responsibility is a fiduciary duty that must be exercised with care, skill, prudence and diligence. The Investment Manager will inform Advisory Clients that have not
delegated the voting responsibility but that have requested voting advice about the Investment Manager's views on such proxy votes. The Proxy Group also provides these services to other advisory affiliates of the
Investment Manager.
The Investment Manager has adopted
and implemented Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Proxy Policies”) that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of Advisory Clients in accordance with
its fiduciary duties and rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. To the extent that the Investment Manager has a subadvisory agreement with an affiliated investment manager (the “Affiliated
Subadviser”) with respect to a particular Advisory Client, the Investment Manager may delegate proxy voting responsibility to the Affiliated Subadviser. The Investment Manager’s Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures are substantially similar to those of its affiliated investment managers. The Investment Manager may also delegate proxy voting responsibility to a Non-Affiliated Subadviser in certain limited situations as
disclosed to fund shareholders (e.g., where an Investment Manager to a pooled investment vehicle has engaged an unaffiliated Subadviser to manage all or a portion of the assets).
HOW INVESTMENT MANAGER VOTES PROXIES
Fiduciary Considerations
251
All proxies
received by the Proxy Group will be voted based upon the Investment Manager's instructions and/or policies. To assist it in analyzing proxies of equity securities, the Investment Manager subscribes to Institutional
Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), an unaffiliated third party corporate governance research service that provides in-depth analyses of shareholder meeting agendas and vote recommendations. In addition,
the Investment Manager subscribes to ISS’s Proxy Voting Service and Vote Disclosure Service. These services include receipt of proxy ballots, custodian bank relations, account maintenance, vote execution, ballot
reconciliation, vote record maintenance, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and vote disclosure services. Also, the Investment Manager subscribes to Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC (“Glass Lewis”), an
unaffiliated third party analytical research firm, to receive analyses and vote recommendations on the shareholder meetings of publicly held U.S. companies, as well as a limited subscription to its international
research. Also, the Investment Manager has a supplemental subscription to Egan-Jones Proxy Services (“Egan-Jones”), an unaffiliated third party proxy advisory firm, to receive analyses and vote
recommendations. Although analyses provided by ISS, Glass Lewis, Egan-Jones, and/or another independent third party proxy service provider (each a “Proxy Service”) are thoroughly reviewed and considered in
making a final voting decision, the Investment Manager does not consider recommendations from a Proxy Service or any third party to be determinative of the Investment Manager's ultimate decision. Rather, the
Investment Manager exercises its independent judgment in making voting decisions (except as discussed below in the section entitled “Circumstances Where the Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the
Recommendations of a Proxy Service”). As a matter of policy, the officers, directors and employees of the Investment Manager and the Proxy Group will not be influenced by outside sources whose interests conflict
with the interests of Advisory Clients.
For ease of reference, the Proxy
Policies often refer to all Advisory Clients. However, our processes and practices seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual Advisory Clients. For most proxy proposals, the Investment
Manager’s evaluation should result in the same position being taken for all Advisory Clients. In some cases, however, the evaluation may result in an individual Advisory Client voting differently, depending upon
the nature and objective of the fund or account, the composition of its portfolio and other factors.
Circumstances Where the Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the Recommendations of a Proxy Service
The Franklin LibertyQ exchange
traded funds (“ETFs”) of the Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, seek to track a particular securities index. As a result, each Franklin LibertyQ ETF may hold the securities of hundreds of issuers. Because the
primary criteria for determining whether a security should be included (or continued to be included) in a Franklin LibertyQ ETF’s investment portfolio is whether such security is a representative component of
the securities index that the Franklin LibertyQ ETF is seeking to track, the ETFs do not require the same level of fundamental security research and analyst coverage that an actively-managed portfolio would require.
Accordingly, in light of the high number of positions held by a Franklin LibertyQ ETF and the considerable time and effort that would be required to review proxy statements and ISS or Glass Lewis recommendations, the
Investment Manager may review the ISS and Glass Lewis Proxy Voting Guidelines and determine to instruct the Proxy Group to generally vote proxies consistent with the recommendations of ISS or Glass Lewis rather than
analyze each individual proxy vote. Permitting the Investment Manager of the Franklin LibertyQ ETFs to defer its judgment for voting on a proxy to the recommendations of ISS or Glass Lewis may result in a proxy
related to the securities of a particular issuer held by a Franklin LibertyQ ETF being voted differently from the same proxy that is voted on by other funds managed by the Investment Manager.
The Investment Manager, however,
will retain the ability to vote a proxy differently than ISS or Glass Lewis recommends if the Investment Manager determines that it would be in the best interests of a Franklin LibertyQ ETF and its shareholders.
Conflicts of Interest
All conflicts of interest will be
resolved in the best interests of the Advisory Clients. The Investment Manager is an affiliate of a large, diverse financial services firm with many affiliates and makes its best efforts to avoid conflicts of
interest. However, conflicts of interest can arise in situations where:
1. The issuer is a
client1 of the Investment Manager or its affiliates;
2. The issuer is a vendor whose
products or services are material or significant to the business of the Investment Manager or its affiliates;
2
3. The issuer is an entity
participating to a material extent in the distribution of proprietary investment products advised, administered or sponsored by the Investment Manager or its affiliates (e.g., a broker, dealer or bank);
3
4. The issuer is a significant
executing broker dealer;
4
5. An Access Person
5
of the Investment Manager or its affiliates also serves as a director or officer of the issuer;
252
6. A director or trustee of
Franklin Resources, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries or of a Franklin Templeton investment product, or an immediate family member
6
of such director or trustee, also serves as an officer or director of the issuer; or
7. The issuer is Franklin
Resources, Inc. or any of its proprietary investment products that are offered to the public as a direct investment.
Nonetheless, even though a
potential conflict of interest may exist: (1) the Investment Manager may vote in opposition to the recommendations of an issuer’s management even if contrary to the recommendations of a third party proxy voting
research provider; (2) if management has made no recommendations, the Proxy Group may defer to the voting instructions of the Investment Manager; and (3) with respect to shares held by Franklin Resources, Inc. or its
affiliates for their own corporate accounts, such shares may be voted without regard to these conflict procedures.
Material conflicts of interest are
identified by the Proxy Group based upon analyses of client, distributor, broker dealer, and vendor lists, information periodically gathered from directors and officers, and information derived from other sources,
including public filings. The Proxy Group gathers and analyzes this information on a best efforts basis, as much of this information is provided directly by individuals and groups other than the Proxy Group, and the
Proxy Group relies on the accuracy of the information it receives from such parties.
In situations where a material
conflict of interest is identified between the Investment Manager or one of its affiliates and an issuer, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the voting recommendation of a Proxy Service or send the proxy
directly to the relevant Advisory Clients with the Investment Manager’s recommendation regarding the vote for approval.
Where the Proxy Group refers a
matter to an Advisory Client, it may rely upon the instructions of a representative of the Advisory Client, such as the board of directors or trustees, a committee of the board, or an appointed delegate in the case of
a U. S. registered investment company, a conducting officer in the case of a fund that has appointed FTIS S.à.r.l as its Management Company, the Independent Review Committee for Canadian investment funds, or a
plan administrator in the case of an employee benefit plan. The Proxy Group may determine to vote all shares held by Advisory Clients of the Investment Manager and affiliated Investment Managers in accordance with the
instructions of one or more of the Advisory Clients.
The Investment Manager may also
decide whether to vote proxies for securities deemed to present conflicts of interest that are sold following a record date, but before a shareholder meeting date. The Investment Manager may consider various factors
in deciding whether to vote such proxies, including the Investment Manager’s long-term view of the issuer’s securities for investment, or it may defer the decision to vote to the applicable Advisory
Client. The Investment Manager also may be unable to vote, or choose not to vote, a proxy for securities deemed to present a conflict of interest for any of the reasons outlined in the first paragraph of the section
of these policies entitled “Proxy Procedures.”
Where a material conflict of
interest has been identified, but the items on which the Investment Manager’s vote recommendations differ from a Proxy Service relate specifically to (1) shareholder proposals regarding social or environmental
issues, (2) “Other Business” without describing the matters that might be considered, or (3) items the Investment Manager wishes to vote in opposition to the recommendations of an issuer’s
management, the Proxy Group may defer to the vote recommendations of the Investment Manager rather than sending the proxy directly to the relevant Advisory Clients for approval.
To avoid certain potential
conflicts of interest, the Investment Manager will employ echo voting, if possible, in the following instances: (1) when a Franklin Templeton U.S. registered investment company invests in an underlying fund in
reliance on any one of Sections 12(d)(1)(E), (F), or (G) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (“1940 Act”), the rules thereunder, or pursuant to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) exemptive order thereunder; (2) when a Franklin Templeton U.S. registered investment company invests uninvested cash in affiliated money market funds pursuant to the rules under the 1940 Act or any
exemptive orders thereunder (“cash sweep arrangement”); or (3) when required pursuant to the fund’s governing documents or applicable law. Echo voting means that the Investment Manager will vote the
shares in the same proportion as the vote of all of the other holders of the fund’s shares.
In addition, with respect to an
open-ended collective investment scheme formed as a Société d'investissement à capital variable (SICAV), in accordance with Luxembourg law, if one sub-fund (the “Acquirer”) has invested in
another sub-fund of the SICAV (the “Target”), then the voting rights attached to the shares of the Target will be suspended for voting purposes as long as they are held by the Acquirer. Similarly, in
accordance with Canadian law, Canadian mutual funds that are invested in another proprietary mutual fund are prohibited from voting the units of the underlying fund.
Weight Given Management
Recommendations
253
One of the primary factors the
Investment Manager considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular company is the quality and depth of that company's management. Accordingly, the recommendation of management on any issue is
a factor that the Investment Manager considers in determining how proxies should be voted. However, the Investment Manager does not consider recommendations from management to be determinative of the Investment
Manager's ultimate decision. As a matter of practice, the votes with respect to most issues are cast in accordance with the position of the company's management. Each issue, however, is considered on its own merits,
and the Investment Manager will not support the position of a company's management in any situation where it determines that the ratification of management's position would adversely affect the investment merits of
owning that company's shares.
Engagement with Issuers
The Investment Manager believes
that engagement with issuers is important to good corporate governance and to assist in making proxy voting decisions. The Investment Manager may engage with issuers to discuss specific ballot items to be voted on in
advance of an annual or special meeting to obtain further information or clarification on the proposals. The Investment Manager may also engage with management on a range of environmental, social or corporate
governance issues throughout the year.
THE PROXY GROUP
The Proxy Group is
part of the Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC Legal Department and is overseen by legal counsel. Fulltime staff members and support staff (which includes individuals that are employees of affiliates of Franklin
Templeton Companies, LLC) are devoted to proxy voting administration and oversight and providing support and assistance where needed. On a daily basis, the Proxy Group will review each proxy upon receipt as well as
any agendas, materials and recommendations that they receive from a Proxy Service or other sources. The Proxy Group maintains a log of all shareholder meetings that are scheduled for companies whose securities are
held by the Investment Manager's managed funds and accounts. For each shareholder meeting, a member of the Proxy Group will consult with the research analyst that follows the security and provide the analyst with the
agenda, analyses of one or more Proxy Services, recommendations and any other information provided to the Proxy Group. Except in (i) situations identified as presenting material conflicts of interest and (ii) the
section entitled “Circumstances Where the Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the Recommendations of a Proxy Service,” the Investment Manager's research analyst and relevant portfolio manager(s) are
responsible for making the final voting decision based on their review of the agenda, analyses of one or more Proxy Services, proxy statements, their knowledge of the company and any other information publicly
available.
In situations where the Investment
Manager has not responded with vote recommendations to the Proxy Group by the deadline date, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the vote recommendations of a Proxy Service. Except in cases where the Proxy Group
is voting consistent with the voting recommendation of a Proxy Service, the Proxy Group must obtain voting instructions from the Investment Manager's research analyst, relevant portfolio manager(s), legal counsel
and/or the Advisory Client prior to submitting the vote. In the event that an account holds a security that the Investment Manager did not purchase on its behalf, and the Investment Manager does not normally consider
the security as a potential investment for other accounts, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the voting recommendations of a Proxy Service or take no action on the meeting.
GENERAL PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
The Investment
Manager has adopted general guidelines for voting proxies as summarized below. In keeping with its fiduciary obligations to its Advisory Clients, the Investment Manager reviews all proposals, even those that may be
considered to be routine matters (except as noted above in the section entitled “Circumstances Where Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the Recommendations of a Proxy Service”). Although these
guidelines are to be followed as a general policy, in all cases each proxy and proposal (including both management and shareholder proposals) will be considered based on the relevant facts and circumstances on a
case-by-case basis. The Investment Manager may deviate from the general policies and procedures when it determines that the particular facts and circumstances warrant such deviation to protect the best interests of
the Advisory Clients. These guidelines cannot provide an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise nor can the Investment Manager anticipate all future situations. Corporate governance issues are diverse and
continually evolving and the Investment Manager devotes significant time and resources to monitor these changes.
THE INVESTMENT MANAGER’S PROXY
VOTING POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES
The Investment Manager's proxy
voting positions have been developed based on years of experience with proxy voting and corporate governance issues. These principles have been reviewed by various members of the Investment Manager's organization,
including portfolio management, legal counsel, and the Investment Manager's officers. The Board of Directors of Franklin Templeton’s U.S.-registered investment companies will approve the proxy voting policies
and procedures annually.
254
The following guidelines reflect
what the Investment Manager believes to be good corporate governance and behavior:
Board of Directors:
The election of directors and an independent board are key to good corporate governance. Directors are expected to be competent individuals and they should be accountable and responsive to
shareholders. The Investment Manager supports an independent, diverse board of directors, and prefers that key committees such as audit, nominating, and compensation committees be comprised of independent directors.
The Investment Manager supports boards with strong risk management oversight. The Investment Manager will generally vote against management efforts to classify a board and will generally support proposals to
declassify the board of directors. The Investment Manager will consider withholding votes from directors who have attended less than 75% of meetings without a valid reason. While generally in favor of separating
Chairman and CEO positions, the Investment Manager will review this issue on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration other factors including the company's corporate governance guidelines and performance. The
Investment Manager evaluates proposals to restore or provide for cumulative voting on a case-by-case basis and considers such factors as corporate governance provisions as well as relative performance. The Investment
Manager generally will support non-binding shareholder proposals to require a majority vote standard for the election of directors; however, if these proposals are binding, the Investment Manager will give careful
review on a case-by-case basis of the potential ramifications of such implementation.
In the event of a contested
election, the Investment Manager will review a number of factors in making a decision including management’s track record, the company’s financial performance, qualifications of candidates on both slates,
and the strategic plan of the dissidents and/or shareholder nominees.
Ratification of Auditors:
The Investment Manager will closely scrutinize the independence, role, and performance of auditors. On a case-by-case basis, The Investment Manager will examine proposals relating to
non-audit relationships and non-audit fees. The Investment Manager will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to rotate auditors, and will vote against the ratification of auditors when there is clear and
compelling evidence of a lack of independence, accounting irregularities or negligence attributable to the auditors. The Investment Manager may also consider whether the ratification of auditors has been approved by
an appropriate audit committee that meets applicable composition and independence requirements.
Management & Director
Compensation:
A company's equity-based compensation plan should be in alignment with the shareholders' long-term interests. The Investment Manager believes that executive compensation should be directly
linked to the performance of the company. The Investment Manager evaluates plans on a case-by-case basis by considering several factors to determine whether the plan is fair and reasonable. The Investment Manager
reviews the ISS quantitative model utilized to assess such plans and/or the Glass Lewis evaluation of the plan. The Investment Manager will generally oppose plans that have the potential to be excessively dilutive,
and will almost always oppose plans that are structured to allow the repricing of underwater options, or plans that have an automatic share replenishment “evergreen” feature. The Investment Manager will
generally support employee stock option plans in which the purchase price is at least 85% of fair market value, and when potential dilution is 10% or less.
Severance compensation arrangements
will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, although the Investment Manager will generally oppose “golden parachutes” that are considered excessive. The Investment Manager will normally support proposals
that require that a percentage of directors' compensation be in the form of common stock, as it aligns their interests with those of the shareholders.
The Investment Manager will review
non-binding say-on-pay proposals on a case-by-case basis, and will generally vote in favor of such proposals unless compensation is misaligned with performance and/or shareholders’ interests, the company has not
provided reasonably clear disclosure regarding its compensation practices, or there are concerns with the company’s remuneration practices.
Anti-Takeover Mechanisms and Related
Issues:
The Investment Manager generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they tend to reduce shareholder rights. However, as with all proxy issues, the Investment Manager conducts an
independent review of each anti-takeover proposal. On occasion, the Investment Manager may vote with management when the research analyst has concluded that the proposal is not onerous and would not harm Advisory
Clients' interests as stockholders. The Investment Manager generally supports proposals that require shareholder rights plans (“poison pills”) to be subject to a shareholder vote. The Investment Manager
will closely evaluate shareholder rights' plans on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not they warrant support. The Investment Manager will generally vote against any proposal to issue stock that has unequal
or subordinate voting rights. In addition, the Investment Manager generally opposes any supermajority voting requirements as well as the payment of “greenmail.” The Investment Manager usually supports
“fair price” provisions and confidential voting. The Investment Manager will review a company’s proposal to reincorporate to a different state or country on a case-by-case basis taking into
consideration financial benefits such as tax treatment as well as comparing corporate governance provisions and general business laws that may result from the change in domicile.
Changes to Capital Structure:
The Investment Manager realizes that a company's financing decisions have a significant impact on its shareholders, particularly when they involve the issuance of additional shares of
common or preferred stock or the assumption of additional debt. The Investment Manager will carefully review, on a case-by-case basis, proposals by companies to increase authorized
255
shares and the
purpose for the increase. The Investment Manager will generally not vote in favor of dualclass capital structures to increase the number of authorized shares where that class of stock would have superior voting
rights. The Investment Manager will generally vote in favor of the issuance of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock and the terms of the
preferred stock issuance are deemed reasonable. The Investment Manager will review proposals seeking preemptive rights on a case-by-case basis.
Mergers and Corporate
Restructuring:
Mergers and acquisitions will be subject to careful review by the research analyst to determine whether they would be beneficial to shareholders. The Investment Manager will analyze
various economic and strategic factors in making the final decision on a merger or acquisition. Corporate restructuring proposals are also subject to a thorough examination on a case-by-case basis.
Environmental and Social
Issues:
The Investment Manager considers environmental and social issues alongside traditional financial measures to provide a more comprehensive view of the value, risk and return potential of an
investment. Companies may face significant financial, legal and reputational risks resulting from poor environmental and social practices, or negligent oversight of environmental or social issues. Franklin
Templeton’s “Responsible Investment Principles and Policies” describes the Investment Manager’s approach to consideration of environmental, social and governance issues within the Investment
Manager’s processes and ownership practices.
In the Investment Manager’s
experience, those companies that are managed well are often effective in dealing with the relevant environmental and social issues that pertain to their business. As such, the Investment Manager will generally give
management discretion with regard to environmental and social issues. However, in cases where management and the board have not demonstrated adequate efforts to mitigate material environmental or social risks, have
engaged in inappropriate or illegal conduct, or have failed to adequately address current or emergent risks that threaten shareholder value, the Investment Manager may choose to support well-crafted shareholder
proposals that serve to promote or protect shareholder value. This may include seeking appropriate disclosure regarding material environmental and social issues. The Investment Manager will review shareholder
proposals on a case-by-case basis and may support those that serve to enhance value or mitigate risk, are drafted appropriately, and do not disrupt the course of business or require a disproportionate or inappropriate
use of company resources.
The Investment Manager will
consider supporting a shareholder proposal seeking disclosure and greater board oversight of lobbying and corporate political contributions if the Investment Manager believes that there is evidence of inadequate
oversight by the company’s board, if the company’s current disclosure is significantly deficient, or if the disclosure is notably lacking in comparison to the company’s peers.
Governance Matters:
The Investment Manager generally supports the right of shareholders to call special meetings and act by written consent. However, the Investment Manager will review such shareholder
proposals on a case-by-case basis in an effort to ensure that such proposals do not disrupt the course of business or require a disproportionate or inappropriate use of company resources.
Proxy Access:
In cases where the Investment Manager is satisfied with company performance and the responsiveness of management, it will generally vote against shareholder proxy access proposals not
supported by management. In other instances, the Investment Manager will consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as the size of the company, ownership thresholds and holding
periods, nomination limits (e.g., number of candidates that can be nominated), the intentions of the shareholder proponent, and shareholder base.
Global Corporate Governance:
The Investment Manager manages investments in countries worldwide. Many of the tenets discussed above are applied to the Investment Manager's proxy voting decisions for international
investments. However, the Investment Manager must be flexible in these worldwide markets. Principles of good corporate governance may vary by country, given the constraints of a country’s laws and acceptable
practices in the markets. As a result, it is on occasion difficult to apply a consistent set of governance practices to all issuers. As experienced money managers, the Investment Manager's analysts are skilled in
understanding the complexities of the regions in which they specialize and are trained to analyze proxy issues germane to their regions.
PROXY PROCEDURES
The Proxy Group is
fully cognizant of its responsibility to process proxies and maintain proxy records pursuant to SEC and Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”) rules and regulations. In addition, the Investment Manager
understands its fiduciary duty to vote proxies and that proxy voting decisions may affect the value of shareholdings. Therefore, the Investment Manager will generally attempt to process every proxy it receives for all
domestic and foreign securities. However, there may be situations in which the Investment Manager may be unable to successfully vote a proxy, or may choose not to vote a proxy, such as where: (i) a proxy ballot was
not received from the custodian bank; (ii) a meeting notice was received too late; (iii) there are fees imposed upon the exercise of a vote and it is determined that such fees outweigh the benefit of voting; (iv)
there are legal encumbrances to voting, including blocking restrictions in certain markets that preclude the ability to dispose of a security if the Investment Manager votes a proxy or where the Investment
256
Manager is prohibited from voting by applicable
law, economic or other sanctions, or other regulatory or market requirements, including but not limited to, effective Powers of Attorney; (v) additional documentation or the disclosure of beneficial owner details is
required; (vi) the Investment Manager held shares on the record date but has sold them prior to the meeting date; (vii) a proxy voting service is not offered by the custodian in the market; (viii) due to either system
error or human error, the Investment Manager’s intended vote is not correctly submitted; (ix) the Investment Manager believes it is not in the best interest of the Advisory Client to vote the proxy for any other
reason not enumerated herein; or (x) a security is subject to a securities lending or similar program that has transferred legal title to the security to another person.
In some non U.S.
jurisdictions, even if the Investment Manager uses reasonable efforts to vote a proxy on behalf of its Advisory Clients, such vote or proxy may be rejected because of (a) operational or procedural issues experienced
by one or more third parties involved in voting proxies in such jurisdictions; (b) changes in the process or agenda for the meeting by the issuer for which the Investment Manager does not have sufficient notice; or
(c) the exercise by the issuer of its discretion to reject the vote of the Investment Manager. In addition, despite the best efforts of the Proxy Group and its agents, there may be situations where the Investment
Manager’s votes are not received, or properly tabulated, by an issuer or the issuer’s agent.
The Investment Manager or its
affiliates may, on behalf of one or more of the proprietary registered investment companies advised by the Investment Manager or its affiliates, determine to use its best efforts to recall any security on loan where
the Investment Manager or its affiliates (a) learn of a vote on a material event that may affect a security on loan and (b) determine that it is in the best interests of such proprietary registered investment
companies to recall the security for voting purposes. The Investment Manager will not generally make such efforts on behalf of other Advisory Clients, or notify such Advisory Clients or their custodians that the
Investment Manager or its affiliates has learned of such a vote.
There may be instances in certain
non-U.S. markets where split voting is not allowed. Split voting occurs when a position held within an account is voted in accordance with two differing instructions. Some markets and/or issuers only allow voting on
an entire position and do not accept split voting. In certain cases, when more than one Franklin Templeton Investment Manager has accounts holding shares of an issuer that are held in an omnibus structure, the Proxy
Group will seek direction from an appropriate representative of the Advisory Client with multiple Investment Managers (such as a conducting officer of the Management Company in the case of a SICAV), or the Proxy Group
will submit the vote based on the voting instructions provided by the Investment Manager with accounts holding the greatest number of shares of the security within the omnibus structure.
The Investment Manager may vote
against an agenda item where no further information is provided, particularly in non-U.S. markets. For example, if “Other Business” is listed on the agenda with no further information included in the proxy
materials, the Investment Manager may vote against the item as no information has been provided prior to the meeting in order to make an informed decision. The Investment Manager may also enter a
“withhold” vote on the election of certain directors from time to time based on individual situations, particularly where the Investment Manager is not in favor of electing a director and there is no
provision for voting against such director.
If several issues are bundled
together in a single voting item, the Investment Manager will assess the total benefit to shareholders and the extent that such issues should be subject to separate voting proposals.
The following describes the
standard procedures that are to be followed with respect to carrying out the Investment Manager's proxy policy:
| 1. | The Proxy Group will identify all Advisory Clients, maintain a list of those clients, and indicate those Advisory Clients who have delegated proxy voting authority in writing to the Investment Manager. The Proxy Group will periodically review and update this list. If the agreement with an Advisory Client permits the Advisory Client to provide instructions to the Investment Manager regarding how to vote the client’s shares, the Investment Manager will make a best-efforts attempt to vote per the Advisory Client’s instructions. |
| 2. | All relevant information in the proxy materials received (e.g., the record date of the meeting) will be recorded promptly by the Proxy Group in a database to maintain control over such materials. |
| 3. | The Proxy Group will review and compile information on each proxy upon receipt of any agendas, materials, reports, recommendations from a Proxy Service, or other information. The Proxy Group will then forward this information to the appropriate research analyst for review and voting instructions. |
| 4. | In determining how to vote, the Investment Manager's analysts and relevant portfolio manager(s) will consider the General Proxy Voting Guidelines set forth above, their in-depth knowledge of the company, any readily available information and research about the company and its agenda items, and the recommendations of a Proxy Service. |
257
| 5. | The Proxy Group is responsible for maintaining the documentation that supports the Investment Manager’s voting decision. Such documentation may include, but is not limited to, any information provided by a Proxy Service and, with respect to an issuer that presents a potential conflict of interest, any board or audit committee memoranda describing the position it has taken. Additionally, the Proxy Group may include documentation obtained from the research analyst, portfolio manager and/or legal counsel; however, the relevant research analyst may, but is not required to, maintain additional documentation that was used or created as part of the analysis to reach a voting decision, such as certain financial statements of an issuer, press releases, or notes from discussions with an issuer’s management. |
| 6. | After the proxy is completed but before it is returned to the issuer and/or its agent, the Proxy Group may review those situations including special or unique documentation to determine that the appropriate documentation has been created, including conflict of interest screening. |
| 7. | The Proxy Group will make every effort to submit the Investment Manager's vote on all proxies to ISS by the cut-off date. However, in certain foreign jurisdictions or instances where the Proxy Group did not receive sufficient notice of the meeting, the Proxy Group will use its best efforts to send the voting instructions to ISS in time for the vote to be processed. |
| 8. | With respect to proprietary products, the Proxy Group will file Powers of Attorney in all jurisdictions that require such documentation on a best efforts basis; the Proxy Group does not have authority to file Powers of Attorney on behalf of other Advisory Clients. On occasion, the Investment Manager may wish to attend and vote at a shareholder meeting in person. In such cases, the Proxy Group will use its best efforts to facilitate the attendance of the designated Franklin Templeton employee by coordinating with the relevant custodian bank. |
| 9. | The Proxy Group prepares reports for each Advisory Client that has requested a record of votes cast. The report specifies the proxy issues that have been voted for the Advisory Client during the requested period and the position taken with respect to each issue. The Proxy Group sends one copy to the Advisory Client, retains a copy in the Proxy Group’s files and forwards a copy to either the appropriate portfolio manager or the client service representative. While many Advisory Clients prefer quarterly or annual reports, the Proxy Group will provide reports for any timeframe requested by an Advisory Client. |
| 10. | If the Franklin Templeton Services, LLC Global Trade Services learns of a vote that may affect a security on loan from a proprietary registered investment company, Global Trade Services will notify the Investment Manager. If the Investment Manager decides that the vote is material and it would be in the best interests of shareholders to recall the security, the Investment Manager will advise Global Trade Services to contact the lending agent in an effort to retrieve the security. If so requested by the Investment Manager, Global Trade Services shall use its best efforts to recall any security on loan and will use other practicable and legally enforceable means to ensure that the Investment Manager is able to fulfill its fiduciary duty to vote proxies for proprietary registered investment companies with respect to such loaned securities. However, there can be no guarantee that the securities can be retrieved for such purposes. Global Trade Services will advise the Proxy Group of all recalled securities. Many Advisory Clients have entered into securities lending arrangements with agent lenders to generate additional revenue. Under normal circumstances, the Investment Manager will not make efforts to recall any security on loan for voting purposes on behalf of other Advisory Clients, or notify such clients or their custodians that the Investment Manager or its affiliates have learned of such a vote. |
| 11. | The Proxy Group participates in Franklin Templeton Investment’s Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness programs. The Proxy Group will conduct disaster recovery testing on a periodic basis in an effort to ensure continued operations of the Proxy Group in the event of a disaster. Should the Proxy Group not be fully operational, then the Proxy Group may instruct ISS to vote all meetings immediately due per the recommendations of the appropriate third-party proxy voting service provider. |
| 12. | The Proxy Group, in conjunction with Legal Staff responsible for coordinating Fund disclosure, on a timely basis, will file all required Form N-PXs, with respect to proprietary U.S. registered investment companies, disclose that each fund’s proxy voting record is available on the Franklin Templeton web site, and will make available the information disclosed in each fund’s Form N-PX as soon as is reasonably practicable after filing Form N-PX with the SEC. |
| 13. | The Proxy Group, in conjunction with Legal Staff responsible for coordinating Fund disclosure, will ensure that all required disclosure about proxy voting of the proprietary U.S. registered investment companies is made in such clients’ disclosure documents. |
| 14. | The Proxy Group is subject to periodic review by Internal Audit, compliance groups, and external auditors. |
| 15. | The Investment Manager will review the guidelines of each Proxy Service, with special emphasis on the factors they use with respect to proxy voting recommendations. |
258
| 16. | The Proxy Group will update the proxy voting policies and procedures as necessary for review and approval by legal, compliance, investment officers, and/or other relevant staff. |
| 17. | The Proxy Group will familiarize itself with the procedures of ISS that govern the transmission of proxy voting information from the Proxy Group to ISS and periodically review how well this process is functioning. The Proxy Group, in conjunction with the compliance department, will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of each Proxy Service via on-site visits or by written questionnaires. As part of the periodic due diligence process, the Investment Manager assesses the adequacy and quality of each Proxy Service’s staffing and personnel to ensure each Proxy Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues and the ability to make proxy voting recommendations based on material accurate information. In the event the Investment Manager discovers an error in the research or voting recommendations provided by a Proxy Service, it will take reasonable steps to investigate the error and seek to determine whether the Proxy Service is taking reasonable steps to reduce similar errors in the future. In addition, the Investment Manager assesses the robustness of Proxy Service’s policies regarding (1) ensuring proxy voting recommendations are based on current and accurate information, and (2) identifying and addressing any conflicts of interest. To the extent enhanced disclosure of conflicts is required of Proxy Services, the Proxy Group will seek to ensure that each Proxy Service complies with such disclosure obligations and review the conflicts disclosed. The Investment Manager also considers the independence of each Proxy Service on an on-going basis. |
| 18. | The Proxy Group will investigate, or cause others to investigate, any and all instances where these Procedures have been violated or there is evidence that they are not being followed. Based upon the findings of these investigations, the Proxy Group, if practicable, will recommend amendments to these Procedures to minimize the likelihood of the reoccurrence of non-compliance. |
| 19. | At least annually, the Proxy Group will verify that: |
| a. | A sampling of proxies received by Franklin Templeton Investments has been voted in a manner consistent with the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; |
| b. | A sampling of proxies received by Franklin Templeton Investments has been voted in accordance with the instructions of the Investment Manager; |
| c. | Adequate disclosure has been made to clients and fund shareholders about the procedures and how proxies were voted in markets where such disclosures are required by law or regulation; and |
| d. | Timely filings were made with applicable regulators, as required by law or regulation, related to proxy voting. |
The Proxy Group is responsible for
maintaining appropriate proxy voting records. Such records will include, but are not limited to, a copy of all materials returned to the issuer and/or its agent, the documentation described above, listings of proxies
voted by issuer and by client, each written client request for proxy voting policies/records and the Investment Manager’s written response to any client request for such records, and any other relevant
information. The Proxy Group may use an outside service such as ISS to support this recordkeeping function. All records will be retained in either hard copy or electronic format for at least five years, the first two
of which will be on-site. Advisory Clients may request copies of their proxy voting records by calling the Proxy Group collect at 1-954-527-7678, or by sending a written request to: Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC,
300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, Attention: Proxy Group. The Investment Manager does not disclose to third parties (other than ISS) the proxy voting records of its Advisory Clients, except to the extent
such disclosure is required by applicable law or regulation or court order. Advisory Clients may review the Investment Manager's proxy voting policies and procedures on-line at www.franklintempleton.com and may
request additional copies by calling the number above. For U.S. proprietary registered investment companies, an annual proxy voting record for the period ending June 30 of each year will be posted to
www.franklintempleton.com no later than August 31 of each year. For proprietary Canadian mutual fund products, an annual proxy voting record for the period ending June 30 of each year will be posted to
www.franklintempleton.ca no later than August 31 of each year. The Proxy Group will periodically review the web site posting and update the posting when necessary. In addition, the Proxy Group is responsible for
ensuring that the proxy voting policies, procedures and records of the Investment Manager are available as required by law and is responsible for overseeing the filing of such U.S. registered investment company voting
records with the SEC.
PROCEDURES FOR MEETINGS INVOLVING
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES
From time to time, certain
custodians may process events for fixed income securities through their proxy voting channels rather than corporate action channels for administrative convenience. In such cases, the Proxy Group will receive ballots
for such events on the ISS voting platform. The Proxy Group will solicit voting instructions from the Investment Manager for each account or fund involved. If the
259
Proxy Group does not receive voting instructions
from the Investment Manager, the Proxy Group will take no action on the event. The Investment Manager may be unable to vote a proxy for a fixed income security, or may choose not to vote a proxy, for the reasons
described under the section entitled “Proxy Procedures.”
The Proxy Group will monitor such
meetings involving fixed income securities for conflicts of interest in accordance with these procedures for fixed income securities. If a fixed income issuer is flagged as a potential conflict of interest, the
Investment Manager may nonetheless vote as it deems in the best interests of its Advisory Clients. The Investment Manager will report such decisions on an annual basis to Advisory Clients as may be required.
As of February
2017
* Rule 38a-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”) (together the “Compliance Rule”) require registered investment
companies and registered investment advisers to, among other things, adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws (“Compliance Rule
Policies and Procedures”).
1
For purposes of this section, a “client” does not include underlying investors in a collective investment trust, Canadian pooled fund, or other pooled investment
vehicle managed by the Investment Manager or its affiliates. Sponsors of funds sub-advised by the Investment Manager or its affiliates will be considered a “client.”
2 The top 50 vendors will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
3 The top 40 distributors (based on aggregate gross sales) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest. In addition, any insurance company that has entered into a participation agreement with a Franklin Templeton entity to distribute the Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust or other variable products will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
4 The top 40 executing broker-dealers (based on gross brokerage commissions and client commissions) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
5 “Access Person” shall have the meaning provided under the current Code of Ethics of Franklin Resources, Inc.
6 The term “immediate family member” means a person’s spouse; child residing in the person’s household (including step and adoptive children); and any dependent of the person, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 152).
2 The top 50 vendors will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
3 The top 40 distributors (based on aggregate gross sales) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest. In addition, any insurance company that has entered into a participation agreement with a Franklin Templeton entity to distribute the Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust or other variable products will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
4 The top 40 executing broker-dealers (based on gross brokerage commissions and client commissions) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
5 “Access Person” shall have the meaning provided under the current Code of Ethics of Franklin Resources, Inc.
6 The term “immediate family member” means a person’s spouse; child residing in the person’s household (including step and adoptive children); and any dependent of the person, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 152).
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT
(“GSAM”)*
GSAM Global Proxy Voting Policy,
Procedures and Guidelines
2017 Edition
March 2017
Table of Contents
Part I: Policy and Procedures
A. Guiding Principles
B. The Proxy Voting Process
C. Implementation
D. Conflicts of Interest
Part II: GSAM Proxy Voting
Guidelines Summary
A. U.S. Proxy Items
Guidelines
B. Non-U.S. Proxy Items
Guidelines
Part I
260
A. Guiding Principles
Proxy voting and the analysis of
corporate governance issues in general are important elements of the portfolio management services we provide to our advisory clients who have authorized us to address these matters on their behalf. Our guiding
principles in performing proxy voting are to make decisions that favor proposals that in GSAM’s view maximize a company’s shareholder value and are not influenced by conflicts of interest. These principles
reflect GSAM’s belief that sound corporate governance will create a framework within which a company can be managed in the interests of its shareholders.
GSAM has adopted the policies and
procedures set out below regarding the voting of proxies (the “Policy”). GSAM periodically reviews this Policy to ensure it continues to be consistent with our guiding principles.
B. The Proxy Voting Process
Public Equity Investments
To implement these guiding
principles for investments in publicly traded equities for which we have voting power on any record date, we follow customized proxy voting guidelines that have been developed by GSAM portfolio management (the
“GSAM Guidelines”). The GSAM Guidelines embody the positions and factors GSAM generally considers important in casting proxy votes. They address a wide variety of individual topics, including, among other
matters, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations, mergers, issues of corporate social responsibility and
various shareholder proposals. Recognizing the complexity and fact-specific nature of many corporate governance issues, the GSAM Guidelines identify factors we consider in determining how the vote should be cast. A
summary of the GSAM Guidelines is attached as Part II.
The principles and positions
reflected in this Policy are designed to guide us in voting proxies, and not necessarily in making investment decisions. GSAM portfolio management teams (each, a “Portfolio Management Team”) base their
determinations of whether to invest in a particular company on a variety of factors, and while corporate governance may be one such factor, it may not be the primary consideration.
Fundamental Equity and GS
Investment Strategies Portfolio Management Teams
The Fundamental Equity and GS
Investment Strategies Portfolio Management Teams view the analysis of corporate governance practices as an integral part of the investment research and stock valuation process. In forming their views on particular
matters, these Portfolio Management Teams may consider applicable regional rules and practices, including codes of conduct and other guides, regarding proxy voting, in addition to the GSAM Guidelines and
Recommendations (as defined below).
Quantitative Investment Strategies
Portfolio Management Teams
The Quantitative Investment
Strategies Portfolio Management Teams have decided to generally follow the GSAM Guidelines and Recommendations based on such Portfolio Management Teams’ investment philosophy and approach to portfolio
construction, as well as their participation in the creation of the GSAM Guidelines. The Quantitative Investment Strategies Portfolio Management Teams may from time to time, however, review and individually assess any
specific shareholder vote.
Fixed Income and Private
Investments
Voting decisions with respect to
client investments in fixed income securities and the securities of privately held issuers generally will be made by the relevant Portfolio Management Teams based on their assessment of the particular transactions or
other matters at issue. Those Portfolio Management Teams may also adopt policies related to the fixed income or private investments they make that supplement this Policy.
Alternative Investment and Manager
Selection (“AIMS”) and Externally Managed Strategies
Where GSAM places client assets
with managers outside of GSAM, for example within GSAM’s AIMS business unit, such external managers generally will be responsible for voting proxies in accordance with the managers’ own policies. AIMS may,
however, retain proxy voting responsibilities where it deems appropriate or necessary under prevailing circumstances. To the extent AIMS portfolio managers assume proxy voting responsibility with respect to publicly
traded equity securities they will follow the GSAM Guidelines and Recommendations as discussed below unless an override is requested. Any other voting decision will be conducted in accordance with AIMS’ policies
governing voting decisions with respect to non-publicly traded equity securities held by their clients.
C. Implementation
261
GSAM has retained a third-party
proxy voting service (the “Proxy Service”) to assist in the implementation of certain proxy voting-related functions, including, without limitation, operational, recordkeeping and reporting services. Among
its responsibilities, the Proxy Service prepares a written analysis and recommendation (a “Recommendation”) of each proxy vote that reflects the Proxy Service’s application of the GSAM Guidelines to
the particular proxy issues. GSAM retains the responsibility for proxy voting decisions.
GSAM’s Portfolio Management
Teams generally cast proxy votes consistently with the GSAM Guidelines and the Recommendations. Each Portfolio Management Team, however, may on certain proxy votes seek approval to diverge from the GSAM Guidelines or
a Recommendation by following a process that seeks to ensure that override decisions are not influenced by any conflict of interest. As a result of the override process, different Portfolio Management Teams may vote
differently for particular votes for the same company.
GSAM clients who have delegated
voting responsibility to GSAM with respect to their account may from time to time contact their client representative if they would like to direct GSAM to vote in a particular manner for a particular solicitation.
GSAM will use commercially reasonable efforts to vote according to the client’s request in these circumstances, however, GSAM’s ability to implement such voting instruction will be dependent on operational
matters such as the timing of the request.
From time to time, GSAM’s
ability to vote proxies may be affected by regulatory requirements and compliance, legal or logistical considerations. As a result, GSAM, from time to time, may determine that it is not practicable or desirable to
vote proxies.
D. Conflicts of Interest
GSAM has implemented processes
designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing its proxy voting decisions. These processes include information barriers as well as the use of the GSAM Guidelines and Recommendations and the override
process described above in instances when a Portfolio Management Team is interested in voting in a manner that diverges from the initial Recommendation based on the GSAM Guidelines.
Part II
GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines
Summary
The following is a summary of the
material GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), which form the substantive basis of GSAM’s Policy and Procedures on Proxy Voting for Investment Advisory Clients (the “Policy”).
As described in the main body of the Policy, one or more GSAM Portfolio Management Teams may diverge from the Guidelines and a related Recommendation on any particular proxy vote or in connection with any individual
investment decision in accordance with the Policy.
A. US proxy items:
1. Operational Items
2. Board of Directors
3. Executive Compensation
4. Director Nominees and Proxy
Access
5. Shareholder Rights and
Defenses
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings
7. State of Incorporation
8. Capital Structure
9. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
B. Non-U.S. proxy items:
1. Operational Items
2. Board of Directors
3. Compensation
262
4. Board Structure
5. Capital Structure
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings & Other
7. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
U.S. Proxy Items
The following section is a summary
of the Guidelines, which form the substantive basis of the Policy with respect to U.S. public equity investments.
1. Operational Items
Auditor Ratification
Vote FOR proposals to ratify
auditors, unless any of the following apply within the last year:
| ■ | An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; |
| ■ | There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| ■ | Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a serious level of concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; or material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures; or |
| ■ | Fees for non-audit services are excessive (generally over 50% or more of the audit fees). |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder
proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services or asking for audit firm rotation.
2. Board of Directors
The board of directors should
promote the interests of shareholders by acting in an oversight and/or advisory role; the board should consist of a majority of independent directors and should be held accountable for actions and results related to
their responsibilities.
When evaluating board composition,
GSAM believes a diversity of ethnicity, gender and experience is an important consideration.
Classification of Directors
Where applicable, the New York
Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Listing Standards definition is to be used to classify directors as inside directors, affiliated outside directors, or independent outside directors.
Additionally, GSAM will consider
compensation committee interlocking directors to be affiliated (defined as CEOs who sit on each other’s compensation committees).
Voting on Director Nominees in
Uncontested Elections
Vote on director nominees should be
determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
individual directors who:
| ■ | Attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a disclosed valid excuse for each of the last two years; |
| ■ | Sit on more than five public operating and/or holding company boards; |
| ■ | Are CEOs or CFOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies besides their own—withhold only at their outside boards. |
Other items considered for an
AGAINST vote include specific concerns about the individual or the company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities, sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and
regulations, the presence of inappropriate related party transactions, or other issues related to improper business practices.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
inside directors and affiliated outside directors (per the Classification of Directors above) in the case of operating and/or holding companies when:
| ■ | The inside director or affiliated outside director serves on the Audit, Compensation or Nominating Committees; and |
263
| ■ | The company lacks an Audit, Compensation or Nominating Committee so that the full board functions as such committees and inside directors or affiliated outside directors are participating in voting on matters that independent committees should be voting on. |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
members of the appropriate committee for the following reasons (or independent chairman or lead director in cases of a classified board and members of appropriate committee are not up for re-election). Extreme cases
may warrant a vote against the entire board.
| ■ | Material failures of governance, stewardship, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company; |
| ■ | Egregious actions related to the director(s)’ service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company; |
| ■ | At the previous board election, any director received more than 50% withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the underlying issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote (members of the Nominating or Governance Committees); |
| ■ | The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received approval of the majority of shares cast for the previous two consecutive years (a management proposal with other than a FOR recommendation by management will not be considered as sufficient action taken); an adopted proposal that is substantially similar to the original shareholder proposal will be deemed sufficient; (vote against members of the committee of the board that is responsible for the issue under consideration). If GSAM did not support the shareholder proposal in both years, GSAM will still vote against the committee member(s). |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the
members of the Audit Committee if:
| ■ | The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive (generally over 50% or more of the audit fees); |
| ■ | The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor and there is not clear evidence that the situation has been remedied; |
| ■ | There is persuasive evidence that the Audit Committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm; or |
| ■ | No members of the Audit Committee hold sufficient financial expertise. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the
Audit Committee and/or the full board if poor accounting practices, which rise to a level of serious concern are identified, such as fraud, misapplication of GAAP and material weaknesses identified in Section 404
disclosures.
Examine the severity, breadth,
chronological sequence and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions, in determining whether negative vote recommendations are warranted against the members of the Audit
Committee who are responsible for the poor accounting practices, or the entire board.
See section 3 on executive and
director compensation for reasons to withhold from members of the Compensation Committee.
In limited circumstances, GSAM may
vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees of the board of directors (except from new nominees who should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis and except as discussed below) if:
| ■ | The company’s poison pill has a dead-hand or modified dead-hand feature for two or more years. Vote against/withhold every year until this feature is removed; however, vote against the poison pill if there is one on the ballot with this feature rather than the director; |
| ■ | The board adopts or renews a poison pill without shareholder approval, does not commit to putting it to shareholder vote within 12 months of adoption (or in the case of an newly public company, does not commit to put the pill to a shareholder vote within 12 months following the IPO), or reneges on a commitment to put the pill to a vote, and has not yet received a withhold/against recommendation for this issue; |
| ■ | The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders tendered their shares; |
| ■ | If in an extreme situation the board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers. |
Shareholder proposal regarding
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
GSAM will generally recommend a
vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| ■ | Designated lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| ■ | Two-thirds independent board; |
| ■ | All independent “key” committees (audit, compensation and nominating committees); or |
| ■ | Established, disclosed governance guidelines. |
Shareholder proposal regarding
board declassification
264
GSAM will generally vote FOR
proposals requesting that the board adopt a declassified structure in the case of operating and holding companies.
Majority Vote Shareholder
Proposals
GSAM will vote FOR proposals
requesting that the board adopt majority voting in the election of directors provided it does not conflict with the state law where the company is incorporated. GSAM also looks for companies to adopt a post-election
policy outlining how the company will address the situation of a holdover director.
Cumulative Vote Shareholder
Proposals
GSAM will generally support
shareholder proposals to restore or provide cumulative voting in the case of operating and holding companies unless:
| ■ | The company has adopted (i) majority vote standard with a carve-out for plurality voting in situations where there are more nominees than seats and (ii) a director resignation policy to address failed elections. |
3. Executive Compensation
Pay Practices
Good pay practices should align
management’s interests with long-term shareholder value creation. Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is preferred; proof that companies follow the criteria should be evident and retroactive performance
target changes without proper disclosure is not viewed favorably. Compensation practices should allow a company to attract and retain proven talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: abnormally large bonus
payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/stock
appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites. A company should also have an appropriate balance of short-term vs. long-term metrics and the metrics should be aligned with business
goals and objectives.
If the company maintains
problematic or poor pay practices, generally vote:
| ■ | AGAINST Management Say on Pay (MSOP) Proposals; or |
| ■ | AGAINST an equity-based incentive plan proposal if excessive non-performance-based equity awards are the major contributor to a pay-for-performance misalignment. |
| ■ | If no MSOP or equity-based incentive plan proposal item is on the ballot, vote AGAINST/WITHHOLD from compensation committee members. |
Equity Compensation Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based
compensation plans. Evaluation takes into account potential plan cost, plan features and grant practices. While a negative combination of these factors could cause a vote AGAINST, other reasons to vote AGAINST the
equity plan could include the following factors:
| ■ | The plan permits the repricing of stock options/stock appreciation rights (SARs) without prior shareholder approval; or |
| ■ | There is more than one problematic material feature of the plan, which could include one of the following: unfavorable change-in-control features, presence of gross ups and options reload. |
Advisory Vote on Executive
Compensation (Say-on-Pay, MSOP) Management Proposals
Vote FOR annual frequency and
AGAINST all proposals asking for any frequency less than annual.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals for an advisory vote on executive compensation. For U.S. companies, consider the following factors in the context of each company’s specific circumstances and the board’s disclosed rationale for
its practices. In general more than one factor will need to be present in order to warrant a vote AGAINST.
Pay-for-Performance Disconnect:
| ■ | GSAM will consider there to be a disconnect based on a quantitative assessment of the following: CEO pay vs. TSR and peers, CEO pay as a percentage of the median peer group or CEO pay vs. shareholder return over time. |
Additional Factors Considered
Include:
| ■ | Board’s responsiveness if company received 70% or less shareholder support in the previous year’s MSOP vote; |
| ■ | Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure; |
| ■ | Egregious employment contracts; |
265
| ■ | Excessive perquisites or excessive severance and/or change in control provisions; |
| ■ | Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options without prior shareholder approval; |
| ■ | Excessive pledging or hedging of stock by executives; |
| ■ | Egregious pension/SERP (supplemental executive retirement plan) payouts; |
| ■ | Extraordinary relocation benefits; |
| ■ | Internal pay disparity; |
| ■ | Lack of transparent disclosure of compensation philosophy and goals and targets, including details on short-term and long-term performance incentives; and |
| ■ | Long-term equity-based compensation is 100% time-based. |
Other Compensation Proposals and
Policies
Employee Stock Purchase Plans
— Non-Qualified Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on nonqualified
employee stock purchase plans taking into account the following factors:
| ■ | Broad-based participation; |
| ■ | Limits on employee contributions; |
| ■ | Company matching contributions; and |
| ■ | Presence of a discount on the stock price on the date of purchase. |
Option Exchange Programs/Repricing
Options
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals seeking approval to exchange/reprice options, taking into consideration:
| ■ | Historic trading patterns—the stock price should not be so volatile that the options are likely to be back “in-the-money” over the near term; |
| ■ | Rationale for the re-pricing; |
| ■ | If it is a value-for-value exchange; |
| ■ | If surrendered stock options are added back to the plan reserve; |
| ■ | Option vesting; |
| ■ | Term of the option—the term should remain the same as that of the replaced option; |
| ■ | Exercise price—should be set at fair market or a premium to market; |
| ■ | Participants—executive officers and directors should be excluded. |
Vote FOR shareholder proposals to
put option repricings to a shareholder vote.
Other Shareholder Proposals on
Compensation
Advisory Vote on Executive
Compensation (Frequency on Pay)
Vote FOR annual frequency.
Stock retention holding period
Vote FOR shareholder proposals
asking for a policy requiring that senior executives retain a significant percentage of shares acquired through equity compensation programs if the policy requests retention for two years or less following the
termination of their employment (through retirement or otherwise) and a holding threshold percentage of 50% or less.
Also consider:
| ■ | Whether the company has any holding period, retention ratio, or officer ownership requirements in place and the terms/provisions of awards already granted. |
Elimination of accelerated vesting
in the event of a change in control
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals
seeking a policy eliminating the accelerated vesting of time-based equity awards in the event of a change-in-control.
Performance-based equity awards and
pay-for-superior-performance proposals
266
Generally support unless there is
sufficient evidence that the current compensation structure is already substantially performance-based. GSAM considers performance-based awards to include awards that are tied to shareholder return or other metrics
that are relevant to the business.
Say on Supplemental Executive
Retirement Plans (SERP)
Generally vote AGAINST proposals
asking for shareholder votes on SERP.
4. Director Nominees and Proxy
Access
Voting for Director Nominees
(Management or Shareholder)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election
of directors of operating and holding companies in contested elections, considering the following factors:
| ■ | Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry; |
| ■ | Management’s track record; |
| ■ | Background of the nomination, in cases where there is a shareholder nomination; |
| ■ | Qualifications of director nominee(s); |
| ■ | Strategic plan related to the nomination and quality of critique against management; |
| ■ | Number of boards on which the director nominee already serves; and |
| ■ | Likelihood that the board will be productive as a result. |
Proxy Access
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder or
management proposals asking for proxy access.
GSAM may support proxy access as an
important right for shareholders of operating and holding companies and as an alternative to costly proxy contests and as a method for GSAM to vote for directors on an individual basis, as appropriate, rather than
voting on one slate or the other. While this could be an important shareholder right, the following factors will be taken into account when evaluating the shareholder proposals:
| ■ | The ownership thresholds, percentage and duration proposed (GSAM generally will not support if the ownership threshold is less than 3%); |
| ■ | The maximum proportion of directors that shareholders may nominate each year (GSAM generally will not support if the proportion of directors is greater than 25%); and |
| ■ | Other restricting factors that when taken in combination could serve to materially limit the proxy access provision. |
When evaluating companies that
adopted proxy access either proactively or in response to a shareholder proposal, GSAM will take into account the factors listed above. A vote against governance committee members could result if provisions exist that
materially limit the right to proxy access.
Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation
Expenses
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to
reimburse proxy solicitation expenses. When voting in conjunction with support of a dissident slate, vote FOR the reimbursement of all appropriate proxy solicitation expenses associated with the election.
5. Shareholders Rights and
Defenses
Shareholder Ability to Act by
Written Consent
In the case of operating and
holding companies, generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to act by written consent, unless:
| ■ | The company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower; and |
| ■ | The company has a history of strong governance practices. |
Shareholder Ability to Call Special
Meetings
In the case of operating and
holding companies, generally vote FOR management proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings.
267
In the case of operating and
holding companies, generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower if the company currently does not give shareholders the
right to call special meetings. However, if a company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of at least 25%, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to further reduce the
threshold.
Advance Notice Requirements for
Shareholder Proposals/Nominations
In the case of operating and
holding companies, vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice proposals, giving support to proposals that allow shareholders to submit proposals/nominations reasonably close to the meeting date and within the broadest window
possible, recognizing the need to allow sufficient notice for company, regulatory and shareholder review.
Poison Pills
Vote FOR shareholder proposals
requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder vote or redeem it, unless the company has:
| ■ | a shareholder-approved poison pill in place; or |
| ■ | adopted a policy concerning the adoption of a pill in the future specifying certain shareholder friendly provisions. |
Vote FOR shareholder proposals
calling for poison pills to be put to a vote within a time period of less than one year after adoption.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals on poison pill ratification, focusing on the features of the shareholder rights plan.
In addition, the rationale for
adopting the pill should be thoroughly explained by the company. In examining the request for the pill, take into consideration the company’s existing governance structure, including: board independence,
existing takeover defenses, and any problematic governance concerns.
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and
acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| ■ | Valuation; |
| ■ | Market reaction; |
| ■ | Strategic rationale; |
| ■ | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
| ■ | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| ■ | Governance profile of the combined company. |
7. State of Incorporation
Reincorporation Proposals
GSAM may support management
proposals to reincorporate as long as the reincorporation would not substantially diminish shareholder rights. GSAM may not support shareholder proposals for reincorporation unless the current state of incorporation
is substantially less shareholder friendly than the proposed reincorporation, there is a strong economic case to reincorporate or the company has a history of making decisions that are not shareholder friendly.
Exclusive venue for shareholder
lawsuits
Generally vote FOR on exclusive
venue proposals, taking into account:
| ■ | Whether the company has been materially harmed by shareholder litigation outside its jurisdiction of incorporation, based on disclosure in the company's proxy statement; |
| ■ | Whether the company has the following good governance features: |
| ■ | Majority independent board; |
| ■ | Independent key committees; |
| ■ | An annually elected board; |
| ■ | A majority vote standard in uncontested director elections; |
| ■ | The absence of a poison pill, unless the pill was approved by shareholders; and/or |
| ■ | Separate Chairman CEO role or, if combined, an independent chairman with clearly delineated duties. |
8. Capital Structure
268
Common and Preferred Stock
Authorization
Generally vote FOR proposals to
increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance.
Generally vote FOR proposals to
increase the number of shares of preferred stock, as long as there is a commitment to not use the shares for anti-takeover purposes.
9. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
Overall Approach
GSAM recognizes that Environmental,
Social and Governance (ESG) factors can affect investment performance, expose potential investment risks and provide an indication of management excellence and leadership. When evaluating ESG proxy issues, GSAM
balances the purpose of a proposal with the overall benefit to shareholders.
Shareholder proposals considered
under this category could include, among others, reports on:
1) employee labor and safety
policies;
2) impact on the environment of the
company’s production or manufacturing operations;
3) societal impact of products
manufactured;
4) risks throughout the supply
chain or operations including labor practices, animal treatment practices within food production and conflict minerals; and
5) overall board structure,
including diversity.
When evaluating environmental and
social shareholder proposals, the following factors are generally considered:
| ■ | The company’s current level of publicly available disclosure, including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
| ■ | If the company has implemented or formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard; |
| ■ | Whether adoption of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; |
| ■ | Whether the information requested concerns business issues that relate to a meaningful percentage of the company’s business; |
| ■ | The degree to which the company’s stated position on the issues raised in the proposal could affect its reputation or sales, or leave it vulnerable to a boycott or selective purchasing; |
| ■ | Whether the company has already responded in some appropriate manner to the request embodied in the proposal; |
| ■ | What other companies in the relevant industry have done in response to the issue addressed in the proposal; |
| ■ | Whether the proposal itself is well framed and the cost of preparing the report is reasonable; |
| ■ | Whether the subject of the proposal is best left to the discretion of the board; |
| ■ | Whether the company has material fines or violations in the area and if so, if appropriate actions have already been taken to remedy going forward; |
| ■ | Whether providing this information would reveal proprietary or confidential information that would place the company at a competitive disadvantage. |
Environmental Sustainability,
climate change reporting
Generally vote FOR proposals
requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives and oversight mechanisms related to environmental sustainability, or how the company may be impacted by climate change. The following factors will be
considered:
| ■ | The company’s current level of publicly available disclosure including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
| ■ | If the company has formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard within a specified time frame; |
| ■ | If the company’s current level of disclosure is comparable to that of its industry peers; and |
| ■ | If there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company’s environmental performance. |
Establishing goals or targets for
emissions reduction
269
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals that
call for the adoption of Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) reduction goals from products and operations, taking into account:
| ■ | Overly prescriptive requests for the reduction in GHG emissions by specific amounts or within a specific time frame; |
| ■ | Whether the industry is a material contributor to global GHG emissions and company disclosure is lacking; |
| ■ | Whether company disclosure lags behind industry peers; |
| ■ | Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to GHG emissions; |
| ■ | The feasibility of reduction of GHGs given the company’s product line and current technology; and |
| ■ | Whether the company already provides meaningful disclosure on GHG emissions from its products and operations. |
Political Contributions and Trade
Association Spending/Lobbying Expenditures and Initiatives
GSAM generally believes that it is
the role of boards and management to determine the appropriate level of disclosure of all types of corporate political activity. When evaluating these proposals, GSAM considers the prescriptive nature of the proposal
and the overall benefit to shareholders along with a company’s current disclosure of policies, practices and oversight.
Generally vote AGAINST proposals
asking the company to affirm political nonpartisanship in the workplace so long as:
| ■ | There are no recent, significant controversies, fines or litigation regarding the company’s political contributions or trade association spending; and |
| ■ | The company has procedures in place to ensure that employee contributions to company-sponsored political action committees (PACs) are strictly voluntary and prohibits coercion. |
Vote AGAINST proposals requesting
increased disclosure of a company’s policies with respect to political contributions, lobbying and trade association spending as long as:
| ■ | There is no significant potential threat or actual harm to shareholders’ interests; |
| ■ | There are no recent significant controversies or litigation related to the company’s political contributions or governmental affairs; and |
| ■ | There is publicly available information to assess the company’s oversight related to such expenditures of corporate assets. |
GSAM generally will vote AGAINST
proposals asking for detailed disclosure of political contributions or trade association or lobbying expenditures.
Vote AGAINST proposals barring the
company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level and barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Gender Identity and Sexual
Orientation
A company should have a clear,
public Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement and/or diversity policy. Generally vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a company’s EEO statement or diversity policies to additionally prohibit discrimination
based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Labor and Human Rights Standards
Generally vote FOR proposals
requesting a report on company or company supplier labor and/or human rights standards and policies, or on the impact of its operations on society, unless such information is already publicly disclosed considering:
| ■ | The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed; |
| ■ | Whether or not existing relevant policies are consistent with internationally recognized standards; |
| ■ | Whether company facilities and those of its suppliers are monitored and how; |
| ■ | Company participation in fair labor organizations or other internationally recognized human rights initiatives; |
| ■ | Scope and nature of business conducted in markets known to have higher risk of workplace labor/human rights abuse; |
| ■ | Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human rights at the company or its suppliers; |
| ■ | The scope of the request; and |
| ■ | Deviation from industry sector peer company standards and practices. |
Non-U.S. Proxy Items
The following section is a broad
summary of the Guidelines, which form the basis of the Policy with respect to non-U.S. public equity investments. Applying these guidelines is subject to certain regional and country-specific exceptions and
modifications and is not inclusive of all considerations in each market.
1. Operational Items
270
Financial Results/Director and
Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial
statements and director and auditor reports, unless:
| ■ | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
| ■ | The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be publicly disclosed. |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor
Fees
Vote FOR the re-election of
auditors and proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
| ■ | There are serious concerns about the accounts presented, audit procedures used or audit opinion rendered; |
| ■ | There is reason to believe that the auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| ■ | Name of the proposed auditor has not been published; |
| ■ | The auditors are being changed without explanation; |
| ■ | Non-audit-related fees are substantial or are in excess of standard annual audit-related fees; or |
| ■ | The appointment of external auditors if they have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Appointment of Statutory
Auditors
Vote FOR the appointment or
re-election of statutory auditors, unless:
| ■ | There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures used; |
| ■ | Questions exist concerning any of the statutory auditors being appointed; or |
| ■ | The auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Allocation of Income
Vote FOR approval of the allocation
of income, unless:
| ■ | The dividend payout ratio has been consistently low without adequate explanation; or |
| ■ | The payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. |
Stock (Scrip) Dividend
Alternative
Vote FOR most stock (scrip)
dividend proposals.
Vote AGAINST proposals that do not
allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.
Amendments to Articles of
Association
Vote amendments to the articles of
association on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Change in Company Fiscal Term
Vote FOR resolutions to change a
company’s fiscal term unless a company’s motivation for the change is to postpone its annual general meeting.
Lower Disclosure Threshold for
Stock Ownership
Vote AGAINST resolutions to lower
the stock ownership disclosure threshold below 5% unless specific reasons exist to implement a lower threshold.
Amend Quorum Requirements
Vote proposals to amend quorum
requirements for shareholder meetings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Transact Other Business
Vote AGAINST other business when it
appears as a voting item.
2. Board of Directors
271
Director Elections
Vote FOR management nominees taking
into consideration the following:
| ■ | Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; or |
| ■ | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or |
| ■ | There have been questionable transactions or conflicts of interest; or |
| ■ | There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; or |
| ■ | The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards; or |
| ■ | There are reservations about: |
| ■ | Director terms |
| ■ | Bundling of proposals to elect directors |
| ■ | Board independence |
| ■ | Disclosure of named nominees |
| ■ | Combined Chairman/CEO |
| ■ | Election of former CEO as Chairman of the board |
| ■ | Overboarded directors |
| ■ | Composition of committees |
| ■ | Director independence |
| ■ | Number of directors on the board |
| ■ | Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or |
| ■ | Repeated absences at board meetings have not been explained (in countries where this information is disclosed); or |
| ■ | Unless there are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to service on other boards. |
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in
contested elections of directors, e.g., the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders.
The analysis will generally be
based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:
| ■ | Company performance relative to its peers; |
| ■ | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
| ■ | Independence of board candidates; |
| ■ | Experience and skills of board candidates; |
| ■ | Governance profile of the company; |
| ■ | Evidence of management entrenchment; |
| ■ | Responsiveness to shareholders; |
| ■ | Whether a takeover offer has been rebuffed; |
| ■ | Whether minority or majority representation is being sought. |
Vote FOR employee and/or labor
representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee and are required by law to be on those committees.
Vote AGAINST employee and/or labor
representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee, if they are not required to be on those committees.
Classification of directors
Executive Director
| ■ | Employee or executive of the company; |
| ■ | Any director who is classified as a non-executive, but receives salary, fees, bonus, and/or other benefits that are in line with the highest-paid executives of the company. |
Non-Independent Non-Executive
Director (NED)
| ■ | Any director who is attested by the board to be a non-independent NED; |
| ■ | Any director specifically designated as a representative of a significant shareholder of the company; |
| ■ | Any director who is also an employee or executive of a significant shareholder of the company; |
272
| ■ | Beneficial owner (direct or indirect) of at least 10% of the company’s stock, either in economic terms or in voting rights (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more than one member of a defined group, e.g., family members who beneficially own less than 10% individually, but collectively own more than 10%), unless market best practice dictates a lower ownership and/or disclosure threshold (and in other special market-specific circumstances); |
| ■ | Government representative; |
| ■ | Currently provides (or a relative provides) professional services to the company, to an affiliate of the company, or to an individual officer of the company or of one of its affiliates in excess of $10,000 per year; |
| ■ | Represents customer, supplier, creditor, banker, or other entity with which company maintains transactional/commercial relationship (unless company discloses information to apply a materiality test); |
| ■ | Any director who has conflicting or cross-directorships with executive directors or the chairman of the company; |
| ■ | Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates; |
| ■ | Relative of a former executive of the company or its affiliates; |
| ■ | A new appointee elected other than by a formal process through the General Meeting (such as a contractual appointment by a substantial shareholder); |
| ■ | Founder/co-founder/member of founding family but not currently an employee; |
| ■ | Former executive (5 year cooling off period); |
| ■ | Years of service is generally not a determining factor unless it is recommended best practice in a market and/or in extreme circumstances, in which case it may be considered; and |
| ■ | Any additional relationship or principle considered to compromise independence under local corporate governance best practice guidance. |
Independent NED
| ■ | No material connection, either directly or indirectly, to the company other than a board seat. |
Employee Representative
| ■ | Represents employees or employee shareholders of the company (classified as “employee representative” but considered a non-independent NED). |
Discharge of Directors
Generally vote FOR the discharge of
directors, including members of the management board and/or supervisory board, unless there is reliable information about significant and compelling controversies that the board is not fulfilling its fiduciary duties
warranted by:
| ■ | A lack of oversight or actions by board members which invoke shareholder distrust related to malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than in shareholder interest; or |
| ■ | Any legal issues (e.g., civil/criminal) aiming to hold the board responsible for breach of trust in the past or related to currently alleged actions yet to be confirmed (and not only the fiscal year in question), such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, and other illegal actions; or |
| ■ | Other egregious governance issues where shareholders may bring legal action against the company or its directors; or |
| ■ | Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis where a vote against other agenda items are deemed inappropriate. |
3. Compensation
Director Compensation
Vote FOR proposals to award cash
fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.
Vote non-executive director
compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote proposals that bundle
compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce
retirement benefits for non-executive directors.
Compensation Plans
Vote compensation plans on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Director, Officer, and Auditor
Indemnification and Liability Provisions
273
Vote proposals seeking
indemnification and liability protection for directors and officers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify
auditors.
4. Board Structure
Vote AGAINST the introduction of
classified boards and mandatory retirement ages for directors.
Vote AGAINST proposals to alter
board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of the company or the board.
Chairman CEO combined role (for
applicable markets)
GSAM will generally recommend a
vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| ■ | Two-thirds independent board, or majority in countries where employee representation is common practice; |
| ■ | A designated, or a rotating, lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| ■ | Fully independent key committees; and/or |
| ■ | Established, publicly disclosed, governance guidelines and director biographies/profiles. |
5. Capital Structure
Share Issuance Requests
General Issuances:
Vote FOR issuance requests with
preemptive rights to a maximum of 100% over currently issued capital.
Vote FOR issuance requests without
preemptive rights to a maximum of 20% of currently issued capital.
Specific Issuances:
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all
requests, with or without preemptive rights.
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote FOR non-specific proposals to
increase authorized capital up to 100% over the current authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding.
Vote FOR specific proposals to
increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:
| ■ | The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or |
| ■ | The increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances. |
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt
unlimited capital authorizations.
Reduction of Capital
Vote FOR proposals to reduce
capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are unfavorable to shareholders.
Vote proposals to reduce capital in
connection with corporate restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Capital Structures
Vote FOR resolutions that seek to
maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.
Vote AGAINST requests for the
creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the creation of new or additional super voting shares.
Preferred Stock
274
Vote FOR the creation of a new
class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of
convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote AGAINST the creation of a new
class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares.
Vote AGAINST the creation of blank
check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.
Vote proposals to increase blank
check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Debt Issuance Requests
Vote non-convertible debt issuance
requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with or without preemptive rights.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of
convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote FOR proposals to restructure
existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.
Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote proposals to approve increases
in a company's borrowing powers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Share Repurchase Plans
GSAM will generally recommend FOR
share repurchase programs taking into account whether:
| ■ | The share repurchase program can be used as a takeover defense; |
| ■ | There is clear evidence of historical abuse; |
| ■ | There is no safeguard in the share repurchase program against selective buybacks; |
| ■ | Pricing provisions and safeguards in the share repurchase program are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice. |
Reissuance of Repurchased Shares
Vote FOR requests to reissue any
repurchased shares unless there is clear evidence of abuse of this authority in the past.
Capitalization of Reserves for
Bonus Issues/Increase in Par Value
Vote FOR requests to capitalize
reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase par value.
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings and Other
Reorganizations/Restructurings
Vote reorganizations and
restructurings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and
acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| ■ | Valuation; |
| ■ | Market reaction; |
| ■ | Strategic rationale; |
| ■ | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
| ■ | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| ■ | Governance profile of the combined company. |
Antitakeover Mechanisms
275
Generally vote AGAINST all
antitakeover proposals, unless they are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer.
Reincorporation Proposals
Vote reincorporation proposals on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Related-Party Transactions
Vote related-party transactions on
a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
| ■ | The parties on either side of the transaction; |
| ■ | The nature of the asset to be transferred/service to be provided; |
| ■ | The pricing of the transaction (and any associated professional valuation); |
| ■ | The views of independent directors (where provided); |
| ■ | The views of an independent financial adviser (where appointed); |
| ■ | Whether any entities party to the transaction (including advisers) is conflicted; and |
| ■ | The stated rationale for the transaction, including discussions of timing. |
Shareholder Proposals
Vote all shareholder proposals on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote FOR proposals that would
improve the company’s corporate governance or business profile at a reasonable cost.
Vote AGAINST proposals that limit
the company’s business activities or capabilities or result in significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.
7. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
Please refer to page 12 for our
current approach to these important topics.
* For purposes of this Policy,
“GSAM” refers, collectively, to the following legal entities: Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management International; Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Strategies LLC; GS Investment
Strategies, LLC; GSAM Stable Value, LLC; Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Hong Kong) Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management Co. Ltd.; Beijing Gao Hua Securities
Company Limited; Goldman Sachs (China) L.L.C.; Goldman Sachs (India) Securities Private Limited; Goldman Sachs Asset Management (India) Private Limited; Goldman Sachs Participacoes Ltda ; Goldman Sachs Asset
Management Brasil LTDA; GS Investment Strategies Canada Inc.; Goldman Sachs Management (Ireland) Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management Australia Pty Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Trustee Company (India) Private Limited; Goldman
Sachs Global Advisory Products LLC.
HOTCHKIS AND WILEY CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT, LLC (H&W)
Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures
PURPOSE
The purpose of these Proxy Voting
Policies and Procedures is to memorialize the procedures and policies adopted by Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management (“H&W”) to enable the firm to comply with its accepted responsibilities and the
requirements of Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”). It is H&W’s duty to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients (which may involve
affirmatively deciding that voting the proxies may not be in the best interests of certain clients on certain matters).
POLICY
H&W acts as discretionary
investment adviser for various clients, including clients governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Unless a client (including a “named fiduciary” under ERISA)
specifically reserves the right to vote its own proxies, H&W will vote client proxies and act on all other corporate actions. A number of clients have notified H&W that they will vote the proxies for their
accounts. H&W does not take any action with respect to proxy voting for these clients.
276
H&W’s Proxy Oversight
Committee (“POC”) (consisting of the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and Managing Director of Portfolio Services) oversees H&W’s proxy voting policies and procedures by
providing an administrative framework to facilitate and monitor the exercise of such proxy voting and to fulfill the obligations of reporting and recordkeeping under the federal securities laws.
Under the proxy voting guidelines,
H&W generally votes on routine business matters in favor of management’s positions. To vote client proxies, H&W utilizes Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”), a leading national
provider of proxy voting administrative and research services.
In certain situations as permitted
under the investment management agreement, H&W may consider written direction from a client on how to vote on a specific proxy proposal that would be applicable only to shares specifically owned by the respective
client. In this situation, the shares voted under client direction may not be consistent with proxies voted by H&W for other clients or with the established guidelines contained in these Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures.
When voting proxies for clients,
H&W’s primary concern is that all decisions be made solely in the best interest of the shareholder (and for ERISA accounts, plan beneficiaries and participants, in accordance with the letter and spirit of
ERISA). H&W will act in a manner it deems prudent and diligent and which is intended to enhance the economic value of the assets of the account.
GUIDELINES
Each proxy issue will be considered
individually. The following guidelines are a partial list to be used in voting on proposals often contained in proxy statements, but will not be used as rigid rules. The voting policies below are subject to
modification in certain circumstances and will be reexamined from time to time. With respect to matters that do not fit in the categories stated below, H&W will exercise its best judgment as a fiduciary to vote in
the manner which will most enhance shareholder value.
Management Proposals
H&W recognizes that a
company’s management is charged with day-to-day operations and long-term direction of the company and, therefore, generally votes on routine business matters in favor of management’s positions. Generally,
in the absence of any unusual or non-routine information, the following items if recommended by management are likely to be supported:
| ■ | Ratification of appointment of independent auditors |
| ■ | General updating/corrective amendments to charter |
| ■ | Increase in common share authorization for a stock split or share dividend |
| ■ | Stock option plans that are incentive based and not excessive |
| ■ | Election of directors |
The following items will always
require company specific and case-by-case review and analysis when submitted by management to a shareholder vote:
| ■ | Directors' liability and indemnity proposals |
| ■ | Executive compensation plans |
| ■ | Mergers, acquisitions, and other restructurings submitted to a shareholder vote |
| ■ | Anti-takeover and related provisions |
Shareholder Proposals
Under ERISA standards, it is
inappropriate to use (vote) plan assets to carry out social agendas or purposes. Thus, shareholder proposals are examined closely for their relationship to the best interest of beneficiaries, and economic impact. In
general, H&W will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the company’s board of directors on all shareholder proposals. However, H&W will support shareholder proposals that are consistent with
H&W’s proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals. For example, H&W will generally support a proposal requiring a majority vote for the election of directors.
Generally, shareholder proposals
related to the following items are not supported:
| ■ | Declassification of the board |
| ■ | Cumulative voting |
| ■ | Restrictions related to social, political, or special interest issues that impact the ability of the company to do business or be competitive and that have a significant financial or vested interest impact. |
| ■ | Reports which are costly to provide or expenditures which are of a non-business nature or would provide no pertinent information from the perspective of shareholders. |
Conflict of Interest
277
Conflicts between H&W’s
interests and its client’s interests may arise in the proxy decision process due to significant business or personal relationships between H&W or its managers, members, employees or affiliates and the
company or its management. If a potential conflict of interest arises, it will typically involve a proxy for a company that is also H&W’s client. In the event that any proxies raise a conflict of interest, a
member of the POC will review H&W’s proposed votes to ensure that they are consistent with established guidelines and not prompted by any conflict of interest.
H&W employees may own the same
securities held by client accounts. The employees vote their securities independently from H&W’s proxy voting policy.
PROCEDURES
H&W’s Portfolio Services
Department monitors ISS to review upcoming shareholder meetings and other corporate actions. H&W’s Portfolio Services Department is responsible for ensuring that proxies and corporate actions received by
H&W are voted in a timely manner, voted in a manner consistent with the proxy voting policies and voted consistently across all portfolios. As a general matter, the Portfolio Services Department will vote client
shares based on the guidelines set forth above, unless directed otherwise by the analyst.
The proxy will be routed to the
analyst responsible for that holding. The analyst will review the proxy statement and, as deemed necessary, any reports from ISS or such other third-party proxy research firm engaged by H&W with respect to the
company. An H&W analyst may vote against management if he/she determines that it is for the best interest of our clients, and will document reasons for such “against management votes”. In the event an
analyst is proposing to vote against management’s recommendations or against its established guidelines, the proposed vote will be reviewed by a member of POC to determine that H&W’s vote is not
prompted by any conflict of interests. All determinations by POC will be documented.
LIMITATIONS
If H&W is authorized to
exercise proxy voting rights for a client account, H&W will vote the proxies for securities beneficially held by the custodian for the client portfolio as of the record date of the shareholder meetings (settlement
date). Securities not held by the custodian as of the record date (e.g., due to an unsettled purchase or securities lending (see additional information below)) will not be voted by H&W. In addition, H&W will
not vote proxies if it does not receive adequate information from a client’s custodian in sufficient time to cast the vote.
H&W may determine not to vote
proxies in respect of securities of any company (i) if H&W determines that it would be in the client’s overall best interest not to vote under the circumstances, such as when (a) the cost of voting exceeds
the expected benefit to the client, (b) voting the client’s proxies will not have an effect on the outcome of the matter up for vote or (c) the matter up for vote will not impact the client’s economic
interests, or (ii) if the security is no longer held in the clients’ portfolios by the proxy meeting date. For example, to the extent that H&W receives proxies for securities that are transferred into a
client’s portfolio that were not recommended or selected by H&W and have been sold or are expected to be sold promptly in an orderly manner (“legacy securities”), H&W will generally refrain
from voting such proxies. In such circumstances, since legacy securities have been sold or are expected to be sold promptly, H&W may determine that voting proxies on such securities would not further a
client’s interest in maximizing the value of its investments. H&W may consider an institutional client’s special request to vote a legacy security proxy and, if agreed, would vote such proxy in
accordance with H&W’s guidelines.
Proxies received after the
termination date of a client account generally will not be voted. An exception will be made if the record date is for a period in which an account was under management or if a separately managed account custodian
failed to remove the account’s holdings from its aggregated voting list.
Non-U.S. proxies (and particularly
those in emerging markets) may involve a number of problems that restrict or prevent H&W’s ability to vote. As a result, a client account’s non-U.S. proxies will be voted on a best efforts basis
only.
Fixed-income securities normally do
not provide voting rights; however, special circumstances may occur that permit voting or responding to another type of corporate action.
Certain clients retain the
responsibility for receiving and voting proxies for any and all securities maintained in client portfolios and receive their proxies or other solicitations directly from their custodian. H&W will not vote the
proxies for these securities in this case, but may provide advice to clients regarding the clients’ voting of proxies.
Securities Lending
278
In order to generate incremental
revenue, some clients may participate in a securities lending program. As noted above, if a client has elected to participate in the lending program then it will not have the right to vote the proxies of any
securities that are on loan as of the shareholder meeting record date. A client, or a Portfolio Coordinator (PC), may place restrictions on loaning securities and/or recall a security on loan at any time. Such actions
must be affected prior to the record date for a meeting if the purpose for the restriction or recall is to secure the vote.
PC and/or analysts who become aware
of upcoming proxy issues relating to any securities in portfolios they manage, or issuers they follow, will consider the desirability of recalling the affected securities that are on loan or restricting the affected
securities prior to the record date for the matter. If the proxy issue is determined to be material, and the determination is made prior to the shareholder meeting record date the PC(s) will contact the securities
lending agent to recall securities on loan or restrict the loaning of any security held in any portfolio they manage, if they determine that it is in the best interest of shareholders to do so.
RECORD KEEPING
H&W or ISS, on H&W’s
behalf, maintains records of proxy statements received; votes cast on behalf of clients; client requests for proxy voting information; and documents prepared by H&W that were material to making a voting decision.
Such records are maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than 5 years in an appropriate office of H&W or ISS. In the event that ISS maintains such records, ISS will provide such records
to H&W promptly upon H&W’s request.
H&W will describe in its Part
2A of Form ADV (or other brochure fulfilling the requirement of Rule 204-3) its proxy voting policies and procedures and advise clients how they may obtain information about how H&W voted their securities. Clients
may obtain information about how their securities were voted or a copy of H&W’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures free of charge by written request addressed to H&W. For its mutual fund clients, H&
W will provide information about how H&W voted each mutual fund’s securities within the appropriate time frame for the public filing of Form N-PX within 60 days of June 30th. Form N-PX for each mutual fund
will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free (866) 236-0050 and on the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov
.
Amended: September 21, 2012
Amended: August 16, 2016
JENNISON ASSOCIATES LLC.
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND
PROCEDURES
| I. | Policy |
Jennison (or the
“Company”) has adopted the following policy and related procedures to guide the voting of proxies in a manner that is consistent with Jennison’s fiduciary duties and the requirements of Rule 206(4)-6
under the Advisers Act.
In the absence of any written
delegation or when proxy voting authority has been delegated in writing to Jennison by clients, Jennison will exercise this voting authority in each client’s best interests. The Company will not consider its own
interests, or those of any affiliates, when voting proxies.
Unless otherwise specified by a
client, “best interest” means the client’s best economic interest over the long term, as determined by Jennison’s portfolio managers and analysts (“Investment Professionals”)
covering the issuer. Secondary consideration may be given to the public and social value of each issue, but absent specific client instructions, long term economic interests will be the primary basis for voting.
Jennison will disclose information
about its proxy voting policies and procedures to clients, and will provide a copy of these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures upon request. The Company will also inform clients how they may obtain information about
the votes cast on their behalf.
| II. | Procedures |
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Jennison has adopted proxy voting
guidelines (“Guidelines”) with respect to certain recurring issues. When Jennison is responsible for voting proxies, Jennison considers these guidelines except when Jennison accepts custom guidelines.
279
The Guidelines are reviewed as
necessary by the Company’s Proxy Voting Committee and Investment Professionals, and are revised when a change is appropriate. The Proxy Team maintains the Guidelines and distributes copies to the Investment
Professionals following any change. The Guidelines are meant to convey Jennison’s general approach to voting decisions on certain issues. Nevertheless, Investment Professionals are responsible for reviewing all
proposals related to fundamental strategies individually and making final decisions based on the merits of each voting opportunity.
If an Investment Professional
believes that Jennison should vote in a way that is different from the Guidelines, the Proxy Team is notified. In certain circumstances, an Investment Professional may conclude that different clients should vote in
different ways, or that it is in the best interests of some or all clients to abstain from voting.
The Proxy Team is responsible for
maintaining Investment Professionals’ reasons for deviating from the Guidelines.
Client-Specific Voting Mandates
Any client’s specific voting
instructions must be communicated or confirmed by the client in writing, either through a provision in the investment advisory contract or through other written correspondence. Such instructions may call for Jennison
to vote the client’s securities according to the client’s own voting guidelines, or may indicate that the Company is not responsible for voting the client’s proxies.
The Proxy Team reviews client
specific voting instructions and approves operational implementation, and certain instructions may only be implemented on a best efforts basis. The Proxy Team is responsible for communicating such instructions to the
third party vendor.
Use of a Third Party Voting Service
Jennison has engaged an independent
third party proxy voting vendor that provides research and analytical services, operational implementation and recordkeeping and reporting services. The proxy voting vendor will cast votes in accordance with the
Company’s Guidelines, unless instructed otherwise by the Investment Professionals.
Identifying and Addressing Potential Material Conflicts of Interest
There may be instances where
Jennison’s interests conflict materially, or appear to conflict materially, with the interests of clients in connection with a proxy vote (a “Material Conflict”). Examples of potential Material
Conflicts include, but are not limited to:
| ■ | Jennison managing the pension plan of the issuer. |
| ■ | Jennison or its affiliates have a material business relationship with the issuer. |
| ■ | Jennison investment professionals who are related to a person who is senior management or a director at a public company. |
If an Investment Professional or
any other employee perceives a Material Conflict, he or she must promptly report the matter to the Chief Compliance Officer.
When a potential conflict has been
identified, the Proxy Team will work with the Investment Professional covering the issuer to complete a
Proxy Voting for Conflicts Documentation Form
. The Proxy Team is responsible for retaining completed
Proxy Voting for Conflicts Documentation Forms
.
If the Proxy Voting Committee
determines that a Material Conflict is present and if the Investment Professional is recommending a vote that deviates from the Guidelines or there is no specific recommended Guideline vote and decisions are made on a
case-by-case basis, then the voting decision must be reviewed and approved by the Investment Professional’s supervisor and the Proxy Committee prior to casting the vote.
Jennison will not abstain from
voting a proxy for the purpose of avoiding a Material Conflict.
Quantitatively Derived Holdings and the Jennison Managed Accounts
In voting proxies for
non-fundamental strategies such as quantitatively derived holdings and Jennison Managed Accounts (i.e. “wrap”) where the securities are not held elsewhere in the firm, proxies will be voted utilizing the
Guidelines. Additionally, in those circumstances where no specific Guidelines exist, the Company will consider the recommendations of the proxy voting vendor.
International Holdings
Jennison will exercise
opportunities to vote on international holdings on a best efforts basis. Such votes will be cast based on the same principles that govern domestic holdings.
280
In some countries casting a proxy
vote can adversely affect a client, such as countries that restrict stock sales around the time of the proxy vote by requiring “share blocking” as part of the voting process. The Investment Professional
covering the issuer will weigh the expected benefits of voting proxies on international holdings against any anticipated costs or limitations, such as those associated with share blocking. Jennison may abstain from
voting if it anticipates that the costs or limitations associated with voting outweigh the benefits.
Securities Lending
Jennison may be unable to vote
proxies when the underlying securities have been lent out pursuant to a client’s securities lending program. The Company does not know when securities are on loan and are therefore not available to be voted. In
rare circumstances, Investment Professionals may ask the Proxy Team to work with the client’s custodian to recall the shares so that Jennison can vote. Efforts to recall loaned securities are not always
effective since such requests must be submitted prior to the record date for the upcoming proxy vote; therefore voting shares on loan is on a best efforts basis. In determining whether to call back securities that are
out on loan, the Investment Professional will consider whether the benefit to the client in voting the matter outweighs the benefit to the client in keeping the security out on loan.
Disclosure to Advisory Clients
Jennison will provide a copy of
these Policies and Procedures and the Guidelines to any client upon request. The Company will also provide any client with information about how Jennison has voted that client’s proxies upon request. Any such
requests should be forwarded to the Proxy Team, which is responsible for responding, and for documenting the correspondence.
Compliance Reporting for Investment Companies
Upon request, the Proxy Team will
provide to each investment company board of directors or trustees for which Jennison acts as sub-adviser reporting needed to satisfy their regulatory and board requirements, including, but not limited to, information
required for Form NP-X.
| III. | Internal Controls |
Supervisory Review
The Proxy Team periodically
notifies each Investment Professional’s supervisor of any Guideline overrides authorized by that Investment Professional. The supervisor reviews the overrides to confirm that they appear to have been made based
on clients’ best interests, and that they were not influenced by any Material Conflict or other considerations.
The Proxy Voting Committee
The Proxy Voting Committee consists
of representatives from Operations, Operational Risk, Legal, and Compliance. It meets at least quarterly, and has the following responsibilities:
| ■ | Review potential Material Conflicts and decide whether a material conflict is present, and needs to be addressed according to these policies and procedures. |
| ■ | Review the Guidelines in consultation with the Investment Professionals and make revisions as appropriate. |
| ■ | Review these Policies and Procedures annually for accuracy and effectiveness, and recommend and adopt any necessary changes. |
| ■ | Review all Guideline overrides. |
| ■ | Review quarterly voting metrics and analysis published by the Proxy Team. |
| ■ | Review the performance of the proxy voting vendor and determine whether Jennison should continue to retain their services. |
Equity Trade Management Oversight Committee (“ETMOC”)
The ETMOC reviews all Guideline
overrides on a quarterly basis to ensure proper override procedures were followed. The ETMOC also reviews any changes to the Guidelines. The ETMOC is comprised of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer,
Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Head of Trading and the Head of Large Cap Growth.
| IV. | Escalating Concerns |
281
Any concerns about aspects of the
policy that lack specific escalation guidance may be reported to the reporting employee’s supervisor, the Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Ethics Officer, Chief Operating
Officer or Chief Executive Officer. Alternatively Jennison has an Ethics Reporting Hotline phone number and email address that enable employees to raise concerns anonymously. Information about the Ethics Reporting
Hotline phone number and email address can be found on the Jennison intranet’s “Ethics” web page.
| V. | Discipline and Sanctions |
All Jennison employees are
responsible for understanding and complying with the policies and procedures outlined in this policy. The procedures described in this policy are intended to ensure that Jennison and its employees act in full
compliance with the law. Violations of this policy and related procedures will be communicated to your supervisor and to senior management through Jennison’s Compliance Council, and may lead to disciplinary
action.
J.P. MORGAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,
INC. (JPMorgan)
Proxy Voting Guidelines.
The Board of Trustees has delegated to JPMorgan and its affiliated advisers, proxy voting authority with respect to the fund’s portfolio securities. To ensure that the proxies of
portfolio companies are voted in the best interests of the fund, the fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted JPMorgan’s detailed proxy voting procedures (the “Procedures”) that incorporate
guidelines (“Guidelines”) for voting proxies on specific types of issues.
JPMorgan and its affiliated
advisers are part of a global asset management organization with the capability to invest in securities of issuers located around the globe. Because the regulatory framework and the business cultures and practices
vary from region to region, the Guidelines are customized for each region to take into account such variations. Separate Guidelines cover the regions of (1) North America, (2) Europe, Middle East, Africa, Central
America and South America, (3) Asia (ex-Japan) and (4) Japan, respectively.
Notwithstanding the variations
among the Guidelines, all of the Guidelines have been designed with the uniform objective of encouraging corporate action that enhances shareholder value. As a general rule, in voting proxies of a particular security,
JPMorgan and its affiliated advisers will apply the Guidelines of the region in which the issuer of such security is organized. Except as noted below, proxy voting decisions will be made in accordance with the
Guidelines covering a multitude of both routine and non-routine matters that JPMorgan and its affiliated adviser have encountered globally, based on many years of collective investment management experience.
To oversee and monitor the
proxy-voting process, JPMorgan has established a proxy committee and appointed a proxy administrator in each global location where proxies are voted. The primary function of each proxy committee is to review
periodically general proxy-voting matters, review and approve the Guidelines annually, and provide advice and recommendations on general proxy-voting matters as well as on specific voting issues. The procedures permit
an independent voting service, to perform certain services otherwise carried out or coordinated by the proxy administrator.
Although for many matters the
Guidelines specify the votes to be cast, for many others, the Guidelines contemplate case-by-case determinations. In addition, there will undoubtedly be proxy matters that are not contemplated by the Guidelines. For
both of these categories of matters and to override the Guidelines, the Procedures require a certification and review process to be completed before the vote is cast. That process is designed to identify actual or
potential material conflicts of interest (between the fund on the one hand, and JPMorgan and its affiliates on the other hand) and ensure that the proxy vote is cast in the best interests of the fund. A conflict is
deemed to exist when the proxy is for JPMorgan Chase & Co. stock or for J.P. Morgan Funds, or when the proxy administrator has actual knowledge indicating that a JPMorgan affiliate is an investment banker or
rendered a fairness opinion with respect to the matter that is the subject of the proxy vote. When such conflicts are identified, the proxy will be voted by an independent third party either in accordance with
JPMorgan proxy voting guidelines or by the third party using its own guidelines.
When other types of potential
material conflicts of interest are identified, the proxy administrator and, as necessary, a legal representative from the Proxy Committee will evaluate the potential conflict of interest and determine whether such
conflict actually exists, and if so, will recommend how JPMorgan will vote the proxy. In addressing any material conflict, JPMorgan may take one or more of the following measures (or other appropriate action):
removing or “walling off” from the proxy voting process certain JPMorgan personnel with knowledge of the conflict, voting in accordance with any applicable Guideline if the application of the Guideline
would objectively result in the casting of a proxy vote in a predetermined manner, or deferring the vote to or obtaining a recommendation from a third independent party, in which case the proxy will be voted by, or in
accordance with the recommendation of, the independent third party.
The following summarizes some of
the more noteworthy types of proxy voting policies of the non-U.S. Guidelines:
| ■ | Corporate governance procedures differ among the countries. Because of time constraints and local customs, it is not always possible for JPMorgan to receive and review all proxy materials in connection with each item submitted for a vote. Many proxy statements are in foreign languages. Proxy materials are generally mailed by the issuer to the sub-custodian which holds the securities for the client in the country where the portfolio company is organized, and there may not be sufficient time for such materials to be transmitted to |
282
| JPMorgan in time for a vote to be cast. In some countries, proxy statements are not mailed at all, and in some locations, the deadline for voting is two to four days after the initial announcement that a vote is to be solicited and it may not always be possible to obtain sufficient information to make an informed decision in good time to vote. | |
| ■ | Certain markets require that shares being tendered for voting purposes are temporarily immobilized from trading until after the shareholder meeting has taken place. Elsewhere, notably emerging markets, it may not always be possible to obtain sufficient information to make an informed decision in good time to vote. Some markets require a local representative to be hired in order to attend the meeting and vote in person on our behalf, which can result in considerable cost. JPMorgan also considers the cost of voting in light of the expected benefit of the vote. In certain instances, it may sometimes be in the Fund’s best interests to intentionally refrain from voting in certain overseas markets from time to time. |
| ■ | Where proxy issues concern corporate governance, takeover defense measures, compensation plans, capital structure changes and so forth, JPMorgan pays particular attention to management’s arguments for promoting the prospective change JPMorgan’s sole criterion in determining its voting stance is whether such changes will be to the economic benefit of the beneficial owners of the shares. |
| ■ | JPMorgan is in favor of a unitary board structure of the type found in the United Kingdom as opposed to tiered board structures. Thus, JPMorgan will generally vote to encourage the gradual phasing out of tiered board structures, in favor of unitary boards. However, since tiered boards are still very prevalent in markets outside of the United Kingdom, local market practice will always be taken into account. |
| ■ | JPMorgan will use its voting powers to encourage appropriate levels of board independence, taking into account local market practice. |
| ■ | JPMorgan will usually vote against discharging the board from responsibility in cases of pending litigation, or if there is evidence of wrongdoing for which the board must be held accountable. |
| ■ | JPMorgan will vote in favor of increases in capital which enhance a company’s long-term prospects. JPMorgan will also vote in favor of the partial suspension of preemptive rights if they are for purely technical reasons (e.g., rights offers which may not be legally offered to shareholders in certain jurisdictions). However, JPMorgan will vote against increases in capital which would allow the company to adopt “poison pill” takeover defense tactics, or where the increase in authorized capital would dilute shareholder value in the long term. |
| ■ | JPMorgan will vote in favor of proposals which will enhance a company’s long-term prospects. JPMorgan will vote against an increase in bank borrowing powers which would result in the company reaching an unacceptable level of financial leverage, where such borrowing is expressly intended as part of a takeover defense, or where there is a material reduction in shareholder value. |
| ■ | JPMorgan will generally vote against anti-takeover devices. |
| ■ | Where social or environmental issues are the subject of a proxy vote, JPMorgan will consider the issue on a case-by-case basis, keeping in mind at all times the best economic interests of its clients. |
The following summarizes some of
the more noteworthy types of proxy voting policies of the U.S. Guidelines:
| ■ | JPMorgan considers votes on director nominees on a case-by-case basis. Votes generally will be withheld from directors who: (a) attend less than 75% of board and committee meetings without a valid excuse; (b) implement or renew a dead-hand poison pill; (c) are affiliated directors who serve on audit, compensation or nominating committees or are affiliated directors and the full board serves on such committees or the company does not have such committees; (d) ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of either the shares outstanding or the votes cast based on a review over a consecutive two year time frame; (e) are insiders and affiliated outsiders on boards that are not at least majority independent; or (f) are CEOs of publically-traded companies who serve on more than three public boards or serve on more than four public company boards. In addition, votes are generally withheld for directors who serve on committees in certain cases. For example, the Adviser generally withholds votes from audit committee members in circumstances in which there is evidence that there exists material weaknesses in the company’s internal controls. |
| ■ | JPMorgan considers vote proposals with respect to compensation plans on a case-by-case basis. The analysis of compensation plans focuses primarily on the transfer of shareholder wealth (the dollar cost of pay plans to shareholders) and includes an analysis of the structure of the plan and pay practices of other companies in the relevant industry and peer companies. Other matters included in the analysis are the amount of the company’s outstanding stock to be reserved for the award of stock options, whether the exercise price of an option is less than the stock’s fair market value at the date of the grant of the options, and whether the plan provides for the exchange of outstanding options for new ones at lower exercise prices. |
| ■ | JPMorgan votes proposals to classify boards on a case-by-case basis, but normally will vote in favor of such proposal if the issuer’s governing documents contain each of eight enumerated safeguards (for example, a majority of the board is composed of independent directors and the nominating committee is composed solely of such directors). |
| ■ | JPMorgan also considers management poison pill proposals on a case-by-case basis, looking for shareholder-friendly provisions before voting in favor. |
| ■ | JPMorgan votes against proposals for a super-majority vote to approve a merger. |
| ■ | JPMorgan considers proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan on a case-by-case basis, taking into account such factors as the extent of dilution and whether the transaction will result in a change in control. |
| ■ | JPMorgan also considers on a case-by-case basis proposals to change an issuer’s state of incorporation, mergers and acquisitions and other corporate restructuring proposals and certain social issue proposals. |
| ■ | JPMorgan generally votes for management proposals which seek shareholder approval to make the state of incorporation the exclusive forum for disputes if the company is a Delaware corporation; otherwise, JPMorgan votes on a case by case basis. |
283
| ■ | JPMorgan generally supports management disclosure practices for environmental issues except for those companies that have been involved in significant controversies, fines or litigation related to environmental issues. |
| ■ | JPMorgan reviews Say on Pay proposals on a case by case basis with additional review of proposals where the issuer’s previous year’s proposal received a low level of support. |
LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures Overview
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures Overview
Introduction
Lazard Asset Management LLC (Lazard) is a global investment firm that provides investment management services for a variety of clients. As a registered investment advisor, Lazard has a fiduciary obligation to vote proxies in the best interests of our clients. Lazard’s Proxy Voting Policy has been developed with the goal of maximizing the long term shareholder value of our clients’ portfolios.
Lazard Asset Management LLC (Lazard) is a global investment firm that provides investment management services for a variety of clients. As a registered investment advisor, Lazard has a fiduciary obligation to vote proxies in the best interests of our clients. Lazard’s Proxy Voting Policy has been developed with the goal of maximizing the long term shareholder value of our clients’ portfolios.
Lazard does not delegate voting
authority to any proxy advisory service, but rather retains complete authority for voting all proxies delegated to it. Our policy is generally to vote all meetings and all proposals; and generally to vote all proxies
for a given proposal the same way for all clients. We also have defined policies and procedures to address and mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest relating to our proxy voting.
Proxy Operations Department
Lazard’s proxy voting process is administered by our Proxy Operations Department (“ProxyOps”) which reports to Lazard’s Chief Operations Officer. Oversight of the process is provided by the firm’s Legal & Compliance Department and the Proxy Committee.
Lazard’s proxy voting process is administered by our Proxy Operations Department (“ProxyOps”) which reports to Lazard’s Chief Operations Officer. Oversight of the process is provided by the firm’s Legal & Compliance Department and the Proxy Committee.
Proxy Committee
Lazard’s Proxy Committee comprises investment professionals, including portfolio managers and analysts, the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. In addition, several Lazard operations professionals serve as advisors to the Proxy Committee.
Lazard’s Proxy Committee comprises investment professionals, including portfolio managers and analysts, the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. In addition, several Lazard operations professionals serve as advisors to the Proxy Committee.
The Proxy Committee meets at least
annually to review Lazard’s Proxy Voting Policy and to evaluate potential enhancements. Meetings may be convened more frequently (for example, to discuss a specific proxy voting proposal) as requested by the
manager of ProxyOps or at the request of any member of the Proxy Committee.
Role of Third Parties
Lazard currently subscribes to advisory and other proxy voting services provided by Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and by Glass, Lewis & Co. (Glass Lewis). These proxy advisory services provide independent analysis and recommendations regarding various companies’ proxy proposals. While this research serves to help improve our understanding of the issues surrounding a company’s proxy proposals, Lazard’s investment professionals are ultimately responsible for providing the vote recommendation for a given proposal. Voting for each agenda of each meeting is instructed specifically by Lazard in accordance with our Proxy Voting Policy; we do not employ outside services to vote on our behalf.
Lazard currently subscribes to advisory and other proxy voting services provided by Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and by Glass, Lewis & Co. (Glass Lewis). These proxy advisory services provide independent analysis and recommendations regarding various companies’ proxy proposals. While this research serves to help improve our understanding of the issues surrounding a company’s proxy proposals, Lazard’s investment professionals are ultimately responsible for providing the vote recommendation for a given proposal. Voting for each agenda of each meeting is instructed specifically by Lazard in accordance with our Proxy Voting Policy; we do not employ outside services to vote on our behalf.
ISS additionally serves as our
proxy voting facilitator, and is responsible for processing of ballots received, dissemination of Lazard’s vote instructions, and additionally provides our recordkeeping and reporting.
Voting Process
Lazard votes on behalf of our clients according to “Approved Guidelines” issued by the Proxy Committee. The Approved Guidelines determine whether a specific agenda item should be voted ‘For,’ ‘Against,’ or is to be considered on a case-by case basis. ProxyOps confirms that all vote instructions are consistent with our approved voting guidelines. These guidelines are reviewed by the ProxyOps Manager and the Proxy Committee on an annual basis.
Lazard votes on behalf of our clients according to “Approved Guidelines” issued by the Proxy Committee. The Approved Guidelines determine whether a specific agenda item should be voted ‘For,’ ‘Against,’ or is to be considered on a case-by case basis. ProxyOps confirms that all vote instructions are consistent with our approved voting guidelines. These guidelines are reviewed by the ProxyOps Manager and the Proxy Committee on an annual basis.
The investment professional
provides the vote recommendation in accordance with the Approved Guidelines. Any exceptions to this, which are rare, require approval from the Proxy Committee. In this case, the investment professional must provide
detailed rationale for their recommendation, and the Proxy Committee will then determine whether or not that vote recommendation is to be accepted and applied to the specific meeting’s agenda.
Case-by-case agenda items are
evaluated by Lazard investment professionals based on the specific facts relevant to an individual company. The Lazard investment professional formulates their vote recommendation based on their research of the
company and their evaluation of the specific proposal. The investment professional will assess the relevant factors in conjunction with the analysis of the company’s management and business performance. The
investment professional may also engage with the company’s executives or board members to improve our understanding of a proxy proposal and/or to provide our advice on how a company can enhance their corporate
governance practices.
284
ProxyOps confirms that all vote
instructions are in accordance with Lazard’s Proxy Voting Policy and guidelines, and will then enter the vote instructions for inclusion in the meeting’s tabulation. Lazard generally will treat proxy votes
and voting intentions as confidential in the period before votes have been cast, and for appropriate time periods thereafter.
Conflicts of Interest
ProxyOps monitors all proxy votes for potential conflicts of interest that could be viewed as influencing the outcome of Lazard’s voting decision, such as:
ProxyOps monitors all proxy votes for potential conflicts of interest that could be viewed as influencing the outcome of Lazard’s voting decision, such as:
| ■ | Lazard manages the company’s pension plan; |
| ■ | The shareholder proponent of a proposal is a Lazard client; |
| ■ | A Lazard employee sits on a company’s board of directors; |
| ■ | Lazard serves as financial advisor or provides other investment banking services to the company; or |
| ■ | A Lazard employee has a material relationship with the company. |
“Conflict Meetings” are
voted in accordance with the Lazard Approved Guidelines. In situations where the Approved Guideline is to vote case-by-case and a material conflict of interest appears to exist, Lazard’s policy is to vote the
proxy item according to the majority recommendation of the independent proxy services to which we subscribe.
Voting Exceptions
It is Lazard’s intention to vote all proposals at every meeting. However, there are instances when voting is not practical or is not, in our view, in the best interests of our clients; shares held on loan and shares subject to liquidation impediment are two such circumstances where the benefit of voting can be significantly compromised.
It is Lazard’s intention to vote all proposals at every meeting. However, there are instances when voting is not practical or is not, in our view, in the best interests of our clients; shares held on loan and shares subject to liquidation impediment are two such circumstances where the benefit of voting can be significantly compromised.
Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance
Lazard has an Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) Policy, which outlines our approach to ESG and how our investment professionals take ESG issues into account as a part of the investment process. We recognize that ESG issues can affect the valuation of the companies that we invest in on our clients’ behalf. As a result, we take these factors into consideration when voting, and, consistent with our fiduciary duty, vote proposals in a way we believe will increase shareholder value.
Lazard has an Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) Policy, which outlines our approach to ESG and how our investment professionals take ESG issues into account as a part of the investment process. We recognize that ESG issues can affect the valuation of the companies that we invest in on our clients’ behalf. As a result, we take these factors into consideration when voting, and, consistent with our fiduciary duty, vote proposals in a way we believe will increase shareholder value.
LMCG INVESTMENTS, LLC
The proxy voting guidelines of LMCG
Investments, LLC (the Firm) contained herein are a sampling of select, key guidelines and are not all inclusive. The Firm will review its proxy voting policies and guidelines from time to time and may adopt changes.
Proxy questions are considered within the individual circumstances of the issuer and therefore it is possible that individual circumstances might mean that a given proxy ballot could be voted differently than what is
generally done in other cases.
| 1. | Audit-related Items: |
Auditor Ratification
Generally vote FOR proposals to
ratify auditors unless:
| ■ | An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company and is therefore not independent; |
| ■ | There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| ■ | Poor accounting practices are identified such as fraud, misapplication of GAAP and material weaknesses are identified; or |
| ■ | Fees for non-audit services are excessive |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder
proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services.
| 2. | Board of Directors: |
Voting on Director Nominees in
Uncontested Elections
Votes on director nominees should
be determined CASE-BY-CASE.
Voting for Director Nominees in
Contested Elections
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election
of directors in contested elections, considering the following:
| ■ | Management’s track record; |
| ■ | Background to the proxy contest; |
| ■ | Qualifications of Director nominees; |
285
| ■ | Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of critique against management; |
| ■ | Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved; and |
| ■ | Stock ownership positions |
Board responsiveness
Vote case-by-case on individual
directors, committee members or the entire board of directors as appropriate if:
| ■ | Material failures of governance, stewardship, risk oversight, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company |
| ■ | Board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received the support of a majority of shares cast in the previous year |
| ■ | Board failed to act on takeover offer where majority of shares tendered |
| ■ | Board failed to address issues related to a director receiving 50% or more withhold/against votes |
| ■ | Board implements an advisory vote on executive compensation on a less frequent basis than the frequency that received the majority of votes |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
entire board of directors for problematic practices or material failures in the areas of accountability, independence or competence:
Board accountability, including
items such as:
| ■ | A classified board structure |
| ■ | A supermajority vote requirement |
| ■ | Inability for shareholders to call special meetings |
| ■ | Inability of shareholders to act by written consent |
| ■ | Dual-class capital structure |
| ■ | Non-shareholder approved poison pill |
| ■ | Material failures of governance, stewardship, risk oversight, fiduciary responsibility |
| ■ | Failure to replace management as appropriate |
Director independence, including
items such as:
| ■ | Inside or affiliated director serves on key committees |
| ■ | Company lacks an audit, compensation or nominating committee |
| ■ | Independent directors make up less than a majority of directors |
Director competence, including
items such as:
| ■ | Not all director’s attended 75% of the aggregate board and committee meetings |
| ■ | Sit on more than six public company boards |
Independent Chair (Separate
CEO/Chair)
Generally vote FOR shareholder
proposals requiring that the chairman position be filled by an independent director unless there are substantial reasons to recommend against the proposal, such as counterbalancing governance structure.
Majority Vote Shareholder
Proposals
Generally vote FOR binding
resolutions requesting that the board change the company’s bylaws to stipulate that directors need to be elected with an affirmative majority of votes cast.
Audit Committee related items
Generally vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD
from members of the Audit Committee if:
| ■ | Non-audit fees paid to auditor are excessive |
| ■ | Company receives an adverse opinion on financial statements |
| ■ | Evidence of inappropriate indemnification language that limits ability of the company or shareholders to pursue legal recourse against audit firm |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the
Audit Committee and potentially the full board if:
| ■ | Poor accounting practices result in fraud, misapplication of GAAP, and/or other material weaknesses |
Compensation Committee related
items
286
In the absence of an Advisory vote
on executive compensation, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD on members of the Compensation Committee or potentially the full board if:
| ■ | There is significant misalignment between CEO pay and company performance |
| ■ | Company maintains problematic pay practices related to non-performance based compensation elements, incentives that motivate excessive risk taking and options backdating |
| ■ | Board exhibits significant level of poor communication and responsiveness to shareholders |
| ■ | Company fails to submit one-time transfer of stock options to shareholder vote |
| ■ | Company fails to fulfill terms of burn rate commitment made to shareholders |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the
Compensation Committee and the MSOP proposal if the Company’s previous say-on-pay proposal received support of less than 70% of votes cast, taking into account:
| ■ | Discloser of engagement efforts with major institutional shareholders regarding issues that led to low level of support |
| ■ | Specific actions to address issues that contributed to low level of support |
| ■ | Other recent compensation practices |
| ■ | Whether the issues raised are recurring or isolated |
| ■ | Company’s ownership structure |
| ■ | Whether support level was less than 50%, |
Performance/Governance Evaluation
for Directors
Generally vote WITHHOLD or AGAINST
on all director nominees if the board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers.
Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation
Expenses
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to
reimburse proxy solicitation expenses.
| 3. | Shareholder Rights and Defenses: |
Advanced Notice Requirements for
Shareholder Proposals/Nominations
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice
proposals, giving support to proposals that allow shareholders to submit proposals/nominations reasonably close to the meeting date within the broadest window possible.
Poison Pills
Generally vote FOR shareholder
proposals requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder vote or redeem it unless the company has (1) a shareholder approved poison pill in place or (2) the company has adopted a policy concerning
the adoption of a pill in the future specifying that the board will only adopt a shareholder rights plan if shareholders have approved the adoption of the plan or the board determines that it is in the best interest
of shareholders to adopt a pill without delay.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals on poison pill ratification, focusing on the features of the shareholder rights plan.
Reincorporation Proposals
Evaluate management or shareholder
proposals to change a company’s state of incorporation on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
| 4. | Capital and Corporate Restructurings: |
Common Stock Authorization
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to
increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance.
Dual Class Structure
Generally vote AGAINST proposals to
create a new class of common stock with superior voting rights
Share Repurchase Programs
Vote FOR management proposals to
institute open market repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.
287
Mergers and Acquisitions
Overall Approach – Vote
CASE-BY-CASE
For mergers and acquisitions,
review and evaluate the merits and drawbacks of the proposed transaction balancing various and sometimes countervailing factors including:
| ■ | Valuation; |
| ■ | Market reaction; |
| ■ | Strategic rationale; |
| ■ | Negotiations and process; |
| ■ | Conflicts of Interest; and |
| ■ | Governance |
| 5. | Compensation: |
Advisory Vote on Executive
Compensation (Say-on-Pay) Management Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on ballot items
related to executive pay and practices
Vote AGAINST Advisory Votes on
Executive Compensation (MSOP) if:
| ■ | There is significant misalignment between CEO pay and company performance |
| ■ | Company maintains problematic pay practices |
| ■ | Board exhibits significant level of poor communication and responsiveness to shareholders |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
members of the Compensation Committee if:
| ■ | There is no MSOP on the ballot |
| ■ | Board fails to adequately respond to a previous MSOP proposal that received less than 70% support |
| ■ | The company has poor compensation practices |
Vote FOR annual advisory votes on
compensation.
Employee Stock Purchase Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on non-qualified
employee stock purchase plans.
Option Exchange Programs/Re-pricing
Options
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals seeking approval to exchange/re-price options.
Equity Compensation Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based
compensation plans.
| 6. | Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Issues: |
General approach on CSR issues is
to vote CASE-BY-CASE taking into account factors such as impact on shareholder value, significance of company’s business affected by the proposal, impact on company reputation, response by other companies to
similar issue and degree to which proprietary or confidential information would be disclosed.
Some issues that fall under this
topic include proposals on:
| ■ | Company’s political spending, lobbying efforts and charitable contributions |
| ■ | Animal welfare practices |
| ■ | Energy and environmental issues |
| ■ | Equal employment opportunity and discrimination |
| ■ | Diversity |
| ■ | Product safety and hazardous materials |
| 7. | Conflicts of Interest: |
288
Conflicts of interest could exist
when the Firm holds a security issued by a client in client portfolios, and the Firm is required to vote that security. When there is a potential conflict with a client, the Firm will look to these guidelines and the
ISS recommendation for voting guidance.
LOOMIS, SAYLES & COMPANY, L.P.
(Loomis Sayles)
1. GENERAL
A. Introduction.
Loomis, Sayles &
Company, L.P. (“Loomis Sayles”) will vote proxies on behalf of a client if, in its investment management agreement (“IMA”) with Loomis Sayles, the client has delegated to Loomis Sayles the
authority to vote proxies on its behalf. With respect to IMAs executed with clients prior to June 30, 2004, Loomis Sayles assumes that the proxy voting authority assigned by Loomis Sayles at account setup is accurate
unless the client or their representative has instructed Loomis Sayles otherwise. Loomis Sayles has adopted and implemented these policies and procedures (“Proxy Voting Procedures”) to ensure that, where
it has voting authority, proxy matters are handled in the best interest of clients, in accordance with Loomis Sayles’ fiduciary duties, SEC rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Staff Legal
Bulletin No. 20 (June 30, 2014). In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, its Proxy Voting Procedures reflect the fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts set out in Department of Labor
Bulletin 2016-01, 29 C.F.R. 2509.2016-01 (December 29, 2016).
Loomis Sayles uses the services of
third parties (“Proxy Voting Service(s)”), to research and administer the vote on proxies for those accounts and funds for which Loomis Sayles has voting authority. Loomis Sayles will generally follow its
express policy with input from the Proxy Voting Services unless the Proxy Committee determines that the client’s best interests are served by voting otherwise.
B. General Guidelines.
The following guidelines will apply
when voting proxies on behalf of accounts for which Loomis Sayles has voting authority.
| ■ | Client’s Best Interest. Loomis Sayles’ Proxy Voting Procedures are designed and implemented in a way that is reasonably expected to ensure that proxy matters are conducted in the best interest of clients. When considering the best interest of clients, Loomis Sayles has determined that this means the best investment interest of its clients as shareholders of the issuer. Loomis Sayles has established its Proxy Voting Procedures to assist it in making its proxy voting decisions with a view to enhancing the value of its clients’ interests in an issuer over the period during which it expects its clients to hold their investments (taking into account the costs involved). Loomis Sayles will vote against proposals that it believes could adversely impact the current or potential market value of the issuer’s securities during the expected holding period. |
| ■ | Client Proxy Voting Policies. Rather than delegating proxy voting authority to Loomis Sayles, a client may (1) retain the authority to vote proxies on securities in its account, (2) delegate voting authority to another party or (3) instruct Loomis Sayles to vote proxies according to a policy that differs from that of Loomis Sayles. Loomis Sayles will honor any of these instructions if the client includes the instruction in writing in its IMA or in a written instruction from a person authorized under the IMA to give such instructions. If Loomis incurs additional costs or expenses in following any such instruction, Loomis may request payment of such additional costs or expenses from the client. |
| ■ | Stated Policies. These policies identify issues where Loomis Sayles will (1) generally vote in favor of a proposal, (2) generally vote against a proposal, (3) generally vote as recommended by the proxy voting service and (4) specifically consider its vote for or against a proposal. However, these policies are guidelines and each vote may be cast differently than the stated policy, taking into consideration all relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote. |
| ■ | Abstain from Voting. Our policy is to vote rather than abstain from voting on issues presented unless the client’s best interest requires abstention. Loomis Sayles will abstain in cases where the impact of the expected costs involved in voting exceeds the expected benefits of the vote such as where foreign corporations follow share-blocking practices or where proxy material is not available in English. Loomis Sayles will vote against ballot issues where the issuer does not provide sufficient information to make an informed decision. In addition, there may be instances where Loomis Sayles is not able to vote proxies on a client's behalf, such as when ballot delivery instructions have not been processed by a client's custodian, the Proxy Voting Service has not received a ballot for a client's account or under other circumstances beyond Loomis Sayles' control. |
| ■ | Oversight. All issues presented for shareholder vote will be considered under the oversight of the Proxy Committee. All non-routine issues will be directly considered by the Proxy Committee and, when necessary, the equity analyst following the company and/or the portfolio manager of an account holding the security, and will be voted in the best investment interests of the client. All routine for and against issues will be voted according to Loomis Sayles’ policy approved by the Proxy Committee unless special factors require that they be considered by the Proxy Committee and, when necessary, the equity analyst following the company and/or the portfolio manager of an account holding the security. Loomis Sayles’ Proxy Committee has established these routine policies in what it believes are the client’s best interests. |
289
| ■ | Availability of Procedures. Upon request, Loomis Sayles provides clients with a copy of its Proxy Voting Procedures, as updated from time to time. In addition, Loomis Sayles includes its Proxy Voting Procedures and/or a description of its Proxy Voting Procedures on its public website, www.loomissayles.com, and in its Form ADV, Part II. |
| ■ | Disclosure of Vote. Upon request, a client can obtain information from Loomis Sayles on how its proxies were voted. Any client interested in obtaining this information should contact its Loomis Sayles representatives. |
| ■ | Disclosure to Third Parties. Loomis Sayles’ general policy is not to disclose to third parties how it (or its voting delegate) voted a client’s proxy except that for registered investment companies, Loomis Sayles makes disclosures as required by Rule 30(b)(1)-(4) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and, from time to time at the request of client groups, Loomis may make general disclosures (not specific as to client) of its voting instructions. |
C. Proxy Committee.
| 1. | Proxy Committee. Loomis Sayles has established a Proxy Committee. The Proxy Committee is composed of representatives of the Equity Research department and the Legal & Compliance department and other employees of Loomis Sayles as needed. In the event that any member is unable to participate in a meeting of the Proxy Committee, his or her designee acts on his or her behalf. A vacancy in the Proxy Committee is filled by the prior member’s successor in position at Loomis Sayles or a person of equivalent experience. Each portfolio manager of an account that holds voting securities of an issuer or analyst covering the issuer or its securities may be an ad hoc member of the Proxy Committee in connection with the vote of proxies. |
| 2. | Duties. The specific responsibilities of the Proxy Committee include, |
a. to develop, authorize, implement
and update these Proxy Voting Procedures, including:
(i) annual review of these Proxy
Voting Procedures to ensure consistency with internal policies and regulatory agency policies,
(ii) annual review of existing
voting guidelines and development of additional voting guidelines to assist in the review of proxy proposals, and
(iii) annual review of the proxy
voting process and any general issues that relate to proxy voting;
b. to oversee the proxy voting
process, including:
(i) overseeing the vote on
proposals according to the predetermined policies in the voting guidelines,
(ii) directing the vote on
proposals where there is reason not to vote according to the predetermined policies in the voting guidelines or where proposals require special consideration,
(iii) consulting with the portfolio
managers and analysts for the accounts holding the security when necessary or appropriate, and
(iv) periodically sampling or
engaging an outside party to sample proxy votes to ensure they comply with the Proxy Voting Procedures and are cast in accordance with the clients’ best interests;
c. to engage and oversee
third-party vendors, such as Proxy Voting Services, including:
(i) determining whether a Proxy
Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues by considering:
(a) the adequacy and quality of the
Proxy Voting Service’s staffing and personnel, and
(b) the robustness of the Proxy
Voting Service’s policies and procedures regarding its ability to ensure that its recommendations are based on current and accurate information and to identify and address any relevant conflicts of interest,
(ii) providing ongoing oversight of
Proxy Voting Services to ensure that proxies continue to be voted in the best interests of clients,
(iii) receiving and reviewing
updates from Proxy Voting Services regarding relevant business changes or changes to Proxy Voting Services’ conflict policies and procedures, and
(iv) in the event that the Proxy
Committee becomes aware that a Proxy Voting Service’s recommendation was based on a material factual error, investigating the error, considering the nature of the error and the related recommendation, and
determining whether the Proxy Voting Service has taken reasonable steps to reduce the likelihood of similar errors in the future; and
d. to develop and/or modify these
Proxy Voting Procedures as appropriate or necessary.
290
3. Standards.
a. When determining the vote of any
proposal for which it has responsibility, the Proxy Committee shall vote in the client’s best interest as described in section 1(B)(1) above. In the event a client believes that its other interests require a
different vote, Loomis Sayles shall vote as the client instructs if the instructions are provided as required in section 1(B)(2) above.
b. When determining the vote on any
proposal, the Proxy Committee shall not consider any benefit to Loomis Sayles, any of its affiliates, any of its or their clients or service providers, other than benefits to the owner of the securities to be
voted.
4. Charter. The Proxy Committee may
adopt a Charter, which shall be consistent with these Proxy Voting Procedures. Any Charter shall set forth the Committee’s purpose, membership and operation and shall include procedures prohibiting a member from
voting on a matter for which he or she has a conflict of interest by reason of a direct relationship with the issuer or other party affected by a given proposal (e.g., he or she is a portfolio manager for an account
of the issuer).
D. Conflicts of Interest.
Loomis Sayles has established
several policies to ensure that proxy votes are voted in its clients’ best interest and are not affected by any possible conflicts of interest. First, except in certain limited instances, Loomis Sayles votes in
accordance with its pre-determined policies set forth in these Proxy Voting Procedures. Second, where these Proxy Voting Procedures allow for discretion, Loomis Sayles will generally consider the recommendations of
the Proxy Voting Services in making its voting decisions. However, if the Proxy Committee determines that the Proxy Voting Services’ recommendation is not in the best interest of its clients, then the Proxy
Committee may use its discretion to vote against the Proxy Voting Services’ recommendation, but only after taking the following steps: (1) conducting a review for any material conflict of interest Loomis Sayles
may have and, (2) if any material conflict is found to exist, excluding anyone at Loomis Sayles who is subject to that conflict of interest from participating in the voting decision in any way. However, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Proxy Committee after full prior disclosure of any conflict, that person may provide information, opinions or recommendations on any proposal to the Proxy Committee. In such event the
Proxy Committee will make reasonable efforts to obtain and consider, prior to directing any vote information, opinions or recommendations from or about the opposing position on any proposal.
E. Recordkeeping and Disclosure.
Loomis Sayles or its Proxy Voting
Service will maintain records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act. The records include: (1) a copy of its Proxy Voting Procedures and its charter; (2) proxy statements received regarding
client securities; (3) a record of each vote cast; (4) a copy of any document created by Loomis Sayles that is material to making a decision how to vote proxies on behalf of a client or that memorializes the basis for
that decision; and (5) each written client request for proxy voting records and Loomis Sayles’ written response to any (written or oral) client request for such records.
Proxy voting books and records are
maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of five years, the first two in an appropriate office of Loomis Sayles.
Loomis Sayles will provide
disclosure of its Proxy Voting Procedures as well as its voting record as required under applicable SEC rules.
2. PROPOSALS USUALLY VOTED FOR
Proxies involving the issues set
forth below generally will be voted FOR.
Adjustments to Par Value of Common
Stock: Vote for management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock.
Annual Election of Directors: Vote
for proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually.
Appraisal Rights: Vote for
proposals to restore, or provide shareholders with, rights of appraisal.
Authority to Issue
Shares: Vote for proposals by boards to authorize the issuance of shares (with or without preemptive rights) to the extent the size of the proposed issuance in proportion to the issuer’s issued ordinary share
capital is consistent with industry standards and the recommendations of the issuer’s board and the Proxy Voting Service are in agreement. Review on a case-by-case basis proposals that do not meet the above
criteria.
Blank Check Preferred
Authorization:
| A. | Vote for proposals to create blank check preferred stock in cases when the company expressly states that the stock will not be used as a takeover defense or carry superior voting rights, and expressly states conversion, dividend, distribution and other rights. |
291
| B. | Vote for shareholder proposals to have blank check preferred stock placements, other than those shares issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course of business, submitted for shareholder ratification. |
| C. | Review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase the number of authorized blank check preferred shares. |
Chairman and CEO are the Same
Person: Vote for proposals that would require the positions of chairman and CEO to be held by different persons.
Changing Corporate Name: Vote for
changing the corporate name.
Confidential Voting: Vote for
shareholder proposals that request corporations to adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators and use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as
follows: In the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy. If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place. If the
dissidents do not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived. Vote for management proposals to adopt confidential voting.
Cumulative Voting: Vote for
proposals to permit cumulative voting, except where the issuer already has in place a policy of majority voting.
Delivery of Electronic Proxy
Materials: Vote for proposals to allow electronic delivery of proxy materials to shareholders.
Director Nominees in Uncontested
Elections:
| A. | Vote for proposals involving routine matters such as election of directors, provided that two-thirds of the directors would be independent and affiliated or inside nominees do not serve on any board committee. |
| B. | Vote against nominees that are CFOs and, generally, against nominees that the Proxy Voting Service has identified as not acting in the best interest of shareholders. Vote against nominees that have attended less than 75% of board and committee meetings, unless a reasonable cause (e.g., health or family emergency) for the absence is noted and accepted by the Proxy Voting Service and the board. Vote against affiliated or inside nominees who serve on a board committee or if two thirds of the board would not be independent. Vote against governance or nominating committee members if there is no independent lead or presiding director and if the CEO and chairman are the same person. Generally, vote against audit committee members if auditor ratification is not proposed, except in cases involving mutual fund board members, who are not required to submit auditor ratification for shareholder approval pursuant to Investment Company Act of 1940 rules. Vote against compensation committee members when the Proxy Voting Service recommends a vote against the issuer’s “say on pay” advisory vote. A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed when electing directors of foreign companies. |
| C. | Generally, vote against all members of a board committee and not just the chairman or a representative thereof in situations where the Proxy Voting Service finds that the board committee has not acted in the best interest of shareholders. |
| D. | Vote as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service when directors are being elected as a slate and not individually. |
Director Related Compensation: Vote
for proposals that are required by and comply with the applicable statutory or listing requirements governing the issuer. Review on a case-by-case basis all other proposals.
Election of Mutual Fund Trustees:
Vote for nominees who oversee less than 60 mutual fund portfolios. Vote against nominees who oversee 60 or more mutual fund portfolios that invest in substantially different asset classes (e.g., if the applicable
portfolios include both fixed income funds and equity funds). Vote on a case-by-case basis for or against nominees who oversee 60 or more mutual fund portfolios that invest in substantially similar asset classes
(e.g., if the applicable portfolios include only fixed income funds or only equity funds).
Equal Access: Vote
for shareholder proposals that would allow significant company shareholders equal access to management’s proxy material in order to evaluate and propose voting recommendations on proxy proposals and director
nominees, and in order to nominate their own candidates to the board.
Fair Price Provisions:
A. Vote for fair price proposals,
as long as the shareholder vote requirement embedded in the provision is no more than a majority of disinterested shares.
292
B. Vote for shareholder proposals
to lower the shareholder vote requirement in existing fair price provisions.
Golden and Tin Parachutes:
| A. | Vote for shareholder proposals to have golden (top management) and tin (all employees) parachutes submitted for shareholder ratification. |
| B. | Review on a case-by-case basis all proposals to ratify or cancel golden or tin parachutes. |
Greenshoe Options (French issuers
only): Vote for proposals by boards of French issuers in favor of greenshoe options that grant the issuer the flexibility to increase an over-subscribed securities issuance by up to 15% so long as such increase takes
place on the same terms and within thirty days of the initial issuance, provided that the recommendation of the issuer’s board and the Proxy Voting Service are in agreement. Review on a case-by-case basis
proposals that do not meet the above criteria.
Independent Audit, Compensation and
Nominating Committees: Vote for proposals requesting that the board audit, compensation and/or nominating committees include independent directors exclusively.
Independent Board Chairman:
| A. | Vote for shareholder proposals that generally request the board to adopt a policy requiring its chairman to be “independent,” as defined by a relevant exchange or market with respect to any issuer whose enterprise value is, according to the Proxy Voting Service, greater than or equal to $10 billion. |
| B. | Vote such proposals on a case-by-case basis when, according to the Proxy Voting Service, the issuer's enterprise value is less than $10 billion. |
Majority Voting: Vote for proposals
to permit majority rather than plurality or cumulative voting for the election of directors/trustees.
OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act)-Related Compensation Proposals:
| A. | Vote for plans that simply amend shareholder-approved plans to include administrative features or place a cap on the annual grants any one participant may receive to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA. |
| B. | Vote for amendments to add performance goals to existing compensation plans to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA. |
| C. | Vote for cash or cash-and-stock bonus plans to exempt the compensation from taxes under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA. |
| D. | Votes on amendments to existing plans to increase shares reserved and to qualify the plan for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m) should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. |
Ratifying Auditors:
| A. | Generally vote for proposals to ratify auditors. |
| B. | Vote against ratification of auditors where an auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; or there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the company's financial position. In general, if non-audit fees amount to 35% or more of total fees paid to a company's auditor we will vote against ratification and against the members of the audit committee. |
| C. | Vote against ratification of auditors and vote against members of the audit committee where it is known that an auditor has negotiated an alternative dispute resolution procedure. |
Reverse Stock Splits: Vote for
management proposals to reduce the number of outstanding shares available through a reverse stock split.
Right to Adjourn: Vote for the
right to adjourn in conjunction with a vote for a merger or acquisition or other proposal, and vote against the right to adjourn in conjunction with a vote against a merger or acquisition or other proposal.
293
Right to Call a Special Meeting:
Vote for proposals that set a threshold of 10% of the outstanding voting stock as a minimum percentage allowable to call a special meeting of shareholders. Vote against proposals that increase or decrease the
threshold from 10%.
Share Cancellation Programs: Vote
for management proposals to reduce share capital by means of cancelling outstanding shares held in the issuer's treasury.
Shareholder Ability to Alter the
Size of the Board:
| A. | Vote for proposals that seek to fix the size of the board. |
| B. | Vote against proposals that give management the ability to alter the size of the board without shareholder approval. |
Shareholder Ability to Remove
Directors: Vote for proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause and proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.
Share Repurchase Programs: Vote for
management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.
Stock Distributions: Splits and
Dividends: Generally vote for management proposals to increase common share authorization, provided that the increase in authorized shares following the split or dividend is not greater than 100 percent of existing
authorized shares.
White Squire Placements: Vote for
shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of blank check preferred stock issues.
Written Consent: Vote for proposals
regarding the right to act by written consent when the Proxy Voting Service recommends a vote for the proposal. Proposals regarding the right to act by written consent where the Proxy Voting Service recommends a vote
against will be sent to the Proxy Committee for determination.
3. PROPOSALS USUALLY VOTED
AGAINST
Proxies involving the issues set
forth below generally will be voted AGAINST.
Common Stock Authorization: Vote
against proposed common stock authorizations that increase the existing authorization by more than 100 percent unless a clear need for the excess shares is presented by the company. A recommendation of the Proxy
Voting Service will generally be followed.
Director and Officer
Indemnification and Liability Protection:
| A. | Proposals concerning director and officer indemnification and liability protection that limit or eliminate entirely director and officer liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care, or that would expand coverage beyond just legal expenses to acts, such as gross negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligations than mere carelessness. |
| B. | Vote for only those proposals that provide such expanded coverage in cases when a director's or officer's legal defense was unsuccessful if (i) the director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that he reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and (ii) only if the director's legal expenses would be covered. |
Exclusive Forum
Provisions: Vote against proposals mandating an exclusive forum for any shareholder lawsuits. Vote against the members of the issuer’s governance committee in the event of a proposal mandating an exclusive forum
without shareholder approval.
Overboarded Executive Officer
Director Nominees: Vote for an executive officer director nominee that sits on less than three company boards. Vote against an executive officer director nominee that sits on three or more company boards. A
recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed.
Shareholder Ability to Act by
Written Consent: Vote against proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to take action by written consent.
Shareholder Ability to Call Special
Meetings: Vote against proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to call special meetings.
Shareholder Ability to Remove
Directors:
| A. | Vote against proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause. |
294
| B. | Vote against proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies. |
Share Retention by Executives:
Generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring executives to retain shares of the issuer for fixed periods unless the board and the Proxy Voting Service recommend voting in favor of the proposal.
Staggered Director Elections: Vote
against proposals to classify or stagger the board.
Stock Ownership Requirements:
Generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as a director, or to remain on the board.
Supermajority Shareholder Vote
Requirements: Vote against management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and bylaw amendments.
Term of Office: Vote against
shareholder proposals to limit the tenure of outside directors.
Unequal Voting Rights:
| A. | Vote against dual class exchange offers and dual class recapitalizations. |
| B. | Vote, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to eliminate an existing dual class voting structure. |
4. PROPOSALS USUALLY VOTED AS
RECOMMENDED BY THE PROXY VOTING SERVICE
Proxies involving compensation
issues, not limited to those set forth below, generally will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service but may, in the consideration of the Proxy Committee, be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
401(k) Employee Benefit Plans: Vote
for proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.
Compensation Plans: Votes with
respect to compensation plans generally will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans
(“ESOPs”): Vote for proposals that request shareholder approval in order to implement an ESOP or to increase authorized shares for existing ESOPs, except in cases when the number of shares allocated to the
ESOP is “excessive” (i.e., generally greater than five percent of outstanding shares). A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed.
Executive Compensation Advisory
Resolutions (“Say-on-Pay”): A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed using the following as a guide:
| A. | Vote for shareholder proposals to permit non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation. |
| B. | Non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service. |
| C. | Vote for an annual review of executive compensation. |
Non-Material Miscellaneous
Bookkeeping Proposals: A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed regarding miscellaneous bookkeeping proposals of a non-material nature.
Preemptive Rights: Votes with
respect to preemptive rights generally will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service subject to Common Stock Authorization requirements above.
Proxy Access: A
recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed with regard to proposals intended to grant shareholders the right to place nominees for director on the issuer’s proxy ballot (“Proxy
Access”). The nominating shareholder(s) should hold, in aggregate, at least 3% of the voting shares of the issuer for at least three years, and be allowed to nominate up to 25% of the nominees. All other
proposals relating to Proxy Access will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Stock Option Plans: A
recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed using the following as a guide:
| A. | Vote against plans which expressly permit repricing of underwater options. |
| B. | Vote against proposals to make all stock options performance based. |
295
| C. | Vote against stock option plans that could result in an earnings dilution above the company specific cap considered by the Proxy Voting Service. |
| D. | Vote for proposals that request expensing of stock options. |
Technical Amendments to By-Laws: A
recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed regarding technical or housekeeping amendments to by-laws or articles designed to bring the by-laws or articles into line with current regulations
and/or laws.
5. PROPOSALS
REQURING SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
The Proxy Committee will vote
proxies involving the issues set forth below generally on a case-by-case basis after review. Proposals on many of these types of matters will typically be reviewed with the analyst following the company before any
vote is cast.
Asset Sales: Votes on asset sales
should be made on a case-by-case basis after considering the impact on the balance sheet/working capital, value received for the asset, and potential elimination of diseconomies.
Bundled Proposals: Review on a
case-by-case basis bundled or “conditioned” proxy proposals. In the case of items that are conditioned upon each other, examine the benefits and costs of the packaged items. In instances when the joint
effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders' best interests, vote against the proposals. If the combined effect is positive, support such proposals.
Charitable and Political
Contributions and Lobbying Expenditures: Votes on proposals regarding charitable contributions, political contributions, and lobbying expenditures, should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Votes for UK issuers
concerning political contributions will be voted for if the issuer states that (a) it does not intend to make any political donations or incur any expenditures in respect to any political party in the EU; and (b) the
proposal is submitted to ensure that the issuer does not inadvertently breach the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and sections 366 and 367 of the Companies Act 2006.
Compensation in the Event of a
Change in Control: Votes on proposals regarding executive compensation in the event of a change in control of the issuer should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Conversion of Debt Instruments:
Votes on the conversion of debt instruments should be considered on a case-by-case basis after the recommendation of the relevant Loomis Sayles equity or fixed income analyst is obtained.
Corporate Restructuring: Votes on
corporate restructuring proposals, including minority squeezeouts, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and asset sales should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Counting Abstentions: Votes on
proposals regarding counting abstentions when calculating vote proposal outcomes should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Debt Restructurings: Review on a
case-by-case basis proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt-restructuring plan. Consider the following issues: Dilution - How much will ownership interest of existing
shareholders be reduced, and how extreme will dilution to any future earnings be? Change in Control - Will the transaction result in a change in control of the company? Bankruptcy – Loomis Sayles’
Corporate Actions Department is responsible for consents related to bankruptcies and debt holder consents related to restructurings.
Delisting a Security: Review on a
case-by-case basis all proposals to delist a security from an exchange.
Director Nominees in Contested
Elections: Votes in a contested election of directors or vote no campaign must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering the following factors: long-term financial performance of the target company relative to
its industry; management's track record; background to the proxy contest; qualifications of director nominees (both slates); evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as the likelihood that the
proposed objectives and goals can be met; and stock ownership positions.
Disclosure of Prior Government
Service: Review on a case-by-case basis all proposals to disclose a list of employees previously employed in a governmental capacity.
Environmental and Social Issues:
Proxies involving social and environmental issues, not limited to those set forth below, frequently will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service but may, in the consideration of the Proxy Committee, be
reviewed on a case-by-case basis if the Proxy Committee believes that a particular proposal (i) could have a significant impact on an industry or issuer (ii) is appropriate for the issuer and the cost to implement
would not be excessive, (iii) is appropriate for the issuer in light of various
296
factors such as
reputational damage or litigation risk or (iv) is otherwise appropriate for the issuer. Loomis Sayles will consider whether such proposals are likely to enhance the value of the client’s investments after taking
into account the costs involved, and will not subordinate the economic interests of the client to unrelated objectives, but may consider collateral goals.
Animal Rights: Proposals that deal
with animal rights.
Energy and Environment: Proposals
that request companies to file the CERES Principles.
Equal Employment Opportunity and
Discrimination: Proposals regarding equal employment opportunities and discrimination.
Human Resources Issues: Proposals
regarding human resources issues.
Maquiladora Standards and
International Operations Policies: Proposals relating to the Maquiladora Standards and international operating policies.
Military Business: Proposals on
defense issues.
Northern Ireland: Proposals
pertaining to the MacBride Principles.
Product Integrity and Marketing:
Proposals that ask companies to end their production of legal, but socially questionable, products.
Third World Debt Crisis: Proposals
dealing with third world debt.
Golden Coffins: Review on a
case-by-case basis all proposals relating to the obligation of an issuer to provide remuneration or awards to survivors of executives payable upon such executive's death.
Greenmail:
| A. | Vote for proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter of bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict a company’s ability to make greenmail payments. |
| B. | Review on a case-by-case basis anti-greenmail proposals when they are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments. |
Liquidations: Votes on liquidations
should be made on a case-by-case basis after reviewing management's efforts to pursue other alternatives, appraisal value of assets, and the compensation plan for executives managing the liquidation.
Mergers and Acquisitions: Votes on
mergers and acquisitions should be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account at least the following: anticipated financial and operating benefits; offer price (cost vs. premium); prospects of the
combined companies; how the deal was negotiated; and changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights.
Mutual Fund Distribution
Agreements: Votes on mutual fund distribution agreements should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Mutual Fund Fundamental Investment
Restrictions: Votes on amendments to a mutual fund's fundamental investment restrictions should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Mutual Fund Investment Advisory
Agreement: Votes on mutual fund investment advisory agreements should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Poison Pills:
| A. | Vote for shareholder proposals that ask a company to submit its poison pill for shareholder ratification. |
| B. | Review on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals to redeem a company's poison pill. |
| C. | Review on a case-by-case basis management proposals to ratify a poison pill. |
Proxy Access: Proposals to allow
shareholders to nominate their own candidates for seats on a board should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Proxy Contest Defenses: Generally,
proposals concerning all proxy contest defenses should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
297
Reimburse Proxy Solicitation
Expenses: Decisions to provide full reimbursement for dissidents waging a proxy contest should be made on a case-by-case basis.
Reincorporation Proposals:
Proposals to change a company's domicile should be examined on a case-by-case basis.
Shareholder Advisory Committees:
Review on a case-by-case basis proposals to establish a shareholder advisory committee.
Shareholder Proposals to Limit
Executive and Director Pay:
| A. | Generally, vote for shareholder proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive and director pay information. |
B. Review on a case-by-case basis
(i) all shareholder proposals that seek to limit executive and director pay and (ii) all advisory resolutions on executive pay other than shareholder resolutions to permit such advisory resolutions. Vote against
proposals to link all executive or director variable compensation to performance goals.
Spin-offs: Votes on spin-offs
should be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of sale proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.
State Takeover Statutes: Review on
a case-by-case basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freezeout provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws,
poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, antigreenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions).
Tender Offer Defenses: Generally,
proposals concerning tender offer defenses should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Transition Manager
Ballots: Any ballot received by Loomis Sayles for a security that was held for a client by a Transition Manager prior to Loomis Sayles’ management of the client’s holdings will be considered on a case-by
case basis by the Proxy Committee (without the input of any Loomis Sayles analyst or portfolio manager) if such security is no longer held in the client’s account with Loomis Sayles.
LONGFELLOW INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO.
LLC.
PROXY VOTING POLICY
Where the power to vote proxies has
been delegated to Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC. (LIM), LIM has the responsibility for voting in a manner that is in the best economic interests of the client. LIM shall consider only those factors that
relate to the client’s investment or dictated by the client’s written instructions, including how its vote will economically impact and affect the value of the client’s investment. In some instances
LIM may abstain from voting a client proxy, particularly when the effect on the client’s economic interest is insignificant or the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the benefit to the client’s portfolio.
In voting on each and every issue, LIM shall vote in a prudent and timely fashion and only after a careful evaluation of the issue(s) presented on the ballot. Proxy votes will generally be cast in support of
management on routine corporate matters and in support of any management proposal that is plainly in the interest of all shareholders. LIM would generally vote for proposals that increase shareholder value and
maintain or increase shareholder rights. LIM will generally vote for management proposals for merger or reorganization. LIM will generally vote for the selection of independent auditors. Where LIM perceives that the
proposal, if approved, would tend to limit or reduce the economic value of the client’s investment, LIM will generally vote against it. There may be instances where the interests of LIM may conflict or appear to
conflict with the interests of its clients. For example: a situation where a portfolio holding is a client or an affiliate of a client of LIM. In such situations LIM, consistent with its duty of care and duty of
loyalty, may engage an independent third party to determine how the proxy should be voted.
LORD, ABBETT & CO. LLC
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
Introduction
Under the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940, as amended, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett” or “we”) acts as a fiduciary that owes each of its clients duties of care and loyalty with respect to all services undertaken on
the client’s behalf, including proxy voting. This means that Lord Abbett is required to vote proxies in the manner we believe is in the best interests of each client, including the Lord Abbett Funds (the
“Funds”) and their shareholders. We take a long-term perspective in investing our clients’ assets and employ the same perspective in voting proxies on their behalf. Accordingly, we tend to support
proxy proposals that we believe are likely to maximize shareholder value over time, whether such proposals were initiated by a company or its shareholders.
298
Proxy Voting Process Overview
Lord Abbett has a Proxy Group
within its Operations Department (the “Proxy Group”) that oversees proxy voting mechanics on a day-to-day basis and provides Lord Abbett’s Proxy Policy Committee (the “Proxy Policy
Committee”) and Investment Department personnel with information regarding proxy voting. The Proxy Policy Committee comprises Lord Abbett’s Chief Investment Officer and members of its Investment,
Operations, and Legal and Compliance Departments. Proxy voting decisions are made by the Investment Department in accordance with these policies and procedures and are carried out by the Proxy Group.
Lord Abbett has implemented the
following approach to the proxy voting process:
| ■ | In cases where we deem any client’s position in a company to be material 1 , the relevant investment team is responsible for determining how to vote the security. Once a voting decision has been made, the investment team provides instructions to the Proxy Group, which is responsible for submitting Lord Abbett’s vote. |
| ■ | In cases where we deem all clients’ positions in a company to be non-material, the Chief Administrative Officer for the Investment Department is responsible for determining how to vote the security. The Chief Administrative Officer may seek guidance from the relevant investment team, the Proxy Policy Committee or any of its members, the Proxy Service Provider (defined below), or other sources to determine how to vote. Once a voting decision has been made, the Chief Administrative Officer provides instructions to the Proxy Group, which is responsible for submitting Lord Abbett’s vote. |
| ■ | Lord Abbett has identified certain types of proxy proposals that it considers purely administrative in nature and as to which it always will vote in the same manner. The Proxy Group is authorized to vote on such proposals without receiving instructions from the Investment Department, regardless of the materiality of any client’s position. Lord Abbett presently considers the following specific types of proposals to fall within this category: (1) proposals to change a company’s name, as to which Lord Abbett always votes in favor; (2) proposals regarding formalities of shareholder meetings (namely, changes to a meeting’s date, time, or location), as to which Lord Abbett always votes in favor; and (3) proposals to allow shareholders to transact other business at a meeting, as to which Lord Abbett always votes against. |
| ■ | When multiple investment teams manage one or more portfolios that hold the same voting security, the investment team that manages the largest number of shares of the security will be considered to have the dominant position. Lord Abbett will vote all shares on behalf of all clients that hold the security in accordance with the vote determined by the investment team with the dominant position. |
Retention and Oversight of Proxy
Service Provider
Lord Abbett has
retained an independent third party service provider (the “Proxy Service Provider”) to analyze proxy issues and recommend how to vote on those issues, and to provide assistance in the administration of the
proxy process, including maintaining complete proxy voting records
2
. While Lord Abbett takes into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Service Provider, Lord Abbett
votes all proxies based on its own proxy voting policies, including Lord Abbett’s conclusions regarding the best interests of the Funds, their shareholders, and other advisory clients, rather than basing
decisions solely on the Proxy Service Provider’s recommendations.
Lord Abbett monitors the Proxy
Service Provider’s capacity, competency, and conflicts of interest to ensure that Lord Abbett continues to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients. As part of its ongoing oversight of the Proxy Service
Provider, Lord Abbett performs periodic due diligence on the Proxy Service Provider. Such due diligence may be conducted in Lord Abbett’s offices or at the Proxy Service Provider’s offices. The topics
included in these due diligence reviews include conflicts of interest, methodologies for developing vote recommendations, and resources, among other things.
Conflicts of Interest
Lord Abbett is an independent,
privately held firm with a singular focus on the management of money. Although Lord Abbett does not face the conflicts of interest inherent in being part of a larger financial institution, conflicts of interest
nevertheless may arise in the proxy voting process. Such a conflict may exist, for example, when a client’s account holds shares of a company that also is a client of Lord Abbett. We have adopted safeguards
designed to ensure that conflicts of interest are identified and resolved in our clients’ best interests rather than our own. These safeguards include, but are not limited to, the following:
Lord Abbett has
implemented special voting measures with respect to companies for which one of the Funds’ independent directors/trustees also serves on the board of directors or is a nominee for election to the board of
directors. If a Fund owns stock in such a company, Lord Abbett will notify the Funds’ Proxy Committees
3
(the “Proxy Committees”) and seek voting instructions from the Committees only in those situations where Lord
Abbett proposes not to follow the Proxy Service Provider’s recommendations. In these instances, if applicable, the independent director/trustee will abstain from any discussions and voting by the Funds’
Proxy Committees regarding the company.
299
Lord Abbett also
has implemented special voting measures with respect to any company (including any subsidiary of a company or retirement plan sponsored by a company) that has a significant business relationship with Lord Abbett. For
this purpose, a “significant business relationship” means: (1) a broker dealer firm that is responsible for one percent or more of the Funds’ total dollar amount of shares sold for the last 12 months;
(2) a firm that is a sponsor firm with respect to Lord Abbett’s separately managed account business; (3) an institutional account client that has an investment management agreement with Lord Abbett; (4) an
institutional investor that, to Lord Abbett’s knowledge, holds at least $5 million in shares of the Funds; and (5) a retirement plan client that, to Lord Abbett’s knowledge, has at least $5 million
invested in the Funds.
If a Fund owns shares of a company
with such a business relationship (“Conflict Shares”) and Lord Abbett seeks to vote contrary to the Proxy Service Provider’s recommendation, then Lord Abbett will notify the Funds’ Proxy
Committees and seek voting instructions from the Committee members. Lord Abbett generally will vote conflict proposals pursuant to the instruction of a majority of Committee members, but will act on the instructions
of less than a majority if less than a majority respond and all responding members approve Lord Abbett’s proposed votes on such proposals. In all other cases, Lord Abbett will vote the Funds’ Conflict
Shares in accordance with the Proxy Service Provider’s recommendation. Lord Abbett periodically will report to the Funds’ Proxy Committees its record of voting the Funds’ Conflict Shares in
accordance with Committee member instructions.
Absent explicit instructions from
an institutional account client to resolve proxy voting conflicts in a different manner, Lord Abbett will vote each such client’s Conflict Shares in the manner it votes the Funds’ Conflict Shares.
To serve the best interests of a
client that holds a given voting security, Lord Abbett generally will vote proxies without regard to other clients’ investments in different classes or types of securities or instruments of the same issuer that
are not entitled to vote. Accordingly, when the voting security in one account is from an issuer whose other, non-voting securities or instruments are held in a second account in a different strategy, Lord Abbett will
vote without input from members of the Investment Department acting on behalf of the second account. The Chief Administrative Officer, members of an investment team, members of the Proxy Policy Committee, and members
of the Proxy Group may seek guidance from Lord Abbett’s Investment Conflicts Committee with respect to any potential conflict of interest arising out of the holdings of multiple clients.
Proxy Voting Guidelines
A general summary of the guidelines
that we normally follow in voting proxies appears below. These voting guidelines reflect our general views. We reserve the flexibility to vote in a manner contrary to our general views on particular issues if we
believe doing so is in the best interests of our clients, including the Funds and their shareholders. Many different specific types of proposals may arise under the broad categories discussed below, and it is not
possible to contemplate every issue on which we may be asked to vote. Accordingly, we will vote on proposals concerning issues not expressly covered by these guidelines based on the specific factors that we believe
are relevant. For institutional accounts managed on behalf of multi-employer pension or benefit plans, commonly referred to as “Taft-Hartley plans,” Lord Abbett generally will vote proxies in accordance
with the Proxy Voting Guidelines issued by the AFL-CIO rather than the guidelines described below unless instructed otherwise by the client.
Auditors
Auditors are responsible for
examining, correcting, and verifying the accuracy of a company’s financial statements. Lord Abbett believes that companies normally are in the best position to select their auditors and, therefore, we generally
support management’s recommendations concerning the ratification of the selection of auditors. However, we may evaluate such proposals on a case-by-case basis due to concerns about impaired independence,
accounting irregularities, or failure of the auditors to act in shareholders’ best economic interests, among other factors we may deem relevant.
Directors
Election of directors
The board of directors of a company
oversees all aspects of the company’s business. Companies and, under certain circumstances, their shareholders, may nominate directors for election by shareholders. Lord Abbett believes that the independent
directors currently serving on a company’s board of directors (or a nominating committee comprised of such independent directors) generally are in the best position to identify qualified director nominees.
Accordingly, we normally vote in accordance with management’s recommendations on the election of directors. In evaluating a director nominee’s candidacy, however, Lord Abbett may consider the following
factors, among others: (1) the nominee’s experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills, as disclosed in the company’s proxy statement; (2) the composition of the board and its committees; (3) whether
the nominee is independent of company management; (4) the nominee’s board meeting attendance; (5) the nominee’s history of representing shareholder interests on the company’s board or other boards;
(6) the nominee’s investment in the company; (7) the company’s long-term performance relative to a market index; and (8) takeover
300
activity. In evaluating a compensation committee
nominee’s candidacy, Lord Abbett may consider additional factors including the nominee’s record on various compensation issues such as tax gross-ups, severance payments, options repricing, and pay for
performance, although the nominee’s record as to any single compensation issue alone will not necessarily be determinative. Lord Abbett may withhold votes for some or all of a company’s director nominees
on a case-by-case basis.
Majority voting
Under a majority voting standard,
director nominees must be elected by an affirmative majority of the votes cast at a meeting. Majority voting establishes a higher threshold for director election than plurality voting, in which nominees who receive
the most votes are elected, regardless of how small the number of votes received is relative to the total number of shares voted. Lord Abbett generally supports proposals that seek to adopt a majority voting
standard.
Board classification
A “classified” or
“staggered” board is a structure in which only a portion of a company’s board of directors (typically one-third) is elected each year. A company may employ such a structure to promote continuity of
leadership and thwart takeover attempts. Lord Abbett generally votes against proposals to classify a board, absent special circumstances indicating that shareholder interests would be better served by such a
structure. In evaluating a classified board proposal, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the company’s long-term strategic plan; (2) the extent to which continuity of leadership is
necessary to advance that plan; and (3) the need to guard against takeover attempts.
Independent board and committee
members
An independent director is one who
serves on a company’s board but is not employed by the company or affiliated with it in any other capacity. While company boards may apply different standards in assessing director independence, including any
applicable standards prescribed by stock exchanges and the federal securities laws, a director generally is determined to qualify as independent if the director does not have any material relationship with the company
(either directly or indirectly) based on all relevant facts and circumstances. Material relationships can include employment, business, and familial relationships, among others. Lord Abbett believes that independent
board and committee membership often helps to mitigate the inherent conflicts of interest that arise when a company’s executive officers also serve on its board and committees. Therefore, we generally support
the election of board or committee nominees if such election would cause a majority of a company’s board or committee members to be independent. However, a nominee’s effect on the independent composition
of the board or any committee is one of many factors Lord Abbett considers in voting on the nominee and will not necessarily be dispositive.
Independent board chairman
Proponents of proposals to require
independent board chairmen (formerly often referred to as “separation of chairman and chief executive officer” proposals) seek to enhance board accountability and mitigate a company’s risk-taking
behavior by requiring that the role of the chairman of the company’s board of directors be filled by an independent director. We generally vote with management on proposals that call for independent board
chairmen. We may vote in favor of such proposals on a case-by-case basis, despite management opposition, if we believe that a company’s governance structure does not promote independent oversight through other
means, such as a lead director, a board composed of a majority of independent directors, and/or independent board committees. In evaluating independent chairman proposals, we will focus in particular on the presence
of a lead director, which is an independent director designated by a board with a non-independent chairman to serve as the primary liaison between company management and the independent directors and act as the
independent directors’ spokesperson.
Compensation and Benefits
General
In the wake of recent corporate
scandals and market volatility, shareholders increasingly have scrutinized the nature and amount of compensation paid by a company to its executive officers and other employees. Lord Abbett believes that because a
company has exclusive knowledge of material information not available to shareholders regarding its business, financial condition, and prospects, the company itself usually is in the best position to make decisions
about compensation and benefits. Accordingly, we generally vote with management on such matters. However, we may oppose management on a case-by-case basis if we deem a company’s compensation to be excessive or
inconsistent with its peer companies’ compensation, we believe a company’s compensation measures do not foster a long-term focus among its executive officers and other employees, or we believe a company
has not met performance expectations, among other reasons. Discussed below are some specific types of compensation-related proposals that we may encounter.
301
Incentive compensation plans
An incentive compensation plan
rewards an executive’s performance through a combination of cash compensation and stock awards. Incentive compensation plans are designed to align an executive’s compensation with a company’s
long-term performance. As noted above, Lord Abbett believes that management generally is in the best position to assess executive compensation levels and, therefore, generally votes with management on proposals
relating to incentive compensation plans. In evaluating such a proposal, however, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the executive’s expertise and the value he or she brings to the
company; (2) the company’s performance, particularly during the executive’s tenure; (3) the percentage of overall compensation that consists of stock; (4) whether and/or to what extent the incentive
compensation plan has any potential to dilute the voting power or economic interests of other shareholders; (5) the features of the plan and costs associated with it; (6) whether the plan provides for repricing or
replacement of underwater stock options; and (7) quantitative data from the Proxy Service Provider regarding compensation ranges by industry and company size. We also scrutinize very closely the proposed repricing or
replacement of underwater stock options, taking into consideration the stock’s volatility, management’s rationale for the repricing or replacement, the new exercise price, and any other factors we deem
relevant.
Say on pay
“Say on pay” proposals
give shareholders a nonbinding vote on executive compensation. These proposals are designed to serve as a means of conveying to company management shareholder concerns, if any, about executive compensation. Lord
Abbett believes that management generally is in the best position to assess executive compensation. Thus, we generally vote with management on say on pay proposals unless we believe that compensation has been
excessive or direct feedback to management about compensation has not resulted in any changes. We also generally vote with management on proposals regarding the frequency of say on pay votes. However, any particular
vote will be based on the specific facts and circumstances we deem relevant.
Pay for performance
“Pay for performance”
proposals are shareholder proposals that seek to achieve greater alignment between executive compensation and company performance. Shareholders initiating these proposals tend to focus on board compensation
committees’ accountability, the use of independent compensation consultants, enhanced disclosure of compensation packages, and perquisites given to executives. Because Lord Abbett believes that management
generally is in the best position to assess executive compensation, we generally follow management’s voting recommendations regarding pay for performance proposals. However, we may evaluate such proposals on a
case-by-case basis if we believe a company’s long-term interests and its executives’ financial incentives are not properly aligned or if we question the methodology a company followed in setting executive
compensation, among other reasons.
Clawback provisions
A clawback provision allows a
company to recoup or “claw back” incentive compensation paid to an executive if the company later determines that the executive did not actually meet applicable performance goals. For example, such
provisions might be used when a company calculated an executive’s compensation based on materially inaccurate or fraudulent financial statements. Some clawback provisions are triggered only if the misalignment
between compensation and performance is attributable to improper conduct on the part of the executive. Shareholder proponents of clawback proposals believe that they encourage executive accountability and mitigate a
company’s risk-taking behavior. Because Lord Abbett believes that management generally is in the best position to assess executive compensation, we generally vote with management on clawback proposals. We may,
however, evaluate such a proposal on a case-by-case basis due to concerns about the amount of compensation paid to the executive, the executive’s or the company’s performance, or accounting irregularities,
among other factors we may deem relevant.
Anti-gross-up policies
Tax “gross-ups” are
payments by a company to an executive intended to reimburse some or all of the executive’s tax liability with respect to compensation, perquisites, and other benefits. Because the gross-up payment also is
taxable, it typically is inflated to cover the amount of the tax liability and the gross-up payment itself. Critics of such payments argue that they often are not transparent to shareholders and can substantially
enhance an executive’s overall compensation. Thus, shareholders increasingly are urging companies to establish policies prohibiting tax gross-ups. Lord Abbett generally favors adoption of anti-tax gross-up
policies themselves, but will not automatically vote against a compensation committee nominee solely because the nominee approved a gross-up.
Severance agreements and executive
death benefits
302
Severance or so-called
“golden parachute” payments sometimes are made to departing executives after termination or upon a company’s change in control. Similarly, companies sometimes make executive death benefit or
so-called “golden coffin” payments to an executive’s estate. Both practices increasingly are coming under shareholder scrutiny. While we generally vote with management on compensation matters and
acknowledge that companies may have contractual obligations to pay severance or executive death benefits, we scrutinize cases in which such benefits are especially lucrative or are granted despite the
executive’s or the company’s poor performance, and may vote against management on a case-by-case basis as we deem appropriate. We also generally support proposals to require that companies submit severance
agreements and executive death benefits for shareholder ratification.
Executive pay limits
Lord Abbett believes that a
company’s flexibility with regard to its compensation practices is critical to its ability to recruit, retain, and motivate key talent. Accordingly, we generally vote with management on shareholder proposals
that seek to impose limits on executive compensation.
Employee stock purchase plans
Employee stock purchase plans
permit employees to purchase company stock at discounted prices and, under certain circumstances, receive favorable tax treatment when they sell the stock. Lord Abbett generally follows management’s voting
recommendation concerning employee stock purchase plans, although we generally do not support plans that are dilutive.
Corporate Matters
Charter amendments
A company’s charter
documents, which may consist of articles of incorporation or a declaration of trust and bylaws, govern the company’s organizational matters and affairs. Lord Abbett believes that management normally is in the
best position to determine appropriate amendments to a company’s governing documents. Some charter amendment proposals involve routine matters, such as changing a company’s name or procedures relating to
the conduct of shareholder meetings. Lord Abbett believes that such routine matters do not materially affect shareholder interests and, therefore, we vote with management with respect to them in all cases. Other types
of charter amendments, however, are more substantive in nature and may impact shareholder interests. We consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis to the extent they are not explicitly covered by these
guidelines.
Changes to capital structure
A company may propose amendments to
its charter documents to change the number of authorized shares or create new classes of stock. We generally support proposals to increase a company’s number of authorized shares when the company has articulated
a clear and reasonable purpose for the increase (for example, to facilitate a stock split, merger, acquisition, or restructuring). However, we generally oppose share capital increases that would have a dilutive
effect. We also generally oppose proposals to create a new class of stock with superior voting rights.
Reincorporation
We generally follow
management’s recommendation regarding proposals to change a company’s state of incorporation, although we consider the rationale for the reincorporation and the financial, legal, and corporate governance
implications of the reincorporation. We will vote against reincorporation proposals that we believe contravene shareholders’ interests.
Mergers, acquisitions, and
restructurings
A merger or acquisition involves
combining two distinct companies into a single corporate entity. A restructuring involves a significant change in a company’s legal, operational, or structural features. After these kinds of transactions are
completed, shareholders typically will own stock in a company that differs from the company whose shares they initially purchased. Thus, Lord Abbett views the decision to approve or reject a potential merger,
acquisition, or restructuring as being equivalent to an investment decision. In evaluating such a proposal, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the anticipated financial and operating
benefits; (2) the offer price; (3) the prospects of the resulting company; and (4) any expected changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights. We generally vote against management proposals to
require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve mergers or other significant business combinations. We generally vote for shareholder proposals to lower supermajority vote requirements for mergers and
acquisitions. We also generally vote against charter amendments that attempt to eliminate shareholder approval for acquisitions involving the issuance of more than 10% of a company’s voting stock.
303
Anti-Takeover Issues and Shareholder Rights
Proxy access
Proxy access proposals advocate
permitting shareholders to have their nominees for election to a company’s board of directors included in the company’s proxy statement in opposition to the company’s own nominees. Proxy access
initiatives enable shareholders to nominate their own directors without incurring the often substantial cost of preparing and mailing a proxy statement, making it less expensive and easier for shareholders to
challenge incumbent directors. Lord Abbett evaluates proposals that seek to allow proxy access based on the merits of each situation.
Shareholder rights plans
Shareholder rights plans or
“poison pills” are a mechanism of defending a company against takeover efforts. Poison pills allow current shareholders to purchase stock at discounted prices or redeem shares at a premium after a
takeover, effectively making the company more expensive and less attractive to potential acquirers. Companies may employ other defensive tactics in combination with poison pills, such as golden parachutes that take
effect upon a company’s change in control and therefore increase the cost of a takeover. Because poison pills can serve to entrench management and discourage takeover offers that may be attractive to
shareholders, we generally vote in favor of proposals to eliminate poison pills and proposals to require that companies submit poison pills for shareholder ratification. In evaluating a poison pill proposal, however,
Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the duration of the poison pill; (2) whether we believe the poison pill facilitates a legitimate business strategy that is likely to enhance
shareholder value; (3) our level of confidence in management; (4) whether we believe the poison pill will be used to force potential acquirers to negotiate with management and assure a degree of stability that will
support good long-range corporate goals; and (5) the need to guard against takeover attempts.
Chewable pill provisions
A “chewable pill” is a
variant of the poison pill that mandates a shareholder vote in certain situations, preventing management from automatically discouraging takeover offers that may be attractive to shareholders. We generally support
chewable pill provisions that balance management’s and shareholders’ interests by including: (1) a redemption clause allowing the board to rescind a pill after a potential acquirer’s holdings exceed
the applicable ownership threshold; (2) no dead-hand or no-hand pills, which would allow the incumbent board and their approved successors to control the pill even after they have been voted out of office; (3) sunset
provisions that allow shareholders to review and reaffirm or redeem a pill after a predetermined time frame; and (4) a qualifying offer clause, which gives shareholders the ability to redeem a poison pill when faced
with a bona fide takeover offer.
Anti-greenmail provisions
An anti-greenmail provision is a
special charter provision that prohibits a company’s management from buying back shares at above market prices from potential acquirers without shareholder approval. We generally support such provisions,
provided that they are not bundled with other measures that serve to entrench management or discourage attractive takeover offers.
Fair price provisions
A fair price provision is a special
charter provision that requires that all selling shareholders receive the same price from a buyer. Fair price provisions are designed to protect shareholders from inequitable two-tier stock acquisition offers in which
some shareholders may be bought out on disadvantageous terms. We generally support such provisions, provided that they are not bundled with other measures that serve to entrench management or discourage attractive
takeover offers.
Rights to call special shareholder
meetings
Proposals regarding rights to call
special shareholder meetings normally seek approval of amendments to a company’s charter documents. Lord Abbett generally votes with management on proposals concerning rights to call special shareholder
meetings. In evaluating such a proposal, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the stock ownership threshold required to call a special meeting; (2) the purposes for which shareholders may
call a special meeting; (3) whether the company’s annual meetings offer an adequate forum in which shareholders may raise their concerns; and (4) the anticipated economic impact on the company of having to hold
additional shareholder meetings.
Supermajority vote requirements
304
A proposal that is subject to a
supermajority vote must receive the support of more than a simple majority in order to pass. Supermajority vote requirements can have the effect of entrenching management by making it more difficult to effect change
regarding a company and its corporate governance practices. Lord Abbett normally supports shareholders’ ability to approve or reject proposals based on a simple majority vote. Thus, we generally vote for
proposals to remove supermajority vote requirements and against proposals to add them.
Cumulative voting
Under cumulative or proportional
voting, each shareholder is allotted a number of votes equal to the number of shares owned multiplied by the number of directors to be elected. This voting regime strengthens the voting power of minority shareholders
because it enables shareholders to cast multiple votes for a single nominee. Lord Abbett believes that a shareholder or group of shareholders using this technique to elect a director may seek to have the director
represent a narrow special interest rather than the interests of the broader shareholder population. Accordingly, we generally vote against cumulative voting proposals.
Confidential voting
In a confidential voting system,
all proxies, ballots, and voting tabulations that identify individual shareholders are kept confidential. An open voting system, by contrast, gives management the ability to identify shareholders who oppose its
proposals. Lord Abbett believes that confidential voting allows shareholders to vote without fear of retribution or coercion based on their views. Thus, we generally support proposals that seek to preserve
shareholders’ anonymity.
Reimbursing proxy solicitation
expenses
Lord Abbett generally votes with
management on shareholder proposals to require a company to reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by one or more shareholders in a successful proxy contest, and may consider factors including whether the board has a
plurality or majority vote standard for the election of directors, the percentage of directors to be elected in the contest, and shareholders’ ability to cumulate their votes for the directors.
Transacting other business
Lord Abbett believes that proposals
to allow shareholders to transact other business at a meeting deprive other shareholders of sufficient time and information to carefully evaluate the relevant business issues and determine how to vote with respect to
them. Therefore, Lord Abbett always votes against such proposals.
Social, Political, and Environmental
Issues
Proposals relating to social,
political, or environmental issues typically are initiated by shareholders and urge a company to disclose certain information or change certain business practices. Lord Abbett evaluates such proposals based on their
effect on shareholder value rather than on their ideological merits. We generally follow management’s recommendation on social, political, and environmental proposals and tend to vote against proposals that are
unduly burdensome or impose substantial costs on a company with no countervailing economic benefits to the company’s shareholders. Nonetheless, we pay particular attention to highly controversial issues, as well
as instances where management has failed repeatedly to take corrective actions with respect to an issue.
Share Blocking
Certain foreign countries impose
share blocking restrictions that would prohibit Lord Abbett from trading a company’s stock during a specified period before the company’s shareholder meeting. Lord Abbett believes that in these situations,
the benefit of maintaining liquidity during the share blocking period outweighs the benefit of exercising our right to vote. Therefore, it is Lord Abbett’s general policy to not vote securities in cases where
share blocking restrictions apply.
Document Revision History
Amended: February
28, 2018
History of Amendments to the Proxy
Voting Policies and Procedures
Adopted:
Amended:
September 17, 2009
305
September 14, 2010
March 10, 2011
September 13, 2012
September 19, 2014
September 17, 2015
February 25, 2016
September 15, 2016
September 20,
2017
February 28, 2018
____________________________
| 1 | We presently consider a position in a particular company to be material if: (1) it represents more than 1% of any client’s portfolio holdings and all clients’ positions in the company together represent more than 1% of the company’s outstanding shares; or (2) all clients’ positions in the company together represent more than 5% of the company’s outstanding shares. For purposes of determining materiality, we exclude shares held by clients with respect to which Lord Abbett does not have authority to vote proxies. We also exclude shares with respect to which Lord Abbett’s vote is restricted or limited due to super-voting share structures (where one class of shares has super-voting rights that effectively disenfranchise other classes of shares), vote limitation policies, and other similar measures. This definition of materiality is subject to change at our discretion. |
| 2 | Lord Abbett currently retains Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. as the Proxy Service Provider. |
| 3 | The Boards of Directors and Trustees of the Funds have delegated oversight of proxy voting to separate Proxy Committees comprised solely of independent directors and/or trustees, as the case may be. Each Proxy Committee is responsible for, among other things: (1) monitoring Lord Abbett’s actions in voting securities owned by the related Fund; (2) evaluating Lord Abbett’s policies in voting securities; and (3) meeting with Lord Abbett to review the policies in voting securities, the sources of the Committees only in those situations where Lord Abbett proposes not to follow the Proxy Service Provider’s recommendations. In these instances, if applicable, the independent director/trustee will abstain from any discussions and voting by the Funds’ Proxy Committees regarding the company. |
LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT
LSV Asset Management has adopted
proxy voting guidelines that provide direction in determining how various types of proxy issues are to be voted. LSV has engaged an expert independent third party to design guidelines for client accounts that are
updated for current corporate governance issues, helping to ensure that clients' best interests are served by voting decisions. Clients are sent a copy of their respective guidelines on an annual basis.
LSV's quantitative
investment process does not provide output or analysis that would be functional in analyzing proxy issues. LSV, therefore, has retained an expert independent third party to assist in proxy voting, currently Glass
Lewis & Co. (GLC). GLC implements LSV's proxy voting process, provides assistance in developing guidelines and provides analysis of proxy issues on a case-by-case basis. LSV is responsible for monitoring GLC to
seek to ensure that proxies are appropriately voted. LSV will vote issues contrary to, or issues not covered by, the guidelines only when LSV believes it is in the best interest of the client. Where the client has
provided proxy voting guidelines to LSV, those guidelines will be followed. In certain circumstances, clients are permitted to direct their vote in a particular solicitation. Direction from a client on a particular
proxy vote will take precedence over the guidelines. LSV's use of GLC is not a delegation of LSV's fiduciary obligation to vote proxies for clients.
Should a material conflict arise
between LSV's interest and that of its clients, LSV will vote the proxies in accordance with the recommendation of the independent third party proxy voting service. A written record will be maintained describing the
conflict of interest, and an explanation of how the vote made was in the client's best interest.
306
LSV may be unable
or may choose not to vote proxies in certain situations. For example, LSV may refrain from voting a proxy if (i) the cost of voting the proxy exceeds the expected benefit to the client, (ii) LSV is not given enough
time to process the vote, (iii) voting the proxy requires the security to be “blocked” or frozen from trading or (iv) it is otherwise impractical or impossible to vote the proxy, such as in the case of
voting a foreign security that must be cast in person.
Clients may receive a copy of LSV's
proxy voting policy and LSV's voting record for their account by request. LSV will additionally provide any mutual fund for which LSV acts as adviser or sub-adviser, a copy of LSV's voting record for the fund so that
the fund may fulfill its obligation to report proxy votes to fund shareholders.
Recordkeeping. LSV will retain
copies of its proxy voting policies and procedures; a copy of each proxy statement received regarding client securities (maintained by the proxy voting service and/or available on EDGAR); a record of each vote cast on
behalf of a client (maintained by the proxy voting service); a copy of any document created that was material to the voting decision or that memorializes the basis for that decision (maintained by the proxy voting
service); a copy of clients’ written requests for proxy voting information and a copy of LSV’s written response to a client’s request for proxy voting information for the client’s account; and
LSV will ensure that it may obtain access to the proxy voting service’s records promptly upon LSV’s request. This information is intended to, among other things, enable clients to review LSV’s proxy
voting procedures and actions taken in individual proxy voting situations. LSV will maintain required materials in an easily accessible place for not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which
the last entry took place, the first two years in LSV’s principal office.
Consideration of Environmental,
Social and Governance Factors. LSV became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in April 2014. GLC is also a signatory to the PRI. The PRI provides a framework, through its six principles, for
consideration of environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors in portfolio management and investment decision-making. The six principles ask an investment manager, to the extent consistent with its
fiduciary duties, to seek to: (1) incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes; (2) be an active owner and incorporate ESG issues into its ownership policies and practices; (3) obtain
appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which it invests; (4) promote acceptance and implementation of the PRI principles within the investment industry; (5) work to enhance its effectiveness in
implementing the PRI principles; and (6) report on its activities and progress toward implementing the PRI principles.
For clients where LSV has proxy
voting authority, certain ESG factors are built into our standard proxy voting guidelines. For example, GLC views the identification, mitigation and management of environmental and social risks as integral components
when evaluating a company’s overall risk exposure. In cases where the board or management has failed to sufficiently identify and manage a material environmental or social risk that did or could negatively
impact shareholder value, GLC will recommend shareholders vote against directors responsible for risk oversight in consideration of the nature of the risk and the potential effect on shareholder value. In addition,
GLC generally recommends supporting shareholder proposals likely to increase and/or protect shareholder value and also those that promote the furtherance of shareholder rights. In evaluating shareholder resolutions
regarding environmental and social issues, GLC examines: (1) direct environmental and social risk, (2) risk due to legislation and regulation, (3) legal and reputational risk, and (4) governance risk. Finally, through
GLC, LSV is able to offer additional guidelines that provide another level of analysis for clients seeking to vote consistent with widely-accepted enhanced ESG practices. These ESG-specific guidelines are available to
clients with a focus on disclosing and mitigating company risk with regard to ESG issues.
MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES
COMPANY
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
March 1, 2018
Massachusetts Financial Services
Company, MFS Institutional Advisors, Inc., MFS International (UK) Limited, MFS Heritage Trust Company, MFS Investment Management (Canada) Limited, MFS Investment Management Company (Lux) S.à r.l., MFS
International Singapore Pte. Ltd., MFS Investment Management K.K., MFS International Australia Pty. Ltd.; and MFS’ other subsidiaries that perform discretionary investment management activities (collectively,
“MFS”) have adopted proxy voting policies and procedures, as set forth below (“MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures”), with respect to securities owned by the clients for which MFS serves
as investment adviser and has the power to vote proxies, including the pooled investment vehicles sponsored by MFS (the “MFS Funds”). References to “clients” in these policies and procedures
include the MFS Funds and other clients of MFS, such as funds organized offshore, sub-advised funds and separate account clients, to the extent these clients have delegated to MFS the responsibility to vote proxies on
their behalf under the MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.
The MFS Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures include:
| A. | Voting Guidelines; |
307
| B. | Administrative Procedures; |
| C | Records Retention; and |
| D. | Reports. |
| A. | VOTING GUIDELINES |
| 1. | General Policy; Potential Conflicts of Interest |
MFS’ policy is that proxy
voting decisions are made in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients, and not in the interests of any other party or in MFS' corporate interests, including interests such as
the distribution of MFS Fund shares and institutional client relationships.
MFS reviews corporate governance
issues and proxy voting matters that are presented for shareholder vote by either management or shareholders of public companies. Based on the overall principle that all votes cast by MFS on behalf of its clients must
be in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of such clients, MFS has adopted proxy voting guidelines, set forth below, that govern how MFS generally will vote on specific matters presented for
shareholder vote.
As a general matter, MFS votes
consistently on similar proxy proposals across all shareholder meetings. However, some proxy proposals, such as certain excessive executive compensation, environmental, social and governance matters, are analyzed on a
case-by-case basis in light of all the relevant facts and circumstances of the proposal. Therefore, MFS may vote similar proposals differently at different shareholder meetings based on the specific facts and
circumstances of the issuer or the terms of the proposal. In addition, MFS also reserves the right to override the guidelines with respect to a particular proxy proposal when such an override is, in MFS’ best
judgment, consistent with the overall principle of voting proxies in the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients.
MFS also generally
votes consistently on the same matter when securities of an issuer are held by multiple client accounts, unless MFS has received explicit voting instructions to vote differently from a client for its own account. From
time to time, MFS may also receive comments on the MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures from its clients. These comments are carefully considered by MFS when it reviews these guidelines and revises them as
appropriate, in MFS' sole judgment.
These policies and procedures are
intended to address any potential material conflicts of interest on the part of MFS or its subsidiaries that are likely to arise in connection with the voting of proxies on behalf of MFS’ clients. If such
potential material conflicts of interest do arise, MFS will analyze, document and report on such potential material conflicts of interest (see Sections B.2 and D below), and shall ultimately vote the relevant proxies
in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of its clients. The MFS Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for monitoring and reporting with respect to such potential material conflicts of
interest.
MFS is also a
signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment. In developing these guidelines, MFS considered environmental, social and corporate governance issues in light of MFS’ fiduciary obligation to vote proxies
in the best long-term economic interest of its clients.
| 2. | MFS’ Policy on Specific Issues |
Election of Directors
MFS believes that good governance
should be based on a board with at least a simple majority of directors who are “independent” of management, and whose key committees (e.g., compensation, nominating, and audit committees) consist entirely
of “independent” directors. While MFS generally supports the board’s nominees in uncontested or non-contentious elections, we will not support a nominee to a board of a U.S. issuer (or issuer listed
on a U.S. exchange) if, as a result of such nominee being elected to the board, the board would consist of a simple majority of members who are not “independent” or, alternatively, the compensation,
nominating (including instances in which the full board serves as the compensation or nominating committee) or audit committees would include members who are not “independent.”
MFS will also not support a nominee
to a board if we can determine that he or she attended less than 75% of the board and/or relevant committee meetings in the previous year without a valid reason stated in the proxy materials or other company
communications. In addition, MFS may not support some or all nominees standing for re-election to a board if we can determine: (1) the board or its compensation committee has re-priced or exchanged underwater stock
options since the last annual meeting of shareholders and without shareholder approval; (2) the board or relevant committee has not taken adequately responsive action to an issue that received majority support or
opposition from shareholders; (3) the board has implemented a poison pill without shareholder approval since the
308
last annual meeting and such poison pill is not on
the subsequent shareholder meeting's agenda, (including those related to net-operating loss carry-forwards); (4) the board or relevant committee has failed to adequately oversee risk by allowing the hedging and/or
significant pledging of company shares by executives; or (5) there are governance concerns with a director or issuer.
MFS also believes
that a well-balanced board with diverse perspectives is a foundation for sound corporate governance. MFS will generally vote against the chair of the nominating & governance committee at any U.S. company whose
board is comprised of less than 10% female directors. MFS may consider, among other factors, whether the company is transitioning towards increased board gender diversity in determining MFS' final voting decision.
For directors who are not a CEO of
a public company, MFS will vote against a nominee who serves on more than four (4) public company boards in total, and for a director who is also a CEO of a public company, MFS will vote against a nominee who serves
on more than two (2) public-company boards in total. MFS may consider exceptions to this policy if (i) the company has disclosed the director's plans to step down from the number of public company boards exceeding
four (4) or two (2), as applicable, within a reasonable time; or (ii) the director exceeds the permitted number of public company board seats solely due to either his/her board service on an affiliated company (e.g.,
a subsidiary), or service on more than one investment company within the same investment company complex (as defined by applicable law). With respect to a director who serves as a CEO of a public company, MFS will
support his or her re-election to the board of the company for which he or she serves as CEO.
MFS may not support certain board
nominees of U.S. issuers under certain circumstances where MFS deems compensation to be egregious due to pay-for-performance issues and/or poor pay practices. Please see the section below titled “MFS’
Policy on Specific Issues - Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation” for further details.
MFS evaluates a contested or
contentious election of directors on a case-by-case basis considering the long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry, management's track record, the qualifications of all nominees, and an
evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders.
Majority Voting and Director Elections
MFS votes for reasonably crafted
proposals calling for directors to be elected with an affirmative majority of votes cast and/or the elimination of the plurality standard for electing directors (including binding resolutions requesting that the board
amend the company’s bylaws), provided the proposal includes a carve-out for a plurality voting standard when there are more director nominees than board seats (
e.g.,
contested elections) (“Majority Vote Proposals”).
Classified Boards
MFS generally supports proposals to
declassify a board (i.e.;
a board in which only one-third of board members is elected each year) for all issuers other than for certain closed-end investment companies. MFS generally opposes proposals to
classify a board for issuers other than for certain closed-end investment companies.
Proxy Access
MFS believes that the ability of
qualifying shareholders to nominate a certain number of directors on the company's proxy statement (“Proxy Access”) may have corporate governance benefits. However, such potential benefits must be balanced
by its potential misuse by shareholders. Therefore, we support Proxy Access proposals at U.S. issuers that establish an ownership criteria of 3% of the company held continuously for a period of 3 years. In our view,
such qualifying shareholders should have the ability to nominate at least 2 directors. Companies should be mindful of imposing any undue impediments within its bylaws that may render Proxy Access impractical,
including re-submission thresholds for director nominees via Proxy Access.
MFS analyzes all other proposals
seeking Proxy Access on a case-by-case basis. In its analysis, MFS will consider the proposed ownership criteria for qualifying shareholders (such as ownership threshold and holding period) as well as the proponent's
rationale for seeking Proxy Access.
Stock Plans
MFS opposes stock option programs
and restricted stock plans that provide unduly generous compensation for officers, directors or employees, or that could result in excessive dilution to other shareholders. As a general guideline, MFS votes against
restricted stock, stock option, non-employee director, omnibus stock plans and any other stock plan if all such plans for a particular company involve
309
potential dilution, in the aggregate, of more than
15%. However, MFS will also vote against stock plans that involve potential dilution, in aggregate, of more than 10% at U.S. issuers that are listed in the Standard and Poor’s 100 index as of December 31 of the
previous year. In the cases where a stock plan amendment is seeking qualitative changes and not additional shares, MFS will vote its shares on a case-by-case basis.
MFS also opposes stock option
programs that allow the board or the compensation committee to re-price underwater options or to automatically replenish shares without shareholder approval. MFS also votes against stock option programs for officers,
employees or non-employee directors that do not require an investment by the optionee, that give “free rides” on the stock price, or that permit grants of stock options with an exercise price below fair
market value on the date the options are granted. MFS will consider proposals to exchange existing options for newly issued options, restricted stock or cash on a case-by-case basis, taking into account certain
factors, including, but not limited to, whether there is a reasonable value-for-value exchange and whether senior executives are excluded from participating in the exchange.
MFS supports the use of a
broad-based employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees, provided that shares purchased under the plan are acquired for no less than 85% of their market value and do not result in
excessive dilution.
Shareholder Proposals on Executive Compensation
MFS believes that competitive
compensation packages are necessary to attract, motivate and retain executives. However, MFS also recognizes that certain executive compensation practices can be “excessive” and not in the best, long-term
economic interest of a company’s shareholders. We believe that the election of an issuer’s board of directors (as outlined above), votes on stock plans (as outlined above) and advisory votes on pay (as
outlined below) are typically the most effective mechanisms to express our view on a company’s compensation practices.
MFS generally opposes shareholder
proposals that seek to set rigid restrictions on executive compensation as MFS believes that compensation committees should retain some flexibility to determine the appropriate pay package for executives. Although we
support linking executive stock option grants to a company’s performance, MFS also opposes shareholder proposals that mandate a link of performance-based pay to a specific metric. MFS generally supports
reasonably crafted shareholder proposals that (i) require the issuer to adopt a policy to recover the portion of performance-based bonuses and awards paid to senior executives that were not earned based upon a
significant negative restatement of earnings unless the company already has adopted a satisfactory policy on the matter, (ii) expressly prohibit the backdating of stock options, and (iii) prohibit the acceleration of
vesting of equity awards upon a broad definition of a “change-in-control” (e.g.; single or modified single-trigger).
Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation
MFS will analyze
advisory votes on executive compensation on a case-by-case basis. MFS will vote against an issuer's executive compensation practices if MFS determines that such practices are excessive or include incentive metrics or
structures that are poorly aligned with the best, long-term economic interest of a company's shareholders. MFS will vote in favor of executive compensation practices if MFS has not determined that these practices are
excessive or that the practices include incentive metrics or structures that are poorly aligned with the best, long-term economic interest of a company's shareholders. Examples of excessive executive compensation
practices or poorly aligned incentives may include, but are not limited to, a pay-for-performance disconnect, a set of incentive metrics or a compensation plan structure that MFS believes may lead to a future
pay-for-performance disconnect, employment contract terms such as guaranteed bonus provisions, unwarranted pension payouts, backdated stock options, overly generous hiring bonuses for chief executive officers,
significant perquisites, or the potential reimbursement of excise taxes to an executive in regards to a severance package. In cases where MFS (i) votes against consecutive advisory pay votes, or (ii) determines that a
particularly egregious excessive executive compensation practice has occurred, then MFS may also vote against certain or all board nominees. MFS may also vote against certain or all board nominees if an advisory pay
vote for a U.S. issuer is not on the agenda, or the company has not implemented the advisory vote frequency supported by a plurality/ majority of shareholders.
MFS generally supports proposals to
include an advisory shareholder vote on an issuer’s executive compensation practices on an annual basis.
“Golden Parachutes”
From time to time,
MFS may evaluate a separate, advisory vote on severance packages or “golden parachutes” to certain executives at the same time as a vote on a proposed merger or acquisition. MFS will support an advisory
vote on a severance package on a case-by-case basis, and MFS may vote against the severance package regardless of whether MFS supports the proposed merger or acquisition.
310
Shareholders of companies may also
submit proxy proposals that would require shareholder approval of severance packages for executive officers that exceed certain predetermined thresholds. MFS votes in favor of such shareholder proposals when they
would require shareholder approval of any severance package for an executive officer that exceeds a certain multiple of such officer’s annual compensation that is not determined in MFS’ judgment to be
excessive.
Anti-Takeover Measures
In general, MFS votes against any
measure that inhibits capital appreciation in a stock, including proposals that protect management from action by shareholders. These types of proposals take many forms, ranging from “poison pills” and
“shark repellents” to super-majority requirements.
MFS generally votes for proposals
to rescind existing “poison pills” and proposals that would require shareholder approval to adopt prospective “poison pills,” unless the company already has adopted a clearly satisfactory
policy on the matter. MFS may consider the adoption of a prospective “poison pill” or the continuation of an existing “poison pill” if we can determine that the following two conditions are
met: (1) the “poison pill” allows MFS clients to hold an aggregate position of up to 15% of a company's total voting securities (and of any class of voting securities); and (2) either (a) the “poison
pill” has a term of not longer than five years, provided that MFS will consider voting in favor of the “poison pill” if the term does not exceed seven years and the “poison pill” is
linked to a business strategy or purpose that MFS believes is likely to result in greater value for shareholders; or (b) the terms of the “poison pill” allow MFS clients the opportunity to accept a fairly
structured and attractively priced tender offer (e.g. a “chewable poison pill” that automatically dissolves in the event of an all cash, all shares tender offer at a premium price). MFS will also consider
on a case-by-case basis proposals designed to prevent tenders which are disadvantageous to shareholders such as tenders at below market prices and tenders for substantially less than all shares of an issuer.
MFS will consider any poison pills
designed to protect a company’s net-operating loss carryforwards on a case-by-case basis, weighing the accounting and tax benefits of such a pill against the risk of deterring future acquisition candidates.
Proxy Contests
From time to time, a shareholder
may express alternative points of view in terms of a company's strategy, capital allocation, or other issues. Such shareholder may also propose a slate of director nominees different than the slate of director
nominees proposed by the company (a “Proxy Contest”). MFS will analyze Proxy Contests on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the track record and current recommended initiatives of both company
management and the dissident shareholder(s). Like all of our proxy votes, MFS will support the slate of director nominees that we believe is in the best, long-term economic interest of our clients.
Reincorporation and Reorganization Proposals
When presented with a proposal to
reincorporate a company under the laws of a different state, or to effect some other type of corporate reorganization, MFS considers the underlying purpose and ultimate effect of such a proposal in determining whether
or not to support such a measure. MFS generally votes with management in regards to these types of proposals, however, if MFS believes the proposal is in the best long-term economic interests of its clients, then MFS
may vote against management (e.g. the intent or effect would be to create additional inappropriate impediments to possible acquisitions or takeovers).
Issuance of Stock
There are many legitimate reasons
for the issuance of stock. Nevertheless, as noted above under “Stock Plans,” when a stock option plan (either individually or when aggregated with other plans of the same company) would substantially
dilute the existing equity (e.g. by approximately 10-15% as described above), MFS generally votes against the plan. In addition, MFS typically votes against proposals where management is asking for authorization to
issue common or preferred stock with no reason stated (a “blank check”) because the unexplained authorization could work as a potential anti-takeover device. MFS may also vote against the authorization or
issuance of common or preferred stock if MFS determines that the requested authorization is excessive or not warranted.
Repurchase Programs
MFS supports proposals to institute
share repurchase plans in which all shareholders have the opportunity to participate on an equal basis. Such plans may include a company acquiring its own shares on the open market, or a company making a tender offer
to its own shareholders.
Cumulative Voting
311
MFS opposes proposals that seek to
introduce cumulative voting and for proposals that seek to eliminate cumulative voting. In either case, MFS will consider whether cumulative voting is likely to enhance the interests of MFS’ clients as minority
shareholders.
Written Consent and Special Meetings
The right to call a special meeting
or act by written consent can be a powerful tool for shareholders. As such, MFS supports proposals requesting the right for shareholders who hold at least 10% of the issuer’s outstanding stock to call a special
meeting. MFS also supports proposals requesting the right for shareholders to act by written consent.
Independent Auditors
MFS believes that the appointment
of auditors for U.S. issuers is best left to the board of directors of the company and therefore supports the ratification of the board’s selection of an auditor for the company. Some shareholder groups have
submitted proposals to limit the non-audit activities of a company’s audit firm or prohibit
any
non-audit services by a company’s auditors to that company. MFS opposes proposals recommending the prohibition or limitation of the performance of non-audit services by an
auditor, and proposals recommending the removal of a company’s auditor due to the performance of non-audit work for the company by its auditor. MFS believes that the board, or its audit committee, should have
the discretion to hire the company’s auditor for specific pieces of non-audit work in the limited situations permitted under current law.
Other Business
MFS generally votes against
“other business” proposals as the content of any such matter is not known at the time of our vote.
Adjourn Shareholder Meeting
MFS generally supports proposals to
adjourn a shareholder meeting if we support the other ballot items on the meeting's agenda. MFS generally votes against proposals to adjourn a meeting if we do not support the other ballot items on the meeting's
agenda.
Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Issues
MFS believes that a company’s
ESG practices may have an impact on the company’s long-term economic financial performance and will generally support proposals relating to ESG issues that MFS believes are in the best long-term economic
interest of the company’s shareholders. For those ESG proposals for which a specific policy has not been adopted, MFS considers such ESG proposals on a case-by-case basis. As a result, it may vote similar
proposals differently at various shareholder meetings based on the specific facts and circumstances of such proposal.
MFS generally
supports proposals that seek to remove governance structures that insulate management from shareholders (
i.e.,
anti-takeover measures) or that seek to enhance shareholder rights. Many of these governance-related issues, including compensation issues, are outlined within the context of
the above guidelines. In addition, MFS typically supports proposals that require an issuer to reimburse successful dissident shareholders (who are not seeking control of the company) for reasonable expenses that such
dissident incurred in soliciting an alternative slate of director candidates. MFS also generally supports reasonably crafted shareholder proposals requesting increased disclosure around the company’s use of
collateral in derivatives trading. MFS typically supports proposals for an independent board chairperson. However, we may not support such proposals if we determine there to be an appropriate and effective
counter-balancing leadership structure in place (e.g.; a strong, independent lead director with an appropriate level of powers and duties). For any governance-related proposal for which an explicit guideline is not
provided above, MFS will consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis and will support such proposals if MFS believes that it is in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders.
MFS generally supports proposals
that request disclosure on the impact of environmental issues on the company’s operations, sales, and capital investments. However, MFS may not support such proposals based on the facts and circumstances
surrounding a specific proposal, including, but not limited to, whether (i) the proposal is unduly costly, restrictive, or burdensome, (ii) the company already provides publicly-available information that is
sufficient to enable shareholders to evaluate the potential opportunities and risks that environmental matters pose to the company’s operations, sales and capital investments, or (iii) the proposal seeks a level
of disclosure that exceeds that provided by the company’s industry peers. MFS will analyze all other environmental proposals on a case-by-case basis and will support such proposals if MFS believes such proposal
is in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders.
MFS will analyze social proposals
on a case-by-case basis. MFS will support such proposals if MFS believes that such proposal is in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders. Generally, MFS will support shareholder
proposals that (i) seek to amend a company’s equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and
312
(ii) request additional disclosure regarding a
company’s political contributions (including trade organizations and lobbying activity) (unless the company already provides publicly-available information that is sufficient to enable shareholders to evaluate
the potential opportunities and risks that such contributions pose to the company’s operations, sales and capital investments).
The laws of various states or
countries may regulate how the interests of certain clients subject to those laws (e.g. state pension plans) are voted with respect to social issues. Thus, it may be necessary to cast ballots differently for certain
clients than MFS might normally do for other clients.
Foreign Issuers
MFS generally supports the election
of a director nominee standing for re-election in uncontested or non-contentious elections unless it can be determined that (1) he or she failed to attend at least 75% of the board and/or relevant committee meetings
in the previous year without a valid reason given in the proxy materials; (2) since the last annual meeting of shareholders and without shareholder approval, the board or its compensation committee has re-priced
underwater stock options; or (3) since the last annual meeting, the board has either implemented a poison pill without shareholder approval or has not taken responsive action to a majority shareholder approved
resolution recommending that the “poison pill” be rescinded. In such circumstances, we will vote against director nominee(s). Also, certain markets outside of the U.S. have adopted best practice guidelines
relating to corporate governance matters (
e.g
. the United Kingdom’s and Japan Corporate Governance Codes). Many of these guidelines operate on a “comply or explain” basis. As such, MFS will evaluate any
explanations by companies relating to their compliance with a particular corporate governance guideline on a case-by-case basis and may vote against the board nominees or other relevant ballot item if such explanation
is not satisfactory. In some circumstances, MFS may submit a vote to abstain from certain director nominees or the relevant ballot items if we have concerns with the nominee or ballot item, but do not believe these
concerns rise to the level where a vote against is warranted.
MFS generally supports the election
of auditors, but may determine to vote against the election of a statutory auditor in certain markets if MFS reasonably believes that the statutory auditor is not truly independent.
Some international markets have
also adopted mandatory requirements for all companies to hold shareholder votes on executive compensation. MFS will vote against such proposals if MFS determines that a company’s executive compensation practices
are excessive, considering such factors as the specific market’s best practices that seek to maintain appropriate pay-for-performance alignment and to create long-term shareholder value. We may alternatively
submit an abstention vote on such proposals in circumstances where our executive compensation concerns are not as severe.
Many other items on foreign proxies
involve repetitive, non-controversial matters that are mandated by local law. Accordingly, the items that are generally deemed routine and which do not require the exercise of judgment under these guidelines (and
therefore voted with management) for foreign issuers include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) receiving financial statements or other reports from the board; (ii) approval of declarations of dividends;
(iii) appointment of shareholders to sign board meeting minutes; (iv) discharge of management and supervisory boards; and (v) approval of share repurchase programs (absent any anti-takeover or other concerns). MFS
will evaluate all other items on proxies for foreign companies in the context of the guidelines described above, but will generally vote against an item if there is not sufficient information disclosed in order to
make an informed voting decision. For any ballot item where MFS wishes to express a more moderate level of concern than a vote of against, we will cast a vote to abstain.
In accordance with local law or
business practices, some foreign companies or custodians prevent the sale of shares that have been voted for a certain period beginning prior to the shareholder meeting and ending on the day following the meeting
(“share blocking”). Depending on the country in which a company is domiciled, the blocking period may begin a stated number of days prior or subsequent to the meeting (e.g. one, three or five days) or on a
date established by the company. While practices vary, in many countries the block period can be continued for a longer period if the shareholder meeting is adjourned and postponed to a later date. Similarly,
practices vary widely as to the ability of a shareholder to have the “block” restriction lifted early (e.g. in some countries shares generally can be “unblocked” up to two days prior to the
meeting whereas in other countries the removal of the block appears to be discretionary with the issuer’s transfer agent). Due to these restrictions, MFS must balance the benefits to its clients of voting
proxies against the potentially serious portfolio management consequences of a reduced flexibility to sell the underlying shares at the most advantageous time. For companies in countries with share blocking periods or
in markets where some custodians may block shares, the disadvantage of being unable to sell the stock regardless of changing conditions generally outweighs the advantages of voting at the shareholder meeting for
routine items. Accordingly, MFS will not vote those proxies in the absence of an unusual, significant vote that outweighs the disadvantage of being unable to sell the stock.
From time to time, governments may
impose economic sanctions which may prohibit us from transacting business with certain companies or individuals. These sanctions may also prohibit the voting of proxies at certain companies or on certain individuals.
In such instances, MFS will not vote at certain companies or on certain individuals if it determines that doing so is in violation of the sanctions.
313
In limited circumstances, other
market specific impediments to voting shares may limit our ability to cast votes, including, but not limited to, late delivery of proxy materials, untimely vote cut-off dates, power of attorney and share
re-registration requirements, or any other unusual voting requirements. In these limited instances, MFS votes securities on a best efforts basis in the context of the guidelines described above.
| B. | ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES |
| 1. | MFS Proxy Voting Committee |
The administration
of these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures is overseen by the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, which includes senior personnel from the MFS Legal and Global Investment and Client Support Departments as well as
members of the investment team. The Proxy Voting Committee does not include individuals whose primary duties relate to client relationship management, marketing, or sales. The MFS Proxy Voting Committee:
a. Reviews these MFS Proxy Voting
Policies and Procedures at least annually and recommends any amendments considered to be necessary or advisable;
b. Determines whether any potential
material conflict of interest exists with respect to instances in which MFS (i) seeks to override these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; (ii) votes on ballot items not governed by these MFS Proxy Voting
Policies and Procedures; (iii) evaluates an excessive executive compensation issue in relation to the election of directors; or (iv) requests a vote recommendation from an MFS portfolio manager or investment analyst
(e.g. mergers and acquisitions);
c. Considers special proxy issues
as they may arise from time to time; and
d. Determines engagement priorities
and strategies with respect to MFS' proxy voting activities
| 2. | Potential Conflicts of Interest |
The MFS Proxy Voting Committee is
responsible for monitoring potential material conflicts of interest on the part of MFS or its subsidiaries that could arise in connection with the voting of proxies on behalf of MFS’ clients. Due to the client
focus of our investment management business, we believe that the potential for actual material conflict of interest issues is small. Nonetheless, we have developed precautions to assure that all proxy votes are cast
in the best long-term economic interest of shareholders. Other MFS internal policies require all MFS employees to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interests between personal activities and MFS’ client
activities. If an employee (including investment professionals) identifies an actual or potential conflict of interest with respect to any voting decision (including the ownership of securities in their individual
portfolio), then that employee must recuse himself/herself from participating in the voting process. Any significant attempt by an employee of MFS or its subsidiaries to unduly influence MFS’ voting on a
particular proxy matter should also be reported to the MFS Proxy Voting Committee.
In cases where proxies are voted in
accordance with these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, no material conflict of interest will be deemed to exist. In cases where (i) MFS is considering overriding these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures, (ii) matters presented for vote are not governed by these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, (iii) MFS evaluates a potentially excessive executive compensation issue in relation to the election of
directors or advisory pay or severance package vote, or (iv) a vote recommendation is requested from an MFS portfolio manager or investment analyst (e.g. mergers and acquisitions); (collectively, “Non-Standard
Votes”); the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will follow these procedures:
Compare the name of the issuer of
such proxy against a list of significant current (i) distributors of MFS Fund shares, and (ii) MFS institutional clients (the “MFS Significant Distributor and Client List”);
If the name of the issuer does not
appear on the MFS Significant Distributor and Client List, then no material conflict of interest will be deemed to exist, and the proxy will be voted as otherwise determined by the MFS Proxy Voting Committee;
If the name of the issuer appears
on the MFS Significant Distributor and Client List, then the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will be apprised of that fact and each member of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will carefully evaluate the proposed vote in
order to ensure that the proxy ultimately is voted in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients, and not in MFS' corporate interests; and
314
For all potential material conflicts of interest
identified under clause (c) above, the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will document: the name of the issuer, the issuer’s relationship to MFS, the analysis of the matters submitted for proxy vote, the votes as to be
cast and the reasons why the MFS Proxy Voting Committee determined that the votes were cast in the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients, and not in MFS' corporate interests. A copy of the foregoing
documentation will be provided to MFS’ Conflicts Officer.
The members of the MFS Proxy Voting
Committee are responsible for creating and maintaining the MFS Significant Distributor and Client List, in consultation with MFS’ distribution and institutional business units. The MFS Significant Distributor
and Client List will be reviewed and updated periodically, as appropriate.
For instances where MFS is
evaluating a director nominee who also serves as a director of the MFS Funds, then the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will adhere to the procedures described in section (d) above regardless of whether the portfolio
company appears on our Significant Distributor and Client List.
If an MFS client has the right to
vote on a matter submitted to shareholders by Sun Life Financial, Inc. or any of its affiliates (collectively “Sun Life”), MFS will cast a vote on behalf of such MFS client pursuant to the recommendations
of Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc.'s (“ISS”) benchmark policy, or as required by law.
Except as
described in the MFS Fund's Prospectus, from time to time, certain MFS Funds (the “top tier fund”) may own shares of other MFS Funds (the “underlying fund”). If an underlying fund submits a
matter to a shareholder vote, the top tier fund will generally vote its shares in the same proportion as the other shareholders of the underlying fund. If there are no other shareholders in the underlying fund, the
top tier fund will vote in what MFS believes to be in the top tier fund’s best long-term economic interest. If an MFS client has the right to vote on a matter submitted to shareholders by a pooled investment
vehicle advised by MFS, MFS will cast a vote on behalf of such MFS client in the same proportion as the other shareholders of the pooled investment vehicle.
Gathering Proxies
Most proxies received by MFS and
its clients originate at Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”). Broadridge and other service providers, on behalf of custodians, send proxy related material to the record holders of the
shares beneficially owned by MFS’ clients, usually to the client’s proxy voting administrator or, less commonly, to the client itself. This material will include proxy ballots reflecting the shareholdings
of Funds and of clients on the record dates for such shareholder meetings, as well as proxy materials with the issuer’s explanation of the items to be voted upon.
MFS, on behalf of itself and
certain of its clients (including the MFS Funds) has entered into an agreement with an independent proxy administration firm pursuant to which the proxy administration firm performs various proxy vote related
administrative services such as vote processing and recordkeeping functions. Except as noted below, the proxy administration firm for MFS and its clients, including the MFS Funds, is ISS. The proxy administration firm
for MFS Development Funds, LLC is Glass, Lewis & Co., Inc. (“Glass Lewis”; Glass Lewis and ISS are each hereinafter referred to as the “Proxy Administrator”).
The Proxy Administrator receives
proxy statements and proxy ballots directly or indirectly from various custodians, logs these materials into its database and matches upcoming meetings with MFS Fund and client portfolio holdings, which are input into
the Proxy Administrator’s system by an MFS holdings data-feed. Through the use of the Proxy Administrator system, ballots and proxy material summaries for all upcoming shareholders’ meetings are available
on-line to certain MFS employees and members of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee.
It is the responsibility of the
Proxy Administrator and MFS to monitor the receipt of ballots. When proxy ballots and materials for clients are received by the Proxy Administrator, they are input into the Proxy Administrator’s on-line system.
The Proxy Administrator then reconciles a list of all MFS accounts that hold shares of a company’s stock and the number of shares held on the record date by these accounts with the Proxy Administrator’s
list of any upcoming shareholder’s meeting of that company. If a proxy ballot has not been received, the Proxy Administrator contacts the custodian requesting the reason as to why a ballot has not been
received.
| 4. | Analyzing Proxies |
Proxies are voted
in accordance with these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures. The Proxy Administrator, at the prior direction of MFS, automatically votes all proxy matters that do not require the particular exercise of
discretion or judgment with respect to these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures as determined by MFS. With respect to proxy matters that require the particular exercise of discretion or judgment, the MFS Proxy
Voting Committee or its representatives considers and votes on those proxy matters. MFS also receives research and recommendations from the Proxy Administrator which it may take into account in deciding how to vote.
MFS uses its own internal research, the research of Proxy Administrators and/or other 3rd party research tools and vendors to identify (i) circumstances in which a board may have approved an executive compensation
plan that is excessive or poorly aligned with the
315
portfolio company's business or its shareholders,
(ii) environmental and social proposals that warrant further consideration or (iii) circumstances in which a non-U.S. company is not in compliance with local governance or compensation best practices. In those
situations where the only MFS fund that is eligible to vote at a shareholder meeting has Glass Lewis as its Proxy Administrator, then we will utilize research from Glass Lewis to identify such issues. MFS analyzes
such issues independently and does not necessarily vote with the ISS or Glass Lewis recommendations on these issues. Representatives of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee review, as appropriate, votes cast to ensure
conformity with these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.
For votes that require a
case-by-case analysis per the MFS Proxy Policies (e.g. proxy contests, potentially excessive executive compensation issues, or certain shareholder proposals), a member of the proxy voting team will consult with or
seek recommendations from MFS investment analysts and/or portfolio managers. However, the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will ultimately determine the manner in which such proxies are voted.
As noted above, MFS reserves the
right to override the guidelines when such an override is, in MFS’ best judgment, consistent with the overall principle of voting proxies in the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients. Any such
override of the guidelines shall be analyzed, documented and reported in accordance with the procedures set forth in these policies.
| 5. | Voting Proxies |
In accordance with
its contract with MFS, the Proxy Administrator also generates a variety of reports for the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, and makes available on-line various other types of information so that the MFS Proxy Voting
Committee or proxy voting team may review and monitor the votes cast by the Proxy Administrator on behalf of MFS’ clients.
For those markets that utilize a
“record date” to determine which shareholders are eligible to vote, MFS generally will vote all eligible shares pursuant to these guidelines regardless of whether all (or a portion of) the shares held by
our clients have been sold prior to the meeting date.
Securities Lending
From time to time, the MFS Funds or
other pooled investment vehicles sponsored by MFS may participate in a securities lending program. In the event MFS or its agent receives timely notice of a shareholder meeting for a U.S. security, MFS and its agent
will attempt to recall any securities on loan before the meeting’s record date so that MFS will be entitled to vote these shares. However, there may be instances in which MFS is unable to timely recall
securities on loan for a U.S. security, in which cases MFS will not be able to vote these shares. MFS will report to the appropriate board of the MFS Funds those instances in which MFS is not able to timely recall the
loaned securities. MFS generally does not recall non-U.S. securities on loan because there may be insufficient advance notice of proxy materials, record dates, or vote cut-off dates to allow MFS to timely recall the
shares in certain markets on an automated basis. As a result, non-U.S. securities that are on loan will not generally be voted. If MFS receives timely notice of what MFS determines to be an unusual, significant vote
for a non-U.S. security whereas MFS shares are on loan, and determines that voting is in the best long-term economic interest of shareholders, then MFS will attempt to timely recall the loaned shares.
| 7. | Engagement |
The MFS Proxy
Voting Policies and Procedures are available on www.mfs.com and may be accessed by both MFS’ clients and the companies in which MFS’ clients invest. From time to time, MFS may determine that it is
appropriate and beneficial for members of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee or proxy voting team to engage in a dialogue or written communication with a company or other shareholders regarding certain matters on the
company’s proxy statement that are of concern to shareholders, including environmental, social and governance matters. A company or shareholder may also seek to engage with members of the MFS Proxy Voting
Committee or proxy voting team in advance of the company’s formal proxy solicitation to review issues more generally or gauge support for certain contemplated proposals. The MFS Proxy Voting Committee, in
consultation with members of the investment team, establish proxy voting engagement goals and priorities for the year. For further information on requesting engagement with MFS on proxy voting issues or information
about MFS' engagement priorities, please visit www.mfs.com and refer to our most recent proxy season preview and engagement priorities report.
| C. | RECORDS RETENTION |
MFS will retain copies of these MFS
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures in effect from time to time and will retain all proxy voting reports submitted to the Board of Trustees of the MFS Funds for the period required by applicable law. Proxy
solicitation materials, including electronic versions of the proxy ballots completed by representatives of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, together with their respective notes and comments, are maintained in an
electronic format by the Proxy Administrator and are accessible on-line by the
316
MFS Proxy Voting Committee. All proxy voting
materials and supporting documentation, including records generated by the Proxy Administrator’s system as to proxies processed, including the dates when proxy ballots were received and submitted, and the votes
on each company’s proxy issues, are retained as required by applicable law.
| D. | REPORTS |
U.S. Registered MFS Funds
MFS publicly discloses the proxy
voting records of the U.S. registered MFS Funds on a quarterly basis. MFS will also report the results of its voting to the Board of Trustees of the U.S. registered MFS Funds. These reports will include: (i) a summary
of how votes were cast (including advisory votes on pay and “golden parachutes”); (ii) a summary of votes against management’s recommendation; (iii) a review of situations where MFS did not vote in
accordance with the guidelines and the rationale therefore; (iv) a review of the procedures used by MFS to identify material conflicts of interest and any matters identified as a material conflict of interest; (v) a
review of these policies and the guidelines; (vi) a review of our proxy engagement activity; (vii) a report and impact assessment of instances in which the recall of loaned securities of a U.S. issuer was unsuccessful;
and (viii) as necessary or appropriate, any proposed modifications thereto to reflect new developments in corporate governance and other issues. Based on these reviews, the Trustees of the U.S. registered MFS Funds
will consider possible modifications to these policies to the extent necessary or advisable.
Other MFS Clients
MFS may publicly disclose the proxy
voting records of certain other clients (including certain MFS Funds) or the votes it casts with respect to certain matters as required by law. A report can also be printed by MFS for each client who has requested
that MFS furnish a record of votes cast. The report specifies the proxy issues which have been voted for the client during the year and the position taken with respect to each issue and, upon request, may identify
situations where MFS did not vote in accordance with the MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.
Except as described above, MFS
generally will not divulge actual voting practices to any party other than the client or its representatives because we consider that information to be confidential and proprietary to the client. However, as noted
above, MFS may determine that it is appropriate and beneficial to engage in a dialogue with a company regarding certain matters. During such dialogue with the company, MFS may disclose the vote it intends to cast in
order to potentially effect positive change at a company in regards to environmental, social or governance issues.
MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
September 2017
| I. | POLICY STATEMENT |
Morgan Stanley Investment
Management’s (“MSIM”) policy and procedures for voting proxies (“Policy”) with respect to securities held in the accounts of clients applies to those MSIM entities that provide
discretionary investment management services and for which an MSIM entity has authority to vote proxies. This Policy is reviewed and updated as necessary to address new and evolving proxy voting issues and
standards.
The MSIM entities covered by this
Policy currently include the following: Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company, Morgan Stanley
Investment Management (Japan) Co. Limited and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited (each a “MSIM Affiliate” and collectively referred to as the “MSIM Affiliates” or as
“we” below).
Each MSIM Affiliate will use its
best efforts to vote proxies as part of its authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets. With respect to the registered management investment companies sponsored, managed or advised by any MSIM
affiliate (the “MSIM Funds”), each MSIM Affiliate will vote proxies under this Policy pursuant to authority granted under its applicable investment advisory agreement or, in the absence of such authority,
as authorized by the Board of Directors/Trustees of the MSIM Funds. A MSIM Affiliate will not vote proxies unless the investment management or investment advisory agreement explicitly authorizes the MSIM Affiliate to
vote proxies.
317
MSIM Affiliates will vote proxies
in a prudent and diligent manner and in the best interests of clients, including beneficiaries of and participants in a client’s benefit plan(s) for which the MSIM Affiliates manage assets, consistent with the
objective of maximizing long-term investment returns (“Client Proxy Standard”). In addition to voting proxies at portfolio companies, MSIM routinely engages with the management or board of companies in
which we invest on a range of governance issues. Governance is a window into or proxy for management and board quality. MSIM engages with companies where we have larger positions, voting issues are material or where
we believe we can make a positive impact on the governance structure. MSIM’s engagement process, through private communication with companies, allows us to understand the governance structures at investee
companies and better inform our voting decisions. In certain situations, a client or its fiduciary may provide an MSIM Affiliate with a proxy voting policy. In these situations, the MSIM Affiliate will comply with the
client’s policy.
Retention and
Oversight of Proxy Advisory Firms – Institutional Shareholder Service (ISS) and Glass Lewis (together with other proxy research providers as we may retain from time to time, the “Research Providers”)
are independent advisers that specialize in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy-related services to institutional investment managers, plan sponsors, custodians, consultants, and other institutional
investors. The services provided include in-depth research, global issuer analysis, and voting recommendations.
MSIM has retained Research
Providers to analyze proxy issues and to make vote recommendations on those issues. While we may review and utilize the recommendations of one or more Research Providers in making proxy voting decisions, we are in no
way obligated to follow such recommendations. MSIM votes all proxies based on its own proxy voting policies in the best interests of each client. In addition to research, ISS provides vote execution, reporting, and
recordkeeping services to MSIM.
As part of MSIM’s ongoing
oversight of the Research Providers, MSIM performs periodic due diligence on the Research Providers. Topics of the reviews include, but are not limited to, conflicts of interest, methodologies for developing their
policies and vote recommendations, and resources.
Voting Proxies for Certain Non-U.S.
Companies - Voting proxies of companies located in some jurisdictions may involve several problems that can restrict or prevent the ability to vote such proxies or entail significant costs. These problems include, but
are not limited to: (i) proxy statements and ballots being written in a language other than English; (ii) untimely and/or inadequate notice of shareholder meetings; (iii) restrictions on the ability of holders outside
the issuer’s jurisdiction of organization to exercise votes; (iv) requirements to vote proxies in person; (v) the imposition of restrictions on the sale of the securities for a period of time in proximity to the
shareholder meeting; and (vi) requirements to provide local agents with power of attorney to facilitate our voting instructions. As a result, we vote clients’ non-U.S. proxies on a best efforts basis only, after
weighing the costs and benefits of voting such proxies, consistent with the Client Proxy Standard. ISS has been retained to provide assistance in connection with voting non-U.S. proxies.
Securities Lending - MSIM Funds or
any other investment vehicle sponsored, managed or advised by a MSIM affiliate may participate in a securities lending program through a third party provider. The voting rights for shares that are out on loan are
transferred to the borrower and therefore, the lender (i.e., a MSIM Fund or another investment vehicle sponsored, managed or advised by a MSIM affiliate) is not entitled to vote the lent shares at the company meeting.
In general, MSIM believes the revenue received from the lending program outweighs the ability to vote and we will not recall shares for the purpose of voting. However, in cases in which MSIM believes the right to vote
outweighs the revenue received, we reserve the right to recall the shares on loan on a best efforts basis.
| II. | GENERAL PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES |
To promote consistency in voting
proxies on behalf of our clients, we follow this Policy (subject to any exception set forth herein). The Policy addresses a broad range of issues, and provides general voting parameters on proposals that arise most
frequently. However, details of specific proposals vary, and those details affect particular voting decisions, as do factors specific to a given company. Pursuant to the procedures set forth herein, we may vote in a
manner that is not in accordance with the following general guidelines, provided the vote is approved by the Proxy Review Committee (see Section III for description) and is consistent with the Client Proxy Standard.
Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP will follow the procedures as described in Appendix A.
We endeavor to integrate governance
and proxy voting policy with investment goals, using the vote to encourage portfolio companies to enhance long-term shareholder value and to provide a high standard of transparency such that equity markets can value
corporate assets appropriately.
We seek to follow the Client Proxy
Standard for each client. At times, this may result in split votes, for example when different clients have varying economic interests in the outcome of a particular voting matter (such as a case in which varied
ownership interests in two companies involved in a merger result in different stakes in the outcome). We also may split votes at times based on differing views of portfolio managers.
We may abstain on matters for which
disclosure is inadequate.
318
| A. | Routine Matters. |
We generally support routine
management proposals. The following are examples of routine management proposals:
| ■ | Approval of financial statements and auditor reports if delivered with an unqualified auditor’s opinion. |
| ■ | General updating/corrective amendments to the charter, articles of association or bylaws, unless we believe that such amendments would diminish shareholder rights. |
| ■ | Most proposals related to the conduct of the annual meeting, with the following exceptions. We generally oppose proposals that relate to “the transaction of such other business which may come before the meeting,” and open-ended requests for adjournment. However, where management specifically states the reason for requesting an adjournment and the requested adjournment would facilitate passage of a proposal that would otherwise be supported under this Policy (i.e., an uncontested corporate transaction), the adjournment request will be supported. We do not support proposals that allow companies to call a special meeting with a short (generally two weeks or less) time frame for review. |
We generally support shareholder
proposals advocating confidential voting procedures and independent tabulation of voting results.
| B. | Board of Directors. |
| 1. | Election of directors: Votes on board nominees can involve balancing a variety of considerations. In vote decisions, we may take into consideration whether the company has a majority voting policy in place that we believe makes the director vote more meaningful. In the absence of a proxy contest, we generally support the board’s nominees for director except as follows: |
| a. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee if we believe a direct conflict exists between the interests of the nominee and the public shareholders, including failure to meet fiduciary standards of care and/or loyalty. We may oppose directors where we conclude that actions of directors are unlawful, unethical or negligent. We consider opposing individual board members or an entire slate if we believe the board is entrenched and/or dealing inadequately with performance problems; if we believe the board is acting with insufficient independence between the board and management; or if we believe the board has not been sufficiently forthcoming with information on key governance or other material matters. |
| b. | We consider withholding support from or voting against interested directors if the company’s board does not meet market standards for director independence, or if otherwise we believe board independence is insufficient. We refer to prevalent market standards as promulgated by a stock exchange or other authority within a given market (e.g., New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq rules for most U.S. companies, and The Combined Code on Corporate Governance in the United Kingdom). Thus, for an NYSE company with no controlling shareholder, we would expect that at a minimum a majority of directors should be independent as defined by NYSE. Where we view market standards as inadequate, we may withhold votes based on stronger independence standards. Market standards notwithstanding, we generally do not view long board tenure alone as a basis to classify a director as non-independent. |
At a company with a shareholder or
group that controls the company by virtue of a majority economic interest in the company, we have a reduced expectation for board independence, although we believe the presence of independent directors can be helpful,
particularly in staffing the audit committee, and at times we may withhold support from or vote against a nominee on the view the board or its committees are not sufficiently independent. In markets where board
independence is not the norm (e.g. Japan), however, we consider factors including whether a board of a controlled company includes independent members who can be expected to look out for interests of minority
holders.
We consider withholding support
from or voting against a nominee if he or she is affiliated with a major shareholder that has representation on a board disproportionate to its economic interest.
| c. | Depending on market standards, we consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who is interested and who is standing for election as a member of the company’s compensation/remuneration, nominating/governance or audit committee. |
| d. | We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if the term for which they are nominated is excessive. We consider this issue on a market-specific basis. |
| e. | We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if in our view there has been insufficient board renewal (turnover), particularly in the context of extended poor company performance. |
| f. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee standing for election if the board has not taken action to implement generally accepted governance practices for which there is a “bright line” test. For example, in the context of the U.S. market, failure to eliminate a dead hand or slow hand poison pill would be seen as a basis for opposing one or more incumbent nominees. |
319
| g. | In markets that encourage designated audit committee financial experts, we consider voting against members of an audit committee if no members are designated as such. We also consider voting against the audit committee members if the company has faced financial reporting issues and/or does not put the auditor up for ratification by shareholders. |
| h. | We believe investors should have the ability to vote on individual nominees, and may abstain or vote against a slate of nominees where we are not given the opportunity to vote on individual nominees. |
| i. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who has failed to attend at least 75% of the nominee’s board and board committee meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance. |
| j. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who appears overcommitted, particularly through service on an excessive number of boards. Market expectations are incorporated into this analysis; for U.S. boards, we generally oppose election of a nominee who serves on more than five public company boards (excluding investment companies), or public company CEOs that serve on more than two outside boards given level of time commitment required in their primary job. |
| k. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee where we believe executive remuneration practices are poor, particularly if the company does not offer shareholders a separate “say-on-pay” advisory vote on pay. |
2. Discharge of directors’ duties
: In markets where an annual discharge of directors' responsibility is a routine agenda item, we generally support such discharge.
However, we may vote against discharge or abstain from voting where there are serious findings of fraud or other unethical behavior for which the individual bears responsibility. The annual discharge of responsibility
represents shareholder approval of disclosed actions taken by the board during the year and may make future shareholder action against the board difficult to pursue.
3. Board independence
: We generally support U.S. shareholder proposals requiring that a certain percentage (up to 66⅔%) of the company’s board members be
independent directors, and promoting all-independent audit, compensation and nominating/governance committees.
4. Board diversity
: We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals urging diversity of board membership with respect to gender, race or other factors.
5. Majority voting
: We generally support proposals requesting or requiring majority voting policies in election of directors, so long as there is a carve-out for plurality
voting in the case of contested elections.
6. Proxy access
: We consider proposals on procedures for inclusion of shareholder nominees and to have those nominees included in the company’s proxy statement and on
the company’s proxy ballot on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include ownership thresholds, holding periods, the number of directors that shareholders may nominate and any restrictions on forming a
group.
7. Reimbursement for dissident nominees
: We generally support well-crafted U.S. shareholder proposals that would provide for reimbursement of dissident nominees elected to a
board, as the cost to shareholders in electing such nominees can be factored into the voting decision on those nominees.
8. Proposals to elect directors more frequently
: In the U.S. public company context, we usually support shareholder and management proposals to elect all directors annually
(to “declassify” the board), although we make an exception to this policy where we believe that long-term shareholder value may be harmed by this change given particular circumstances at the company at the
time of the vote on such proposal. As indicated above, outside the United States we generally support greater accountability to shareholders that comes through more frequent director elections, but recognize that many
markets embrace longer term lengths, sometimes for valid reasons given other aspects of the legal context in electing boards.
9. Cumulative voting
: We generally support proposals to eliminate cumulative voting in the U.S. market context. (Cumulative voting provides that shareholders may concentrate
their votes for one or a handful of candidates, a system that can enable a minority bloc to place representation on a board.) U.S. proposals to establish cumulative voting in the election of directors generally will
not be supported.
320
10. Separation of Chairman and CEO positions
: We vote on shareholder proposals to separate the Chairman and CEO positions and/or to appoint an independent Chairman based in
part on prevailing practice in particular markets, since the context for such a practice varies. In many non-U.S. markets, we view separation of the roles as a market standard practice, and support division of the
roles in that context. In the United States, we consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, considering, among other things, the existing board leadership structure, company performance, and any evidence of
entrenchment or perceived risk that power is overly concentrated in a single individual.
11. Director retirement age and term limits
: Proposals setting or recommending director retirement ages or director term limits are voted on a case-by-case basis that includes
consideration of company performance, the rate of board renewal, evidence of effective individual director evaluation processes, and any indications of entrenchment.
12. Proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or broaden indemnification of officers and directors
: Generally, we will support such proposals provided that an
individual is eligible only if he or she has not acted in bad faith, with gross negligence or with reckless disregard of their duties.
| C. | Statutory auditor boards. The statutory auditor board, which is separate from the main board of directors, plays a role in corporate governance in several markets. These boards are elected by shareholders to provide assurance on compliance with legal and accounting standards and the company’s articles of association. We generally vote for statutory auditor nominees if they meet independence standards. In markets that require disclosure on attendance by internal statutory auditors, however, we consider voting against nominees for these positions who failed to attend at least 75% of meetings in the previous year. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance. |
| D. | Corporate transactions and proxy fights. We examine proposals relating to mergers, acquisitions and other special corporate transactions (i.e., takeovers, spin-offs, sales of assets, reorganizations, restructurings and recapitalizations) on a case-by-case basis in the interests of each fund or other account. Proposals for mergers or other significant transactions that are friendly and approved by the Research Providers usually are supported if there is no portfolio manager objection. We also analyze proxy contests on a case-by-case basis. |
| E. | Changes in capital structure. |
1. We generally support the
following:
| ■ | Management and shareholder proposals aimed at eliminating unequal voting rights, assuming fair economic treatment of classes of shares we hold. |
| ■ | U.S. management proposals to increase the authorization of existing classes of common stock (or securities convertible into common stock) if: (i) a clear business purpose is stated that we can support and the number of shares requested is reasonable in relation to the purpose for which authorization is requested; and/or (ii) the authorization does not exceed 100% of shares currently authorized and at least 30% of the total new authorization will be outstanding. (We consider proposals that do not meet these criteria on a case-by-case basis.) |
| ■ | U.S. management proposals to create a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital, unless we have concerns about use of the authority for anti-takeover purposes. |
| ■ | Proposals in non-U.S. markets that in our view appropriately limit potential dilution of existing shareholders. A major consideration is whether existing shareholders would have preemptive rights for any issuance under a proposal for standing share issuance authority. We generally consider market-specific guidance in making these decisions; for example, in the U.K. market we usually follow Association of British Insurers’ (“ABI”) guidance, although company-specific factors may be considered and for example, may sometimes lead us to voting against share authorization proposals even if they meet ABI guidance. |
| ■ | Management proposals to authorize share repurchase plans, except in some cases in which we believe there are insufficient protections against use of an authorization for anti-takeover purposes. |
| ■ | Management proposals to reduce the number of authorized shares of common or preferred stock, or to eliminate classes of preferred stock. |
| ■ | Management proposals to effect stock splits. |
| ■ | Management proposals to effect reverse stock splits if management proportionately reduces the authorized share amount set forth in the corporate charter. Reverse stock splits that do not adjust proportionately to the authorized share amount generally will be approved if the resulting increase in authorized shares coincides with the proxy guidelines set forth above for common stock increases. |
| ■ | Management dividend payout proposals, except where we perceive company payouts to shareholders as inadequate. |
2. We generally oppose the
following (notwithstanding management support):
| ■ | Proposals to add classes of stock that would substantially dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders. |
321
| ■ | Proposals to increase the authorized or issued number of shares of existing classes of stock that are unreasonably dilutive, particularly if there are no preemptive rights for existing shareholders. However, depending on market practices, we consider voting for proposals giving general authorization for issuance of shares not subject to pre-emptive rights if the authority is limited. |
| ■ | Proposals that authorize share issuance at a discount to market rates, except where authority for such issuance is de minimis, or if there is a special situation that we believe justifies such authorization (as may be the case, for example, at a company under severe stress and risk of bankruptcy). |
| ■ | Proposals relating to changes in capitalization by 100% or more. |
We consider on a case-by-case basis
shareholder proposals to increase dividend payout ratios, in light of market practice and perceived market weaknesses, as well as individual company payout history and current circumstances. For example, currently we
perceive low payouts to shareholders as a concern at some Japanese companies, but may deem a low payout ratio as appropriate for a growth company making good use of its cash, notwithstanding the broader market
concern.
| F. | Takeover Defenses and Shareholder Rights. |
1. Shareholder rights plans
: We generally support proposals to require shareholder approval or ratification of shareholder rights plans (poison pills). In voting on rights
plans or similar takeover defenses, we consider on a case-by-case basis whether the company has demonstrated a need for the defense in the context of promoting long-term share value; whether provisions of the defense
are in line with generally accepted governance principles in the market (and specifically the presence of an adequate qualified offer provision that would exempt offers meeting certain conditions from the pill); and
the specific context if the proposal is made in the midst of a takeover bid or contest for control.
2. Supermajority voting requirements
: We generally oppose requirements for supermajority votes to amend the charter or bylaws, unless the provisions protect minority
shareholders where there is a large shareholder. In line with this view, in the absence of a large shareholder we support reasonable shareholder proposals to limit such supermajority voting requirements. Also, we
oppose provisions that do not allow shareholders any right to amend the charter or bylaws.
3. Shareholders right to call a special meeting
: We consider proposals to enhance a shareholder’s rights to call meetings on a case-by-case basis. At large-cap U.S.
companies, we generally support efforts to establish the right of holders of 10% or more of shares to call special meetings, unless the board or state law has set a policy or law establishing such rights at a
threshold that we believe to be acceptable.
4. Written consent rights
: In the U.S. context, we examine proposals for shareholder written consent rights on a case-by-case basis.
5. Reincorporation
: We consider management and shareholder proposals to reincorporate to a different jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. We oppose such proposals if we
believe the main purpose is to take advantage of laws or judicial precedents that reduce shareholder rights.
6. Anti-greenmail provisions
: Proposals relating to the adoption of anti-greenmail provisions will be supported, provided that the proposal: (i) defines greenmail; (ii)
prohibits buyback offers to large block holders (holders of at least 1% of the outstanding shares and in certain cases, a greater amount) not made to all shareholders or not approved by disinterested shareholders; and
(iii) contains no anti-takeover measures or other provisions restricting the rights of shareholders.
7. Bundled proposals
: We may consider opposing or abstaining on proposals if disparate issues are “bundled” and presented for a single vote.
| G. | Auditors. We generally support management proposals for selection or ratification of independent auditors. However, we may consider opposing such proposals with reference to incumbent audit firms if the company has suffered from serious accounting irregularities and we believe rotation of the audit firm is appropriate, or if fees paid to the auditor for non-audit-related services are excessive. Generally, to determine if non-audit fees are excessive, a 50% test will be applied (i.e., non-audit-related fees should be less than 50% of the total fees paid to the auditor). We generally vote against proposals to indemnify auditors. |
| H. | Executive and Director Remuneration. |
1. We generally support the
following:
| ■ | Proposals for employee equity compensation plans and other employee ownership plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest. Such approval may be against shareholder interest if it authorizes excessive dilution and shareholder cost, particularly in the context of high usage (“run rate”) of equity compensation in the recent past; or if there are objectionable plan design and provisions. |
322
| ■ | Proposals relating to fees to outside directors, provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry, and provided that the structure is appropriate within the market context. While stock-based compensation to outside directors is positive if moderate and appropriately structured, we are wary of significant stock option awards or other performance-based awards for outside directors, as well as provisions that could result in significant forfeiture of value on a director’s decision to resign from a board (such forfeiture can undercut director independence). |
| ■ | Proposals for employee stock purchase plans that permit discounts, but only for grants that are part of a broad-based employee plan, including all non-executive employees, and only if the discounts are limited to a reasonable market standard or less. |
| ■ | Proposals for the establishment of employee retirement and severance plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest. |
2. We generally oppose retirement
plans and bonuses for non-executive directors and independent statutory auditors.
3. In the U.S. context, we
generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring shareholder approval of all severance agreements, but we generally support proposals that require shareholder approval for agreements in excess of three times the
annual compensation (salary and bonus) or proposals that require companies to adopt a provision requiring an executive to receive accelerated vesting of equity awards if there is a change of control
and
the executive is terminated. We generally oppose shareholder proposals that would establish arbitrary caps on pay. We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder
proposals that seek to limit Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), but support such shareholder proposals where we consider SERPs excessive.
4. Shareholder proposals advocating
stronger and/or particular pay-for-performance models will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with consideration of the merits of the individual proposal within the context of the particular company and its labor
markets, and the company’s current and past practices. While we generally support emphasis on long-term components of senior executive pay and strong linkage of pay to performance, we consider factors including
whether a proposal may be overly prescriptive, and the impact of the proposal, if implemented as written, on recruitment and retention.
5.We generally support proposals
advocating reasonable senior executive and director stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements for shares gained in executive equity compensation programs.
6. We generally support shareholder
proposals for reasonable “claw-back” provisions that provide for company recovery of senior executive bonuses to the extent they were based on achieving financial benchmarks that were not actually met in
light of subsequent restatements.
7.Management proposals effectively
to re-price stock options are considered on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include the company’s reasons and justifications for a re-pricing, the company’s competitive position, whether senior
executives and outside directors are excluded, potential cost to shareholders, whether the re-pricing or share exchange is on a value-for-value basis, and whether vesting requirements are extended.
8.
Say-on-Pay: We consider proposals relating to an advisory vote on remuneration on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include a review of the relationship between executive remuneration
and performance based on operating trends and total shareholder return over multiple performance periods. In addition, we review remuneration structures and potential poor pay practices, including relative magnitude
of pay, discretionary bonus awards, tax gross ups, change-in-control features, internal pay equity and peer group construction. As long-term investors, we support remuneration policies that align with long-term
shareholder returns.
| I. | Social and Environmental Issues. Shareholders in the United States and certain other markets submit proposals encouraging changes in company disclosure and practices related to particular social and environmental matters. We consider how to vote on the proposals on a case-by-case basis to determine likely impacts on shareholder value. We seek to balance concerns on reputational and other risks that lie behind a proposal against costs of implementation, while considering appropriate shareholder and management prerogatives. We may abstain from voting on proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value. We support proposals that if implemented would enhance useful disclosure, but we generally vote against proposals requesting reports that we believe are duplicative, related to matters not material to the business, or that would impose unnecessary or excessive costs. We believe that certain social and environmental shareholder proposals may intrude excessively on management prerogatives, which can lead us to oppose them. |
| J. | Funds of Funds. Certain MSIM Funds advised by an MSIM Affiliate invest only in other MSIM Funds. If an underlying fund has a shareholder meeting, in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest, such proposals will be voted in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee. In markets where proportional voting is not available we will not vote at the meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee. Other MSIM Funds invest in unaffiliated funds. If an unaffiliated underlying fund has a shareholder meeting and the MSIM Fund owns more than 25% of the voting shares of the underlying fund, the MSIM Fund will vote its shares in the unaffiliated |
323
| underlying fund in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund to the extent possible. | |
| III. | ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY |
The MSIM Proxy Review Committee
(the “Committee”) has overall responsibility for the Policy. The Committee consists of investment professionals who represent the different investment disciplines and geographic locations of the firm, and
is chaired by the director of the Corporate Governance Team (“CGT”). Because proxy voting is an investment responsibility and impacts shareholder value, and because of their knowledge of companies and
markets, portfolio managers and other members of investment staff play a key role in proxy voting, although the Committee has final authority over proxy votes.
The CGT Director is responsible for
identifying issues that require Committee deliberation or ratification. The CGT, working with advice of investment teams and the Committee, is responsible for voting on routine items and on matters that can be
addressed in line with these Policy guidelines. The CGT has responsibility for voting case-by-case where guidelines and precedent provide adequate guidance.
The Committee will periodically
review and have the authority to amend, as necessary, the Policy and establish and direct voting positions consistent with the Client Proxy Standard.
CGT and members of the Committee
may take into account Research Providers’ recommendations and research as well as any other relevant information they may request or receive, including portfolio manager and/or analyst comments and research, as
applicable. Generally, proxies related to securities held in accounts that are managed pursuant to quantitative, index or index-like strategies (“Index Strategies”) will be voted in the same manner as
those held in actively managed accounts, unless economic interests of the accounts differ. Because accounts managed using Index Strategies are passively managed accounts, research from portfolio managers and/or
analysts related to securities held in these accounts may not be available. If the affected securities are held only in accounts that are managed pursuant to Index Strategies, and the proxy relates to a matter that is
not described in this Policy, the CGT will consider all available information from the Research Providers, and to the extent that the holdings are significant, from the portfolio managers and/or analysts.
| A. | Committee Procedures |
The Committee meets at least
quarterly, and reviews and considers changes to the Policy at least annually. Through meetings and/or written communications, the Committee is responsible for monitoring and ratifying “split votes” (i.e.,
allowing certain shares of the same issuer that are the subject of the same proxy solicitation and held by one or more MSIM portfolios to be voted differently than other shares) and/or “override voting”
(i.e., voting all MSIM portfolio shares in a manner contrary to the Policy). The Committee will review developing issues and approve upcoming votes, as appropriate, for matters as requested by CGT.
The Committee reserves the right to
review voting decisions at any time and to make voting decisions as necessary to ensure the independence and integrity of the votes.
B. Material Conflicts of
Interest
In addition tothe
procedures discussed above, if the CGT Director determines that an issue raises a material conflict of interest, the CGT Director may request a special committee to review, and recommend a course of action with
respect to, the conflict(s) in question (“Special Committee”).
A potential material conflict of
interest could exist in the following situations, among others:
| ■ | The issuer soliciting the vote is a client of MSIM or an affiliate of MSIM and the vote is on a matter that materially affects the issuer. |
| ■ | The proxy relates to Morgan Stanley common stock or any other security issued by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates except if echo voting is used, as with MSIM Funds, as described herein. |
| ■ | Morgan Stanley has a material pecuniary interest in the matter submitted for a vote (e.g., acting as a financial advisor to a party to a merger or acquisition for which Morgan Stanley will be paid a success fee if completed). |
| ■ | One of Morgan Stanley’s independent directors or one of MSIM Funds’ directors also serves on the board of directors or is a nominee for election to the board of directors of a company held by a MSIM Fund or affiliate. |
If the CGT Director determines that
an issue raises a potential material conflict of interest, depending on the facts and circumstances, the issue will be addressed as follows:
| ■ | If the matter relates to a topic that is discussed in this Policy, the proposal will be voted as per the Policy. |
| ■ | If the matter is not discussed in this Policy or the Policy indicates that the issue is to be decided case-by-case, the proposal will be voted in a manner consistent with the Research Providers, provided that all the Research Providers consulted have the same recommendation, no portfolio manager objects to that vote, and the vote is consistent with MSIM’s Client Proxy Standard. |
324
| ■ | If the Research Providers’ recommendations differ, the CGT Director will refer the matter to a Special Committee to vote on the proposal, as appropriate. |
Any Special Committee shall be
comprised of the CGT Director, and at least two portfolio managers (preferably members of the Committee), as approved by the Committee. The CGT Director may request non-voting participation by MSIM’s General
Counsel or his/her designee and the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. In addition to the research provided by Research Providers, the Special Committee may request analysis from MSIM Affiliate investment
professionals and outside sources to the extent it deems appropriate.
| C. | Proxy Voting Reporting |
The CGT will document in writing
all Committee and Special Committee decisions and actions, which documentation will be maintained by the CGT for a period of at least six years. To the extent these decisions relate to a security held by an MSIM Fund,
the CGT will report the decisions to each applicable Board of Trustees/Directors of those Funds at each Board’s next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The report will contain information concerning decisions
made during the most recently ended calendar quarter immediately preceding the Board meeting.
MSIM will promptly provide a copy
of this Policy to any client requesting it. MSIM will also, upon client request, promptly provide a report indicating how each proxy was voted with respect to securities held in that client’s account.
MSIM’s Legal Department is
responsible for filing an annual Form N-PX on behalf of each MSIM Fund for which such filing is required, indicating how all proxies were voted with respect to such Fund’s holdings.
APPENDIX A
Appendix A applies to the following
accounts managed by Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP (i) closed-end funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (ii) discretionary separate accounts; (iii) unregistered funds; and (iv)
non-discretionary accounts offered in connection with AIP’s Custom Advisory Portfolio Solutions service. Generally, AIP will follow the guidelines set forth in Section II of MSIM’s Proxy Voting Policy and
Procedures. To the extent that such guidelines do not provide specific direction, or AIP determines that consistent with the Client Proxy Standard, the guidelines should not be followed, the Proxy Review Committee has
delegated the voting authority to vote securities held by accounts managed by AIP to the Fund of Hedge Funds investment team, the Private Equity Fund of Funds investment team the Private Equity Real Estate Fund of
Funds investment team or the Portfolio Solutions team of AIP. A summary of decisions made by the applicable investment teams will be made available to the Proxy Review Committee for its information at the next
scheduled meeting of the Proxy Review Committee.
In certain cases, AIP may determine
to abstain from determining (or recommending) how a proxy should be voted (and therefore abstain from voting such proxy or recommending how such proxy should be voted), such as where the expected cost of giving due
consideration to the proxy does not justify the potential benefits to the affected account(s) that might result from adopting or rejecting (as the case may be) the measure in question.
Waiver of Voting Rights
For regulatory reasons, AIP may
either 1) invest in a class of securities of an underlying fund (the “Fund”) that does not provide for voting rights; or 2) waive 100% of its voting rights with respect to the following:
Any rights with respect to the
removal or replacement of a director, general partner, managing member or other person acting in a similar capacity for or on behalf of the Fund (each individually a “Designated Person,” and collectively,
the “Designated Persons”), which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the election or removal of a Designated Person in the event of such Designated Person’s death, disability, insolvency,
bankruptcy, incapacity, or other event requiring a vote of interest holders of the Fund to remove or replace a Designated Person; and
Any rights in connection with a
determination to renew, dissolve, liquidate, or otherwise terminate or continue the Fund, which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the renewal, dissolution, liquidation, termination or continuance of the
Fund upon the occurrence of an event described in the Fund’s organizational documents;
provided
,
however
, that, if the Fund’s organizational documents require the consent of the Fund’s general partner or manager, as the case may be, for any such termination or
continuation of the Fund to be effective, then AIP may exercise its voting rights with respect to such matter.
325
NEUBERGER BERMAN INVESTMENT ADVISERS
LLC
Proxy Summary.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (Neuberger Berman) has implemented written Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (Proxy Voting Policy) that are designed to reasonably ensure that
Neuberger Berman votes proxies prudently and in the best interest of its advisory clients for whom Neuberger Berman has voting authority. The Proxy Voting Policy also describes how Neuberger Berman addresses any
conflicts that may arise between its interests and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting.
Neuberger Berman's Proxy Committee
is responsible for developing, authorizing, implementing and updating the Proxy Voting Policy, overseeing the proxy voting process, and engaging and overseeing any independent third-party vendors as voting delegate to
review, monitor and/or vote proxies. In order to apply the Proxy Voting Policy noted above in a timely and consistent manner, Neuberger Berman utilizes Glass, Lewis Co. LLC (Glass Lewis) to vote proxies in accordance
with Neuberger Berman's voting guidelines.
For non-socially responsive
clients, Neuberger Berman's guidelines adopt the voting recommendations of Glass Lewis. Neuberger Berman retains final authority and fiduciary responsibility for proxy voting. Neuberger Berman believes that this
process is reasonably designed to address material conflicts of interest that may arise between Neuberger Berman and a client as to how proxies are voted.
In the event that an investment
professional at Neuberger Berman believes that it is in the best interest of a client or clients to vote proxies in a manner inconsistent with Neuberger Berman's proxy voting guidelines or in a manner inconsistent
with Glass Lewis recommendations, the Proxy Committee will review information submitted by the investment professional to determine that there is no material conflict of interest between Neuberger Berman and the
client with respect to the voting of the proxy in that manner.
If the Proxy Committee determines
that the voting of a proxy as recommended by the investment professional presents a material conflict of interest between Neuberger Berman and the client or clients with respect to the voting of the proxy, the proxy
Committee shall: (i) take no further action, in which case Glass Lewis shall vote such proxy in accordance with the proxy voting guidelines or as Glass Lewis recommends; (ii) disclose such conflict to the client or
clients and obtain written direction from the client as to how to vote the proxy; (iii) suggest that the client or clients engage another party to determine how to vote the proxy; or (iv) engage another independent
third party to determine how to vote the proxy.
PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY
LLC
(PIMCO)
Policy Statement:
The proxy voting policy is intended to foster PIMCO’s compliance with its fiduciary obligations and applicable law; the policy applies to any voting or consent rights with respect to
securities held in accounts over which PIMCO has discretionary voting authority. The Policy is designed in a manner reasonably expected to ensure that voting and consent rights are exercised in the best interests of
PIMCO’s clients.
Overview:
PIMCO has adopted a written proxy
1
voting policy (“Proxy Policy”) as required by Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act. As a general matter, when
PIMCO has proxy voting authority, PIMCO has a fiduciary obligation
to monitor corporate
events and to take appropriate action on client proxies that come to its attention. Each proxy is voted on a
case-by-case basis, taking into account relevant facts and circumstances. When considering client proxies,
PIMCO may determine not to vote a proxy
in limited
circumstances.
| ■ | Equity Securities. 2 PIMCO has retained an Industry Service Provider (“ISP”) to provide research and voting recommendations for proxies relating to equity securities in accordance with the ISP’s guidelines. By following the guidelines of an independent third party, PIMCO seeks to mitigate potential conflicts of interest PIMCO may have with respect to proxies covered by the ISP. PIMCO will follow the recommendations of the ISP unless: (i) the ISP does not provide a voting recommendation; or (ii) a PM decides to override the ISP’s voting recommendation. In either such case as described above, the Legal and Compliance department will review the proxy to determine whether a material conflict of interest, or the appearance of one, exists. |
| ■ | Fixed Income Securities. Fixed income securities can be processed as proxy ballots or corporate action-consents 3 at the discretion of the issuer/ custodian. When processed as proxy ballots, the ISP generally does not provide a voting recommendation and their role is limited to election processing and recordkeeping. When processed as corporate action-consents, the Legal and Compliance department will review all election forms to determine whether a conflict of interest, or the appearance of one, exists with respect to the PM’s consent election. PIMCO’s Credit Research and Portfolio Management Groups are responsible for issuing recommendations on how to vote proxy ballots and corporation action-consents with respect to fixed income securities. |
| ■ | Resolution of potential conflicts of interest. The Proxy Policy permits PIMCO to seek to resolve material conflicts of interest by pursuing any one of several courses of action. With respect to material conflicts of interest between PIMCO and a client account, the Proxy Policy permits PIMCO to either: (i) convene a working group to assess and resolve the conflict (the “Proxy Working Group”); or (ii) vote in accordance with protocols previously established by the Proxy Policy, the Proxy Working Group and/or other relevant procedures approved by PIMCO’s Legal and Compliance department with respect to specific types of conflicts. |
PIMCO will supervise and
periodically review its proxy voting activities and the implementation of the Proxy Policy. PIMCO’s Proxy Policy, and information about how PIMCO voted a client’s proxies, is available upon request.
326
Sub-Adviser Engagement:
As an investment manager, PIMCO may exercise its discretion to engage a Sub-Adviser to provide portfolio management services to certain Funds. Consistent with its management
responsibilities, the Sub-Adviser will assume the authority for voting proxies on behalf of PIMCO for these Funds. Sub-Advisers may utilize third parties to perform certain services related to their portfolio
management responsibilities. As a fiduciary, PIMCO will maintain oversight of the investment management responsibilities performed by the Sub-Adviser and contracted third parties.
1 Proxies generally describe
corporate action-consent rights (relative to fixed income securities) and proxy voting ballots (relative to fixed income or equity securities) as determined by the issuer or custodian.
2 The term “equity securities”
means common and preferred stock, including common and preferred shares issued by investment companies; it does not include debt securities convertible into equity securities.
3 Voting or consent rights shall not include
matters which are primarily decisions to buy or sell investments, such as tender offers, exchange offers, conversions, put options, redemptions, and Dutch auctions.
PARAMETRIC PORTFOLIO ASSOCIATES
LLC
Seattle Investment Center
Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures
Policy
Parametric
Portfolio Associates LLC (“Parametric”) has adopted and implemented these policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of
clients, in accordance with its fiduciary obligations and applicable regulatory requirements. When it has been delegated the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf a client, Parametric will generally vote them in
accordance with its Proxy Voting Guidelines, attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Proxy Voting Guidelines are set and annually reviewed by the firm’s Corporate Governance Committee. Parametric will consider
potential conflicts of interest when voting proxies and disclose material conflicts to clients. Parametric will promptly provide these policies and procedures, as well as proxy voting records, to its clients upon
request. As required, Parametric will retain appropriate proxy voting books and records. In the event that Parametric engages a third party service provider to administer and vote proxies or provide other proxy voting
services on behalf a client, it will evaluate the service provider’s conflicts of interest procedures and confirm its abilities to vote proxies in the client’s best interest.
Regulatory Requirements
Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment
Advisers Act requires that an investment adviser that exercises voting authority over client proxies to adopt and implement policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies
in the best interest of the client. The rule specifically requires that the policies and procedures describe how the adviser addresses material conflicts of interest with respect to proxy voting. The rule also
requires an adviser to disclose to its clients information about those policies and procedures, and how the client may obtain information on how the adviser has voted the client’s proxies. In addition, Rule
204-2 under the Act requires an adviser to retain certain records related to proxy voting.
Responsibility
The Manager,
Investment Operations (the “Manager”) is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the firm’s proxy voting practices. One or more Operations personnel (each a “Proxy Voting
Coordinator”) are responsible for ensuring proxy ballots are received and voted in accordance with the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines. The Director of Responsible Investing is responsible for providing
guidance with regard to the Proxy Voting Guidelines. The Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for monitoring Parametric’s proxy voting practices and evaluating any service providers engaged to vote proxies on
behalf of clients. The Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for setting and annually reviewing the firm’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and Proxy Voting Guidelines. The Compliance Department is
responsible for annually reviewing these policies and procedures to verify that they are adequate, appropriate and effective.
Procedures
Parametric has adopted and
implemented procedures to ensure the firm’s proxy voting policies are observed, executed properly and amended or updated, as appropriate. The procedures are summarized as follows:
New Accounts
| ■ | Parametric is generally delegated the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of clients. (The Minneapolis and Westport Investment Centers, which manage overlay and options-based strategies, generally do not vote proxies on behalf of their clients but may be |
327
| required to do so, from time to time.) This responsibility is typically established in the investment advisory agreement between the client and Parametric. If not set forth in the advisory agreement, Parametric will assume the responsibility to vote proxies on the client’s behalf unless it has received written instruction from the client not to. | |
| ■ | When a new client account is established, Parametric will instruct the client’s custodian to forward all proxy materials to Broadridge Financial Solutions (Broadridge) or Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), proxy voting service providers engaged by Parametric to administer proxy voting. |
| ■ | On a monthly basis, Operations performs a reconciliation to ensure that Broadridge or ISS are receiving proxies for all client accounts for which Parametric is responsible for voting client proxies. |
Proxy Voting Administration –
Seattle Investment Center
| ■ | Parametric’s proxy voting is administered on a daily basis by the Proxy Voting Coordinator, who is a member of Parametric’s Operations Department. The Coordinator is responsible for ensuring proxies are voted in accordance with Parametric’s Proxy Voting Guidelines or other specified guidelines set and provided by a client. |
| ■ | The Director of Responsible Investing will actively review research and guidance issued by third party proxy voting analysts regarding proxy voting issues relevant to Parametric’s clients and monitor upcoming shareholder meetings and votes. The Director will provide guidance to the Manager and Proxy Voting Coordinators with regard to the Proxy Voting Guidelines and how they apply to proxy ballots. The Director will ensure that rationale for votes cast is properly documented and reviewed by other Committee members, as warranted. |
| ■ | Parametric utilizes the Broadridge ProxyEdge and ISS ProxyExchange tools to manage, track, reconcile and report proxy voting. Parametric relies on these applications to ensure that all proxies are received and voted in timely manner. |
| ■ | In the unlikely event that a ballot proposal is not addressed by the Proxy Voting Guidelines, the Proxy Voting Coordinator will consult with the Manager to confirm that the Proxy Voting Guidelines do not address the proxy issue. If confirmed, the Manager will refer the proposal to the Proxy Voting Committee for their consideration. The Proxy Voting Committee may review research and guidance issued by third party proxy voting service providers when making a vote determination. A vote determination must be approved in writing by not less than two Committee members before Operations may vote the ballot item. The rationale for making the determination will be documented by the Committee. |
| ■ | The Proxy Voting Coordinator may abstain from voting a proxy on behalf of a client account if the economic effect on shareholders’ interests or the value of the holding is indeterminable or insignificant (e.g., the security is no longer held in the client portfolio) or if the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the potential benefit (e.g., international proxies which share blocking practices may impose trading restrictions). |
| ■ | A secondary review of proxy votes submitted by the Proxy Voting Coordinator is performed by the Manager or his/her delegate on a regular basis, to verify that Parametric has voted all proxies and voted them consistent with the appropriate proxy voting guidelines. |
Proxy Voting Administration –
Minneapolis Investment Center
From time to time, the Minneapolis
Investment Center may be required to vote a proxy ballot on behalf of a client. Proxy ballots mailed to the Minneapolis Investment Center or sent directly to Broadridge are logged into ProxyEdge. The Minneapolis
Operations Team is responsible for monitoring proxy ballots received. The Minneapolis Operations Team will request and receive instruction from the Proxy Voting Coordinator or Manager as how to vote the ballot in
accordance with the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines.
Proxy Voting Committee
| ■ | Parametric has established a Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), which shall meet on a quarterly basis to oversee and monitor the firm’s proxy voting practices. The Committee’s charter is attached hereto as Exhibit B. |
| ■ | The Committee will consider requests (from clients or Portfolio Managers) to vote a proxy contrary to the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines. The Committee will document its rationale for approving or denying the request. |
| ■ | On an annual basis, the Committee will review the firm’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and Proxy Voting Guidelines to ensure they are current, appropriate and designed to serve the best interests of clients and fund shareholders and recommend any changes to the Corporate Governance Committee |
| ■ | In the event that Parametric deems it to be in a client’s best interest to engage a third party proxy voting service provider, the Committee will exercise due diligence to ensure that the service provider firm can provide objective research, make recommendations or vote proxies in an impartial manner and in the best interest of the client. This evaluation will consider the proxy voting firm’s business and conflict of interest procedures, and confirm that the procedures address the firm’s conflicts. On an annual basis, the Committee will evaluate the performance of any third-party proxy voting firms and reconsider if changes have impacted their conflict of interest procedures. Initial and ongoing due diligence evaluations shall be documented in writing. |
Conflicts of interest
| ■ | Using the criteria set by the Proxy Voting Committee the Compliance Department will identify and actively monitor potential conflicts of interest which may compromise the firm’s ability to vote a proxy ballot in the best interest of clients. Compliance will maintain a List of Potentially Conflicted Companies and provide it to Operations whenever it is updated. The list shall identify potential conflicts resulting from business relationships with clients, potential clients, service providers, and the firm’s affiliates. |
328
| ■ | All proxies are voted by Parametric in accordance with the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines. If a proxy ballot is received from an issuer on the List of Conflicted Companies and a proposal is not addressed by the Proxy Voting Guidelines, the Voting Coordinator will forward the proposal to the Manager to confirm that the guidelines do not address the proposal. If confirmed, the Manager will forward the proposal to the Proxy Voting Committee. |
| ■ | If the Proxy Voting Committee determines a material conflict exists, Parametric will refrain from voting the proxy until it has disclosed the conflict to clients and obtained their consent or instruction as how to vote the proxy. Parametric shall provide all necessary information to clients when seeking their instruction and/or consent in voting the proxy. |
| ■ |
If
a client is unresponsive and fails to provide Parametric with instruction or consent to vote the proxy, the Proxy Voting Committee shall make a good faith determination as how to vote the proxy (which may include
abstaining from voting the proxy) and provide appropriate instruction to the Proxy Voting Coordinator. The Committee shall document the rationale for making its final determination.
|
Proxy Voting Disclosure
Responsibilities
| ■ | As a sub-adviser to various mutual funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, Parametric will, upon each fund’s request, compile and transmit in a timely manner all data required to be filed on Form N-PX to the appropriate fund’s administrator or third party service provider designated by the fund’s administrator. |
| ■ | Parametric will promptly report any material changes to these policies and procedures to its mutual fund clients in accordance with their respective policies and procedures, to ensure that the revised policies and procedures may be properly reviewed by the funds’ Boards of Trustees/Directors and included in the funds’ annual registration statements. |
Solicitations and Information
Requests
| ■ | Parametric’s proxy voting policies and procedures are summarized and described to clients in Item 17 of the firm’s Form ADV Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A). Parametric will promptly provide a copy of these proxy voting policies and procedures, which may be updated from time to time, to a client upon their request. |
| ■ | Parametric’s Form ADV Brochure discloses to clients how they may obtain information from Parametric about how it voted proxies on their behalf. Parametric will provide proxy voting information free of charge upon written request. |
| ■ | Parametric will not reveal or disclose to any third-party how it may have voted or intends to vote a proxy until its vote has been counted at the respective shareholder’s meeting. Parametric may in any event disclose its general voting guidelines. No employee of Parametric may accept any benefit in the solicitation of proxies. |
Compliance Review
| ■ | On a regular basis, but not less than annually, the Compliance Department will review a sample of proxies voted to verify that Parametric has voted proxies in accordance with the firm’s proxy voting guidelines and in clients’ best interests. |
| ■ | On an annual basis, the Compliance Department will review the firm’s proxy voting policies and procedures, as required per Rule 206(4)-7, to confirm that they are adequate, effective, and designed to ensure that proxies are voted in clients’ best interests. |
Class Ations
| ■ | Parametric generally does not file or respond to class action claims on behalf of clients unless specifically obligated to do so under the terms of the client’s investment advisory agreement. Parametric will retain appropriate documentation regarding any determinations made on behalf of a client with regard to a class action claim or settlement. |
Recordkeeping
| ■ | Parametric will maintain proxy voting books and records in an easily accessible place for a period of six years, the first two years in the Seattle Investment Center. |
| ■ | Parametric will maintain all requisite proxy voting books and records, including but not limited to: (1) proxy voting policies and procedures, (2) proxy statements received on behalf of client accounts, (3) proxies voted, (4) copies of any documents that were material to making a decision how to vote proxies, and (5) client requests for proxy voting records and Parametric’s written response to any client request. |
EXHIBIT A
PARAMETRIC PORTFOLIO ASSOCIATES
LLC
PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
Dated: February 1,
2018
Stock ownership represents an
opportunity to participate in the economic rewards of a long-lived asset and shareholder rights represent an important path to maximizing these benefits. Given this, Parametric expects the companies in which we invest
to adhere to effective governance practices and consider their impact on the environment and the communities in which they operate. Our Proxy Voting
329
Guidelines (the Guidelines) are designed to
safeguard investor capital over the long-run by supporting qualified, independent boards that show accountability and responsiveness to shareholders and shareholder proposals that are prudent and relevant. In this
effort, we consider the work of recognized corporate governance experts and outside research providers, as well as collaborative investor groups.
The Guidelines are reviewed
annually and updated as needed. Below we summarize our guiding principles and key considerations for certain types of proposals. In addition to the guiding principles set forth below, Parametric will review research
and guidance issued by third party proxy voting service providers in making voting determinations. Proposals that are not addressed by the Guidelines will be reviewed by the Proxy Committee and voted in the manner
that best meets our guiding principles.
Board of Directors
Investors rely on the board of
directors to oversee management and address reasonable shareholder concerns. Therefore, the independence, competence, and responsiveness of directors is paramount and assessing nominees is a major area of focus in our
voting. We expect the board be free of conflicts of interest that would impair their ability to fairly represent the interests of shareholders and to have appropriate expertise. We believe that competent board members
can be found throughout the wider population and a high degree of homogeneity on a board may signal the need for systematic improvement in the nomination process. Responsiveness includes a willingness to consider
labor, human rights, and environmental issues pertinent to the business, in addition to more routine corporate governance issues. Parametric will vote for nominees who demonstrate these qualities and against
individual directors, or the entire board, in their absence. We will generally support shareholder proposals for independent chairman/CEO roles and proxy access, with reasonable requirements.
Conditions that could trigger an
against or withhold vote for individual directors or the entire board include:
| ■ | Majority non-independent board, or lack of independence on key committees |
| ■ | Insufficient attendance at meetings (generally less than 75%), or excessive number of outside boards |
| ■ | Failure to act on shareholder proposals that have received majority support |
| ■ | Poor governance practices such as actions to classify the board, or adopt a poison pill or amend bylaws or charter without shareholder approval |
We believe that chairman of the
board and CEO are different jobs that are best fulfilled by separate individuals, particularly for larger, more complex companies. We expect companies with combined roles to provide a clear rationale for the benefits
and to put governance structures in place to protect against compromised oversight, such as a lead or presiding director.
In the case of contested elections,
nominees will be subjected to similar analysis and expectations. In particular, dissident directors should present a more compelling strategy for improving company returns than the incumbent board.
Auditors
Investors rely on auditors to
attest to the integrity of a company’s financial statements, without which the business could not be properly evaluated. It is essential that auditors be independent, accurate, fair in the fees charged, and not
subject to conflicts of interest. Non-audit fees are expected to generally be no more than a quarter of all fees paid. Parametric will generally vote for ratification of auditors that meet this criteria and vote
case-by-case on shareholder proposals for mandatory rotation.
Executive Compensation
Executive compensation is an
especially complex issue. Properly structured compensation is essential to attracting and retaining effective corporate management. Poorly structured compensation can create perverse incentives and contribute to the
erosion of public trust. Achieving an ideal compensation package is complicated by questions around how to measure performance and the extent to which management should be penalized or rewarded by factors outside of
their control. In light of this, our primary concern is to be attuned to packages that are truly outside of generally accepted practices, in either magnitude or structure, and may incentivize perverse behavior or
result in paying for failure. We believe that total shareholder return as well as other financial metrics can be an appropriate basis for measurement. We generally support compensation that is well-disclosed,
reasonably in line with peers and total shareholder returns, and reflects longer-term strategic company goals. We support annual frequency for say on pay votes. In the case of equity based pay, we may oppose plans
with the potential dilution of greater than 15%. In the case of severance agreements, we prefer arrangements that are triggered by both a change in control and termination, and are limited to no more than three times
recent annual compensation.
Mergers & Acquisitions
330
Business
combinations can be valuable strategic tool but many fail to live up to expectations. Each must be evaluated on a case by case basis. In addition to considering valuation, strategic rationale, any conflicts of
interest and potential changes to the governance profile, we may also consider the impact on community stakeholders. We will generally support combinations that appear to have a high chance of improving shareholder
value over the long-run.
Capital Structur
| ■ | Obtaining additional capital may be necessary to finance vital projects and take advantage of opportunities for growth but this potential value must be weighed any potentially negative impact on existing shareholders. Considerations for authorization of certain types of capital are as follows: |
| ■ | Common Stock – Voted case-by-case. The rationale for the increase and opportunity cost of not approving the request must overcome the dilutive impact. Prior use of authorized shares will also be considered. Requests for increases more than 100% of the existing authorization will generally be opposed, in the absence of a clear need. In the case of dual-class structure, increases in the class of stock with superior voting rights will be opposed. |
| ■ | Preferred Stock – Requests for preferred stock with clearly specified and reasonable terms will be supported. Requests for stock with unspecified terms (blank check) will be opposed. |
| ■ | Debt Restructuring – supported if bankruptcy is expected without restructuring, considered on a case by case otherwise. |
Shareholder Rights
Without certain shareholder rights,
investors’ votes can become useless. Broadly, we support proposals that enhance voting rights and against those that seek to undermine them, and we will vote against/withhold for directors that take actions to
abridge shareholder rights. We believe that in most cases each common share should have one vote, and that a simple majority of voting shares should be all that is required to effect change.
| ■ | Majority Voting Standard – In almost all cases we prefer a majority vote standard for binding votes. We also expect management to be responsive to non-binding votes that have received majority support. In the case that there are more nominees than board seats, we support a plurality vote requirement. |
| ■ | Supermajority Requirements – We are generally opposed to supermajority vote requirements. However, in select cases we might actually support maintaining existing supermajority requirements as a means to protect minority shareholders if new owners seek to change charter or bylaws after a dilutive stock or warrant issuance. |
| ■ | Cumulative Voting – Although we do not generally prefer cumulative voting, it may be warranted in certain cases as a safeguard for shareholders and will therefore be evaluated on a case by case basis. |
| ■ | Confidential Voting – We support confidential voting systems in which management and shareholders receive only vote totals and individual proxies and ballots are made available only to vote tabulators and inspectors. |
| ■ | Right to call meetings and act by written consent – We support proposals that enhance shareholders’ ability to act independently of management, with reasonable requirements, and oppose any that preclude it. |
| ■ | Unequal Voting Rights – Dual-class capitalization structure with unequal voting rights is at odds with the principle that voting rights be commensurate with economic interest. We expect companies with unequal voting rights structures to have a clear rationale for the benefits and an overall governing structure that avoids potential issues related to management or board entrenchment. |
| ■ | Bundled Proposals – Individual proposals should never be bundled, however, in the case that they are, we will support the bundle if the combined effect is expected to be beneficial to shareholders and against if not. |
| ■ | Poison Pills – Although poison pills can be used legitimately, we are more concerned about their potential to be used as a management entrenchment device. We expect the board to provide clear rationale for the pill and submit it to a shareholder vote. We generally prefer shorter terms for pills and unequivocally oppose any features that limit the ability of future boards to eliminate it. We will support reasonably designed pills to protect net operating loss tax assets. |
| ■ | Access to the Proxy – We support providing shareholders the right to nominate director candidates on management’s proxy card, with certain requirements to help prevent abuse of this right. |
| ■ | Greenmail – Targeted share repurchases of stock from investors seeking control of the company is an inappropriate use of resources and discriminates against other shareholders. We support anti-greenmail provisions in a charter or bylaws. However, we vote against anti-greenmail proposals that have been bundled with proposals that we do not support. |
Environmental and Social
Shareholder Resolutions:
Shareholder resolutions are an
important communication mechanism between the board and shareholders. In addition to supporting any of the shareholder resolutions on general governance mentioned previously, we also support resolutions that encourage
the board to improve relevant policies and disclosures as well as take action on certain matters. Our guiding principles are that businesses must adhere to internationally recognized labor and human rights standards;
be transparent around corporate practices involving weapons, repressive governments, public health and product safety; maintain accountability for lobbying and political contributions; and set and report on
environmental performance goals related to the firm’s long-term strategy. We will not support resolutions on matters best left to the board’s discretion or addressed via legislation or regulation, or that
would be unduly burdensome.
331
EXHIBIT B
PARAMETRIC PORTFOLIO ASSOCIATES
LLC
PROXY VOTING COMMITTEE CHARTER
February 1,
2018
Article I – Purpose
Parametric
Portfolio Associates LLC (“Parametric”) has adopted and implemented proxy voting policies and procedures which are designed to ensure that Parametric fulfills its fiduciary obligation to vote proxies in
the best interests of its clients. Parametric has established this Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”) for the purpose of overseeing the implementation and execution of these proxy voting
procedures.
Article II – Composition of
the Committee
Size of Committee
The Committee shall be comprised of
not less than five people.
Appointment of Members
The Committee
shall generally consist of Investment Strategy, Portfolio Management, Operations, and Compliance personnel. Additional committee members may be appointed by the Committee chairperson. Parametric employees from other
business groups may serve on the Committee if the chairperson determines their service to be in the best interest of Parametric.
Committee Chair
One Committee
member shall serve as the Committee’s chairperson (the “Chair”) who shall preside over meetings of the Committee and report Committee actions to the Corporate Governance Committee. The Chair is
responsible for setting the Committee membership and appointing a Committee Coordinator. If the Chair is not present at a regular or special Committee meeting, the Committee may designate an acting Chair.
Committee Coordinator
One member of the
Committee shall serve as the Committee Coordinator, who is responsible for maintaining Committee meeting minutes, setting regular Committee meetings, coordinating an annual review of the firm’s Proxy Voting
Guidelines, and facilitating the Committee oversight of special proxy voting issues and developments.
Article III – Meetings and
Other Actions
Meetings
The Committee shall meet on a
quarterly basis but may meet more frequently if deemed necessary to fulfill the Committee’s duties and responsibilities. The length and agendas for regular meetings shall be determined by the Chair in
consultation with the Committee Coordinator and other Committee members. Three members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum required for the transaction of business and the act of a majority present shall be the
act of the Committee. Committee members may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment. Non-committee members may attend a meeting at the invitation of the
Chair.
Meeting Minutes
The Committee Coordinator shall
keep regular minutes of all regular and special meetings and record any actions taken. If the Committee Coordinator is not present at a meeting, another Committee member shall keep minutes of the proceedings. Meeting
minutes shall be distributed to all Committee members and confirmed at the next regular meeting. The Committee Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the permanent corporate record of all Committee meeting
minutes.
Authority of the Committee
332
The Committee is authorized and
directed to take such action it deems necessary to fulfill its duties and obligations set forth in Article IV of this Charter.
Article IV –
Responsibilities
To fulfill its duties and
responsibilities the Proxy Voting Committee shall:
| ■ | Oversee and monitor the proxy voting processes to ensure that all proxies are voted in accordance with the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines or, for specified client accounts, client proxy voting guidelines. |
| ■ | Consider and determine votes for issues that are not addressed by the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines. (At least two members of the Committee must approve a vote determination before a ballot is voted. All determinations by members of the Committee are reviewed by the Committee at its next regular meeting.) |
| ■ | Consider requests (from portfolio managers, clients, advisers) to vote contrary to the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines. |
| ■ | Identify and monitor actual and potential conflicts of interest involving the proxy voting process. |
| ■ | Engage and oversee any third party service providers utilized to assist Parametric in voting proxies. |
| ■ | Annually review the firm’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and Proxy Voting Guidelines to ensure they are designed to serve the best interests of Parametric’s clients and recommend any revisions to the firm’s Corporate Governance Committee. |
PGIM, INC. (PGIM)
The policy of each of PGIM's asset
management units is to vote proxies in the best interests of their respective clients based on the clients’ priorities. Client interests are placed ahead of any potential interest of PGIM or its asset management
units.
Because the various asset
management units manage distinct classes of assets with differing management styles, some units will consider each proxy on its individual merits while other units may adopt a predetermined set of voting guidelines.
The specific voting approach of each unit is noted below.
Relevant members of management and
regulatory personnel oversee the proxy voting process and monitor potential conflicts of interests. In addition, should the need arise, senior members of management, as advised by Compliance and Law, are authorized to
address any proxy matter involving an actual or apparent conflict of interest that cannot be resolved at the level of an individual asset management business unit.
PGIM FIXED INCOME
. PGIM Fixed Income’s policy is to vote proxies in the best economic interest of its clients. In the case of pooled accounts, the policy is to vote proxies in the best economic
interest of the pooled account. The proxy voting policy contains detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect PGIM Fixed Income’s judgment
of how to further the best economic interest of its clients through the shareholder or debt-holder voting process.
PGIM Fixed Income
invests primarily in debt securities, thus there are few traditional proxies voted by it. PGIM Fixed Income generally votes with management on routine matters such as the appointment of accountants or the election of
directors. From time to time, ballot issues arise that are not addressed by the policy or circumstances may suggest a vote not in accordance with the established guidelines. In these cases, voting decisions are made
on a case-by-case basis by the applicable portfolio manager taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal. Not all ballots are received by PGIM Fixed Income in advance of voting deadlines,
but when ballots are received in a timely fashion, PGIM Fixed Income strives to meet its voting obligations. It cannot, however, guarantee that every proxy will be voted prior to its deadline.
With respect to non-U.S. holdings,
PGIM Fixed Income takes into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair its ability to trade those securities or have other potentially adverse economic consequences. PGIM Fixed Income
generally votes non-U.S. securities on a best efforts basis if it determines that voting is in the best economic interest of its clients.
Occasionally, a
conflict of interest may arise in connection with proxy voting. For example, the issuer of the securities being voted may also be a client of PGIM Fixed Income. When PGIM Fixed Income identifies an actual or potential
material conflict of interest between the firm and its clients with respect to proxy voting, the matter is presented to senior management who will resolve such issue in consultation with the compliance and legal
departments.
Any client may obtain a copy of
PGIM Fixed Income’s proxy voting policy, guidelines and procedures, as well as the proxy voting records for that client’s securities, by contacting the client service representative responsible for the
client’s account.
PGIM REAL ESTATE.
PGIM Real Estate's proxy voting policy contains detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect PGIM Real Estate's
judgment of how to further the best long-range economic interest of our clients (i.e. the mutual interest of clients in seeing the appreciation in value of a common investment over time) through
333
the shareholder voting process. PGIM Real Estate's
policy is generally to vote proxies on social or political issues on a case by case basis. Additionally, where issues are not addressed by our policy, or when circumstances suggest a vote not in accordance with our
established guidelines, voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal. With respect to international holdings, we take into account
additional restrictions in some countries that might impair our ability to trade those securities or have other potentially adverse economic consequences, and generally vote foreign securities on a best efforts basis
in accordance with the recommendations of the issuer's management if we determine that voting is in the best economic interest of our clients.
PGIM Real Estate utilizes the
services of a third party proxy voting facilitator, and upon receipt of proxies will direct the voting facilitator to vote in a manner consistent with PGIM Real Estate's established proxy voting guidelines described
above (assuming timely receipt of proxy materials from issuers and custodians). In accordance with its obligations under the Advisers Act, PGIM Real Estate provides full disclosure of its proxy voting policy,
guidelines and procedures to its clients upon their request, and will also provide to any client, upon request, the proxy voting records for that client's securities.
FIAM Proxy Voting Guidelines
January 2018
| ■ | General Principles |
| ■ | Voting of shares will be conducted in a manner consistent with the best interests of clients. In other words, securities of a portfolio company will generally be voted in a manner consistent with the Guidelines and without regard to any other FIAM or Fidelity companies' relationship, business or otherwise. In evaluating proposals, FIAM considers information from a number of sources, including management or shareholders of a company presenting a proposal and proxy voting advisory firms, and uses all this information as an input within the larger mix of information to which the Guidelines are applied. |
| ■ | Investment Proxy Research votes proxies on behalf of FIAM’s clients. Execution of FIAM Proxy Votes is delegated to Investment Proxy Research. Like other Fidelity employees, Investment Proxy Research employees have a fiduciary duty to never place their own personal interest ahead of the interests of FIAM’s clients. Fidelity employees, including Investment Proxy Research employees, are instructed to avoid situations that could present even the appearance of a conflict. In the event of a conflict of interest, Fidelity employees will follow the escalation process included in Fidelity's corporate policy on conflicts of interest. |
| ■ | For proposals not covered by the Guidelines or that involve other special circumstances, FIAM evaluates them on a case-by-case basis with input from the appropriate analyst or portfolio manager with review by a member of senior management within Investment Proxy Research or an attorney within Fidelity's General Counsel's office. |
| ■ | FIAM will vote on proposals not specifically addressed by the Guidelines based on an evaluation of a proposal's likelihood to enhance the long-term economic returns or profitability of the portfolio company or to maximize long-term shareholder value. Where information is not readily available to analyze the long-term economic impact of the proposal, FIAM will generally abstain. |
| ■ | Many FIAM accounts invest in voting securities issued by companies that are domiciled outside the United States and are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange. Corporate governance standards, legal or regulatory requirements and disclosure practices in foreign countries can differ from those in the United States. When voting proxies relating to non-U.S. securities, FIAM will generally evaluate proposals in the context of the Guidelines and where applicable and feasible, take into consideration differing laws, regulations and practices in the relevant foreign market in determining how to vote shares. |
| ■ | In certain non-U.S. jurisdictions, shareholders voting shares of a portfolio company may be restricted from trading the shares for a period of time around the shareholder meeting date. Because such trading restrictions can hinder portfolio management and could result in a loss of liquidity for a client, FIAM will generally not vote proxies in circumstances where such restrictions apply. In addition, certain non-U.S. jurisdictions require voting shareholders to disclose current share ownership on a fund-by-fund basis. When such disclosure requirements apply, FIAM will generally not vote proxies in order to safeguard fund holdings information. |
| ■ | Where a management-sponsored proposal is inconsistent with the Guidelines, FIAM may receive a company's commitment to modify the proposal or its practice to conform to the Guidelines, and FIAM will generally support management based on this commitment. If a company subsequently does not abide by its commitment, FIAM will generally withhold authority for the election of directors at the next election. |
Definitions (as used in this
document)
| ■ | Anti-Takeover Provision - includes fair price amendments; classified boards; “blank check” preferred stock; Golden Parachutes; supermajority provisions; Poison Pills; restricting the right to call special meetings; provisions restricting the right of shareholders to set board size; and any other provision that eliminates or limits shareholder rights. |
| ■ | Golden Parachute - Employment contracts, agreements, or policies that include an excise tax gross-up provision; single trigger for cash incentives; or may result in a lump sum payment of cash and acceleration of equity that may total more than three times annual compensation (salary and bonus) in the event of a termination following a change in control. |
| ■ | Greenmail - payment of a premium to repurchase shares from a shareholder seeking to take over a company through a proxy contest or other means. |
| ■ | Sunset Provision - a condition in a charter or plan that specifies an expiration date. |
334
| ■ | Poison Pill - a strategy employed by a potential take-over / target company to make its stock less attractive to an acquirer. Poison Pills are generally designed to dilute the acquirer's ownership and value in the event of a take-over. |
| ■ | Large-Capitalization Company - a company included in the Russell 1000® Index or the Russell Global ex-U.S. Large Cap Index. |
| ■ | Small-Capitalization Company - a company not included in the Russell 1000® Index or the Russell Global ex-U.S. Large Cap Index that is not a Micro-Capitalization Company. |
| ■ | Micro-Capitalization Company - a company with market capitalization under US $300 million. |
| ■ | Evergreen Provision - a feature which provides for an automatic increase in the shares available for grant under an equity award plan on a regular basis. |
Directors
| ■ | Election of Directors |
| ■ | FIAM will generally vote in favor of incumbent and nominee directors except where one or more such directors clearly appear to have failed to exercise reasonable judgment. FIAM will also generally withhold authority for the election of all directors or directors on responsible committees if: |
| ■ | An Anti-Takeover Provision was introduced, an Anti-Takeover Provision was extended, or a new Anti-Takeover Provision was adopted upon the expiration of an existing Anti-Takeover Provision, without shareholder approval except as set forth below. |
| ■ | With respect to Poison Pills, however, FIAM will consider not withholding authority on the election of directors if all of the features outlined under the Anti-Takeover Provisions below are met when a Poison Pill is introduced, extended, or adopted. |
| ■ | FIAM will also consider not withholding authority on the election of directors when: |
| ■ | FIAM determines that the Poison Pill was narrowly tailored to protect a specific tax benefit, and subject to an evaluation of its likelihood to enhance long-term economic returns or maximize long-term shareholder value; or |
| ■ | One or more of the features outlined under the Anti-Takeover Provisions below are not met if a board is willing to strongly consider seeking shareholder ratification of, or adding those features to an existing Poison Pill. In such a case, if the company does not take appropriate action prior to the next annual shareholder meeting, FIAM will withhold authority on the election of directors. |
| ■ | Within the last year and without shareholder approval, a company's board of directors or compensation committee has repriced outstanding options, exchanged outstanding options for equity, or tendered cash for outstanding options. |
| ■ | Within the last year and without shareholder approval, a company's board of directors or compensation committee has adopted or extended a Golden Parachute. |
| ■ | The company has not adequately addressed concerns communicated by FIAM in the process of discussing executive compensation. |
| ■ | To gain FIAM’ support on a proposal, the company made a commitment to modify a proposal or practice to conform to the Guidelines and the company has failed to act on that commitment. |
| ■ | The director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the board and its committees on which the director served during the company's prior fiscal year, absent extenuating circumstances. |
| ■ | The board is not composed of a majority of independent directors. |
| ■ | Contested Director Elections |
FIAM believes that strong
management creates long-term shareholder value and we generally support management of companies in which the funds’ assets are invested. FIAM will vote on a case-by-case basis in contested director elections,
taking into account factors such as management’s track record and strategic plan for enhancing shareholder value; the long-term performance of the target company compared to its industry peers; the
qualifications of the shareholder’s and management’s nominees; and other factors. Ultimately, FIAM will vote for the outcome it believes has the best prospects for maximizing shareholder value over the
long term.
| ■ | Indemnification |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of charter and by-law amendments expanding the indemnification of directors and/or limiting their liability for breaches of care unless FIAM is otherwise dissatisfied with the performance of management or the proposal
is accompanied by Anti-Takeover Provisions.
| ■ | Independent Chairperson |
FIAM will generally vote against
shareholder proposals calling for or recommending the appointment of a non-executive or independent chairperson. However, FIAM will consider voting for such proposals in limited cases if, based upon particular facts
and circumstances, appointment of a non-executive or independent chairperson appears likely to further the interests of shareholders and to promote effective oversight of management by the board of directors.
| ■ | Majority Voting in Director Elections |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of proposals calling for directors to be elected by an affirmative majority of votes cast in a board election, provided that the proposal allows for plurality voting standard in the case of contested elections (i.e.,
where there are more nominees than board seats). FIAM may consider voting against such shareholder proposals where a company's board has adopted an alternative measure, such as a director resignation policy, that
provides a meaningful alternative to the majority voting standard and appropriately addresses situations where an incumbent director fails to receive the support of a majority of the votes cast in an uncontested
election.
335
| ■ | Proxy Access |
FIAM will evaluate management and
shareholder proposals to adopt proxy access on a case-by-case basis, but generally will vote in favor of proposals that include ownership thresholds of at least 3% (5% in the case of Small-Capitalization Companies);
holding periods of at least three years; establish the number of directors that eligible shareholders may nominate as 20% of the board; and limit to 20 the number of shareholders that may form a nominating group.
Compensation
| ■ | Executive Compensation |
| ■ | Advisory votes on executive compensation (Say on Pay) |
| ■ | FIAM will generally vote for proposals to ratify executive compensation unless such compensation appears misaligned with shareholder interests or otherwise problematic, taking into account: |
| ■ | The actions taken by the board or compensation committee in the previous year, including whether the company repriced or exchanged outstanding stock options without shareholder approval; adopted or extended a Golden Parachute without shareholder approval; or adequately addressed concerns communicated by FIAM in the process of discussing executive compensation; |
| ■ | The alignment of executive compensation and company performance relative to peers; and |
| ■ | The structure of the compensation program, including factors such as whether incentive plan metrics are appropriate, rigorous and transparent; whether the long-term element of the compensation program is evaluated over at least a three-year period; the sensitivity of pay to below median performance; the amount and nature of non-performance-based compensation; the justification and rationale behind paying discretionary bonuses; the use of stock ownership guidelines and amount of executive stock ownership; and how well elements of compensation are disclosed. |
| ■ | FIAM will generally vote against proposals to ratify Golden Parachutes. |
| ■ | Advisory vote on frequency of Say on Pay votes |
When presented with a frequency of
Say on Pay vote, FIAM will generally support holding an annual advisory vote on Say on Pay.
| ■ | Equity Compensation Plans |
FIAM will generally vote against
equity compensation plans or amendments to authorize additional shares under such plans if:
| ■ | (a) The company’s average three year burn rate is greater than 1.5 % for a Large-Capitalization Company, 2.5% for a Small-Capitalization Company or 3.5% for a Micro-Capitalization Company; and (b) there were no circumstances specific to the company or the plans that lead FIAM to conclude that the burn rate is acceptable. |
| ■ | In the case of stock option plans, (a) the offering price of options is less than 100% of fair market value on the date of grant, except that the offering price may be as low as 85% of fair market value if the discount is expressly granted in lieu of salary or cash bonus; (b) the plan's terms allow repricing of underwater options; or (c) the board/committee has repriced options outstanding under the plan in the past two years without shareholder approval. |
| ■ | The plan includes an Evergreen Provision. |
| ■ | The plan provides for the acceleration of vesting of equity compensation even though an actual change in control may not occur. |
| ■ | Equity Exchanges and Repricing |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of a management proposal to exchange, reprice or tender for cash, outstanding options if the proposed exchange, repricing, or tender offer is consistent with the interests of shareholders, taking into account such
factors as:
| ■ | Whether the proposal excludes senior management and directors; |
| ■ | Whether the exchange or repricing proposal is value neutral to shareholders based upon an acceptable pricing model; |
| ■ | The company's relative performance compared to other companies within the relevant industry or industries; |
| ■ | Economic and other conditions affecting the relevant industry or industries in which the company competes; and |
| ■ | Any other facts or circumstances relevant to determining whether an exchange or repricing proposal is consistent with the interests of shareholders. |
| ■ | Employee Stock Purchase Plans |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of employee stock purchase plans if the minimum stock purchase price is equal to or greater than 85% of the stock's fair market value and the plan constitutes a reasonable effort to encourage broad based participation
in the company's equity. In the case of non-U.S. company stock purchase plans, FIAM may permit a lower minimum stock purchase price equal to the prevailing “best practices” in the relevant non-U.S. market,
provided that the minimum stock purchase price must be at least 75% of the stock's fair market value.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
FIAM will generally vote against a
proposal to adopt or approve the adoption of an Anti-Takeover Provision unless:
| ■ | In the case of a Poison Pill, it either: |
336
| ■ | Includes the following features: |
| ■ | A Sunset Provision of no greater than five years; |
| ■ | Links to a business strategy that is expected to result in greater value for the shareholders; |
| ■ | Requires shareholder approval to be reinstated upon expiration or if amended; |
| ■ | Contains a mechanism to allow shareholders to consider a bona fide takeover offer for all outstanding shares without triggering the Poison Pill; and |
| ■ | Allows Fidelity to hold an aggregate position of up to 20% of a company's total voting securities and of any class of voting securities; or |
| ■ | Is crafted only for the purpose of protecting a specific tax benefit and after evaluating the proposal based on its likelihood to enhance long-term economic returns or maximize long-term shareholder value. |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of a proposal to eliminate an Anti-Takeover Provision unless:
| ■ | In the case of shareholder proposals regarding shareholders’ right to call special meetings, FIAM generally will vote against each proposal if the threshold required to call a special meeting is less than 25% of the outstanding stock. |
| ■ | In the case of proposals regarding shareholders’ right to act by written consent, FIAM will generally vote against each proposal if it does not include appropriate mechanisms for implementation including, among other things, record date requests from at least 25% of the outstanding shareholders and consents must be solicited from all shareholders. |
| ■ | In the case of proposals regarding supermajority provisions, FIAM may vote to support such a provision when FIAM determines that it may protect minority shareholder interests in companies where there is a substantial or dominant shareholder. |
Capital Structure / Incorporation
| ■ | Increases in Common Stock |
FIAM will generally vote against a
provision to increase a company's authorized common stock if such increase will result in a total number of authorized shares greater than three times the current number of outstanding and scheduled to be issued
shares, including stock options.
However, in the case of real estate
investment trusts (REIT), FIAM will generally vote against a provision to increase the REIT’s authorized common stock if the increase will result in a total number of authorized shares up to five times the
current number of outstanding and scheduled to be issued shares.
| ■ | Reverse Stock Splits |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of reverse stock splits as long as the post-split authorized shares is no greater than three times the post-split number of outstanding and scheduled to be issued shares, including stock awards, or in the case of real
estate investment trusts the number of post-split authorized shares is not greater than five times the post-split number of outstanding and scheduled to be issued shares.
| ■ | Multi-Class Share Structures |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of proposals to recapitalize multi-class share structures into structures that provide equal voting rights for all shareholders, and will generally vote against proposals to introduce or increase classes of stock with
differential voting rights. However, FIAM will evaluate all such proposals in the context of their likelihood to enhance long-term economic returns or maximize long-term shareholder value.
| ■ | Cumulative Voting Rights |
FIAM will generally vote against
the introduction and in favor of the elimination of cumulative voting rights.
| ■ | Acquisition or Business Combination Statutes |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of proposed amendments to a company's certificate of incorporation or by-laws that enable the company to opt out of the control shares acquisition or business combination statutes.
| ■ | Incorporation or Reincorporation in Another State or Country |
FIAM will generally vote for
management proposals calling for, or recommending that, a portfolio company reincorporate in another state or country if, on balance, the economic and corporate governance factors in the proposed jurisdiction appear
reasonably likely to be better aligned with shareholder interests, taking into account the corporate laws of the current and proposed jurisdictions and any changes to the company’s current and proposed governing
documents. FIAM will consider supporting such shareholder proposals in limited cases if, based upon particular facts and circumstances, remaining incorporated in the current jurisdiction appears misaligned with
shareholder interests.
Shares of Fidelity Funds, ETFs, or
other non-Fidelity Mutual Funds and ETFs
337
| ■ | If applicable, when a FIAM account invests in an underlying Fidelity Fund with public shareholders, an exchange traded fund (ETF), or non-affiliated fund, FIAM will vote in the same proportion as all other voting shareholders of the underlying fund (“echo voting”). FIAM may choose not to vote if “echo voting” is not operationally practical. |
| ■ | Certain FIAM accounts may invest in shares of underlying Fidelity Funds that do not have public shareholders. For Fidelity Funds without public shareholders that are managed by Fidelity or an affiliate. FIAM will generally vote in favor of proposals recommended by the underlying funds' Board of Trustees. |
Other
| ■ | Voting Process |
FIAM will generally vote in favor
of proposals to adopt confidential voting and independent vote tabulation practices.
| ■ | Environmental and Social Issues |
FIAM generally will vote in a
manner consistent with management’s recommendation on shareholder proposals concerning environmental or social issues, as it generally believes that management and the board are in the best position to determine
how to address these matters. In certain cases, however, Fidelity may support shareholder proposals that request additional disclosures from companies regarding environmental or social issues, where it believes that
the proposed disclosures could provide meaningful information to the investment management process without unduly burdening the company.
For example, FIAM may support
shareholder proposals calling for reports on sustainability, renewable energy, and environmental impact issues. FIAM also may support proposals on issues such as equal employment, and board and workforce diversity.
QUANTITATIVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES
LLC
It is the policy
of Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA) to vote proxies on client securities in the best long-term economic interest of its clients (i.e., the mutual interests of clients in seeing the appreciation in value of
a common investment over time). In the case of pooled accounts, QMA’s policy is to vote proxies on securities in such account in the best long-term economic interest of the pooled account. In the event of any
actual or apparent material conflict between its clients' interest and QMA’s own, QMA’s policy is to act solely in its clients' interest. To this end, the proxy voting policy and procedures adopted by QMA
include procedures to address potential material conflicts of interest arising in connection with the voting of proxies.
QMA's proxy voting policy contains
detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect QMA's judgment of how to further the best long-range economic interest of its clients through the
shareholder voting process. QMA may consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors in its voting decisions. Where issues are not addressed by its policy, or when circumstances suggest a vote not in
accordance with its established guidelines, voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal as well as any circumstances that may result in
restrictions on trading the security. With respect to non-U.S. holdings, QMA takes into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair its ability to trade those securities or have other
potentially adverse economic consequences, and generally vote foreign securities on a best efforts basis if QMA determines that voting is in the best economic interest of its clients. QMA may be unable to vote proxies
in countries where clients or their custodians do not have the ability to cast votes due to lack of documentation or operational capacity, or otherwise. The Fund determines whether fund securities out on loan are to
be recalled for voting purposes and QMA is not involved in any such decision. QMA’s proxy voting committee includes representatives of QMA’s investment, operations, compliance, risk and legal teams.
QMA’s proxy voting committee is responsible for interpreting the proxy voting policy, identifying conflicts of interest, and periodically assessing the effectiveness of the policies and procedures.
QMA utilizes the services of a
third party proxy voting facilitator, and has directed the voting facilitator, upon receipt of proxies will direct the voting facilitator to vote in a manner consistent with QMA's established proxy voting guidelines
described above (assuming timely receipt of proxy materials from issuers and custodians). In accordance with its obligations under the Advisers Act, QMA provides full disclosure of its proxy voting policy, guidelines
and procedures to its clients upon their request, and will also provide to any client, upon request, the proxy voting records for that client's securities.
Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC
Proxy Voting Policy Summary
AllianzGI US may be granted by its
clients the authority to vote proxies of the securities held in client accounts. AllianzGI US typically votes proxies as part of its discretionary authority to manage accounts, unless the client has explicitly
reserved the authority for itself. When voting proxies, AllianzGI US seeks to make voting decisions solely in the best interests of its clients and to enhance the economic value of the underlying portfolio
securities held in its clients’ accounts.
338
AllianzGI US has
adopted written Global Corporate Governance Guidelines (the “Proxy Guidelines”) that are reasonably designed to ensure that the firm is voting in the best interest of its clients. The Proxy Guidelines
reflect AllianzGI US’s general voting positions on specific corporate governance issues. AllianzGI US has retained an independent third party service provider (the “Proxy Provider”) to assist
in the proxy voting process by implementing the votes in accordance with the Proxy Guidelines as well as assisting in the administrative process. The Proxy Provider offer a variety of proxy-related services to
assist in AllianzGI US’s handling of proxy voting responsibilities. The Proxy Guidelines also provide for oversight of the proxy voting process by a Proxy Committee. The Proxy Guidelines summarize
AllianzGI US’s position on various issues, including issues of corporate governance and corporate actions, and give general indication as to how we will vote shares on such issues. Occasionally, there may
be instances when AllianzGI US may not vote proxies in strict adherence to the Proxy Guidelines. To the extent that the Proxy Guidelines do not cover potential voting issues or a case arises of a potential
material conflict between AllianzGI US’s interest and those of a client with respect to proxy voting, the Proxy Committee will convene to discuss the issues. In evaluating issues, the Proxy Committee may
consider information from many sources, including the portfolio management team, the analyst responsible for monitoring the stock of the company at issue, management of a company presenting a proposal, shareholder
groups and independent proxy research services. In situations in which the Proxy Guidelines do not give clear guidance on an issue, the Proxy Provider policies are consulted and/or the Proxy Committee will
review the issue. In the event that either an analyst or portfolio manager wishes to override the Proxy Guidelines, the analyst or portfolio manager will be presented to the Proxy Committee for a final
decision. Any deviations from the Proxy Guidelines will be documented and maintained in accordance with Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act.
In certain circumstances, a client
may request in writing that AllianzGI US vote proxies for its account in accordance with a set of guidelines which differs from the Proxy Guidelines. For example, a client may wish to have proxies voted for its
account in accordance with the Taft-Hartley proxy voting guidelines. In that case, AllianzGI US will vote the shares held by such client accounts in accordance with their direction, which may be different from
the vote cast for shares held on behalf of other client accounts that vote in accordance with the Proxy Guidelines.
AllianzGI US will generally refrain
from voting proxies on securities that are subject to share blocking restrictions. Certain countries require the freezing of shares for trading purposes at the custodian/sub-custodian bank level in order to vote
proxies to ensure that shareholders voting at meetings continue to hold the shares through the actual shareholder meeting. However, because AllianzGI US cannot anticipate every proxy proposal that may arise
(including a proxy proposal that an analyst and/or portfolio manager believes has the potential to significantly affect the economic value of the underlying security, such as proxies relating to mergers and
acquisitions), AllianzGI US may, from time to time, instruct the Proxy Providers to cast a vote for a proxy proposal in a share blocked country. AllianzGI US will not be responsible for voting of proxies that
AllianzGI US has not been notified of on a timely basis by the client’s custodian.
In accordance with the Proxy
Guidelines, AllianzGI US may review additional criteria associated with voting proxies and evaluate the expected benefit to its clients when making an overall determination on how or whether to vote a proxy.
Upon receipt of a client’s written request, AllianzGI US may also vote proxies for that client’s account in a particular manner that may differ from the Proxy Guidelines. In addition, AllianzGI US
may refrain from voting a proxy on behalf of its clients’ accounts due to de-minimis holdings, immaterial impact on the portfolio, items relating to non-U.S. issuers (such as those described below),
non-discretionary holdings not covered by AllianzGI US, timing issues related to the opening/closing of accounts, securities lending issues (see below), contractual arrangements with clients and/or their authorized
delegate, the timing of receipt of information, or where circumstances beyond its control prevent it from voting. For example, AllianzGI US may refrain from voting a proxy of a non-U.S. issuer due to logistical
considerations that may impair AllianzGI US’s ability to vote the proxy. These issues may include, but are not limited to: (i) proxy statements and ballots being written in a language other than English,
(ii) untimely notice of a shareholder meeting, (iii) requirements to vote proxies in person, (iv) restrictions on non-U.S. person’s ability to exercise votes, (v) restrictions on the sale of securities for a
period of time in proximity to the shareholder meeting, or (vi) requirements to provide local agents with power of attorney to facilitate the voting instructions. Such proxies are voted on a best-efforts
basis.
AllianzGI US may instead vote in
accordance with the proxy guidelines of its affiliate advisers when voting in connection with Wrap Programs. The affiliated adviser’s guidelines may differ and in fact be in conflict with AllianzGI
US’s voting guidelines. AllianzGI US typically votes proxies as part of its discretionary authority to manage Wrap Program accounts, unless a client has indicated to the Sponsor that it has explicitly
reserved the authority to vote proxies for itself. AllianzGI US will generally vote all proxies sent to it by the Sponsor on an aggregate basis. When AllianzGI US votes proxies on an aggregate basis, the
proxy voting records are generally available only on an aggregate level and are not maintained on an individual account basis.
If a client has decided to
participate in a securities lending program, AllianzGI US will defer to the client’s determination and not attempt to recall securities on loan solely for the purpose of voting routine proxies as this could
impact the returns received from securities lending and make the client a less desirable lender in the marketplace. If the participating client requests, AllianzGI US will use reasonable efforts to notify the
client of proxy measures that AllianzGI US deems material.
339
The ability to timely identify
material events and recommend recall of shares for proxy voting purposes is not within the control of AllianzGI US and requires the cooperation of the client and its other service providers. Efforts to recall
loaned securities are not always effective and there can be no guarantee that any such securities can be retrieved in a timely manner for purposes of voting the securities.
Clients may obtain a copy of the
Proxy Guidelines upon request. To obtain a copy of the Proxy Guidelines or to obtain information on how an account’s securities were voted, clients should contact their account representative.
T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE (CANADA), INC
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED
T. ROWE PRICE SINGAPORE PRIVATE LTD.
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE (CANADA), INC
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED
T. ROWE PRICE SINGAPORE PRIVATE LTD.
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE PROXIES
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., T.
Rowe Price International Ltd, T. Rowe Price (Canada), Inc., T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited, and T. Rowe Price Singapore Private Ltd.
(
collectively,
“T. Rowe Price”)
recognize and adhere to the principle that one of the privileges of owning stock in a company is the right to vote in the election of the company’s
directors and on matters affecting certain important aspects of the company’s structure and operations that are submitted to shareholder vote. As an investment adviser with a fiduciary responsibility to its
clients, T. Rowe Price analyzes the proxy statements of issuers whose stock is owned by the U.S.-registered investment companies which it sponsors and serves as investment adviser (“
Price Funds
”) and by common trust funds, offshore funds, institutional and private counsel clients who have requested that T. Rowe Price be involved in the proxy process. T. Rowe
Price has assumed the responsibility for voting proxies on behalf of the T. Rowe Price Funds and certain counsel clients who have delegated such responsibility to T. Rowe Price. In addition, T. Rowe Price makes
recommendations regarding proxy voting to counsel clients who have not delegated the voting responsibility but who have requested voting advice. T. Rowe Price reserves the right to decline to vote proxies in
accordance with client-specific voting guidelines.
T. Rowe Price has adopted these
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“
Policies and Procedures”
) for the purpose of establishing formal policies and procedures for performing and documenting its fiduciary duty with regard to the voting of client
proxies. This document is updated annually.
Fiduciary Considerations.
It is the policy of T. Rowe Price that decisions with respect to proxy issues will be made in light of the anticipated impact of the issue on the desirability of investing in the portfolio
company from the viewpoint of the particular client or Price Fund. Proxies are voted solely in the interests of the client, Price Fund shareholders or, where employee benefit plan assets are involved, in the interests
of plan participants and beneficiaries. Our intent has always been to vote proxies, where possible to do so, in a manner consistent with our fiduciary obligations and responsibilities. Practicalities and costs
involved with international investing may make it impossible at times, and at other times disadvantageous, to vote proxies in every instance.
Other
Considerations.
One of the primary factors T. Rowe Price considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular company is the quality and depth of its management. We recognize that a
company’s management is entrusted with the day-to-day operations of the company, as well as its long-term direction and strategic planning, subject to the oversight of the company’s board of directors.
Accordingly, our proxy voting guidelines are not intended to substitute our judgment for management’s with respect to the company’s day-to-day operations. Rather, our proxy voting guidelines are designed
to promote accountability of a company’s management and board of directors to its shareholders; to align the interests of management with those of shareholders; and to encourage companies to adopt best practices
in terms of their corporate governance. In addition to our proxy voting guidelines, we rely on a company’s disclosures, its board’s recommendations, a company’s track record, country-specific best
practices codes, our research providers and, most importantly, our investment professionals’ views, in making voting decisions.
ADMINISTRATION OF POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
Proxy Committee.
T. Rowe Price’s Proxy Committee
(“Proxy Committee”)
is responsible for establishing positions with respect to corporate governance and other proxy issues, including those involving corporate social responsibility issues. Certain delegated
members of the Proxy Committee also review questions and respond to inquiries from clients and mutual fund shareholders pertaining to proxy issues.
340
While the Proxy Committee sets voting guidelines
and serves as a resource for T. Rowe Price portfolio management, it does not have proxy voting authority for any Price Fund or counsel client. Rather, this responsibility is held by the Chairperson of the Price
Fund’s Investment Advisory Committee or counsel client’s portfolio manager.
Proxy Services Group.
The Proxy Services Group is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in the Policies and Procedures.
Head of Corporate
Governance.
Our Head of Corporate Governance is responsible for reviewing the proxy agendas for all upcoming meetings and making company-specific recommendations to our global industry analysts and
portfolio managers with regard to the voting decisions in their portfolios.
HOW PROXIES ARE REVIEWED, PROCESSED
AND VOTED
In order to
facilitate the proxy voting process, T. Rowe Price has retained Institutional Shareholder Services
(“ISS”)
as an expert in the proxy voting and corporate governance area. ISS specializes in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy advisory and voting services. These
services include voting recommendations as well as vote execution and reporting for the handling of proxy voting responsibility. In order to reflect T. Rowe Price’s issue-by-issue voting guidelines as approved
each year by the Proxy Committee, ISS maintains and implements a custom voting policy for the Price Funds and other client accounts.
Meeting Notification
T. Rowe Price
utilizes ISS’ voting agent services to notify us of upcoming shareholder meetings for portfolio companies held in client accounts and to transmit votes to the various custodian banks of our clients. ISS tracks
and reconciles T. Rowe Price holdings against incoming proxy ballots. If ballots do not arrive on time, ISS procures them from the appropriate custodian or proxy distribution agent. Meeting and record date information
is updated daily, and transmitted to T. Rowe Price through ProxyExchange, ISS’ web-based application.
Vote Determination
Each day, ISS
delivers into T. Rowe Price’s proprietary proxy research platform a comprehensive summary of upcoming meetings, proxy proposals, publications discussing key proxy voting issues, and custom vote recommendations
to assist us with proxy research and processing. The final authority and responsibility for proxy voting decisions remains with T. Rowe Price. Decisions with respect to proxy matters are made primarily in light of the
anticipated impact of the issue on the desirability of investing in the company from the perspective of our clients.
Portfolio managers may decide to
vote their proxies consistent with the guidelines, as set by the Proxy Committee, and instruct the Proxy Services Group to vote all proxies accordingly. Alternatively, portfolio managers may request to review the vote
recommendations and sign off on all proxies before the votes are cast, or they may choose only to sign off on those votes cast against management. The portfolio managers are also given the option of reviewing and
determining the votes on all proxies without utilizing the vote guidelines of the Proxy Committee. In all cases, the portfolio managers may elect to receive current reports summarizing all proxy votes in their client
accounts. Portfolio managers who vote their proxies inconsistent with T. Rowe Price guidelines are required to document the rationale for their votes. The Proxy Services Group is responsible for maintaining this
documentation and assuring that it adequately reflects the basis for any vote which is cast contrary to our proxy voting guidelines.
T. Rowe Price Voting Policies
Specific proxy voting guidelines
have been adopted by the Proxy Committee for all regularly occurring categories of management and shareholder proposals. A detailed set of proxy voting guidelines is available on the T. Rowe Price website,
www.troweprice.com. The following is a summary of our guidelines on the most significant proxy voting topics:
Election of
Directors
– For U.S. companies, T. Rowe Price generally supports slates with a majority of independent directors. However, T. Rowe Price may vote against outside directors who do not meet our
criteria relating to their independence, particularly when they serve on key board committees, such as compensation and nominating committees, for which we believe that all directors should be independent. Outside of
the U.S., we expect companies to adhere to the minimum independence standard established by regional corporate governance codes. At a minimum, however, we believe boards in all regions should include a blend of
executive and non-executive members, and we are likely to vote against senior executives at companies with insufficient representation by independent directors. We also vote against directors who are unable to
dedicate sufficient time to their board duties due to their commitments to other boards. We may vote against certain directors who have served on company boards where we believe there has been a gross failure in
governance or oversight. Additionally, we may vote against compensation committee members who approve excessive
341
executive compensation or severance arrangements.
We support efforts to elect all board members annually because boards with staggered terms lessen directors’ accountability to shareholders and act as deterrents to takeover proposals. To strengthen
boards’ accountability, T. Rowe Price supports proposals calling for a majority vote threshold for the election of directors and we may withhold votes from an entire board if they fail to implement shareholder
proposals that receive majority support.
Anti-Takeover, Capital Structure
and Corporate Governance Issues
– T. Rowe Price generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they adversely impact shareholder rights and limit the ability of shareholders to act on potential value-enhancing
transactions. Such anti-takeover mechanisms include classified boards, supermajority voting requirements, dual share classes, and poison pills. When voting on capital structure proposals, T. Rowe Price will consider
the dilutive impact to shareholders and the effect on shareholder rights. We may support shareholder proposals that call for the separation of the Chairman and CEO positions if we determine that insufficient
governance safeguards are in place at the company.
Executive
Compensation Issues
– T. Rowe Price’s goal is to assure that a company’s equity-based compensation plan is aligned with shareholders’ long-term interests. We evaluate plans on a
case-by-case basis, using a number of factors, including dilution to shareholders, problematic plan features, burn rate, and the equity compensation mix. Plans that are constructed to effectively and fairly align
executives’ and shareholders’ incentives generally earn our approval. Conversely, we oppose compensation packages that provide what we view as excessive awards to few senior executives or contain the
potential for excessive dilution relative to the company’s peers. We also may oppose equity plans at any company where we deem the overall compensation practices to be problematic. We generally oppose efforts to
reprice options in the event of a decline in value of the underlying stock unless such plans appropriately balance shareholder and employee interests. For companies with particularly egregious pay practices such as
excessive severance packages, executives with outsized pledged/hedged stock positions, executive perks, and bonuses that are not adequately linked to performance, we may vote against compensation committee members. We
analyze management proposals requesting ratification of a company’s executive compensation practices (
“Say-on-Pay”
proposals) on a case-by-case basis, using a screen that assesses the long-term linkage between executive compensation and company performance as well as the presence of objectionable
structural features in compensation plans. With respect to the frequency in which companies should seek advisory votes on compensation, in most cases we believe shareholders should be offered the opportunity to vote
annually. Finally, we may oppose compensation committee members or even the entire board if we have cast votes against a company’s “Say-on-Pay” vote in consecutive years.
Mergers and Acquisitions
– T. Rowe Price considers takeover offers, mergers, and other extraordinary corporate transactions on a case-by-case basis to determine if they are beneficial to shareholders’
current and future earnings stream and to ensure that our Price Funds and clients are receiving fair consideration for their securities. We oppose a high proportion of proposals for the ratification of executive
severance packages (
“Say on Golden Parachute”
proposals) in conjunction with merger transactions if we conclude these arrangements reduce the alignment of executives’ incentives with shareholders’ interests.
Corporate Social
Responsibility Issues
– Vote recommendations for corporate responsibility issues are generated by the Head of Corporate Governance using ISS’ proxy research and company reports. T. Rowe Price
generally votes with a company’s management on social, environmental and corporate responsibility issues unless the issue has substantial investment implications for the company’s business or operations
which have not been adequately addressed by management. T. Rowe Price supports well-targeted shareholder proposals on environmental and other public policy issues that are particularly relevant to a company’s
businesses.
Global Portfolio Companies
– ISS applies a two-tier approach to determining and applying global proxy voting policies. The first tier establishes baseline policy guidelines for the most fundamental issues, which
span the corporate governance spectrum without regard to a company’s domicile. The second tier takes into account various idiosyncrasies of different countries, making allowances for standard market practices,
as long as they do not violate the fundamental goals of good corporate governance. The goal is to enhance shareholder value through effective use of the shareholder franchise, recognizing that application of policies
developed for U.S. corporate governance issues are not appropriate for all markets. The Proxy Committee has reviewed ISS’ general global policies and has developed custom international proxy voting guidelines
based on those recommendations and our own views as investors in these
markets.
Fixed Income, Index and Passively
Managed Accounts
– Proxy voting for fixed income, index and other passively-managed portfolios is administered by the Proxy Services Group using T. Rowe Price’s guidelines as set by the Proxy
Committee. If a portfolio company is held in both an actively managed account and an index account, the index account will default to the vote as determined by the actively managed proxy voting process. In addition,
fixed income accounts will generally follow the proxy vote determinations on security holdings held by our equity accounts unless the matter is specific to a particular fixed income security (i.e., consents,
restructurings, reorganization proposals).
342
Divided
Votes
– In situations where a decision is made which is contrary to the policies established by the Proxy Committee, or differs from the vote for any other client or Price Fund, the Proxy
Services Group advises the portfolio managers involved of the divided vote. The persons representing opposing views often confer to discuss their positions
because in most
cases our votes reflect consensus across the Price Funds and other
accounts.
Shareblocking
– Shareblocking is the practice in certain foreign countries of “freezing” shares for trading purposes in order to vote proxies relating to those shares. In markets where
shareblocking applies, the custodian or sub-custodian automatically freezes shares prior to a shareholder meeting once a proxy has been voted. Shareblocking typically takes place between one and fifteen (15) days
before the shareholder meeting, depending on the market. In markets where shareblocking applies, there is a potential for a pending trade to fail if trade settlement takes place during the blocking period. T. Rowe
Price’s policy is generally to refrain from voting shares in shareblocking countries unless the matter has compelling economic consequences that outweigh the loss of liquidity in the blocked shares.
Securities on
Loan
– The Price Funds and our institutional clients may participate in securities lending programs to generate income. Generally, the voting rights pass with the securities on loan;
however, lending agreements give the lender the right to terminate the loan and pull back the loaned shares provided sufficient notice is given to the custodian bank in advance of the applicable deadline. T. Rowe
Price’s policy is generally not to vote securities on loan unless we determine there is a material voting event that could affect the value of the loaned securities. In this event, we have the discretion to pull
back the loaned securities in order to cast a vote at an upcoming shareholder meeting.
Monitoring and Resolving Conflicts of
Interest
The Proxy Committee is also
responsible for monitoring and resolving potential material conflicts between the interests of T. Rowe Price and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting. We have adopted safeguards to ensure that our proxy
voting is not influenced by interests other than those of our fund shareholders. While membership on the Proxy Committee is diverse, it does not include individuals whose primary duties relate to client relationship
management, marketing, or sales. Since T. Rowe Price’s voting guidelines are predetermined by the Proxy Committee, application of the guidelines by fund portfolio managers to vote fund proxies should in most
instances adequately address any potential conflicts of interest. However, consistent with the terms of the Policies and Procedures, which allow portfolio managers to vote proxies opposite our general voting
guidelines, the Proxy Committee regularly reviews all such proxy votes that are inconsistent with the proxy voting guidelines to determine whether the portfolio manager’s voting rationale appears reasonable. The
Proxy Committee also assesses whether any business or other material relationships between T. Rowe Price and a portfolio company (unrelated to the ownership of the portfolio company’s securities) could have
influenced an inconsistent vote on that company’s proxy.
Issues raising potential conflicts
of interest are referred to designated members of the Proxy Committee for immediate resolution prior to the time T. Rowe Price casts its vote. With respect to personal conflicts of interest, T. Rowe Price’s Code
of Ethics and Conduct requires all employees to avoid placing themselves in a “compromising position” in which their interests may conflict with those of our clients and restrict their ability to engage in
certain outside business activities. Portfolio managers or Proxy Committee members with a personal conflict of interest regarding a particular proxy vote must recuse themselves and not participate in the voting
decisions with respect to that proxy.
Specific Conflict of Interest
Situations
- Voting of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. common stock (sym: TROW) by certain T. Rowe Price Index Funds will be done in all instances in accordance with T. Rowe Price policy, and votes
inconsistent with policy will not be permitted. In the event that there is no previously established guideline for a specific voting issue appearing on the T. Rowe Price Group proxy, the Price Funds will abstain on
that voting item. In addition, T. Rowe Price has voting authority for proxies of the holdings of certain Price Funds that invest in other Price Funds. In cases where the underlying fund of an investing Price Fund,
including a fund-of-funds, holds a proxy vote, T. Rowe Price will mirror vote the fund shares held by the upper-tier fund in the same proportion as the votes cast by the shareholders of the underlying funds (other
than the T. Rowe Price Reserve Investment Funds).
Limitations on Voting Proxies of
Banks
T. Rowe Price has obtained relief
from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board (the
“FRB Relief”
) which permits, subject to a number of conditions, T. Rowe Price to acquire in the aggregate on behalf of its clients, 10% or more of the total voting stock of
a bank, bank holding company, savings and loan holding company or savings association (each a
“Bank”
), not to exceed a 15% aggregate beneficial ownership maximum in such Bank. One such condition affects the manner in which T. Rowe Price will vote its clients’
shares of a Bank in excess of 10% of the Bank’s total voting stock (
“Excess Shares”
). The FRB Relief requires that T. Rowe Price use its best efforts to vote the Excess Shares in the same proportion as all other shares voted, a practice
generally referred to as “mirror voting,” or in the
343
event that such efforts to mirror vote are
unsuccessful, Excess Shares will not be voted. With respect to a shareholder vote for a Bank of which T. Rowe Price has aggregate beneficial ownership of greater than 10% on behalf of its clients, T. Rowe Price will
determine which of its clients’ shares are Excess Shares on a pro rata basis across all of its clients’ portfolios for which T. Rowe Price has the power to vote proxies.
REPORTING, RECORD RETENTION AND
OVERSIGHT
The Proxy Committee, and certain
personnel under the direction of the Proxy Committee, perform the following oversight and assurance functions, among others, over T. Rowe Price’s proxy voting: (1) periodically samples proxy votes to ensure that
they were cast in compliance with T. Rowe Price’s proxy voting guidelines; (2) reviews, no less frequently than annually, the adequacy of the Policies and Procedures to make sure that they have been implemented
effectively, including whether they continue to be reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of our clients; (3) performs due diligence on whether a retained proxy advisory firm has
the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues, including the adequacy and quality of the proxy advisory firm’s staffing and personnel and its policies; and (4) oversees any retained proxy
advisory firms and their procedures regarding their capabilities to (i) produce proxy research that is based on current and accurate information and (ii) identify and address any conflicts of interest and any other
considerations that we believe would be appropriate in considering the nature and quality of the services provided by the proxy advisory firm.
Vote Summary Reports will be
generated for each client that requests T. Rowe Price to furnish proxy voting records. The report specifies the portfolio companies, meeting dates, proxy proposals, and votes which have been cast for the client during
the period and the position taken with respect to each issue. Reports normally cover quarterly or annual periods and are provided to clients upon request.
T. Rowe Price retains proxy
solicitation materials, memoranda regarding votes cast in opposition to the position of a company’s management, and documentation on shares voted differently. In addition, any document which is material to a
proxy voting decision such as the T. Rowe Price proxy voting guidelines, Proxy Committee meeting materials, and other internal research relating to voting decisions will be kept. All proxy voting materials and
supporting documentation are retained for six years (except for proxy statements available on the SEC’s EDGAR database).
THOMPSON, SIEGEL & WALMSLEY
LLC
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley
LLC (TSW) acknowledges it has a fiduciary obligation to its clients that requires it to monitor corporate events and vote client proxies. TSW has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures
reasonably designed to ensure that proxies for domestic and foreign stock holdings are voted in the best interest of our clients on a best efforts basis. TSW recognizes that it (i) has a fiduciary
responsibility under the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act (ERISA) to vote proxies prudently and solely in the best interest of plan participants and beneficiaries (ii) will vote stock proxies in the best
interest of the client (non-ERISA) when directed (together, our clients). TSW has developed its policy to be consistent with, wherever possible, enhancing long-term shareholder value and leading corporate
governance practices. TSW has retained the services of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). ISS is a Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. As a leading
provider of proxy voting and corporate governance services with 20+ years of experience, ISS serves more than 1,700 institutions. ISS’s core business is to analyze proxies and issue informed research
and objective vote recommendations for more than 38,000 companies across 115 markets worldwide. ISS provides TSW proxy proposal research and voting recommendations and votes accounts on TSW’s behalf under
the guidance of ISS’s standard voting guidelines which include:
| ■ | Operational Issues |
| ■ | Board of Directors |
| ■ | Proxy Contests |
| ■ | Anti-takeover Defenses and Related Voting Issues |
| ■ | Mergers and Corporate Restructurings |
| ■ | State of Incorporation |
| ■ | Capital Structure |
| ■ | Executive & Director Compensation |
| ■ | Corporate Responsibility: |
| ■ | Consumer Issues and Public Safety |
| ■ | Environment and Energy |
| ■ | General Corporate Issues |
| ■ | Labor Standards and Human Rights |
| ■ | Military Business |
| ■ | Workplace Diversity |
| ■ | Mutual Fund Proxies |
| ■ | Equity and Compensation Plans |
344
| ■ | Specific Treatment of Certain Award Types in Equity Plan Evaluations |
| ■ | Other Compensation Proposals & Policies |
| ■ | Shareholder Proposals on Compensation |
TSW’s proxy coordinator is
responsible for monitoring ISS’s voting procedures on an ongoing basis. TSW’s general policy regarding the voting of proxies is as follows:
Proxy Voting Guidelines:
Routine and/or non-controversial,
general corporate governance issues are normally voted with management; this would include the Approval of Independent Auditors.
Occasionally, ISS may vote
against management’s proposal on a particular issue; such issues would generally be those deemed likely to reduce shareholder control over management, entrench management at the expense of shareholders, or in
some way diminish shareholders’ present or future value. From time to time TSW will receive and act upon the client’s specific instructions regarding proxy proposals. TSW reserves the right to vote
against any proposals motivated by political, ethical or social concerns. TSW and ISS will examine each issue solely from an economic perspective.
A complete summary of ISS’s
voting guidelines, domestic & foreign, are available at: http://www.issgovernance.com/policy
Conflicts of Interest:
Occasions may arise during the
voting process in which the best interests of the clients conflicts with TSW’s interests. Conflicts of interest generally include (i) business relationships where TSW has a substantial business
relationship with, or is actively soliciting business from, a company soliciting proxies (ii) personal or family relationships whereby an employee of TSW has a family member or other personal relationship that is
affiliated with a company soliciting proxies, such as a spouse who serves as a director of a public company. A conflict could also exist if a substantial business relationship exists with a proponent or opponent
of a particular initiative. If TSW determines that a material conflict of interest exists, TSW will instruct ISS to vote using ISS’s standard policy guidelines which are derived independently from TSW.
Proxy Voting Process:
| ■ | Upon timely receipt of proxy materials, ISS will automatically release vote instructions on client’s behalf as soon as custom research is completed. TSW retains authority to override the votes (before cut-off date) if they disagree with the vote recommendation. |
| ■ | The Proxy Coordinator will monitor the voting process at ISS via Proxy Exchange website (ISS’s online voting and research platform). Records of which accounts are voted, how accounts are voted, and how many shares are voted are kept electronically with ISS. |
| ■ | For proxies not received at ISS, TSW and ISS will make a best efforts attempt to receive ballots from the clients’ custodian. |
| ■ | TSW will be responsible for account maintenance — opening and closing of accounts, transmission of holdings and account environment monitoring. |
| ■ | Order Implementation Manager (proxy oversight representative) will keep abreast of any critical or exceptional events or events qualifying as a conflict of interest via ISS Proxy Exchange website and email. TSW has the ability to override vote instructions, and the Order Implementation Manager will consult with TSW’s Investment Policy Committee or product managers in these types of situations. |
| ■ | All proxies are voted solely in the best interest of clients. |
| ■ | Proactive communication takes place via regular meetings with ISS’s Client Relations Team. |
Practical Limitations Relating to
Proxy Voting:
While TSW uses its best
efforts to vote proxies, in certain circumstances it may be impractical or impossible for TSW to do so. Identifiable circumstances include:
| ■ | Limited Value . TSW may abstain from voting in those circumstances where it has concluded to do so would have no identifiable economic benefit to the client-shareholder. |
| ■ | Unjustifiable Cost . TSW may abstain from voting when the costs of or disadvantages resulting from voting, in TSW’s judgment, outweigh the economic benefits of voting. |
| ■ | Securities Lending . Certain of TSW’s clients engage in securities lending programs under which shares of an issuer could be on loan while that issuer is conducting a proxy solicitation. As part of the securities lending program, if the securities are on loan at the record date, the client lending the security cannot vote that proxy. Because TSW generally is not aware of when a security may be on loan, it does not have an opportunity to recall the security prior to the record date. Therefore, in most cases, those shares will not be voted and TSW may not be able fully to reconcile the securities held at record date with the securities actually voted. |
| ■ | Failure to Receive Proxy Statements . TSW may not be able to vote proxies in connection with certain holdings, most frequently for foreign securities, if it does not receive the account’s proxy statement in time to vote the proxy. |
345
Proxy Voting Records &
Reports:
| ■ | The proxy information is maintained by ISS on TSW’s behalf and includes the following: (i) name of the issuer, (ii) the exchange ticker symbol, (iii) the CUSIP number, (iv) the shareholder meeting date, (v) a brief description of the matter brought to vote; (vi) whether the proposal was submitted by management or a shareholder, (vii) how the proxy was voted (for, against, abstained), (viii) whether the proxy was voted for or against management, and (ix) documentation materials to make the decision. TSW’s Proxy Coordinator coordinates retrieval and report production as required or requested. |
| ■ | Clients will be notified annually of their ability to request a copy of our proxy policies and procedures. A copy of how TSW voted on securities held is available free of charge upon request from our clients or by calling us toll free at (800) 697-1056. |
UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT (AMERICAS)
INC.
The following is a summary of UBS
Asset Management (Americas) Inc’s (UBS AM) proxy voting policy:
UBS AM’s proxy voting policy
is based on its belief that voting rights have economic value and should be treated accordingly. Good corporate governance should in the long term, lead towards better corporate performance and improved shareholder
value. Generally, UBS AM expects the boards of directors of companies issuing securities held by its clients to act in the service of the shareholders, view themselves as stewards of the company, exercise good
judgment and practice diligent oversight of the management of the company. A commitment to acting in as transparent a manner as possible is fundamental to good governance.
While there is no absolute set of
rules that determine appropriate corporate governance under all circumstances and no set of rules will guarantee ethical board behavior, there are certain principles, which provide evidence of good corporate
governance. UBS AM may delegate to an independent proxy voting and research service the authority to exercise the voting rights associated with certain client holdings. Any such delegation shall be made with the
direction that the votes be exercised in accordance with UBS AM’s proxy voting policy.
When UBS AM’s view of a
company’s management is favorable, UBS AM generally supports current management initiatives. When UBS AM’s view is that changes to the management structure would probably increase shareholder value, UBS AM
may not support existing management proposals. In general, UBS AM generally exercises voting rights in accordance with the following principles: (1) with respect to board structure, (a) an effective chairman is key,
(b) the roles of chairman and chief executive should be separated, (c) board members should have appropriate and diverse experience and be capable of providing good judgment and diligent oversight of management, (d)
the board should include executive and non-executive members, and (e) the non-executive members should provide a challenging, but generally supportive environment; and (2) with respect to board responsibilities, (a)
the whole board should be fully involved in endorsing strategy and in all major strategic decisions, and (b) the board should ensure that at all times (i) appropriate management succession plans are in place; (ii) the
interests of executives and shareholders are aligned and the financial audit is independent and accurate; (iii) the brand and reputation of the company is protected and enhanced; (iv) a constructive dialogue with
shareholders is encouraged; and (v) it receives all the information necessary to hold management accountable. In addition, UBS AM focuses on the following areas of concern when voting its clients’ securities:
economic value resulting from acquisitions or disposals; operational performance; quality of management; independent non-executive board members not holding management accountable; quality of internal controls; lack
of transparency; inadequate succession planning; poor approach to corporate social responsibility; inefficient management structure; and corporate activity designed to frustrate the ability of shareholders to hold the
board accountable or realize the maximum value of their investment. UBS AM exercises its voting rights in accordance with overarching rationales outlined by its proxy voting policies and procedures that are based on
the principles described above.
UBS AM has implemented procedures
designed to address a conflict of interest in voting a particular proxy proposal, which may arise as a result of its or its affiliates’ client relationships, marketing efforts or banking, investment banking and
broker/dealer activities. To address such conflicts, UBS AM has imposed information barriers between it and its affiliates who conduct banking, investment banking and broker/dealer activities and has implemented
procedures to prevent business, sales and marketing issues from influencing its proxy votes. Whenever UBS AM is aware of a conflict with respect to a particular proxy, the UBS AM Americas Committee is notified and
determines the manner in which such proxy is voted.
VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
It is Victory Capital’s
policy to vote the Portfolio’s proxies in the best interests of the Portfolio and its shareholders. This entails voting client proxies with the objective of increasing the long-term economic value of Portfolio
assets. To assist it in making proxy-voting decisions, Victory Capital has adopted a Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) that establishes voting guidelines (“Proxy Voting Guidelines”) with respect
to certain recurring issues. The Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by Victory Capital’s Proxy Committee (“Proxy Committee”) and revised when the Proxy Committee determines that a change is
appropriate.
346
Voting under Victory
Capital’s Policy may be executed through administrative screening per established guidelines with oversight by the Proxy Committee or upon vote by a quorum of the Proxy Committee. Victory Capital delegates to
Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”), an independent service provider, the non-discretionary administration of proxy voting for its clients, subject to oversight by the Proxy Committee. In no
circumstances shall ISS have the authority to vote proxies except in accordance with standing or specific instructions given to it by Victory Capital.
Victory Capital’s Proxy
Committee determines how proxies are voted by following established guidelines, which are intended to assist in voting proxies and are not considered rigid rules. The Proxy Committee is directed to apply the
guidelines as appropriate. On occasion, however, a contrary vote may be warranted when such action is in the best interests of the Portfolio or if required by the client. In such cases, Victory Capital may consider,
among other things:
| ■ | the effect of the proposal on the underlying value of the securities |
| ■ | the effect on marketability of the securities |
| ■ | the effect of the proposal on future prospects of the issuer |
| ■ | the composition and effectiveness of the issuer’s board of directors |
| ■ | the issuer’s corporate governance practices |
| ■ | the quality of communications from the issuer to its shareholders |
Victory Capital may also take into
account independent third-party, general industry guidance or other corporate governance review sources when making decisions. It may additionally seek guidance from other senior internal sources with special
expertise on a given topic where it is appropriate. The investment team’s opinion concerning the management and prospects of the issuer may be taken into account in determining whether a vote for or against a
proposal is in the Portfolio’s best interests. Insufficient information, onerous requests or vague, ambiguous wording may indicate that a vote against a proposal is appropriate, even when the general principal
appears to be reasonable.
The following
examples illustrate the Victory Capital’s policy with respect to some common proxy votes. This summary is not an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise or of all matters addressed in the Guidelines,
and whether Victory Capital supports or opposes a proposal will depend upon the specific facts and circumstances described in the proxy statement and other available information.
Directors
| ■ | Victory Capital generally supports the election of directors in uncontested elections, except when there are issues of accountability, responsiveness, composition, and/or independence. |
| ■ | Victory Capital generally supports proposals for an independent chair taking into account factors such as the current board leadership structure, the company’s governance practices, and company performance. |
| ■ | Victory Capital generally supports proxy access proposals that are in line with the market standards regarding the ownership threshold, ownership duration, aggregation provisions, cap on nominees, and do not contain any other unreasonably restrictive guidelines. |
| ■ | Victory Capital reviews contested elections on a case-by-case basis taking into account such factors as the company performance, particularly the long-term performance relative to the industry; the management track record; the nominee qualifications and compensatory arrangements; the strategic plan of the dissident and its critique of the current management; the likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved; the ownership stakes of the relevant parties; and any other context that is particular to the company and the nature of the election. |
Capitalization &
Restructuring
| ■ | Victory Capital generally supports capitalization proposals that facilitate a corporate transaction that is also being supported and for general corporate purposes so long as the increase is not excessive and there are no issues of superior voting rights, company performance, previous abuses of capital, or insufficient justification for the need for additional capital. |
Mergers and Acquisitions
| ■ | Victory Capital reviews mergers and acquisitions on a case-by-case basis to balance the merits and drawbacks of the transaction and factors such as valuation, strategic rationale, negotiations and process, conflicts of interest, and the governance profile of the company post-transaction. |
Compensation
| ■ | Victory Capital reviews all compensation proposals for pay-for-performance alignment, with emphasis on long-term shareholder value; arrangements that risk pay for failure; independence in the setting of compensation; inappropriate pay to non-executive directors, and the quality and rationale of the compensation disclosure. |
| ■ | Victory Capital will generally vote FOR advisory votes on executive compensation (“say on pay”) unless there is a pay-for-performance misalignment; problematic pay practice or non-performance based element; incentive for excessive risk-taking, options backdating; or a lack of compensation committee communication and/or responsiveness to shareholder concerns. |
347
| ■ | Victory Capital will vote case-by-case on equity based compensation plans taking into account factors such as the plan cost; the plan features; and the grant practices as well as any overriding factors that may have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests. |
Social and Environmental Issues
| ■ | Victory Capital will vote case-by-case on topics such as consumer and product safety; environment and energy; labor standards and human rights; workplace and board diversity; and corporate and political issues, taking into account factors such as the implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; whether the company has already responded in an appropriate and sufficient manner to the issue raised; whether the request is unduly burdensome; and whether the issue is more appropriately or effectively handled through legislation or other regulations. |
Occasionally, conflicts of interest
arise between Victory Capital’s interests and those of the Portfolio or another client. When this occurs, the Proxy Committee must document the nature of the conflict and vote the proxy in accordance with the
Proxy Voting Guidelines unless such guidelines are judged by the Proxy Committee to be inapplicable to the proxy matter at issue. In the event that the Proxy Voting Guidelines are inapplicable or do not mitigate the
conflict, Victory Capital will seek the opinion of its chief compliance officer or consult with an external independent adviser. In the case of a Proxy Committee member having a personal conflict of interest (e.g. a
family member is on the board of the issuer), such member will abstain from voting. Finally, Victory Capital reports to the Portfolio annually any proxy votes that took place involving a conflict, including the nature
of the conflict and the basis or rationale for the voting decision made.
WEDGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.L.P.
WEDGE Capital Management L.L.P.
(WEDGE) established its proxy policy to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and, as a fiduciary to ERISA clients, proxy voting responsibilities promulgated by the Department of Labor.
This policy applies to accounts in which WEDGE has voting authority. WEDGE's authority to vote client proxies is established by an advisory contract or a comparable document.
Voting Guidelines.
The analyst who recommends the security for the WEDGE portfolio has voting responsibility for that security. If the security is held in multiple traditional products, the analyst who holds
the most shares in his or her portfolio is responsible for voting. Securities held in both a quantitative product and a traditional product are voted by the traditional portfolio analyst.
WEDGE casts votes in the best
economic interest of shareholders. Therefore, the vote for each security held in a traditional product is cast on a case-by-case basis. Each analyst may conduct his or her own research and/or use the information
provided by Glass Lewis & Co. LLC (Glass Lewis). Glass Lewis provides proxy analyses containing research and objective vote recommendations on each proposal.) If an analyst chooses to vote against the management's
recommended vote, a reason must be provided on the voting materials and recorded in the vote management software.
Votes should be cast either
“For” or “Against.” In very limited instances an abstention may be appropriate; in which case, the analyst should document why he or she abstained. This will be documented in the vote
management software by the proxy department.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
All conflicts of interest are to be resolved in the best interest of our clients.
To alleviate potential conflicts of
interest or the appearance of conflicts, WEDGE does not allow any associate or his or her spouse to sit on the board of directors of any public company without Management Committee approval, and all associates have to
affirm quarterly that they are in compliance with this requirement.
All associates must adhere to the
CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, which requires specific disclosure of conflicts of interest and strict adherence to independence and objectivity standards. Situations that may
create a conflict or the appearance of a conflict include but are not limited to the following:
1. An analyst has a financial
interest in the company or in a company which may be involved in a merger or acquisition with the company in question.
2. An analyst has a personal
relationship with someone (e.g. a close friend or family member) who is employed by the company in question or by a company which may be involved in a merger or acquisition with the company in question.
3. The company in question is a
client or prospective client of the firm.
If any of the three criteria listed
above is met, or if the voting analyst feels a potential conflict of interest exists for any reason, he or she should complete a Potential Conflict of Interest Form (PCIF) which identifies the potential conflict of
interest and is used to document the review of the vote.
348
For items 1 and 2 above, the voting
analyst is required to consult with an analyst who does not have a potential conflict of interest. If the consulting analyst disagrees with the voting analyst's vote recommendation, a Management Committee member must
be consulted. For item 3 above (or any other potential conflict not identified above), two of the three Management Committee members must review and agree with the recommended vote. The completed PCIF is attached to
the voting materials and reviewed by the proxy department for accurate completion prior to being recorded in the vote management software.
Due to the importance placed on the
Glass Lewis recommended votes, it is important that Glass Lewis has procedures in place to mitigate any potential conflicts of interest. The independence of Glass Lewis will be reviewed during each audit of the proxy
process.
PROXY VOTING RECORDS.
As required by Rule 204-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, WEDGE will maintain the following records:
| ■ | The Proxy Policy |
| ■ | Record of each vote cast on behalf of WEDGE's clients |
| ■ | Documents prepared by WEDGE that were material to making a proxy voting decision, including PCIFs |
| ■ | Each written client request for proxy voting records and WEDGE's written response to any written or oral client request |
POLICY DISCLOSURE.
On an annual basis, WEDGE will send Form ADV Part 2 to all clients to disclose how they can obtain a copy of the Proxy Policy and/or information on how their securities were voted. Clients
may request a copy of the Proxy Policy and voting decisions at any time by contacting WEDGE at either address below.
Attention: Proxy Request
WEDGE Capital Management L.L.P.
301 S. College Street, Suite 3800
Charlotte, NC 28202-6002
WEDGE Capital Management L.L.P.
301 S. College Street, Suite 3800
Charlotte, NC 28202-6002
Via E-mail:
proxy@wedgecapital.com
proxy@wedgecapital.com
REVIEW PROCEDURES
Periodically, WEDGE will review proxy voting for compliance with this policy and determine if revisions to the policy are necessary.
Periodically, WEDGE will review proxy voting for compliance with this policy and determine if revisions to the policy are necessary.
WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLP
Global Proxy Policy & Procedures
:
INTRODUCTION
Wellington Management has adopted
and implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best economic interests of clients for whom it exercises proxy-voting discretion.
Wellington Management’s Proxy
Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) set forth broad guidelines and positions on common proxy issues that Wellington Management uses in voting on proxies. In addition, Wellington Management also considers
each proposal in the context of the issuer, industry and country or countries in which the issuer’s business is conducted. The Guidelines are not rigid rules and the merits of a particular proposal may cause
Wellington Management to enter a vote that differs from the Guidelines.
STATEMENT OF POLICY
Wellington Management:
1) Votes client proxies for which
clients have affirmatively delegated proxy-voting authority, in writing, unless it determines that it is in the best interest of one or more clients to refrain from voting a given proxy.
2) Votes all proxies in the best
interests of the client for whom it is voting, i.e., to maximize economic value.
3) Identifies and resolves all
material proxy-related conflicts of interest between the firm and its clients in the best interests of the client.
RESPONSIBILITY AND OVERSIGHT
349
The Investment Research Group
(“Investment Research”) monitors regulatory requirements with respect to proxy voting and works with the firm’s Legal and Compliance Group and the Corporate Governance Committee to develop practices
that implement those requirements. Investment Research also acts as a resource for portfolio managers and research analysts on proxy matters as needed. Day-to-day administration of the proxy voting process is the
responsibility of Investment Research. The Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for oversight of the implementation of the Global Proxy Policy and Procedures, review and approval of the Guidelines and for
providing advice and guidance on specific proxy votes for individual issuers.
PROCEDURES
Use of Third-Party Voting Agent
Wellington Management uses the
services of a third-party voting agent to manage the administrative aspects of proxy voting. The voting agent processes proxies for client accounts, casts votes based on the Guidelines and maintains records of proxies
voted.
Receipt of Proxy
If a client requests that
Wellington Management votes proxies on its behalf, the client must instruct its custodian bank to deliver all relevant voting material to Wellington Management or its voting agent.
Reconciliation
Each public security proxy received
by electronic means is matched to the securities eligible to be voted and a reminder is sent to any custodian or trustee that has not forwarded the proxies as due. Although proxies received for private securities, as
well as those received in non-electronic format, are voted as received, Wellington Management is not able to reconcile these proxies to holdings, nor does it notify custodians of non-receipt.
Research
In addition to proprietary
investment research undertaken by Wellington Management investment professionals, Investment Research conducts proxy research internally, and uses the resources of a number of external sources to keep abreast of
developments in corporate governance and of current practices of specific companies.
Proxy Voting
Following the reconciliation
process, each proxy is compared against the Guidelines, and handled as follows:
| ■ | Generally, issues for which explicit proxy voting guidance is provided in the Guidelines (i.e., “For”, “Against”, “Abstain”) are reviewed by Investment Research and voted in accordance with the Guidelines. |
| ■ | Issues identified as “case-by-case” in the Guidelines are further reviewed by Investment Research. In certain circumstances, further input is needed, so the issues are forwarded to the relevant research analyst and/or portfolio manager(s) for their input. |
| ■ | Absent a material conflict of interest, the portfolio manager has the authority to decide the final vote. Different portfolio managers holding the same securities may arrive at different voting conclusions for their clients’ proxies. |
Wellington Management reviews
regularly the voting record to ensure that proxies are voted in accordance with these Global Proxy Policy and Procedures and the Guidelines; and ensures that documentation and reports, for clients and for internal
purposes, relating to the voting of proxies are promptly and properly prepared and disseminated.
Material Conflict of Interest
Identification and Resolution Processes
Wellington Management’s
broadly diversified client base and functional lines of responsibility serve to minimize the number of, but not prevent, material conflicts of interest it faces in voting proxies. Annually, the Corporate Governance
Committee sets standards for identifying material conflicts based on client, vendor, and lender relationships, and publishes those standards to individuals involved in the proxy voting process. In addition, the
Corporate Governance Committee encourages all personnel to contact Investment Research about apparent conflicts of interest, even if the apparent conflict does not meet the published materiality criteria. Apparent
conflicts are reviewed by designated members of the Corporate Governance Committee to determine if there is a conflict and if so whether the conflict is material.
If a proxy is identified as
presenting a material conflict of interest, the matter must be reviewed by designated members of the Corporate Governance Committee, who will resolve the conflict and direct the vote. In certain circumstances, the
designated members may determine that the full Corporate Governance Committee should convene.
350
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
In certain instances, Wellington
Management may be unable to vote or may determine not to vote a proxy on behalf of one or more clients. While not exhaustive, the following are potential instances in which a proxy vote might not be entered.
Securities Lending
In general, Wellington Management
does not know when securities have been lent out pursuant to a client’s securities lending program and are therefore unavailable to be voted. Efforts to recall loaned securities are not always effective, but, in
rare circumstances, Wellington Management may recommend that a client attempt to have its custodian recall the security to permit voting of related proxies.
Share Blocking and
Re-registration
Certain countries impose trading
restrictions or requirements regarding re-registration of securities held in omnibus accounts in order for shareholders to vote a proxy. The potential impact of such requirements is evaluated when determining whether
to vote such proxies.
Lack of Adequate Information,
Untimely Receipt of Proxy Materials, or Excessive Costs
Wellington Management may abstain
from voting a proxy when the proxy statement or other available information is inadequate to allow for an informed vote, when the proxy materials are not delivered in a timely fashion or when, in Wellington
Management’s judgment, the costs exceed the expected benefits to clients (such as when powers of attorney or consularization are required).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Wellington Management maintains
records related to proxies pursuant to Rule 204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and
other applicable laws.
Wellington Management provides
clients with a copy of its Global Proxy Policy and Procedures, including the Guidelines, upon written request. In addition, Wellington Management will make specific client information relating to proxy voting
available to a client upon reasonable written request.
Dated: 1 November 2016
Global Proxy Voting Guidelines:
Upon a client’s written
request, Wellington Management Company LLP (“Wellington Management”) votes securities that are held in the client’s account in response to proxies solicited by the issuers of such securities.
Wellington Management established these Global Proxy Voting Guidelines to document positions generally taken on common proxy issues voted on behalf of clients.
These guidelines are based on
Wellington Management’s fiduciary obligation to act in the best economic interest of its clients as shareholders. Hence, Wellington Management examines and seeks to vote each proposal so that the long- term
effect of the vote will ultimately increase shareholder value for our clients. Because ethical considerations can have an impact on the long-term value of assets, our voting practices are also attentive to these
issues, and votes will be cast against unlawful and unethical activity. Further, Wellington Management’s experience in voting proposals has shown that similar proposals often have different consequences for
different companies. Moreover, while these Global Proxy Voting Guidelines are written to apply globally, differences in local practice and law make universal application impractical. Therefore, each proposal is
evaluated on its merits, taking into account its effects on the specific company in question and on the company within its industry. It should be noted that the following are guidelines, not rigid rules, and
Wellington Management reserves the right in all cases to vote contrary to guidelines where doing so is judged to represent the best economic interest of our clients.
Following is a list of common
proposals and the guidelines on how Wellington Management anticipates voting on these proposals. The “(SP)” after a proposal indicates that the proposal is usually presented as a shareholder proposal.
Voting Guidelines:
Composition and role of the board
of directors
| ■ | Elect directors (Case by case). We believe that shareholders’ ability to elect directors annually is the most important right shareholders have. We generally support management nominees, but will withhold votes from any director who is demonstrated to have acted |
351
| contrary to the best economic interest of shareholders. We may also withhold votes from directors who failed to implement shareholder proposals that received majority support, implemented dead-hand or no-hand poison pills, or failed to attend at least75% of scheduled board meetings. | |
| ■ | Declassify board of directors (For). |
| ■ | Adopt director tenure/retirement age (SP) (Against). |
| ■ | Adopt director and officer indemnification (For). We generally support director and officer indemnification as critical to the attraction and retention of qualified candidates to the board. Such proposals must incorporate the duty of care. |
| ■ | Allow special interest representation to board (SP) (Against). |
| ■ | Require board independence (For). We believe that, in the absence of a compelling counter-argument or prevailing market norms, at least two-thirds of a board should be composed of independent directors, with independence defined by the local market regulatory authority. Our support for this level of independence may include withholding approval for non-independent directors, as well as votes in support of shareholder proposals calling for independence. |
| ■ | Require key board committees to be independent. (For) . Key board committees are the nominating, audit, and compensation committees. Exceptions will be made, as above, with respect to local market conventions. |
| ■ | Require a separation of chair and CEO or require a lead director (SP) (Case by case). We will generally support management proposals to separate the chair and CEO to establish a lead director. |
| ■ | Approve directors’ fees. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Approve bonuses for retiring directors. (For). |
| ■ | Approve board size. (For). |
| ■ | Elect supervisory board/corporate assembly/statutory auditors. (For). Companies in certain markets are governed by multi-tiered boards, with each tier having different powers and responsibilities. We hold supervisory board members to similar standards described above under “Elect directors,” subject to prevailing local governance best practices. |
| ■ | Majority vote on election of directors (SP) (For). We believe that the election of directors by a majority of votes cast is the appropriate standard for companies to adopt and therefore generally will support those proposals that seek to adopt such a standard. Our support for such proposals will extend typically to situations where the relevant company has an existing resignation policy in place for directors that receive a majority of “withhold” votes. We believe that it is important for majority voting to be defined within the company’s charter and not simply within the company’s corporate governance policy. |
| ■ | Generally we will not support proposals that fail to provide for the exceptional use of a plurality standard in the case of contested elections. Further, we will not support proposals that seek to adopt a majority of votes outstanding (i.e., total votes eligible to be cast as opposed to actually cast) standard. |
| ■ | Adopt proxy access (For). We generally support proposals that allow significant and long-term shareholders the right to nominate director candidates on management’s proxy card. That being said, we may vote against a proxy access proposal if it is shareholder-sponsored and it requests that the company adopt proxy access without reasonable constraints or in a way that markedly differs from prevailing market norms. |
| ■ | Contest director election (Case by case). |
Compensation
| ■ | Adopt/amend stock option plans. (Case by case). While we believe equity compensation helps align participants’ and shareholders’ interests, we will vote against plans that we find excessively dilutive or costly. Additionally, we will generally vote against plans that allow the company to reprice options without shareholder approval. We will also vote against plans that allow the company to add shares to the plan without shareholder approval, otherwise known as “evergreen” provision. |
| ■ | Adopt/amend employee stock purchase plans. (For). We generally support employee stock purchase plans, as they may align employees’ interests with the interests of shareholders. That being said, we typically vote against plans that do not offer shares to a broad group of employees (i.e. only executives are allowed to participate) or plans that offer shares at a significant discount. |
| ■ | Approve/amend bonus plans. (Case by case). In the US, bonus plans are customarily presented for shareholder approval pursuant to section 162(m) of the omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1992 (“OBRA”). OBRA stipulates that certain forms of compensation are not tax deductible unless approved by shareholders and subject to performance criteria. Because OBRA does not prevent the payment of subject compensation, we generally vote “for” these proposals. Nevertheless, occasionally these proposals are presented in a bundled form seeking 162(m) approval and approval of a stock option plan. In such cases, failure of the proposal prevents the awards from being granted. We will vote against these proposals where the grant portion of the proposal fails our guidelines for the evaluation of stock option plans. |
| ■ | Approve remuneration policy. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Approve compensation packages for named executive officers. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Determine whether the compensation vote will occur every one, two, or three years. (One year). |
| ■ | Exchange underwater options. (Case by case). We may support value-neutral exchanges in which senior management is ineligible to participate. |
| ■ | Eliminate or limit severance agreements (golden parachutes) (Case by case). We will oppose excessively generous arrangements, but may support agreements structured to encourage management to negotiate in shareholders’ best economic interest. |
| ■ | Approve golden parachute arrangements in connection with certain corporate transactions. (Case by case). |
352
| ■ | Shareholder approval of future severance agreements covering senior executives (SP) (Case by case). We believe that severance arrangements require special scrutiny, and are generally supportive of proposals that call for shareholder ratification thereof. But we are also mindful of the board’s need for flexibility in recruitment and retention and will therefore oppose placing additional limitations on compensation where we feel the board as already demonstrated reasonable respect for industry practice and overall levels of compensation have historically been sensible. |
| ■ | Adopt a clawback policy (SP) (Case by case). |
Reporting of results
| ■ | Approve financial statements (For). |
| ■ | Set dividends and allocate profits. (For). |
| ■ | Limit non-audit services provided by auditors (SP) (Case by case). We follow the guidelines established by the public company accounting oversight board regarding permissible levels of non-audit fees payable to auditors. |
| ■ | Ratify selection of auditors and approve their fees. (Case by case). We will generally support management’s choice of auditors, unless the auditors have demonstrated failure to act in shareholders’ best economic interest. |
| ■ | Shareholder approval of auditors (SP) (For). |
Shareholder voting rights
| ■ | Adopt cumulative voting (SP) (Against). We are likely to support cumulative voting proposals at “controlled” companies (i.e., companies with a single majority shareholder) or at companies with two-tiered voting rights. |
| ■ | Shareholder rights plans (Case by case). Also known as poison pills, we believe these plans do not encourage strong corporate governance, since they can entrench management, and restrict opportunities for takesovers. That being said, we recognize that limited poison pills can enable boards of directors to negotiate higher takeover prices on behalf of shareholders. Consequently, we may support plans that include: |
| ■ | We generally support plans that include: |
| ■ | Shareholder approval requirement |
| ■ | Sunset provision |
| ■ | Permitted bid feature (i.e., bids that are made for all shares and demonstrate evidence of financing must be submitted to a shareholder vote) |
| ■ | Because boards generally have the authority to adopt shareholder rights plans without shareholder approval, we are equally vigilant in our assessment of requests for authorization of blank check preferred shares (see below). |
| ■ | Authorize blank check preferred stock. (Case by case). We may support authorization requests that specifically proscribe the use of such shares for anti-takeover purposes. |
| ■ | Establish right to call a special meeting. (For). |
| ■ | Establish the right to act by written consent (SP) (Case by case). We will generally oppose written consent proposals when the company already offers the shareholders the right to call a special meeting. |
| ■ | Increase supermajority vote requirement. (Against). We likely will support shareholder and management proposals to remove existing supermajority vote requirements. |
| ■ | Adopt anti-greenmail provision. (For). |
| ■ | Adopt confidential voting (SP) (Case by case). We require such proposals to include a provision to suspend confidential voting during contested elections so that management is not subject to constraints that do not apply to dissidents. |
| ■ | Increase authorized common stock. (Case by case). We generally support requests for increases up to 100% of the shares currently authorized. Exceptions will be made when the company has clearly articulated a reasonable need for a greater increase. Conversely, at companies trading in less liquid markets, we may impose a lower threshold. |
| ■ | Approve merger or acquisition. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Approve technical amendments to charter. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Opt out of state takeover statutes. (For). |
| ■ | Eliminate multiclass voting structure. (SP) (For). We believe the shareholders’ voting power should be reflected by their economic stake in a company. |
Capital Structure
| ■ | Authorize share repurchase. (For). |
| ■ | Approve stock splits. (Case by case). We approve stock splits and reverse stock splits that preserve the level of authorized but unissued shares. |
| ■ | Approve recapitalization/restructuring. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Issue stock with or without preemptive rights. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Issue debt instruments. (Case by case). |
353
| ■ | Environmental and social issues (Case by case). Environmental and social issues typically appear on ballots as shareholder-sponsored proposals. We may support these proposals in situations where we believe that doing so will improve the prospects for long-term success of a company and investment returns. At a minimum, we expect companies to comply with applicable laws and regulations with regards to environmental and social standards. |
Miscellaneous
| ■ | Approve other business. (Against). |
| ■ | Approve reincorporation. (Case by case). |
| ■ | Approve third-party transactions. (Case by case). |
January 2016
WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT
COMPANY/WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED (“WESTERN ASSET”)
BACKGROUND
An investment adviser is required
to adopt and implement policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). The authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents. In addition to SEC
requirements governing advisers, long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities have been established for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the
Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the investment manager.
POLICY
As a fixed income only manager, the
occasion to vote proxies is very rare. However, the Firm has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in
accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect
the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the
responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.
While the guidelines included in
the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the Firm’s contractual obligations to our clients and all
other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent the Firm deems appropriate).
In exercising its voting authority,
Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of its affiliates (other than Western Asset affiliated companies) regarding the voting of any
securities owned by its clients.
PROCEDURE
Responsibility and Oversight
The Western Asset Legal and
Compliance Department (“Compliance Department”) is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions area of
Investment Support (“Corporate Actions”). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained
in these procedures.
Client Authority
The Investment Management Agreement
for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents
assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.
Proxy Gathering
354
Registered owners of record, client
custodians, client banks and trustees (“Proxy Recipients”) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset
becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy
materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward
the materials to Corporate Actions.
Proxy Voting
Once proxy materials are received
by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:
| a. | Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted. |
| b. | Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority. |
| c. | Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest. (See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.) |
| d. | If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the client’s proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party. |
| e. | Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analyst’s or portfolio manager’s basis for their decision is documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department. |
| f. | Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (d) or (e) and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials. |
Timing
Western Asset personnel act in such
a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.
Recordkeeping
Western Asset maintains records of
proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL Bulletin 94-2. These records include:
| a. | A copy of Western Asset’s policies and procedures. |
| b. | Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities. |
| c. | A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies. |
| d. | Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Asset’s written response to both verbal and written client requests. |
| e. | A proxy log including: |
| 1. | Issuer name; |
| 2. | Exchange ticker symbol of the issuer’s shares to be voted; |
| 3. | Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) number for the shares to be voted; |
| 4. | A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
355
| 5. | Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer; |
| 6. | Whether a vote was cast on the matter; |
| 7. | A record of how the vote was cast; and |
| 8. | Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer’s management team. |
Records are maintained in an easily
accessible place for five years, the first two in Western Asset’s offices.
Disclosure
Western Asset’s proxy
policies are described in the firm’s Part 2A of Form ADV. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their
proxies have been voted.
Conflicts of Interest
All proxies are reviewed by the
Legal and Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:
| 1. | Whether Western (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company; |
| 2. | Whether Western or an officer or director of Western or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together, “Voting Persons”) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and |
| 3. | Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders. |
Voting Guidelines
Western Asset’s substantive
voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid
in the decision making process.
Guidelines are grouped according to
the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a company’s board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by
shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.
| I. | Board Approved Proposals |
The vast majority of matters
presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being
implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines related to certain board-approved proposals are as
follows:
Matters relating to the Board of
Directors
Western Asset votes proxies for the
election of the company’s nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:
| a. | Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors. |
| b. | Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director. |
| c. | Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without valid reasons for absences. |
356
| d. | Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors. |
| 2. | Matters relating to Executive Compensation |
Western Asset generally favors
compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a company’s long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as
follows:
| a. | Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution. |
| b. | Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater options. |
| c. | Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stock’s current market price. |
| d. | Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less. |
| 3. | Matters relating to Capitalization |
The management of a company’s
capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a company’s capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.
| a. | Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock. |
| b. | Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits). |
| c. | Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs. |
| 4. | Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions |
Western Asset votes these issues on
a case-by-case basis on board-approved transactions.
| 5. | Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures |
Western Asset votes against
board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:
| a. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans. |
| b. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions. |
| 6. | Other Business Matters |
Western Asset votes for
board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the company’s name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.
| a. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a company’s charter or bylaws. |
| b. | Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting. |
| II. | Shareholder Proposals |
SEC regulations permit shareholders
to submit proposals for inclusion in a company’s proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company’s corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business
operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company’s board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as follows:
| 1. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans. |
357
| 2. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Asset’s proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals. |
| 3. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors. |
| III. | Voting Shares of Investment Companies |
Western Asset may utilize shares of
open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are voted in accordance with
those guidelines.
| 1. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the role the fund plays in the clients’ portfolios. |
| 2. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided. |
| IV. | Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers |
In the event Western Asset is
required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers – i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock
market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for
foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.
| 1. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of management. |
| 2. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and compensation committees. |
| 3. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated. |
| 4. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights. |
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
For accounts subject to ERISA, as
well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued a bulletin that states that investment
managers have the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is
expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the DOL has determined that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.
In order to comply with the
DOL’s position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote proxies for its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right
to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western Asset is precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western
Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with any proxy voting guidelines provided by the client.
WILLIAM BLAIR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,
LLC
This statement
sets forth the proxy voting policy and procedures of William Blair Investment Management, LLC (”WBIM”). It is provided to all covered clients as described below even if WBIM currently does not have
authority to vote proxies for their account.
The Department of Labor
(“DOL”) has stated that the fiduciary act of managing plan assets by an investment adviser generally includes the authority to vote proxies for shares held by a plan unless the plan documents reserve this
authority to some other entity. ERISA section 3(38) defines an investment manager as any fiduciary who is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers
358
Act of 1940. WBIM
is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) requires registered investment advisers to implement a proxy voting policy and
procedures with respect to the voting of proxies for its advisory clients. Registered investment advisers are required to identify potential conflicts involved in the voting of proxies and meet specific recordkeeping
and disclosure requirements. On June 30, 2014, the staff of the SEC Divisions of Investment Management and Corporation Finance issued Staff Legal Bulletin No. 20, which provides guidance on investment advisers’
responsibilities in voting client proxies and retaining proxy advisory firms. This policy is intended to comply with the applicable rules of the DOL and the SEC.
General Policy
WBIM shall vote
the proxies of its clients solely in the interest of their participants and beneficiaries and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them. WBIM shall act with the care, skill, prudence and diligence under
the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. WBIM is not
responsible for voting proxies it does not receive. However, WBIM will make reasonable efforts to obtain missing proxies. For clients participating in a securities lending program via their custodian, WBIM will not be
eligible to vote proxies for the portion of shares on loan.
WBIM has adopted the Voting
Guidelines of an independent proxy advisory firm (the “Proxy Administrator”). All proxies are reviewed by the Proxy Administrator, subject to the requirement that all votes shall be cast solely in the best
interest of the clients in their capacity as shareholders of a company. The Proxy Administrator votes the proxies according to the Voting Guidelines, which are designed to address matters typically arising in proxy
votes. In instances where WBIM has implemented a client provided proxy voting policy, WBIM will vote in accordance with the client’s policy at all times even if the client’s policy is inconsistent with
WBIM’s vote. In the case when nominee voting is not allowed it may be impractical for WBIM to participate in those particular votes.
WBIM does not intend the Voting
Guidelines to be exhaustive; hundreds of issues appear on proxy ballots and it is neither practical nor productive to fashion a guideline for each. Rather, the Voting Guidelines are intended to cover the most
significant and frequent proxy issues that arise. For issues not covered or to be voted on a “Case-by-Case” basis by the Voting Guidelines, the Proxy Administrator will consult the Proxy Committee. The
Proxy Committee will review the issues and will vote each proxy based on information from the company, our internal analysts and third party research sources, in the best interests of the clients in their capacity as
shareholders of a company. The Proxy Committee consists of certain representatives from the Investment Management Department, including management, portfolio manager(s), analyst(s), operations, as well as a
representative from the Compliance Department. The Proxy Committee reviews the Proxy Voting Policy and procedures annually and shall revise its guidelines as events warrant.
Conflicts of Interest Policy
WBIM is sensitive
to conflicts of interest that may arise in the proxy decision-making process and has identified the following potential conflicts of interest:
| ■ | An affiliate of WBIM has received investment banking compensation from the company in the preceding 12 months or anticipates receiving investment banking compensation in the next three months |
| ■ | A principal or employee of WBIM or an affiliate currently serves on the company’s Board of Directors |
| ■ | WBIM, its principals, employees and affiliates, in the aggregate, own 1% or more of the company’s outstanding shares |
| ■ | The Company is a client of WBIM |
In the event that any of the above
potential conflicts of interest arise, the Proxy Committee will vote all proxies for that company in the following manner:
| ■ | If our Voting Guidelines indicate a vote “For” or “Against” a specific issue WBIM will continue to vote according to the Voting Guidelines |
| ■ | If our Voting Guidelines have no recommendation or indicate a vote on a “Case-by-Case” basis, WBIM will vote consistent with the voting recommendation provided by the Proxy Administrator |
Oversight of Proxy Administrator
WBIM shall provide
reasonable oversight of the Proxy Administrator. In providing oversight, WBIM will seek to ascertain whether the Proxy Administrator has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues. Specific
oversight responsibilities will include the following:
| ■ | On at least an annual basis, the Proxy Committee will assess: |
| ■ | the adequacy and quality of the proxy advisory firm’s staffing and personnel |
| ■ | Assess whether the proxy advisory firm has robust policies and procedures that |
| ■ | enable it to make proxy voting recommendations based on current and accurate information |
359
| ■ | identify and address conflicts of interest relating to its voting recommendations |
| ■ | WBIM personnel responsible for administration of proxy voting shall periodically review a random sample of votes recommended by the Proxy Administrator to ensure they are consistent with the Voting Guidelines and report any inconsistencies to the Proxy Committee |
| ■ | WBIM personnel responsible for proxy voting shall periodically inquire whether the Proxy Administrator has learned that any recommendation was based on a material factual error, and, if so, WBIM shall investigate the error and evaluate whether the Proxy Administrator is taking steps to mitigate making such errors in the future and report any such errors, as well as their resolution to the Proxy committee |
| ■ | WBIM personnel responsible for proxy voting shall require the Proxy Administrator to update on business changes that may impact the Proxy Administrator’s capacity and competency to provide proxy voting advice or conflict of interest policies and procedures |
International Markets Share
Blocking Policy
In some cases
proxy votes cast by WBIM for clients may be rejected in certain markets. Some non-US markets have additional requirements for custodians in order to process votes in those market. Two specific cases include Power of
Attorney documentation and Split Voting. Power of Attorney documentation authorizes a local agent to facilitate the voting instruction on behalf of the client in the local market. If the appropriate documentation is
not available for use, a vote instruction may be rejected. Split Voting occurs when a custodian utilizes an omnibus account to aggregate multiple customer accounts for voting into a single voting record. If one
portion of the holdings would like to vote in one manner (“FOR”) and another portion would like to vote in another manner (“AGAINST”), the custodian needs to ensure they are authorized to split
the vote for an agenda item in certain markets.
In international markets where
share blocking applies, WBIM typically will not, but reserve the right to, vote proxies due to liquidity constraints. Share blocking is the “freezing” of shares for trading purposes at the
custodian/sub-custodian bank level in order to vote proxies. Share blocking typically takes place between 1 and 20 days before an upcoming shareholder meeting, depending on the market. While shares are frozen, they
may not be traded. Therefore, the potential exists for a pending trade to fail if trade settlement falls on a date during the blocking period. WBIM shall not subordinate the interests of participants and beneficiaries
to unrelated objectives.
Recordkeeping and Disclosure
Pursuant to this
policy, WBIM will retain: 1) the Proxy Voting Policy Statement and Procedures; 2) all proxy statements received regarding client securities 3) records of all votes cast on behalf of clients; 4) records of client
requests for proxy voting information, and 5) any documents prepared by WBIM that are material to making a decision how to vote, or that memorialize the basis for the decision.
Upon a client’s request to
the Proxy Administrator, WBIM will make available to its clients a report on proxy votes cast on their behalf. These proxy-voting reports will demonstrate WBIM’s compliance with its responsibilities and will
facilitate clients’ monitoring of how their securities were voted.
The Proxy Voting Policy Statement
and Procedures will be provided with each advisory contract and will also be described and provided with WBIM’s Form ADV, Part 2A.
360
This Statement of
Additional Information (SAI) of Advanced Series Trust (the Trust) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Trust dated April 30, 2018, which can be obtained, without charge, by
calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to the Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. This SAI has been incorporated by reference into the Trust's Prospectus. The Trust's audited financial statements are
incorporated into this SAI by reference to the Trust's 2017 Annual Report (File No. 811-5186). You may request a copy of the Annual Report at no charge by calling the telephone number or writing to the address
indicated above.
The portfolios of the Trust which
are discussed in this SAI are noted on this front cover (each, a Portfolio, and together, the Portfolios).
AST AB Global Bond Portfolio
AST American
Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio
AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation
Portfolio
AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio
AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio
AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio
AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income
Portfolio
AST Jennison Global Infrastructure
Portfolio
AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio
AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio
AST Managed Equity Portfolio
AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio
AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio
AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio
AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy
Portfolio
AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio
AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth
Portfolio
AST Wellington Management Global Bond
Portfolio
AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio
Table of Contents
PART I
INTRODUCTION
This SAI sets
forth information about the Trust and the Portfolios covered by the SAI. Part I provides additional information about the Trust’s Board of Trustees, certain investments restrictions that apply to the Portfolios,
the advisory services provided to and the management fees paid by the Trust, and information about other fees paid by and services provided to the Trust. Part II provides additional information about certain
investments and investment strategies which may be used by the Trust’s Portfolios and explanations of these investments and strategies, and should be read in conjunction with Part I.
Before reading the SAI, you should
consult the Glossary below, which defines certain of the terms used in the SAI:
| Glossary | |
| Term | Definition |
| 1933 Act | Securities Act of 1933, as amended |
| 1934 Act | Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
| 1940 Act | Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended |
| ADR | American Depositary Receipt |
| ADS | American Depositary Share |
| ASTIS | AST Investment Services, Inc. |
| Board | Trust’s Board of Directors or Trustees |
| Board Member | A trustee or director of the Trust’s Board |
| CFTC | Commodity Futures Trading Commission |
| Code | Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended |
| EDR | European Depositary Receipt |
| ETF | Exchange-Traded Fund |
| Fannie Mae | Federal National Mortgage Association |
| Fitch | Fitch, Inc. |
| Freddie Mac | The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation |
| Global Depositary Receipt | GDR |
| Ginnie Mae | Government National Mortgage Association |
| IPO | Initial Public Offering |
| IRS | Internal Revenue Service |
| LIBOR | London Interbank Offered Rate |
| Moody’s | Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. |
| NASDAQ | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System |
| NAV | Net Asset Value |
| NYSE | New York Stock Exchange |
| OTC | Over-the-Counter |
| PGIM Investments or the Manager | PGIM Investments LLC |
| PMFS | Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC |
| REIT | Real Estate Investment Trust |
| RIC | Regulated Investment Company, as the term is used in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended |
| S&P | S&P Global Ratings |
| SEC | US Securities & Exchange Commission |
| World Bank | International Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
3
Trust PORTFOLIOS, INVESTMENT
POLICIES & STRATEGIES
The Trust is an
open-end management investment company (commonly known as a mutual fund) that is intended to provide a range of investment alternatives through its separate Portfolios, each of which is, for investment purposes, in
effect a separate fund . The Portfolios offered by the Trust which are discussed in this SAI are set forth below:
| ■ | AST AB Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio |
| ■ | AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio |
In addition to the Portfolios
identified above, the Trust also offers the following Portfolios, which are discussed in a separate prospectus(es) and a separate SAI. Please consult the other SAI for information about these Portfolios:
| ■ | AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio |
| ■ | AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio |
| ■ | AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2018 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2019 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2020 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2021 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2022 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2023 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2024 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2025 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2026 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2027 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2028 |
| ■ | AST Bond Portfolio 2029 |
| ■ | AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Fidelity Institutional AM SM Quantitative Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Global Real Estate Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
4
| ■ | AST Government Money Market Portfolio |
| ■ | AST High Yield Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST International Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST International Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio |
| ■ | AST RCM World Trends Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio |
The Trust offers
one class of shares in each Portfolio. Shares of each Portfolio are sold only to separate accounts of Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Life Insurance
Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Pramerica of Bermuda Life Assurance Company, Ltd. (collectively, Prudential), Kemper Investors Life Insurance
Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York as investment options under variable life insurance and variable annuity contracts (the Contracts). (A separate account keeps
the assets supporting certain insurance contracts separate from the general assets and liabilities of the insurance company.)
Not every Portfolio is available
under each Contract. The prospectus for each Contract lists the Portfolios currently available under that particular Contract.
In order to sell shares to both
Prudential and non-Prudential insurance companies, the Trust has obtained an exemptive order (the Order) from the SEC. The Trust and its Portfolios are managed in compliance with the terms and conditions of that
Order.
PGIM Investments and ASTIS, both
wholly-owned subsidiaries of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial), serve as overall investment managers of the Portfolios covered by this SAI except for the following Portfolios for which PGIM Investments
serves as the sole investment manager:
| ■ | AST AB Global Bond Portfolio |
5
| ■ | AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio |
| ■ | AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
| ■ | AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
| ■ | AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio |
| ■ | AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio |
When used in this SAI, the
“Manager” refers to (a) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, collectively, with respect to AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio, AST Managed Equity Portfolio, and AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio; and (b)
PGIM Investments with respect to all other Portfolios covered by this SAI. Each of the Portfolios has a different investment objective. For this reason, each Portfolio will have different investment results and be
subject to different financial and market risks. As discussed in the Prospectus, several of the Portfolios may invest in money market instruments and comparable securities as part of assuming a temporary defensive
position. The investment objectives of each Portfolio are discussed in the Prospectus.
Each Portfolio
operating as a fund-of-funds, as identified in the Prospectus, may engage in all of the investments and investment strategies discussed in Part II of this SAI, either by such Portfolio's investments in an underlying
fund or by investing the Portfolio's assets in the investments or strategies.
The Prospectus and SAI do not
purport to create any contractual obligations between the Trust or any Portfolio and its shareholders. In addition, shareholders are not intended third-party beneficiaries of any contracts entered into by (or on
behalf of) the Portfolios, including contracts with the investment manager or other parties who provide services to the Portfolios.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
Set forth below are certain
investment restrictions applicable to the Portfolios. Fundamental restrictions may not be changed without a majority vote of shareholders as required by the 1940 Act. Non-fundamental restrictions may be changed by the
Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The investment restrictions set
forth below are “fundamental” policies. These fundamental policies may not be changed without the approval of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of a Portfolio present at a meeting, if the holders
of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares of the Portfolio.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS:
Under their fundamental investment
restrictions, each of the Portfolios will not:
| ■ | Issue senior securities or borrow money or pledge its assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations. For purposes of this restriction, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, short sales, derivative and hedging transactions such as interest rate swap transactions, and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and transactions similar to any of the foregoing and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, clearing listed options in a margin account, and obligations of either Portfolio to Trustees pursuant to any deferred compensation arrangements are not deemed to be a pledge of assets or the issuance of a senior security. |
| ■ | Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that a Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. |
| ■ | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit either Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business. |
| ■ | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit either Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with its investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind. |
6
| ■ | Make loans, except that each Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with its investment policies in amounts up to 331/3 % of its total assets taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance. |
| ■ | Purchase any security if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of a Portfolio’s assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto); except that the AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio will invest more than 25% of its total assets in infrastructure companies. For purposes of this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry. |
| ■ | Other than the AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio, the AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio and the AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio, which are each non-diversified portfolios, each Portfolio with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value of a Portfolio’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by that Portfolio. |
If a restriction on a
Portfolio’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Portfolio’s assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in
average duration of its investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of its total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement
applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to investment
restriction (5), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit a Portfolio’s investments in loan participations and assignments.
With respect to investment
restriction (6), a Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Portfolio’s assets invested in the
securities of issuers in a particular industry.
With respect to investment
restrictions (1) and (5), a Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such
transactions.
INFORMATION ABOUT TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
Information about
the Trustees and the officers of the Trust is set forth below. Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, are referred to as “Independent
Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” The Trustees are oversee the operations of the Trust and appoint
officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board.
7
| Independent Trustees | |||
|
Name, Address, Age
No. of Portfolios Overseen |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | Other Directorships Held | Length of Board Service |
|
Susan Davenport Austin (50)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Senior Managing Director of Brock Capital (Since 2014); Director of Broadcast Music, Inc. (Since 2007);formerly Vice Chairman (2013 - 2017), Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2007-2012) and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Treasurer (2002-2007) of Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation; formerly President of Sheridan Gospel Network (2004-2014); formerly Vice President, Goldman, Sachs & Co. (2000 - 2001); formerly Associate Director, Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. (1997-2000); formerly Vice President, Salomon Brothers Inc. (1993-1997); Member of the Board of Directors, The MacDowell Colony (Since 2010); formerly Chairman (2011-2014), formerly Presiding Director (2014-2017) and currently a Member (2007-present) of the Board of Directors, Broadcast Music, Inc.; Member of the Board of Directors, Hubbard Radio, LLC (Since 2011); President, Candide Business Advisors, Inc. (Since 2011); formerly Member of the Board of Directors, National Association of Broadcasters (2004-2010). | Director of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) (Since February 2015) | Since February 2011 |
|
Sherry S. Barrat (68)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Formerly Vice Chairman of Northern Trust Corporation (financial services and banking institution) (2011–June 2012); formerly President, Personal Financial Services, Northern Trust Corporation (2006-2010); formerly Chairman & CEO, Western US Region, Northern Trust Corporation (1999-2005); formerly President & CEO, Palm Beach/Martin County Region, Northern Trust. | Director of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) (1998-Present); Director of Arthur J. Gallagher & Company (Since July 2013). | Since January 2013 |
|
Jessica M. Bibliowicz (58)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Senior Adviser (Since 2013) of Bridge Growth Partners (private equity firm); formerly Director (2013-2016) of Realogy Holdings Corp. (residential real estate services); formerly Chief Executive Officer (1999-2013) of National Financial Partners (independent distributor of financial services products). | Director (Since 2006) of The Asia-Pacific Fund, Inc.; Sotheby’s (Since 2014) (auction house and art-related finance). | Since September 2014 |
|
Kay Ryan Booth (67)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Partner, Trinity Private Equity Group (Since September 2014); formerly, Managing Director of Cappello Waterfield & Co. LLC (2011-2014); formerly Vice Chair, Global Research, J.P. Morgan (financial services and investment banking institution) (June 2008 – January 2009); formerly Global Director of Equity Research, Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. (financial services and investment banking institution) (1995-2008); formerly Associate Director of Equity Research, Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. (1987-1995). | None. | Since January 2013 |
|
Stephen M. Chipman (56)
No. of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
Chief Executive Officer and Director of Radius GGE (USA), Inc. (Since June 2016); formerly, Senior Vice Chairman (December 2014-October 2015) and Chief Executive Officer (January 2010-December 2014) of Grant Thornton LLP. | None. | Since January 2018 |
8
| Interested Trustee | |||
|
Timothy S. Cronin (52)
Number of Portfolios Overseen: 107 |
President of Prudential Annuities (Since June 2015); Chief Investment Officer and Strategist of Prudential Annuities (Since January 2004); Director of Investment & Research Strategy (Since February 1998); President of AST Investment Services, Inc. (Since June 2005). | None. | Since October 2009 |
| Trust Officers (a) | ||
|
Name, Address and Age
Position with the Trust |
Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years | Length of Service as Trust Officer |
|
Edward C. Merrill, IV, CFA (33)
Vice President |
Vice President of Prudential Annuities (since December 2014); formerly Director of
Prudential Annuities (December 2010 –
December 2014); formerly Manager of Prudential Annuities (August 2009 – December 2010); formerly Senior Analyst of Prudential Annuities (October 2008 – August 2009) |
Since June 2017 |
9
10
(a)
Excludes Mr. Cronin, an Interested Trustee who also serves as President.
Explanatory Notes to Tables:
Trustees are deemed to be
“Interested,” as defined in the 1940 Act, by reason of their affiliation with PGIM Investments and/or an affiliate of PGIM Investments. Timothy S. Cronin is an Interested Trustee because he is employed by
an affiliate of the Manager.
Unless otherwise noted, the address of all
Trustees and Officers is c/o PGIM Investments LLC, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
There is no set term of office for Trustees
or Officers. The Independent Trustees have adopted a retirement policy, which calls for the retirement of Trustees on December 31 of the year in which they reach the age of 78, provided that the Board may extend the
retirement age on a year-by-year basis for a Trustee.
“Other Directorships Held”
includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the 1934 Act (that is, “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.
“No. of Portfolios Overseen”
includes all investment companies managed by PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS that are overseen by the Trustee. The investment companies for which PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS serves as Manager include The Prudential
Variable Contract Accounts, The Prudential Series Fund, Advanced Series Trust, Prudential's Gibraltar Fund, Inc., the Prudential Mutual Funds, the Prudential Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc. and Prudential Global
Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc.
COMPENSATION OF TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS.
Pursuant to a Management Agreement with the Trust, the Investment Manager pays all compensation of Trustees, officers and employees of the Trust, other than the fees and expenses of
Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Investment Manager or any subadviser. The Trust pays each of its Independent Trustees annual compensation in addition to certain out-of-pocket expenses. Trustees who
serve on Board Committees may receive additional compensation.
Independent Trustees may defer
receipt of their fees pursuant to a deferred fee agreement with the Trust. Under the terms of the agreement, the Trust accrues deferred Trustees' fees daily which, in turn, accrue interest at a rate equivalent to the
prevailing rate to 90-day US Treasury Bills at the beginning of each calendar quarter or, at the daily rate of return of one or more funds managed by PGIM Investments chosen by the Trustee. Payment of the interest so
accrued is also deferred and becomes payable at the option of the Trustee. The Trust's obligation to make payments of deferred Trustees' fees, together with interest thereon, is a general obligation of the Trust. The
Trust does not have a retirement or pension plan for its Trustees.
The following
table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid by the Trust for the Trust’s most recently completed fiscal year to the Independent Trustees for service on the Trust's Board, and the Board of any other
investment company in the Fund Complex for the most recently completed calendar year. Trustees and officers who are “interested persons” of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) do not receive
compensation from the Fund Complex.
11
| Name |
Aggregate Fiscal Year
Compensation from Trust (1) |
Pension or Retirement Benefits
Accrued as Part of Trust Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon
Retirement |
Total Compensation from Trust
and Fund Complex for Most Recent Calendar Year |
| Susan Davenport Austin | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Sherry S. Barrat | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Jessica M. Bibliowicz | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Kay Ryan Booth | $304,240 | None | None | $355,000 (3/107)* |
| Stephen M. Chipman # | None | None | None | None |
| Delayne Dedrick Gold ## | $326,030 | None | None | $380,000 (3/107)* |
| Robert F. Gunia** | $326,030 | None | None | $380,000 (3/107)* |
| Thomas T. Mooney** | $413,092 | None | None | $480,000 (3/107)* |
| Thomas M. O'Brien** | $326,030 | None | None | $380,000 (3/107)* |
# Mr. Chipman joined the
Board effective as of January 1, 2018.
## Ms. Gold retired from the Board effective as of December 31, 2017.
## Ms. Gold retired from the Board effective as of December 31, 2017.
Explanatory Notes to Compensation Table
(1)
Compensation relates to portfolios that were in existence during
2017.
* Number of funds and portfolios
represents those in existence as of December 31, 2017 and excludes funds that have merged or liquidated during the year. Additionally, the number of funds and portfolios includes those which were approved as of
December 31, 2017, but which may not have commenced operations as of December 31, 2017. No compensation is paid to Trustees with respect to funds/portfolios that have not yet commenced operations.
** Under the Trust’s deferred fee
arrangement, Trustees may elect to defer all or part of their total compensation. The total amount of deferred compensation accrued during the calendar year ended December 31, 2017, including investment results during
the year on cumulative deferred fees, amounted to $42,689, $439,285 and $353,807 for Messrs. Gunia, Mooney, and O'Brien, respectively.
BOARD COMMITTEES.
The Board has established four standing committees in connection with governance of the Trust—Audit, Compliance, Governance, and Investment Review and Risk. Information on the
membership of each standing committee and its functions is set forth below.
Audit Committee.
The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is not an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to
assist the Board in overseeing the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, accounting policies and procedures, and other areas relating to the Trust's auditing processes. The Audit Committee is
responsible for pre-approving all audit services and any permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm directly to the Trust. The Audit Committee is also responsible
for pre-approving permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm to (1) the Investment Manager and (2) any entity in a control relationship with the Investment Manager
that provides ongoing services to the Trust, provided that the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm relates directly to the operation and financial reporting of the Trust. The scope of the
Audit Committee's responsibilities is oversight. It is management's responsibility to maintain appropriate systems for accounting and internal control and the independent registered public accounting firm's
responsibility to plan and carry out an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). The Audit Committee Charter is available at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
. The number of Audit Committee meetings held during the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below.
The membership of
the Audit Committee is set forth below:
Thomas M. O’Brien (Chair)
Susan Davenport Austin
Robert F. Gunia
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Thomas M. O’Brien (Chair)
Susan Davenport Austin
Robert F. Gunia
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Compliance Committee.
The Compliance Committee serves as a liaison between the Board and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). The Compliance Committee is responsible for considering, in
consultation with the Board's Chair and outside counsel, any material compliance matters that are identified and reported by the CCO to the Compliance Committee between Board meetings. The Compliance Committee is also
responsible for considering, when requested by the CCO, the CCO's recommendations regarding the materiality of compliance matters to be reported to the Board. The Compliance Committee reviews compliance matters that
it determines warrant review between Board meetings. Further, when the CCO wishes to engage an independent third party to perform compliance-related work at the Trust’s expense, the Compliance Committee will
evaluate with the CCO which third party to recommend to the Board as well as the appropriate scope of the work. The number of Compliance Committee meetings held during the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year
is set forth in the table below. The Compliance Committee Charter is available on the Trust's website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
12
The membership of the Compliance
Committee is set forth below:
Robert F. Gunia (Chair)
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Sherry S. Barrat
Thomas M. O’Brien
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Robert F. Gunia (Chair)
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Sherry S. Barrat
Thomas M. O’Brien
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Governance Committee.
The Governance Committee of the Board is responsible for nominating Trustees and making recommendations to the Board concerning Board composition, committee structure and governance,
director compensation and expenses, director education, and governance practices. The Board has determined that each member of the Governance Committee is not an “interested person” as defined in the 1940
Act. The number of Governance Committee meetings held during the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below. The Governance Committee Charter is available on the Trust's website at
www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios
.
The membership of
the Governance Committee is set forth below:
Susan Davenport Austin (Chair)
Sherry S. Barrat
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Susan Davenport Austin (Chair)
Sherry S. Barrat
Jessica M. Bibliowicz
Kay Ryan Booth
Thomas T. Mooney (ex-officio)
Investment Review and Risk Committee
(IRRC).
The IRRC consists of all members of the Board and is chaired by Mr. Mooney, the Chairman of the Board. The Board created the IRRC to help the Board in reviewing certain types of risk,
especially those risks related to portfolio investments, the subadvisers for the Portfolios and other related risks. The responsibilities of the IRRC include, but are not limited to: reviewing written materials and
reports pertaining to Portfolio performance, investments and risk from subadvisers, the Strategic Investment Review Group (SIRG) of PGIM Investments and others; considering presentations from subadvisers, the
Investment Manager, SIRG or other service providers on matters relating to Portfolio performance, investments and risk; and periodically reviewing management’s evaluation of various types of risks to the
Portfolios.
LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE
AND QUALIFICATIONS OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The Board is responsible for oversight of the Trust. The Trust has engaged the Investment Manager to manage the Trust on a day-to-day basis. The Board oversees the Investment Manager and
certain other principal service providers in the operations of the Trust. The Board is currently composed of nine members, eight of whom are Independent Trustees. The Board meets in-person at regularly scheduled
meetings twelve times throughout the year. In addition, the Board Members may meet in-person or by telephone at special meetings. As described above, the Board has established four standing committees—Audit,
Compliance, Governance, and Investment Review and Risk—and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time, to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The Independent
Trustees have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities.
The Board is chaired by an
Independent Trustee. As Chair, this Independent Trustee leads the Board in its activities. Also, the Chair acts as a member or an ex-officio member of each standing committee and any ad hoc committee of the Board. The
Trustees have determined that the Board's leadership and committee structure is appropriate because the Board believes it sets the proper tone to the relationships between the Trust, on the one hand, and the
Investment Manager, the subadviser(s) and certain other principal service providers, on the other, and facilitates the exercise of the Board's independent judgment in evaluating and managing the relationships. In
addition, the structure efficiently allocates responsibility among committees.
The Board has concluded that, based
on each Trustee's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, each Trustee should serve as a Trustee. Among other attributes common to
all Trustees are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the various service providers to the Trust, and to exercise reasonable
business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. In addition, the Board has taken into account the actual service and commitment of the Trustees during their tenure in concluding that each should
continue to serve. A Trustee's ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through a Trustee's educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or
academic positions; experience from service as a Trustee of the Trust, other funds in the Fund Complex, public companies, or non-profit entities or other organizations; or other experiences. Set forth below is a brief
discussion of the specific experience qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee that led the Board to conclude that he or she should serve as a Trustee.
13
Susan Davenport
Austin.
Ms. Austin currently serves as Senior Managing Director of Brock Capital. In addition to her experience in senior leadership positions with private companies, Ms. Austin has more than 10
years of experience in the investment banking industry, and has experience serving on boards of other public companies and non-profit entities.
Sherry S. Barrat.
Ms. Barrat has more than 35 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the financial services and banking industries. In addition, Ms. Barrat has over 10 years of experience
serving on boards of other public companies and non-profit entities.
Jessica M. Bibliowicz.
Ms. Bibliowicz has more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the financial services and investment management industries. In addition, Ms. Bibliowicz also has
experience in serving on the boards of other public companies, investment companies, and non-profit organizations.
Kay Ryan Booth.
Ms. Booth has more than 35 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the investment management and investment banking industries. Ms. Booth is currently a Partner of Trinity
Private Equity Group. In addition to her experience in senior leadership positions with private companies, Ms. Booth has experience serving on the boards of other entities.
Stephen M. Chipman.
Mr. Chipman has 34 years of experience with a public accounting firm, serving in various senior leadership positions in Europe, North America and Asia. Mr. Chipman also has experience
serving on boards of other entities.
Robert F. Gunia.
Mr. Gunia has served for more than 10 years as a Trustee of mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors. In addition, Mr. Gunia served in senior leadership positions
for more than 28 years with the Investment Manager and its affiliates and predecessors.
Thomas T. Mooney.
Mr. Mooney has served for more than 10 years as a Trustee of mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors, including some or all of the following funds: Advanced
Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., and/or other mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors. Mr. Mooney has more than 30 years of experience in
senior leadership positions with municipal organizations and other companies and has experience serving on the boards of other entities.
Thomas M. O’Brien.
Mr. O’Brien has served for more than 10 years as a Trustee of mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors, including some or all of the following funds:
Advanced Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., and/or other mutual funds advised by the Investment Manager or its predecessors. Mr. O’Brien has more than 25 years of
experience in senior leadership positions in the banking industry, and has experience serving on the boards of other entities.
Timothy S. Cronin.
Mr.
Cronin, an Interested Trustee of the Trust and other funds advised by the Investment Manager since 2009, served as Vice President of the Trust and other funds advised by the Investment
Manager from 2009-2015, as President of the Trust and other funds advised by the Investment Manager since 2015, and has held senior positions with Prudential Financial (and American Skandia, which was purchased by
Prudential Financial) since 1998.
Specific details about each
Trustee's professional experience is set forth in the professional biography tables, above.
Risk Oversight.
Investing in general and the operation of a mutual fund involve a variety of risks, such as investment risk, compliance risk, and operational risk, among others. The Board oversees risk as
part of its oversight of the Trust. Risk oversight is addressed as part of various regular Board and committee activities. The Board, directly or through its committees, reviews reports from among others, the
Investment Manager, sub-advisers, the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer, the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, counsel, and internal auditors of the Investment Manager or its affiliates, as
appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Trust and the risk management programs of the Investment Manager and certain service providers. The actual day-to-day risk management with respect to the Trust resides with
the Investment Manager and other service providers to the Trust. Although the risk management policies of the Investment Manager and the service providers are designed to be effective, those policies and their
implementation vary among service providers and over time, and there is no guarantee that they will be effective. Not all risks that may affect the Trust can be identified or processes and controls developed to
eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and some risks are simply beyond any control of the Trust or the Investment Manager, its affiliates or other service providers.
Selection of Trustee Nominees.
The Governance Committee is responsible for considering trustee nominees for Trustees at such times as it considers electing new members to the Board. The Governance Committee may consider
recommendations by business and personal contacts of current Board members, and by executive search firms which the Committee may engage from time to time and will also consider shareholder recommendations. The
Governance Committee has not established specific, minimum qualifications that it believes must be met by a nominee. In evaluating nominees, the Governance Committee considers, among other things, an individual's
background, skills, and experience; whether the individual is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; and whether the individual would be deemed an “audit committee financial expert”
within the meaning of applicable SEC rules. The Governance
14
Committee also considers whether the individual's
background, skills, and experience will complement the background, skills, and experience of other nominees and will contribute to the diversity of the Board. There are no differences in the manner in which the
Governance Committee evaluates nominees for the Board based on whether the nominee is recommended by a shareholder.
A shareholder who
wishes to recommend a director for nomination should submit his or her recommendation in writing to the Chair of the Board (Thomas T. Mooney) or the Chair of the Governance Committee (Susan Davenport Austin), in
either case in care of the Trust, at 655 Broad Street, 17
th
Floor, Newark, New Jersey 07102. At a minimum, the recommendation should include: the name, address, and business,
educational, and/or other pertinent background of the person being recommended; a statement concerning whether the person is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; any other information that
the Trust would be required to include in a proxy statement concerning the person if he or she was nominated; and the name and address of the person submitting the recommendation, together with the number of shares
held by such person and the period for which the shares have been held. The recommendation also can include any additional information which the person submitting it believes would assist the Governance Committee in
evaluating the recommendation.
Shareholders should note that a
person who owns securities issued by Prudential Financial, Inc. (the parent company of the Trust's Investment Manager) would be deemed an “interested person” under the 1940 Act. In addition, certain other
relationships with Prudential Financial, Inc. or its subsidiaries, with registered broker-dealers, or with the Trust's outside legal counsel may cause a person to be deemed an “interested person.” Before
the Governance Committee decides to nominate an individual to the Board, Committee members and other Board members customarily interview the individual in person. In addition, the individual customarily is asked to
complete a detailed questionnaire which is designed to elicit information which must be disclosed under SEC and stock exchange rules and to determine whether the individual is subject to any statutory disqualification
from serving on the board of a registered investment company.
Shareholder Communications with the
Board of Trustees.
Shareholders of the Trust can communicate directly with the Board by writing to the Chair of the Board, c/o the Trust, 1 Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484. Shareholders can
communicate directly with an individual Trustee by writing to that Trustee, c/o the Trust, 1 Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484. Such communications to the Board or individual Trustees are not screened before
being delivered to the addressee.
| Board Committee Meetings (for most recently completed fiscal year) | |||
| Audit Committee | Governance Committee | Compliance Committee | Investment Review and Risk Committee |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
Share Ownership.
Information relating to each Trustee's share ownership in the Trust, other funds that are overseen by the respective Trustee as well as any other funds that are managed by the Manager as
of the most recently completed calendar year is set forth in the chart below.
| Name |
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Trust |
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities Owned by Trustee in All Registered Investment Companies in Fund Complex* |
| Trustee Share Ownership | ||
| Susan Davenport Austin | None | Over $100,000 |
| Sherry S. Barrat | None | Over $100,000 |
| Jessica M. Bibliowicz | None | Over $100,000 |
| Kay Ryan Booth | None | Over $100,000 |
| Stephen M. Chipman # | None | None |
| Timothy S. Cronin | None | Over $100,000 |
| Robert F. Gunia | None | Over $100,000 |
| Thomas T. Mooney | None | Over $100,000 |
| Thomas M. O'Brien | None | Over $100,000 |
# Mr. Chipman joined the
Board effective as of January 1, 2018.
* “Fund Complex” includes
Advanced Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., the Prudential Funds, Target Funds, and any other funds that are managed by PGIM Investments and/or ASTIS. The above share
ownership information relates to Portfolios and other registered investment companies in the Fund Complex that were in existence during 2017.
15
Because the Portfolios of the Trust
serve as investment options under variable annuity and life insurance contracts, federal tax law prohibits the sale of Portfolio shares directly to individuals, including the Trustees. Individuals, including a
Trustee, may, however, have an interest in a Portfolio if he or she purchases a variable contract and selects the Portfolio as an investment option.
Other than as set forth in the
following paragraph, none of the Independent Trustees, or any member of his/her immediate family, owned beneficially or of record any securities in an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust or a
person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of a Portfolio as of the most recently
completed calendar year.
As of December 31,
2017, Ms. Bibliowicz and her husband—through their interest in a private partnership managed by other persons who are charged with making all investment decisions for the partnership—were unknowingly and
inadvertently the beneficial owners of stock issued by Prudential Financial, Inc. The stock was held for approximately four months and was promptly disposed of without profit to Ms. Bibliowicz or her husband as soon
as Ms. Bibliowicz became aware of the ownership interest. Neither Ms. Bibliowicz nor her husband has any remaining beneficial interest in that stock. Further, through the same partnership interest, Ms. Bibliowicz and
her husband have periodically been unknowing and inadvertent beneficial owners of stock issued by affiliated persons that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with the following unaffiliated
subadvisers: Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. These securities also were disposed of promptly upon Ms. Bibliowicz’s
discovery of the ownership interest at approximately the same time that the Prudential Financial, Inc. securities were sold. Neither Ms. Bibliowicz nor her husband have any remaining beneficial ownership interest in
these companies. As of the date of this SAI, Ms. Bibliowicz is considered an Independent Trustee.
MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY
ARRANGEMENTS
TRUST
MANAGEMENT
. PGIM Investments, 655 Broad Street, 17th Floor, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4077, and ASTIS, One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut, 06484, serve as the investment managers of the
Portfolios; PGIM Investments and ASTIS serve as co-investment managers for the AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio, the AST Managed Equity Portfolio and the AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio. PGIM
Investments serves as the sole investment manager for all other Portfolios covered by this SAI.
As of December 31, 2017, PGIM
Investments served as the investment manager to all of the Prudential US and offshore open-end investment companies, and as administrator to closed-end investment companies, with aggregate assets of approximately
$278.6 billion. PGIM Investments is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PIFM Holdco, LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM Holding Company LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc.
(Prudential). PGIM Investments has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1996.
As of December 31, 2017, ASTIS
served as the investment manager to certain of the Prudential US open-end investment companies with aggregate assets of approximately $177.94 billion. ASTIS is a subsidiary of Prudential Annuities Holding Company,
Inc., which is a subsidiary of Prudential Annuities, Inc., a subsidiary of Prudential. ASTIS has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1992.
Services Provided by the
Manager.
Pursuant to Management Agreements with the Trust (collectively, the Management Agreement), the Manager, subject to the oversight of the Trust's Board and in conformity with the stated
policies of the Portfolios, manages both the investment operations and composition of each Portfolio, including the purchase, retention, disposition and loan of securities and other assets. In connection therewith,
the Manager is obligated to keep certain books and records of the Portfolios. The Manager is authorized to enter into subadvisory agreements for investment advisory services in connection with the management of the
Portfolios. The Manager continues to have the ultimate responsibility for all investment advisory services performed pursuant to any such subadvisory agreements.
The Manager is specifically
responsible for supervising and managing the Portfolios and the subadvisers. In this capacity, the Manager reviews the performance of the Portfolios and the subadvisers and make recommendations to the Board with
respect to the retention of investment subadvisers, the renewal of contracts, and the reorganization and merger of Portfolios, and other legal and compliance matters. The Manager takes on the entrepreneurial and other
risks associated with the launch of each new Portfolio and its ongoing operations. The Manager utilizes the Strategic Investment Research Group (SIRG), a unit of PGIM Investments, to assist it in regularly evaluating
and supervising the Portfolios and the subadvisers, including with respect to investment performance. SIRG is a centralized research department of PGIM Investments that is comprised of a group of highly experienced
analysts. SIRG utilizes proprietary processes to analyze large quantities of industry data, both on a qualitative and quantitative level, in order to effectively manage the Portfolios and the subadvisers. The Manager
utilizes this data in directly supervising the Portfolios and the subadvisers. SIRG provides reports to the Board and presents to the Board at special and regularly scheduled Board meetings. The Manager bears the cost
of the oversight program maintained by SIRG.
16
In addition, the
Manager provides or supervises all of the administrative functions necessary for the organization, operation and management of the Trust and its Portfolios. The Manager administers the Trust's corporate affairs and,
in connection therewith, furnish the Trust with office facilities, together with those ordinary clerical and bookkeeping services which are not being furnished by, the Trust's custodian (the Custodian), and the
Trust's transfer agent. The Manager is also responsible for the staffing and management of dedicated groups of legal, marketing, compliance and related personnel necessary for the operation of the Trust. The legal,
marketing, compliance and related personnel are also responsible for the management and oversight of the various service providers to the Trust, including, but not limited to, the custodian, transfer agent, and
accounting agent. The management services of the Manager to the Trust are not exclusive under the terms of the Management Agreement and the Manager is free to, and do, render management services to others.
The primary administrative services
furnished by the Manager are more specifically detailed below:
| ■ | furnishing of office facilities; |
| ■ | paying salaries of all officers and other employees of the Investment Managers who are responsible for managing the Trust and the Portfolios; |
| ■ | monitoring financial and shareholder accounting services provided by the Trust’s custodian and transfer agent; |
| ■ | providing assistance to the service providers of the Trust and the Portfolios, including, but not limited to, the custodian, transfer agent, and accounting agent; |
| ■ | monitoring, together with each subadviser, each Portfolio’s compliance with its investment policies, restrictions, and with federal and state laws and regulations, including federal and state securities laws, the Internal Revenue Code and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations; |
| ■ | preparing and filing all required federal, state and local tax returns for the Trust and the Portfolios; |
| ■ | preparing and filing with the SEC on Form N-CSR the Trust’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, including supervising financial printers who provide related support services; |
| ■ | preparing and filing with the SEC required quarterly reports of portfolio holdings on Form N-Q; |
| ■ | preparing and filing the Trust’s registration statement with the SEC on Form N-1A, as well as preparing and filing with the SEC supplements and other documents, as applicable; |
| ■ | preparing compliance, operations and other reports required to be received by the Trust’s Board and/or its committees in support of the Board’s oversight of the Trust; and |
| ■ | organizing the regular and any special meetings of the Board of the Trust, including the preparing Board materials and agendas, preparing minutes, and related functions. |
Expenses Borne by the Investment
Managers.
In connection with their management of the corporate affairs of the Trust, the Investment Managers bear certain expenses, including, but not limited to:
| ■ | the salaries and expenses of all of their and the Trust's personnel except the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Investment Managers or any subadviser; |
| ■ | all expenses incurred by the Investment Managers or the Trust in connection with managing the ordinary course of a Trust's business, other than those assumed by the Trust as described below; |
| ■ | the fees, costs and expenses payable to any investment subadvisers pursuant to Subadvisory Agreements between the Investment Managers and such investment subadvisers; and |
| ■ | with respect to the compliance services provided by the Investment Managers, the cost of the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, the Trust’s Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, and all personnel who provide compliance services for the Trust, and all of the other costs associated with the Trust’s compliance program, which includes the management and operation of the compliance program responsible for compliance oversight of the Portfolios and the subadvisers. |
Expenses Borne by the Trust.
Under the terms of the Management Agreement, the Trust is responsible for the payment of Trust expenses not paid by the Investment Managers, including:
| ■ | the fees and expenses incurred by the Trust in connection with the management of the investment and reinvestment of the Trust's assets payable to the Investment Managers; |
| ■ | the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Investment Managers or any subadviser; |
| ■ | the fees and certain expenses of the custodian and transfer and dividend disbursing agent, including the cost of providing records to the Investment Managers in connection with their obligation of maintaining required records of the Trust and of pricing the Trust's shares; |
| ■ | the charges and expenses of the Trust's legal counsel and independent auditors; |
| ■ | brokerage commissions and any issue or transfer taxes chargeable to the Trust in connection with its securities (and futures, if applicable) transactions; |
| ■ | all taxes and corporate fees payable by the Trust to governmental agencies; |
| ■ | the fees of any trade associations of which the Trust may be a member; |
| ■ | the cost of share certificates representing and/or non-negotiable share deposit receipts evidencing shares of the Trust; |
| ■ | the cost of fidelity, directors and officers and errors and omissions insurance; |
17
| ■ | the fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registration of the Trust and of its shares with the SEC and paying notice filing fees under state securities laws, including the preparation and printing of the Trust's registration statements and prospectuses for such purposes; |
| ■ | allocable communications expenses with respect to investor services and all expenses of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings and of preparing, printing and mailing reports and notices to shareholders; and |
| ■ | litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Trust's business and distribution and service (12b-1) fees. |
Terms of the Management
Agreement
. The Management Agreement provides that the Investment Managers will not be liable for any error of judgment by PGIM Investments or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the
matters to which the Management Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services (in which case any award of damages shall be limited
to the period and the amount set forth in Section 36(b)(3) of the 1940 Act) or loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties. The Management Agreement provides
that it will terminate automatically, if assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act), and that it may be terminated without penalty by either the Investment Managers or the Trust by the Board or vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Trust, (as defined in the 1940 Act) upon not more than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice. The Management Agreement will continue in effect for a period of more than two
years from the date of execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
Fees payable under the Management
Agreement are computed daily and paid monthly. The Investment Managers may from time to time waive all or a portion of its management fee and subsidize all or a portion of the operating expenses of a Portfolio.
Management fee waivers and subsidies will increase a Portfolio's total return. These voluntary waivers may be terminated at any time without notice.
SEC Manager-of-Managers
Order.
The manager-of-managers structure operates under exemptive orders issued by the SEC. The orders permit the Investment Managers to hire subadvisers or amend subadvisory agreements, without
shareholder approval.
The most recent order imposes the
following conditions:
1. Before a Portfolio may rely on
the order requested in the application, the operation of the Portfolio in the manner described in the application, including the hiring of wholly-owned subadvisers, will be, or has been, approved by a majority of the
Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities as defined in the 1940 Act, which in the case of a master fund will include voting instructions provided by shareholders of the feeder funds investing in such master
fund or other voting arrangements that comply with section 12(d)(1)(E)(iii)(aa) of the 1940 Act (or, in the case on an insurance-related Portfolio, pursuant to the voting instructions provided by contract owners with
assets allocated to any registered separate account for which the Portfolio serves as a funding medium), or, in the case of a new Portfolio whose public shareholders purchase shares on the basis of a prospectus
containing the disclosure contemplated by condition 2 below, by the sole initial shareholder before offering the Portfolio’s shares to the public.
2. The prospectus for each
Portfolio, and in the case of a master fund relying on the requested relief, the prospectus for each feeder fund investing in such master fund, will disclose the existence, substance and effect of any order granted
pursuant to the application. Each Portfolio (and any such feeder fund) will hold itself out to the public as employing the Multi-Manager Structure described in the application. Each prospectus will prominently
disclose that the Investment Managers have the ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the subadvisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement.
3. The Investment Managers will
provide general management services to a Portfolio, including overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Portfolio’s assets. Subject to review and approval of the Board,
the Investment Managers will (a) set a Portfolio’s overall investment strategies, (b) evaluate, select, and recommend subadvisers to manage all or a portion of a Portfolio’s assets, and (c) implement
procedures reasonably designed to ensure that subadvisers comply with a Portfolio’s investment objective, policies and restrictions. Subject to review by the Board, the Investment Managers will (a) when
appropriate, allocate and reallocate a Portfolio’s assets among subadvisers; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of subadvisers.
4. A Portfolio will not make any
ineligible subadviser changes without the approval of the shareholders of the applicable Portfolio, which in the case of a master fund will include voting instructions provided by shareholders of the feeder fund
investing in such master fund or other voting arrangements that comply with section 12(d)(1)(E)(iii)(aa) of the 1940 Act.
5. A Portfolio will inform
shareholders, and if the Portfolio is a master fund, shareholders of any feeder funds, of the hiring of a new subadviser within 90 days after the hiring of the new subadviser pursuant to the Modified Notice and Access
Procedures.
6. At all times, at least a
majority of the Board will be Independent Trustees, and the selection and nomination of new or additional Independent Trustees will be placed within the discretion of the then-existing Independent Trustees.
18
7. Independent legal counsel, as
defined in rule 0-1(a)(6) under the 1940 Act, will be engaged to represent the Independent Trustees. The selection of such counsel will be within the discretion of the then-existing Independent Trustees.
8. The Investment
Managers will provide the Board, no less frequently than quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Investment Managers on a per Portfolio basis. The information will reflect the impact on
profitability of the hiring or termination of any subadviser during the applicable quarter.
9. Whenever a subadviser is hired
or terminated, the Investment Managers will provide the Board with information showing the expected impact on the profitability of the Investment Managers.
10. Whenever a subadviser change is
proposed for a Portfolio with an affiliated subadviser or a wholly-owned subadviser, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, will make a separate finding, reflected in the Board minutes, that such
change is in the best interests of the Portfolio and its shareholders, and if the Portfolio is a master fund, the best interests of any applicable feeder funds and their respective shareholders, and does not involve a
conflict of interest from which the Investment Managers or the affiliated subadviser or wholly-owned subadviser derives an inappropriate advantage.
11. No Board member or officer of a
Prudential investment company, a Portfolio, or a feeder fund that invests in a Portfolio that is a master fund, or director, manager or officer of the Investment Managers, will own directly or indirectly (other than
through a pooled investment vehicle that is not controlled by such person) any interest in a subadviser except for (a) ownership of interests in the Investment Managers or any entity, other than a Wholly-Owned
subadviser, that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Investment Managers, or (b) ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding securities of any class of equity or debt of any publicly
traded company that is either a subadviser or an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, a subadviser.
12. Each Portfolio and any feeder
fund that invests in a Portfolio that is a master fund will disclose an aggregate fee disclosure in its registration statement.
13. In the event the SEC adopts a
rule under the 1940 Act providing substantially similar relief to that requested in the application, the requested order will expire on the effective date of that rule.
14. Any new Subadvisory Agreement
or any amendment to a Portfolio’s existing Investment Management Agreement or Subadvisory Agreement that directly or indirectly results in an increase in the aggregate advisory fee rate payable by the Portfolio
will be submitted to the Portfolio’s shareholders for approval.
Potential Conflicts
. Under the manager-of-managers structure, the Investment Managers recommend the hiring and firing of subadvisers, determine the allocation of Portfolio assets among subadvisers for
Portfolios with more than one subadviser, and report to the Board regarding subadviser performance. The Investment Managers also directly manage the assets for certain Portfolio sleeves or segments.
The Investment Managers may face
potential conflicts inherent in serving as a manager-of-managers including, but not limited to: (i) an incentive to recommend that a Portfolio retain an affiliated subadviser; (ii) an incentive to recommend that a
Portfolio retain a subadviser because the subadviser may provide distribution support or other services that benefit the Investment Managers or their affiliates or because of other relationships between the subadviser
or its affiliates and the Investment Managers or their affiliates; (iii) an incentive to recommend that the Investment Managers provide direct management of assets for certain sleeves or segments; and (iv) an
incentive to allocate assets among subadvisers of a single Portfolio based on profitability or other benefit to the Investment Managers or their affiliates.
To mitigate
potential conflicts presented by these issues, the Investment Managers utilize the services of SIRG, a unit of PGIM Investments, which provides investment manager oversight, analysis and recommendations. SIRG provides
its input to both the Investment Managers and the Board. SIRG representatives meet with the Board in connection with its quarterly meetings and any special meetings at which subadviser recommendations are made, and
the Board makes the decision as to the retention of any subadviser. For recommendations involving a new subadviser or a replacement subadviser for a single asset class Portfolio or sleeve, SIRG conducts a search of
qualified subadvisers and provides a recommendation. SIRG reviews with the Board the search process, finalists and the reasons for the recommendation. SIRG’s investment analysis process is applied in the same
manner to both affiliated and unaffiliated subadvisers. The Board makes the final decision with respect to the retention of a new or replacement subadviser. For some Portfolios, the Investment Managers make a
recommendation for a subadviser based on the design of a Portfolio, such as a Portfolio designed in consultation with a specific subadviser. In those cases, SIRG reviews the proposed subadviser and reports to the
Board regarding its assessment of the subadviser.
19
To the extent a
subadviser’s affiliation or other business relationship with Prudential is a factor in any subadviser recommendation, the Investment Manager discusses the relevant factors with the Board, which makes the final
decision on any new or replacement subadviser. SIRG personnel are not involved in subadvisory fee negotiations.
Management Fees.
The tables below set forth the applicable contractual management fee rate for each Portfolio.
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio |
0.64% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.63% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.61% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.57% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.55% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio |
0.6825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.6725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.5925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio |
0.74% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.73% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.72% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.71% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.70% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.67% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.65% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
0.7825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio |
0.64% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.63% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.61% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.57% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.55% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
20
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
0.7125% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7025% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.6825% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6725% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6225% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
1.04% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
1.03% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 1.02% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 1.01% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 1.00% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
1.04% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
1.03% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 1.02% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 1.01% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 1.00% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
0.9825% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.9725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.9625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.9525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.9425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.9125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.8925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
0.7325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.7225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.7125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.7025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.6425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
21
| Management Fee Rates (effective July 1, 2015 and thereafter) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio |
0.64% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.63% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.62% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.61% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.60% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.57% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.55% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio |
1.04% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
1.03% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 1.02% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 1.01% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 1.00% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| Management Fee Rates (effective April 28, 2014 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
0.94% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.93% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.91% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
0.87% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.86% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.84% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.83% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.78% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
0.99% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.98% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.97% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.96% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.95% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.92% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.90% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | 0.15% of average daily net assets |
22
| Management Fee Rates (effective April 28, 2014 through June 30, 2015) | |
| Portfolio | Contractual Fee Rate |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
1.14% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
1.13% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 1.12% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 1.11% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 1.10% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 1.07% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 1.05% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
0.89% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.88% on next $200 million of average daily net assets; 0.87% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.86% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets; 0.85% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets; 0.82% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets; 0.80% over $10 billion of average daily net assets |
| Management Fees Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | 10,452,794 | 7,874,581 | $2,379,059 |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | 17,127 | -# | -# |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | -# | 4,249 | -# |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | 4,873,383 | 4,838,555 | 1,635,286 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | 2,225,915 | 2,662,524 | 5,414,649 |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | 1,589,599 | 630,858 | -# |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | 34,238 | 32,883 | -# |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | 70,159 | 52,494 | -# |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | 187,437 | 133,885 | 36,806 |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | 6,150,682 | 5,230,319 | 6,192,049 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | 12,215,448 | 8,979,111 | 2,014,330 |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | -# | -# | -# |
#The management fee amount
waived exceeded the management fee that would otherwise have been payable due to an expense cap.
FEE WAIVERS/SUBSIDIES.
PGIM Investments may from time to time waive all or a portion of its management fee and/or subsidize all or a portion of the operating expenses of the Portfolios. Fee waivers and subsidies
will increase a Portfolio's return.
PGIM Investments has agreed to
waive a portion of its management fee and/or limit total expenses (expressed as an annual percentage of average daily net assets) for certain Portfolios of the Trust, as set forth in the table below. Unless otherwise
noted, the expense limitations may be discontinued or otherwise modified at any time.
23
24
25
| Fee Waivers & Expense Limitations | |
| Portfolio | Fee Waiver and/or Expense Limitation |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying Portfolios of the Trust) (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.480% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. This arrangement may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.010% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (including net distribution fees, acquired fund fees and expenses due to investments in underlying Portfolios of the Trust and underlying portfolios managed or subadvised by the subadviser) (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales, and any other acquired fund fees and expenses not mentioned above) do not exceed 1.050% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.133% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2019. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Portfolio so that the Portfolio's investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 1.420% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2019. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified prior to June 30, 2019 without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. |
*
Fund of Funds Discount
: The Manager has agreed to a voluntary fee waiver arrangement that will apply across each of the following portfolios: AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio (Fund of Fund sleeve), AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Defensive Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio, AST
Managed Equity Portfolio, AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio, AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio, and AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio (collectively, the Fund of Funds Portfolios). This voluntary fee
waiver arrangement may be terminated by the Manager at any time. As described below, this voluntary fee waiver will be applied to the effective management fee rates and will be based upon the combined average daily
net assets of the Fund of Fund sPortfolios.
—Combined assets up to $10 billion: No
fee reduction.
—Combined assets between $10 billion
and $25 billion: 1% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $25 billion
and $45 billion: 2.5% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $45 billion
and $65 billion: 5.0% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $65 billion
and $85 billion: 7.5% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $85 billion
and $105 billion: 10.0% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets between $105 million
and $125 billion: 12.5% reduction to effective fee rate.
—Combined assets above $125 billion:
15.0% reduction to effective fee rate.
SUBADVISERS.
The Manager has entered into subadvisory agreements with each of the subadvisers named in the table appearing below. The subadvisory agreements provide that the subadvisers will furnish
investment advisory services in connection with the management of each Portfolio. In connection therewith, each subadviser is obligated to keep certain books and records of the Trust. Under each subadvisory agreement,
each subadviser, subject to the supervision of the Manager, is responsible for managing the assets of a Portfolio in accordance with the Portfolio's investment objectives, investment program and policies. The
subadvisers determine what securities and other instruments are purchased and sold for each Portfolio and are responsible for obtaining and evaluating financial data relevant to the Portfolio. The Manager continues to
have the ultimate responsibility for all investment advisory services pursuant to the Management Agreement and supervise the subadvisers' performance of such services.
Pursuant to each subadvisory
agreement, the Manager pays each subadviser a fee. The tables below set forth the current fee rates and fees paid by the Manager to each subadviser for the three most recent fiscal years. The fee rates represent the
fees as a percentage of average daily net assets.
As discussed in the Prospectus, the
Manager employs each subadviser under a “manager of managers” structure that allows the Manager to replace the subadvisers or amend a subadvisory agreement without seeking shareholder approval. The Manager
is authorized to select (with approval of the Board's independent trustees) one or more subadvisers to handle the actual day-to-day investment management of each Portfolio. The Manager monitors each subadviser's
performance through quantitative and qualitative
26
analysis and
periodically report to the Board as to whether each subadviser's agreement should be renewed, terminated or modified. It is possible that the Manager will continue to be satisfied with the performance record of the
existing subadvisers and not recommend any additional subadvisers. The Manager is also responsible for allocating assets among the subadvisers if a Portfolio has more than one subadviser. In those circumstances, the
allocation for each subadviser can range from 0% to 100% of the Portfolio's assets, and the Manager can change the allocations without Board or shareholder approval. The Manager will review the allocations
periodically and may adjust them without prior notice. The annual update to the Trust's prospectus will reflect these adjustments. Shareholders will be notified of any new subadvisers or materially amended subadvisory
agreements.
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | AllianceBernstein L.P. (AllianceBernstein) |
0.20% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.19% over $500 million of average daily net assets |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio | Capital International, Inc. (Capital International) | 0.25% of average daily net assets |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (Columbia) |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.40% on next $500 million of average daily net assets; 0.375% on next $1 billion of average daily net assets; 0.35% on next $1 billion of average daily net assets; 0.30% over $3 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | Dana Investment Advisors, Inc. (Dana) |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $40 million;
0.25% on the next $40 million of average daily net assets; 0.20% over $80 million of average daily net assets |
| Longfellow Investment Management Co. (Longfellow) |
0.20% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.18% on the next $100 million of average daily net assets; 0.16% over $200 million of average daily net assets |
|
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | First Quadrant, L.P. (First Quadrant) |
0.625% on first $250 million of average daily net assets;
0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.50% over $500 million of average daily net assets |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Franklin Advisers); K2/D&S Management Co., L.L.C. (K2); Templeton Global Advisors, LLC (Templeton Global) |
0.35% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.34% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.33% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.32% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.30% over $1 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (GSAM) |
0.420% of average daily net assets to $150 million;
0.400% on next $650 million of average daily net assets; 0.375% on next $700 million of average daily net assets; 0.350% on next $1 billion of average daily net assets; 0.325% on next $1 billion of average daily net assets; 0.300% over $3.5 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (Goldman Sachs International) | 0.20% of average daily net assets |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | GSAM |
0.40% on the first $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.375% over $200 million of average daily net assets |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | Jennison Associates LLC (Jennison) |
0.55% on the first $300 million of average daily net assets;
0.50% over $300 million of average daily net assets |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | QS Investors, LLC (QS Investors); Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC (Brandywine); ClearBridge Investments, LLC (ClearBridge); Western Asset Management Company/Western Asset Management Company Limited (Western Asset) |
0.350% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.325% of average daily net assets over $250 million to $500 million; 0.300% of average daily net assets over $500 million to $750 million; 0.275% of average daily net assets over $750 million to $1 billion; 0.250% of average daily net assets over $1 billion to $2 billion; 0.225% of average daily net assets over $2 billion |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA) |
0.15% of average daily net assets invested in the overlay sleeve;
0.04% of average daily net assets excluding assets invested in the overlay sleeve |
27
| Portfolio Subadvisers and Fee Rates | ||
| Portfolio | Subadviser(s) | Fee Rate* |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | QMA |
0.15% of average daily net assets invested in the overlay sleeve;
0.04% of average daily net assets excluding assets invested in the overlay sleeve |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (Morgan Stanley) |
0.65% of average daily net assets to $50 million;
0.625% on next $150 million of average daily net assets; 0.56% on next $300 million of average daily net assets; 0.50% on next $250 million of average daily net assets; 0.475% over $750 million of average daily net assets |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (Neuberger Berman) |
0.70% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.60% over $100 million of average daily net assets |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income |
0.20% of average daily net assets to $25 million;
0.15% on next $25 million of average daily net assets; 0.10% on next $50 million of average daily net assets; 0.05% over $100 million of average daily net assets (applies to TIPS assets only) |
| PGIM Fixed Income * |
0.30% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.27% on next $100 million of average daily net assets; 0.22% on next $100 million of average daily net assets; 0.20% over $300 million of average daily net assets (applies to Global Aggregate Plus assets only) |
|
| 0.45 % of average daily net assets (applies to Global Absolute Return assets only) | ||
| QMA |
0.45% of average daily net assets to $250 million;
0.40% over $250 million of average daily net assets (applies to 130/30 assets only) |
|
|
0.30% of average daily net assets to $50 million;
0.25% over $50 million of average daily net assets (applies to Market Participation Strategy assets only) |
||
| 0.35% of average daily net assets (applies to EAFE All Cap assets only) | ||
| 1.00% of average daily net assets (applies to Market Neutral sleeve assets only) | ||
| 0.15% of average daily net assets (applies to Overall Asset Allocation and Overlay Strategies assets only) | ||
| Jennison |
0.55% of average daily net assets to $100 million;
0.50% over $100 million of average daily net assets (applies to Natural Resources assets only) |
|
|
0.60% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.50% over $300 million of average daily net assets (applies to MLP assets only) |
||
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | QMA | 0.30% of average daily net assets |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (including affiliates, T. Rowe Price); T. Rowe Price International Ltd; T. Rowe Price Japan, Inc.; T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited |
0.40% of average daily net assets to $500 million;
0.375% on next $500 million of average daily net assets; 0.35% on next $2 billion of average daily net assets; 0.30% over $3 billion of average daily net assets |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | Wellington Management Company LLP (Wellington) | 0.23% of average daily net assets |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | Wellington | 0.45% of average daily net assets |
28
*
PGIM Limited, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio pursuant to a sub-subadvisory agreement with PGIM. PGIM Limited provides investment
advisory services with respect to securities in certain foreign markets. The fee for PGIM Limited’s services is paid by PGIM, not the Portfolio or the Investment Managers.
Aggregation Notes to Subadviser Fee Rate
Table:
* For purposes of calculating the fee
payable to certain subadvisers, the assets managed by the subadviser will be aggregated with one or more other Portfolios. Each aggregation arrangement is set out below:
Jennison:
For purposes of calculating the subadvisory fee payable to Jennison, the assets managed by Jennison in the AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio will be aggregated with the assets
managed by Jennison in the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio and any other portfolio subadvised by Jennison on behalf of PGIM Investments or ASTIS pursuant to substantially the same investment
strategy.
Franklin Advisers/Templeton Global
(“Franklin Adviser Subadvisers”):
The Franklin Adviser Subadvisers have agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement, as follows: With respect to all existing and future Portfolios for which the Franklin
Adviser Subadvisers provide subadvisory services, the subadvisory fee rates would be discounted according to the following schedule:
—Combined assets up to $500 million:
No discount.
—Combined assets of $500 million up to
$1 billion: 2.5% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
—Combined assets of $1 billion to $1.5
billion: 5.0% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
—Combined assets of $1.5 billion to
$2.5 billion: 7.5% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
—Combined assets of $2.5 billion and
above: 10.0% fee discount applied to the same percentage of the overall subadvisory fees as the percentage of combined assets that fall into this tier.
Note: The overall reduction/discount in the
actual subadvisory fees is limited to $1.5 million per calendar year.
GSAM:
GSAM has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement that will apply across each of the portfolios or sleeves of portfolios subadvised by GSAM that are managed by the Manager.
The waiver is based on the following percentages based on the combined average daily net assets of each of the portfolios or sleeves of portfolios subadvised by GSAM:
—Combined assets up to
$1 billion: 2.5% fee reduction
| — |
Combined assets between $1 billion and $2.5 billion: 5.0% fee reduction
—Combined assets between $2.5 billion and $5.0 billion: 7.5% fee reduction —Combined assets above $5.0 billion: 10.0% fee reduction |
Notes to Subadviser Fee Rate
Table:
Capital
International:
Capital International has contractually agreed to waive the subadvisory fee to the extent
that the Portfolio invests in funds that are managed by an affiliate of Capital International. The Manager has
contractually agreed to waive its management fee by the amount of the subadvisory fee
waiver.
Franklin Advisers/K2/Templeton Global (the
Subadviser):
The Subadviser has agreed to a contractual fee waiver arrangement that applies to the AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio. Under this arrangement, the Subadviser
will waive its subadvisory fee for the AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio in an amount equal to the subadvisory fee paid to the Subadviser for any portfolio affiliated with the Trust. In
addition, the Subadviser will waive its subadvisory fee for the AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio in an amount equal to the management or subadvisory fee the Subadviser receives for acquired
funds that are not affiliated with the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subadvisory fee waiver will not exceed 100% of the subadvisory fee.
GSAM:
With respect to the AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio, GSAM has agreed to waive its subadvisory fee in an amount equal to the subadvisory fee paid to the Subadviser for
any portfolio affiliated with the Trust. In addition, the Subadviser will waive its subadvisory fee in an amount equal to the management or subadvisory fee it receives for acquired funds that are not affiliated with
the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subadvisory fee waiver will not exceed 100% of the subadvisory fee.
With respect to the AST Goldman Sachs
Strategic Income Portfolio, GSAM has agreed to waive its subadvisory fee in an amount equal to the subadvisory fee paid to GSAM for any portfolio affiliated with the Trust. In addition, GSAM will waive its subadvisory
fee in an amount equal to the management or subadvisory fee it receives for acquired funds that are not affiliated with the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subadvisory fee waiver will not exceed 100% of the
subadvisory fee.
QS Investors:
QS Investors has agreed to a contractual fee waiver arrangement that applies to the AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio. Under this arrangement, QS Investors will waive its
subadvisory fee for the AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio in an amount equal to the acquired fund subadvisory fee paid to QS Investors for any portfolio affiliated with the Trust. In addition, QS Investors
will waive its subadvisory fee for the AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio in amount equal to the management or subadvisory fee it receives for acquired funds that are not affiliated with the Trust.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subadvisory fee waiver will not exceed 100% of the subadvisory fee.
QMA:
The Manager will pay QMA a fee for providing additional advisory services to the AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio, including but not limited to asset allocation advice
(Additional Services).
In addition, with respect to the AST
Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio, QMA has agreed to waive its subadvisory fee in an amount equal to subadvisory fee paid to such Subadviser for any portfolio affiliated with the Trust. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the subadvisory fee waiver will not exceed 100% of the subadvisory fee. This contractual fee waiver arrangement is not applicable to the Overall Asset Allocation and Overlay Strategies fee paid to QMA.
QMA has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory
fee waiver agreement (the QMA Waiver) that applies to the following AST Portfolios subadvised by QMA: AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio (market neutral sleeve), AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy
Portfolio (130/30 sleeve and market neutral sleeve), AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio (QMA sleeve), AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio, AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio and AST QMA US Equity Alpha
Portfolio (the Six Portfolios).
The QMA Waiver discounts QMA’s
combined annualized subadvisory fees that it receives with respect to the assets it manages in the Six Portfolios. The size of the fee discount varies depending on the amount of such combined annual subadvisory
fees.
29
T. Rowe Price:
T. Rowe Price has agreed to a contractual fee waiver arrangement that applies to the AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio. Under this arrangement, T. Rowe will waive its
subadvisory fee for the AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio in an amount equal to the acquired fund subadvisory fee paid to T. Rowe for any portfolio affiliated with the Manager. In addition, T. Rowe
will waive its subadvisory fee for the AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio in an amount equal to the management or subadvisory fee it receives for acquired funds that are affiliated with the
Subadviser. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subadvisory fee waiver will not exceed 100% of the subadvisory fee.
T. Rowe
Price has also agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement for the following Portfolios:
—Advanced Series Trust AST Advanced
Strategies Portfolio
—Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe
Price Asset Allocation Portfolio
—Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe
Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio
—Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe
Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio
—Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe
Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio
—Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe
Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio
—Advanced Series Trust AST T. Rowe
Price Natural Resources Portfolio
—The Prudential Series Fund Global
Portfolio
T. Rowe Price has agreed to reduce the
monthly subadvisory fee for each Portfolio listed above (or the portion thereof subadvised by T. Rowe Price) by the following percentages based on the combined average daily net assets of the listed Portfolios (or the
portion thereof subadvised by T. Rowe Price) and the assets of certain insurance company separate accounts managed by T. Rowe Price for the Retirement business of Prudential and its affiliates (the “other
accounts”):
Combined Average Daily Net Assets up to $20 billion:
—2.5% fee reduction on combined assets
up to $1 billion
—5.0% fee reduction on combined assets
on the next $1.5 billion
—7.5% fee reduction on combined assets
on the next $2.5 billion
—10.0% fee reduction on combined
assets on the next $5.0 billion
—12.5% fee reduction on combined
assets above $10.0 billion
Combined Average Daily Net Assets above $20 billion:
—12.5% fee reduction on all assets
| Subadvisory Fees Paid by PGIM Investments | ||||
| Portfolio | Subadviser | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | AllianceBernstein | 3,257,510 | 2,454,460 | $741,830 |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio | Capital International | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | Columbia | 70,363 | 39,787 | 10,854 |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | Dana | 9,090 | 6,323 | 2,486 |
| Longfellow | 5,831 | 4,061 | 1,515 | |
| AST FQ Absoute Return Currency Portfolio | First Quadrant | 58,568 | 48,639 | 32,298 |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | Franklin Advisers | None | None | None |
| Templeton Global | 36,754 | 29,549 | 16,748 | |
| K2 | 26,635 | 22,085 | 15,074 | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | GSAM | 18,772 | 12,919 | 13,650 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | Goldman Sachs International | 1,479,579 | 1,426,843 | 463,948 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | GSAM | 1,129,883 | 1,376,965 | 2,478,319 |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | Jennison | 61,418 | 45,139 | 38,760 |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | QS | 839,129 | 398,005 | 154,662 |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | QMA | 11,544 | 7,206 | 3,533 |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | QMA | 13,108 | 9,709 | 5,171 |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | Morgan Stanley | 35,439 | 99,042 | 45,506 |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | Neuberger Berman | 121,409 | 98,163 | 39,944 |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | PGIM Fixed Income* | None | None | None |
| QMA | 157,342 | 78,567 | 40,840 | |
| Jennison | None | None | None | |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | QMA | 2,258,117 | 1,950,225 | 2,116,766 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | T. Rowe | 147,504 | 111,210 | 80,465 |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | Wellington | 4,547,382 | 3,327,124 | 733,267 |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | Wellington | 80,122 | 87,569 | 48,013 |
* PGIM Limited, an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM, serves as a sub-subadviser to the Portfolio pursuant to a sub-subadvisory agreement with PGIM. PGIM Limited provides investment advisory services with respect to securities in certain
foreign markets. The fee for PGIM Limited’s services is paid by PGIM, not the Portfolio or the Investment Managers.
30
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS: OTHER
ACCOUNTS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
—
Other Accounts and Portfolio Ownership.
The following tables set forth information about each Portfolio and accounts other than the Portfolio for which each Portfolio's portfolio managers (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily
responsible for day-to-day portfolio management as of the Trust's most recently completed fiscal year. The table shows, for each portfolio manager, the number of accounts managed and the total assets in such accounts,
within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts whose fees are
based on performance is indicated in italics typeface. The tables also set forth the dollar range of equity securities of each Portfolio of the Trust beneficially owned by the Portfolio Managers as of the Trust's most
recently completed fiscal year.
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$51,350,282,589 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$51,350,282,589 | None | None | None | |
| Dana Investment Advisors, Inc. | Duane R. Roberts, CFA | 2/$221.6 million | None | 694/$1,975.6 million | None |
| Greg Dahlman, CFA | 1/$199.7 million | None | 694/$1,975.6 million | None | |
| David M. Stamm, CFA | 2/$221.6 million | None | 694/$1,975.6 million | None | |
| Michael Honkamp, CFA | 1/$21.8 million | None | 694/$1,975.6 million | None | |
| David Weinstein | None | None | None | None | |
| J. Joseph Veranth, CFA | None | None | None | None | |
| Longfellow Investment Management Co. | Barbara J. McKenna | 3/$596 million | 2/$236 million | 52/$4,772 million | None |
| David C. Stuehr, CFA | 3/$596 million | 3/$620 million | 37/$1,120 million | None | |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| First Quadrant, L.P. | Jeppe Ladekarl | 3 / $2,047.91 million |
7 / $641.89 million
5 / $474.47 million |
15 / $14,439.95 million
7 / $3,368.59 million |
None |
| Dori Levanoni | 3 / $1,882.66 million |
7 / $641.89 million
5 / $474.47 million |
18 / $14,639.35 million
9 / $3,498.37 million |
None | |
31
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies ($mm) |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles ($mm) |
Other Accounts ($mm) |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| Goldman Sachs Asset Management International | Iain Lindsay, PhD, CFA | 59/$212,965 million | 390/$220,327 million | 3,901/$351,292 million | None |
| Hugh Briscoe | 8/$6,834 million | 3,901/$351,292 million | 49/$23,428 million | None | |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| QS Investors, LLC | Thomas Picciochi, CAIA | 36/$9,388,944,993 | 30/$4,413,911,457 |
5/$490,531,339
1/$72,838,424 |
None |
| Adam Petryk, CFA | 36/$9,388,944,993 | 30/$4,413,911,457 |
5/$490,531,339
1/$72,838,424 |
None | |
| Stephen A. Lanzendorf, CFA | 13/$4,564,335,676 | 5/$243,619,789 | 23/$1,230,674,257 | None | |
| Russell Shtern, CFA | 11/$2,134,317,463 | 4/$372,010,344 | 13/$1,064,320,364 | None | |
| Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC | n/a | ||||
| ClearBridge Investments, LLC | n/a | ||||
| Western Asset Management Company/Western Asset Management Company Limited | n/a | ||||
32
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | |||||
| Adviser/Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Brian Ahrens | 11/$51,325,621,795 | None | None | None |
| Andrei O. Marinich, CFA | 11/$51,325,621,795 | None | None | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$85,298,280,406 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | 38/$85,298,280,406 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Marcus M. Perl | 39/$85,767,643,410 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 21/$1,666,417,030 | None | |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. | Cyril Moullé-Berteaux | 6/$664 million | 3/$252 million |
9/$6,188 million
3/$3,286 million |
None |
| Mark Bavoso | 6/$664 million | 2/$44 million |
8/$6,068 million
3/$3,286 million |
None | |
| Sergei Parmenov | 5/$330 million | 3/$252 million |
8/$6,068 million
3/$3,286 million |
None | |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC | Charles Kantor | 3/$4,574 million |
3/$246 million
1/$37 million |
1,996/$2,667 million | None |
| Marc Regenbaum | 3/$4,574 million |
3/$246 million
1/$37 million |
1,996/$2,667 million | None | |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | |||||
| Subadvisers | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| PGIM Fixed Income/PGIM Limited | Michael J. Collins, CFA | 18/$55,621,478,273 | 9/$10,949,057,213 | 34/$19,773,811,735 | None |
| Robert Tipp, CFA | 27/$42,818,441,724 |
18/$1,616,560,332
1/$850,488 |
90/$23,237,317,072 | None | |
| Craig Dewling | 39/$10,393,659,080 |
28/$9,207,278,383
2/$1,392,551,653 |
153/$40,423,692,262
2/$772,002,355 |
None | |
| Erik Schiller, CFA | 39/$13,065,990,103 |
27/$9,003,465,396
2/$1,392,551,653 |
151/$38,707,590,616
6/$1,818,322,655 |
None | |
| Gary Wu, CFA | 2/$51,297,918 | 0/$0 | 2/$27,703,773 | None | |
| Quantitative Management Associates LLC | Edward L. Campbell, CFA | 38/$85,249,581,300 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None |
| Devang Gambhirwala | 16/$22,402,536,816 | 12/$3,537,418,994 |
58/$6,326,632,150
8/$1,768,668,668 |
None | |
| Joel M. Kallman, CFA | 38/$85,249,581,300 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | None | |
| Edward F. Keon, Jr. | 38/$85,249,581,300 | 5/$2,363,417,559 | 19/$1,444,812,303 | $0-$50,000 | |
33
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | |||||
| Subadviser | Portfolio Managers |
Registered Investment
Companies* |
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles* |
Other Accounts* |
Ownership of Portfolio
Securities |
| Quantitative Management Associates, LLC | Jacob Pozharny, PhD | 5/$3,936,400,872 | 7/$3,143,813,190 |
31/$7,607,381,819
11/$2,593,180,077 |
None |
| John Van Belle, PhD | 5/$3,936,400,872 | 7/$3,143,813,190 |
31/$7,607,381,819
11/$2,593,180,077 |
None | |
| Wen Jin, PhD, CFA | 5/$3,936,400,872 | 7/$3,143,813,190 |
31/$7,607,381,819
11/$2,593,180,077 |
None | |
| Vlad Shutoy | 5/$3,936,400,872 | 7/$3,143,813,190 |
31/$7,607,381,819
11/$2,593,180,077 |
None | |
Notes to Other Account
Tables:
Capital
International
*As of December 31, 2017. Assets noted
represent the total net assets of other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts and are not indicative of the total assets managed by the individual which will be a substantially lower amount.
First Quadrant
(1)
Includes market values for fully funded portfolios and the notional values for margin funded portfolios, all actively managed by First Quadrant and non-discretionary portfolios
managed by strategic partners using First Quadrant, L.P. investment signals. First Quadrant is defined in this context as the combination of all discretionary portfolios of First Quadrant, L.P. and its strategic
partners, but only wherein FQ has full investment discretion over the portfolios. When calculating number of accounts managed for registered investment companies, First Quadrant counts sub-strategies managed for any
one registered investment company separately. Therefore there may be two accounts managed and enumerated for one registered investment company.
Jennison
*Other Accounts excludes the assets and
number of accounts in wrap fee programs that are managed using model portfolios.
MSIM
*3 accounts with total assets of $2,214
million are subject to an advisory fee that is also based on the performance of the account.
QMA:
*Accounts are managed on a team basis. If a
portfolio manager is a member of a team, any account managed by that team is included in the number of accounts
34
“QMA Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles” includes commingled insurance company separate accounts, commingled trust funds and other commingled investment vehicles. “QMA Other Accounts” includes single client accounts, managed
accounts (which are counted as one account per managed account platform), asset allocation clients, and accounts of affiliates. The assets in certain accounts have been estimated due to the availability of information
only at the end of calendar quarters.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS:
COMPENSATION & CONFLICTS POLICIES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS—COMPENSATION AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Set forth below, for each portfolio manager, is an explanation of the structure of and method(s) used by each subadviser to determine, portfolio manager compensation. Also set forth below,
for each portfolio manager, is an explanation of any material conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager's management of a Portfolio's investments and investments in other accounts.
AllianceBernstein L.P.
COMPENSATION.
AllianceBernstein’s compensation program for portfolio managers and analysts is designed to be competitive and effective in order to attract and retain the highest caliber employees.
Portfolio managers receive base compensation, incentive compensation and contributions to AllianceBernstein’s 401(k) plan. Part of the annual incentive compensation is normally paid in the form of a cash bonus
and part through an award under the firm’s Incentive Compensation Award Plan (ICAP). The ICAP awards vest over a four-year period. Deferred awards are in the form of the firm’s publicly traded equity
units, although award recipients have the ability to receive a portion of their awards in deferred cash.
Total compensation is determined by
quantitative and qualitative factors. Quantitative factors, which are weighted more heavily, are driven by investment performance to align compensation with client investment returns. Qualitative factors are driven by
portfolio managers’ contributions to the investment process and client success.
The quantitative component includes
measures of absolute, relative and risk-adjusted investment performance. Relative and risk-adjusted returns are determined based on the benchmark in the fund’s prospectus and versus peers over one-, three- and
five-year calendar periods— with more weight given to longer time periods. Peer groups are chosen by investment CIOs, who consult with the Product Management team to identify products most similar to our
investment style and most relevant within the asset class.
The qualitative component
incorporates the manager’s contribution to the overall investment process and our clients’ success. Among the important aspects are: thought leadership, collaboration with other investment professionals at
the firm, contributions to risk-adjusted returns in other portfolios, building a strong talent pool, mentoring newer investment professionals, and being a good corporate citizen.
Other factors can play a part in
determining portfolio managers’ total compensation (including base compensation). This may include complexity of investment strategies managed, volume of assets managed, level of experience and level of
officership within the firm. Assessments of investment professionals are formalized in a year-end review process that includes 360-degree feedback from other professionals from across the investment teams and firm.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
As an investment adviser and fiduciary, AllianceBernstein owes its clients and shareholders an undivided duty of loyalty. AllianceBernstein recognizes that conflicts of interest are
inherent in its business and accordingly has developed policies and procedures (including oversight monitoring) reasonably designed to detect, manage and mitigate the effects of actual or potential conflicts of
interest in the area of employee personal trading, managing multiple accounts for multiple clients, and allocating investment opportunities. Investment professionals, including portfolio managers and research
analysts, are subject to the above-mentioned policies and oversight monitoring to ensure that all clients are treated equitably. AllianceBernstein places the interests of its clients first and expects all of its
employees to meet their fiduciary duties.
Employee Personal Trading
AllianceBernstein has adopted a
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that is designed to detect and prevent conflicts of interest when investment professionals and other personnel of AllianceBernstein own, buy or sell securities which may be owned
by, or bought or sold for, clients. Personal securities transactions by an employee may raise a potential conflict of interest when an employee owns or trades in a security that is owned or considered for purchase or
sale by a client, or recommended for purchase or sale by an employee to a client. Subject to the reporting requirements and other limitations of its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, AllianceBernstein permits its
employees to engage in personal securities transactions, and also allows them to acquire investments in the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds. AllianceBernstein’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requires
disclosure of all personal accounts and maintenance of brokerage accounts with designated broker-dealers approved by AllianceBernstein. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics also requires preclearance of all
securities transactions and imposes a 60-day holding period for securities purchased by employees to discourage short-term trading.
Managing Multiple Accounts for
Multiple Clients
35
AllianceBernstein has compliance
policies and oversight monitoring in place to address conflicts of interest relating to the management of multiple accounts for multiple clients. Conflicts of interest may arise when an investment professional has
responsibilities for the investments of more than one account because the investment professional may be unable to devote equal time and attention to each account. The investment professional or investment
professional teams for each client may have responsibilities for managing all or a portion of the investments of multiple accounts with a common investment strategy, including other registered investment companies,
unregistered investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, pension plans, separate accounts, collective trusts and charitable foundations. Among other things, AllianceBernstein’s policies and procedures provide for
the prompt dissemination to investment professionals of initial or changed investment recommendations by analysts so that investment professionals are better able to develop investment strategies for all accounts they
manage. In addition, investment decisions by investment professionals are reviewed for the purpose of maintaining uniformity among similar accounts and ensuring that accounts are treated equitably. No investment
professional that manages client accounts carrying performance fees is compensated directly or specifically for the performance of those accounts. Investment professional compensation reflects a broad contribution in
multiple dimensions to long-term investment success for our clients and is not tied specifically to the performance of any particular client’s account, nor is it directly tied to the level or change in the level
of assets under management.
Allocating Investment
Opportunities
AllianceBernstein has policies and
procedures intended to address conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that information relevant to investment decisions is
disseminated promptly within its portfolio management teams and investment opportunities are allocated equitably among different clients. The investment professionals at AllianceBernstein routinely are required to
select and allocate investment opportunities among accounts. Portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar accounts which minimizes the potential for conflicts
of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities. Nevertheless, investment opportunities may be allocated differently among accounts due to the particular characteristics of an account, such as size
of the account, cash position, tax status, risk tolerance and investment restrictions or for other reasons.
AllianceBernstein’s
procedures are also designed to address potential conflicts of interest that may arise when AllianceBernstein has a particular financial incentive, such as a performance-based management fee, relating to an account.
An investment professional may perceive that he or she has an incentive to devote more time to developing and analyzing investment strategies and opportunities or allocating securities preferentially to accounts for
which AllianceBernstein could share in investment gains.
To address these conflicts of
interest, AllianceBernstein’s policies and procedures require, among other things, the prompt dissemination to investment professionals of any initial or changed investment recommendations by analysts; the
aggregation of orders to facilitate best execution for all accounts; price averaging for all aggregated orders; objective allocation for limited investment opportunities (e.g., on a rotational basis) to ensure fair
and equitable allocation among accounts; and limitations on short sales of securities. These procedures also require documentation and review of justifications for any decisions to make investments only for select
accounts or in a manner disproportionate to the size of the account.
Capital
International, Inc.
COMPENSATION.
At Capital organization,
portfolio managers and investment analysts
are paid competitive salaries.
In addition, they may receive bonuses based on their individual portfolio results and also may
participate in profit-sharing plans. The relative mix of compensation represented by bonuses, salary and profit
sharing will vary depending on the individual’s portfolio results, contributions to the organization and other factors. The investment bonus is calculated by comparing investment
returns to relevant benchmarks over one-,
three-, five- and eight-year periods. Increasing weight is placed on each successive measurement period to encourage a long-term approach. For portfolio managers, benchmarks may include
both measures of the marketplaces in which the relevant fund invests and measures of the results of comparable mutual funds or consultant universe measures of comparable institutional accounts. For investment
analysts, benchmarks include both relevant market measures and appropriate industry indices reflecting their areas of expertise. Analysts are also subjectively compensated for their contributions to the
research
process.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Capital organization has adopted policies and procedures that address potential conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of a fund and his or her
management of other funds and accounts, such as conflicts relating to the allocation of investment opportunities, personal investing activities, portfolio manager compensation and proxy voting of portfolio securities.
While
there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be effective in all cases,
the adviser
believes that all
issues
relating
to potential material
conflicts
of
interest
involving
this portfolio and its other managed accounts have been
addressed.
36
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (CMIA)
COMPENSATION
. Portfolio manager direct compensation is typically comprised of a base salary, and an annual incentive award that is paid either in the form of a cash bonus if the size of the award is
under a specified threshold, or, if the size of the award is over a specified threshold, the award is paid in a combination of a cash bonus, an equity incentive award, and deferred compensation. Equity incentive
awards are made in the form of Ameriprise Financial restricted stock, or for more senior employees both Ameriprise Financial restricted stock and stock options. The investment return credited on deferred compensation
is based on the performance of specified Columbia Funds, in most cases including the mutual funds the portfolio manager manages.
Base salary is typically determined
based on market data relevant to the employee’s position, as well as other factors including internal equity. Base salaries are reviewed annually, and increases are typically given as promotional increases,
internal equity adjustments, or market adjustments.
Annual incentive awards are
variable and are based on (1) an evaluation of the employee’s investment performance and (2) the results of a peer and/or management review of the employee, which takes into account skills and attributes such as
team participation, investment process, communication, and professionalism. Scorecards are used to measure performance of Columbia Funds and other accounts managed by the employee versus benchmarks and peer groups.
Performance versus benchmark and peer group is generally weighted for the rolling one, three, and five year periods. One year performance is weighted 10%, three year performance is weighted 60%, and five year
performance is weighted 30%. Relative asset size is a key determinant for fund weighting on a scorecard. Typically, weighting would be proportional to actual assets. Consideration may also be given to performance in
managing client assets in sectors and industries assigned to the employee as part of his/her investment team responsibilities, where applicable. For leaders who also have group management responsibilities, another
factor in their evaluation is an assessment of the group’s overall investment performance.
Equity incentive awards are
designed to align participants’ interests with those of the shareholders of Ameriprise Financial. Equity incentive awards vest over multiple years, so they help retain employees.
Deferred compensation awards are
designed to align participants’ interests with the investors in the Columbia Funds and other accounts they manage. The value of the deferral account is based on the performance of Columbia Funds. Employees have
the option of selecting from various Columbia Funds for their deferral account, however portfolio managers must allocate a minimum of 25% of their incentive awarded through the deferral program to the Columbia Fund(s)
they manage. Deferrals vest over multiple years, so they help retain employees.
Exceptions to this general approach
to bonuses exist for certain teams and individuals. Funding for the bonus pool is determined by management and depends on, among other factors, the levels of compensation generally in the investment management
industry taking into account investment performance (based on market compensation data) and both Ameriprise Financial and Columbia Management profitability for the year, which is largely determined by assets under
management.
For all employees the benefit
programs generally are the same, and are competitive within the Financial Services Industry. Employees participate in a wide variety of plans, including options in Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Care and Dependent
Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, 401(k), and a cash balance pension plan.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Like other investment professionals with multiple clients, the Portfolio’s portfolio manager(s) may face certain potential conflicts of interest in connection with managing both the
Portfolio and other accounts at the same time. CMIA has adopted compliance policies and procedures that attempt to address certain of the potential conflicts that portfolio managers face in this regard. Certain of
these conflicts of interest are summarized below.
The management of accounts with
different advisory fee rates and/or fee structures, including accounts that pay advisory fees based on account performance (performance fee accounts), may raise potential conflicts of interest for a portfolio manager
by creating an incentive to favor higher fee accounts.
Potential conflicts of interest
also may arise when a portfolio manager has personal investments in other accounts that may create an incentive to favor those accounts. As a general matter and subject to CMIA’s Code of Ethics and certain
limited exceptions, CMIA’s investment professionals do not have the opportunity to invest in client accounts, other than the funds.
A portfolio manager who is
responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds
and/or accounts managed by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.
37
A portfolio manager may be able to
select or influence the selection of the broker/dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the Portfolio. A portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of broker/dealers could produce
disproportionate costs and benefits among the Portfolio and the other accounts the portfolio manager manages.
A potential conflict of interest
may arise when a portfolio manager buys or sells the same securities for the Portfolio and other accounts. On occasions when a portfolio manager considers the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests
of the Portfolio as well as other accounts, CMIA's trading desk may, to the extent consistent with applicable laws and regulations, aggregate the securities to be sold or bought in order to obtain the best execution
and lower brokerage commissions, if any. Aggregation of trades may create the potential for unfairness to the Portfolio or another account if a portfolio manager favors one account over another in allocating the
securities bought or sold. CMIA and its Participating Affiliates (including Threadneedle) may coordinate their trading operations for certain types of securities and transactions pursuant to personnel-sharing
agreements or similar intercompany arrangements. However, typically CMIA does not coordinate trading activities with a Participating Affiliate with respect to accounts of that Participating Affiliate unless such
Participating Affiliate is also providing trading services for accounts managed by CMIA. Similarly, a Participating Affiliate typically does not coordinate trading activities with the CMIA with respect to accounts of
CMIA unless CMIA is also providing trading services for accounts managed by such Participating Affiliate. As a result, it is possible that CMIA and its Participating Affiliates may trade in the same instruments at the
same time, in the same or opposite direction or in different sequence, which could negatively impact the prices paid by the Portfolio on such instruments. Additionally, in circumstances where trading services are
being provided on a coordinated basis for CMIA's accounts and the accounts of one or more Participating Affiliates in accordance with applicable law, it is possible that the allocation opportunities available to the
Portfolio may be decreased, especially for less actively traded securities, or orders may take longer to execute, which may negatively impact Portfolio performance.
“Cross trades,” in
which a portfolio manager sells a particular security held by the Portfolio to another account (potentially saving transaction costs for both accounts), could involve a potential conflict of interest if, for example,
a portfolio manager is permitted to sell a security from one account to another account at a higher price than an independent third party would pay. CMIA has adopted compliance procedures that provide that any
transactions between the Portfolio and another account managed by CMIA are to be made at a current market price, consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
Another potential conflict of
interest may arise based on the different investment objectives and strategies of the Portfolio and other accounts managed by its portfolio manager(s). Depending on another account’s objectives and other
factors, a portfolio manager may give advice to and make decisions for the Portfolio that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of decisions made, with respect to another account. A portfolio
manager’s investment decisions are the product of many factors in addition to basic suitability for the particular account involved. Thus, a portfolio manager may buy or sell a particular security for certain
accounts, and not for the Portfolio, even though it could have been bought or sold for the Portfolio at the same time. A portfolio manager also may buy a particular security for one or more accounts when one or more
other accounts are selling the security (including short sales). There may be circumstances when a portfolio manager’s purchases or sales of portfolio securities for one or more accounts may have an adverse
effect on other accounts, including the Portfolio.
The Portfolio’s portfolio
manager(s) also may have other potential conflicts of interest in managing the Portfolio, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict that could exist in managing the Portfolio and other
accounts. Many of the potential conflicts of interest to which CMIA’s portfolio managers are subject are essentially the same or similar to the potential conflicts of interest related to CMIA activities of CMIA
and its affiliates.
To the extent the
Portfolio invests in underlying funds, a portfolio manager will be subject to the potential conflicts of interest described in Potential Conflicts of Interest – Columbia Management – FOF (Fund-of-Funds)
below.
Columbia Management – FoF
(Fund-of-Funds): Management of funds-of-funds differs from that of other funds. The portfolio management process is set forth generally below and in more detail in the Portfolio’s prospectus. Portfolio managers
of the fund-of-funds may be involved in determining each funds-of-fund’s allocation among the three main asset classes (equity, fixed income and cash) and the allocation among investment categories within each
asset class, as well as each funds-of-fund’s allocation among the underlying funds.Because of the structure of the funds-of-funds, the potential conflicts of interest for the portfolio managers may be different
than the potential conflicts of interest for portfolio managers who manage other funds.
In addition to the accounts above,
portfolio managers may manage accounts in a personal capacity that may include holdings that are similar to, or the same as, those of the Portfolio. Columbia has in place a Code of Ethics that is designed to address
conflicts and that, among other things, imposes restrictions on the ability of the portfolio managers and other “investment access persons” to invest in securities that may be recommended or traded in the
Portfolio and other client accounts. To the extent a fund-of-funds invest in securities and instruments other than other Columbia Funds, the portfolio manager is subject to the potential conflicts of interest
described in Potential Conflicts of Interest – Columbia Management above. The Portfolio’s portfolio manager(s) also may have other
38
potential conflicts of interest in managing the
Portfolio, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict that could exist in managing the fund and other accounts. Many of the potential conflicts of interest to which the portfolio
managers are subject are essentially the same or similar to the potential conflicts of interest related to the investment management activities of Columbia and its affiliates.
Dana Investment Advisors, Inc.
COMPENSATION.
Dana’s portfolio managers receive a very competitive base salary that is commensurate with prior industry experience and overall assigned responsibilities. In addition to base salary,
portfolio managers are also eligible to receive annual bonus compensation. While all bonus compensation is discretionary in nature, approximately 50% of a portfolio manager’s bonus compensation is directly based
upon investment performance versus client benchmarks and client retention. The remaining 50% of a portfolio manager’s bonus compensation is based upon non-investment performance criteria such as firm
profitability and an individual’s overall contribution to the firm’s marketing, client service, and other strategic initiatives.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Dana portfolio managers oversee the investments for multiple client accounts. In such cases, a potential conflict of interest may arise when allocating investment opportunities across these
accounts. Dana has therefore implemented pre-trade investment allocation procedures as well as post trade settlement procedures that are designed to help ensure that all clients are treated fairly over time. In
addition, because portfolio managers may buy and sell the same security for different client accounts at the same time, Dana has also implemented procedures designed to ensure that a client’s own individual
investment considerations determine when transactions are affected for their account. Finally, in order to help further identify and address other potential conflicts of interest, Dana has incorporated a conflicts of
interest checklist in the firm’s written Code of Ethics.
FIRST QUADRANT
COMPENSATION.
Compensation consists of a base salary
and an
annual bonus award that is based on two components
– individual performance and First Quadrant performance. In addition,
long-term incentive awards are given to a select
few exceptional performers that is
invested in firm strategies and cliff vests after three years. We feel it is an elegant way to align the interests and expectations of all parties: clients, the client’s
beneficiaries, the client’s consultant, FQ, and the individual contributing to support the relationship and portfolio. Other incentives include a 401(k) & Profit Sharing plan, paid vacation
and sick time and health benefits including dental
and
vision. In addition to compensation and benefit plans, individuals are encouraged to broaden their skills and increase their contributions to the firm which in turn is rewarded with salary
increases as well as job growth. Accordingly, First Quadrant provides educational assistance to any active full time employee who has been with the firm for at least six months seeking a job related degree –
e.g.,
MBA, MFE, etc. For those successfully completing a professional certification –
e.g., CFA,
CIPM, CPA,
etc. –
First Quadrant will provide 100% financial
assistance.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
First Quadrant is aware that conflicts of interest may arise and that every effort should be made to prevent them. Should they develop, they must be corrected immediately. We consider
conflicts of interest, among other things, to be circumstances that would (i) compromise the impartiality and integrity of the services we provide, (ii) disadvantage a Client relative to other clients and (iii) create
an advantage for the firm over a Client, or for one Client over another. The firm’s structure and business activities are of a nature such that the potential for conflicts of interest has been minimized.
Detailed information about First Quadrant is disclosed in its Form ADV, specifically in Part 2A; however, we would like to highlight the following: First Quadrant’s investment approach is systematic in nature.
Computer models are the primary source of trading decisions and the results are monitored daily. Although the results can be overridden by the investment team under certain circumstances, the systematic nature of
First Quadrant’s process means it is less likely to be exposed to the levels of “subjectivity” risk that decisions made by individuals would be. Trade allocations are made on an objective basis and
according to preset computerized allocations and standardized exceptions. The methodologies would normally consist of pro-rata allocation or allocation utilizing fair trade allocation algorithms. The firm maintains
and enforces personal trading policies and procedures, which have been designed to minimize conflicts of interest between client and employee trades.
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
Portfolio managers that provide
investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other
products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation. This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a
matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function
and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory
fees.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives,
benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to
39
manage such competing interests for the time and
attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a portfolio manager are managed using the same investment strategies that are
used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios, which may minimize the potential for
conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce potential conflicts of interest. However,
securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for
more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts. The investment manager
seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio
manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased
assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Finally, the management of personal
accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions designed to prevent a
wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that could
result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund
have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict
arises.
COMPENSATION.
For the Funds, the investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals.
Portfolio managers receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of
compensation is based on individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to
favor one fund or account over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
Base salary
Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus
Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus.
Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested
interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus
compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment
Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin
Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
| ■ | Investment performance. Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years measured against risk benchmarks developed by the fixed income management team. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate. |
| ■ | Non-investment performance. The more qualitative contributions of the portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including business knowledge, productivity, customer service, creativity, and contribution to team goals, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award. |
| ■ | Responsibilities. The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal. |
Additional long-term equity-based
compensation
Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based
compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Portfolio managers also participate
in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of the investment manager.
40
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.
(including Goldman Sachs Asset Management International)
PORTFOLIO
MANAGERS' COMPENSATION.
Compensation for GSAM portfolio managers is comprised of a base salary and discretionary variable compensation. The base salary is fixed from year to year. Year-end discretionary variable
compensation is primarily a function of each portfolio manager's individual performance and his or her contribution to overall team performance; the performance of GSAM and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (Goldman Sachs);
the team's net revenues for the past year which in part is derived from advisory fees, and for certain accounts, performance-based fees; and anticipated compensation levels among competitor firms. Portfolio managers
may be rewarded, in part, for their delivery of investment performance, measured on a pre-tax basis, which is reasonably expected to meet or exceed the expectations of clients and fund shareholders in terms of: excess
return over an applicable benchmark, peer group ranking, risk management and factors specific to certain funds such as yield or regional focus. Performance is judged over 1-, 3- and 5-year time horizons.
The discretionary variable
compensation for portfolio managers is also significantly influenced by: (1) effective participation in team research discussions and process; and (2) management of risk in alignment with the targeted risk parameter
and investment objective of the fund. Other factors may also be considered including: (1) general client/shareholder orientation and (2) teamwork and leadership. Portfolio managers may receive equity-based awards as
part of their discretionary variable compensation.
Other Compensation.
In addition to base salary and discretionary variable compensation, the Investment Adviser has a number of additional benefits in place including (1) a 401k program that enables employees to
direct a percentage of their pretax salary and bonus income into a tax-qualified retirement plan; and (2) investment opportunity programs in which certain professionals may participate subject to certain eligibility
requirements.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
The involvement of GSAM, Goldman Sachs and their affiliates in the management of, or their interest in, other accounts and other activities of Goldman Sachs may present conflicts of
interest with respect to one or more funds for which GSAM is a sub-adviser or adviser or limit such funds’ investment activities. Goldman Sachs is a worldwide, full service investment banking, broker dealer,
asset management and financial services organization and a major participant in global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes
corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investor, investment banker, research provider, investment manager, financier, advisor, market maker, trader,
prime broker, lender, agent and principal. In those and other capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad array of investments,
including securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets and other financial instruments and products for its own account or for the accounts of its customers and has
other direct and indirect interests in the global fixed income, currency, commodity, equity and other markets and the securities and issuers in which the certain funds directly and indirectly invest. Thus, it is
likely that such funds may have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from entities for which Goldman Sachs
performs or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. GSAM acts as sub-adviser to certain of the funds. The fees earned by GSAM in this capacity are generally based on asset levels, the fees are not
directly contingent on Portfolio performance, and GSAM would still receive significant compensation from a Portfolio even if shareholders lose money. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates engage in proprietary trading and
advise accounts and funds which have investment objectives similar to those of the funds and/or which engage in and compete for transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and instruments as the funds.
Goldman Sachs and its affiliates will not have any obligation to make available any information regarding their proprietary activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts managed by
them, for the benefit of the management of the Portfolios. The results of a Portfolio’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of Goldman Sachs, its affiliates, and other accounts managed by
Goldman Sachs and it is possible that a Portfolio could sustain losses during periods in which Goldman Sachs and its affiliates and other accounts achieve significant profits on their trading for proprietary or other
accounts. In addition, a Portfolio may enter into transactions in which Goldman Sachs or its other clients have an adverse interest. For example, a Portfolio may take a long position in a security at the same time
that Goldman Sachs or other accounts managed by GSAM take a short position in the same security (or vice versa). These and other transactions undertaken by Goldman Sachs, its affiliates or Goldman Sachs advised
clients may, individually or in the aggregate, adversely impact a Portfolio. Transactions by one or more Goldman Sachs advised clients or GSAM may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values,
prices or investment strategies of a Portfolio. A Portfolio’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to Goldman Sachs and its affiliates, and/or their internal policies designed
to comply with such restrictions. As a global financial services firm, Goldman Sachs also provides a wide range of investment banking and financial services to issuers of securities and investors in securities.
Goldman Sachs, its affiliates and others associated with it may create markets or specialize in, have positions in and effect transactions in, securities of issuers held by a Portfolio, and may also perform or seek to
perform investment banking and financial services for those issuers. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates may have business relationships with and purchase or distribute or sell services or products from or to,
distributors, consultants and others who recommend a Portfolio or who engage in transactions with or for a Portfolio.
A Portfolio may make brokerage and
other payments to Goldman Sachs and its affiliates in connection with a Portfolio’s portfolio investment transactions, in accordance with applicable law.
41
JENNISON ASSOCIATES LLC
COMPENSATION.
Jennison seeks to maintain a highly competitive compensation program designed to attract and retain outstanding investment professionals, which include portfolio managers and research
analysts, and to align the interests of its investment professionals with those of its clients and overall firm results. Jennison recognizes individuals for their achievements and contributions and continues to
promote those who exemplify the same goals and level of commitment that are benchmarks of the organization. Investment professionals are compensated with a combination of base salary and discretionary cash bonus.
Overall firm profitability determines the size of the investment professional compensation pool. In general, the discretionary cash bonus represents most of an investment professional’s compensation.
Jennison sponsors a profit sharing
retirement plan for all eligible employees. The contribution to the profit sharing retirement plan for portfolio managers is based on a percentage of the portfolio manager’s total compensation, subject to a
maximum determined by applicable law. In addition to eligibility to participate in retirement and welfare plans, senior investment professionals, including portfolio managers and senior research analysts, are eligible
to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program where all or a portion of the cash bonus can be deferred. Participants in the deferred compensation plan are permitted to allocate the deferred amounts among
various options that track the gross-of-fee pre-tax performance of accounts or composites of accounts managed by Jennison.
Investment professionals’
total compensation is determined through a subjective process that evaluates numerous qualitative and quantitative factors. Not all factors are applicable to every investment professional, and there is no particular
weighting or formula for considering the factors.
The factors
reviewed for the portfolio managers are listed below.
The quantitative factors reviewed
for the portfolio managers may include:
| ■ | One-, three-, five-year and longer term pre-tax investment performance groupings of accounts managed by the portfolio manager in the same strategy (composite) relative to market conditions, pre-determined passive indices and industry peer group data for the product strategy (e.g., large cap growth, large cap value) for which the portfolio manager is responsible. Some portfolio managers may manage or contribute ideas to more than one product strategy, and the performance of the other product strategies is also considered in determining the portfolio manager’s overall compensation. |
| ■ | The investment professional’s contribution to client portfolio’s pre-tax one-, three-, five-year and longer-term performance from the investment professional’s recommended stocks relative to market conditions, the strategy’s passive benchmarks, and the investment professional’s respective coverage universes. |
The qualitative
factors reviewed for the portfolio managers may include:
| ■ | The quality of the portfolio manager’s investment ideas and consistency of the portfolio manager’s judgment; |
| ■ | Historical and long-term business potential of the product strategies; |
| ■ | Qualitative factors such as teamwork and responsiveness; and |
| ■ | Individual factors such as years of experience and responsibilities specific to the individual’s role such as being a team leader or supervisor are also factored into the determination of an investment professional’s total compensation. |
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Jennison manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. This side-by-side management can create an incentive for Jennison and its investment
professionals to favor one account over another. Specifically, Jennison has the incentive to favor accounts for which it receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in
order to bolster performance and increase its fees.
Other types of side-by-side
management of multiple accounts can also create incentives for Jennison to favor one account over another. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how Jennison addresses these conflicts.
| ■ | Long only accounts/long-short accounts: Jennison manages accounts in strategies that only hold long securities positions as well as accounts in strategies that are permitted to sell securities short. Jennison may hold a long position in a security in some client accounts while selling the same security short in other client accounts. For example, Jennison permits quantitatively hedged strategies to short securities that are held long in other strategies. Additionally, Jennison permits securities that are held long in quantitatively derived strategies to be shorted by other strategies. The strategies that sell a security short held long by another strategy could lower the price for the security held long. Similarly, if a strategy is purchasing a security that is held short in other strategies, the strategies purchasing the security could increase the price of the security held short. |
| ■ | Large accounts: Large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts. As a result, a portfolio manager has an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for us. |
| ■ | Multiple strategies: Jennison may buy or sell, or may direct or recommend that one client buy or sell, securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client, at prices that may be different. Jennison may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account, due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies effecting trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in Jennison’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side. |
42
| ■ | Affiliated accounts/unaffiliated accounts and seeded/nonseeded accounts and accounts receiving asset allocation assets from affiliated investment advisers: Jennison manages accounts for its affiliates and accounts in which it has an interest alongside unaffiliated accounts. Jennison could have an incentive to favor its affiliated accounts over unaffiliated accounts. Additionally, Jennison’s affiliates may provide initial funding or otherwise invest in vehicles managed by Jennison. When an affiliate provides “ seed capital ” or other capital for a fund or account, it may do so with the intention of redeeming all or part of its interest at a particular future point in time or when it deems that sufficient additional capital has been invested in that fund or account. Jennison typically requests seed capital to start a track record for a new strategy or product. Managing “ seeded ” accounts alongside “ non-seeded ” accounts can create an incentive to favor the “ seeded ” accounts to establish a track record for a new strategy or product. Additionally, Jennison’s affiliated investment advisers could allocate their asset allocation clients’ assets to Jennison. Jennison could favor accounts used by its affiliate for their asset allocation clients to receive more assets from the affiliate. |
| ■ | Non-discretionary accounts or models: Jennison provides non-discretionary model portfolios to some clients and manages other portfolios on a discretionary basis. Recommendations for some non-discretionary models that are derived from discretionary portfolios are communicated after the discretionary portfolio has traded. The non-discretionary clients could be disadvantaged if Jennison delivers the model investment portfolio to them after Jennison initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa. |
| ■ | Higher fee paying accounts or products or strategies: Jennison receives more revenues from (1) larger accounts or client relationships than smaller accounts or client relationships and from (2) managing discretionary accounts than advising nondiscretionary models and from (3) non-wrap fee accounts than from wrap fee accounts and from (4) charging higher fees for some strategies than others. The differences in revenue that Jennison receives could create an incentive for Jennison to favor the higher fee paying or higher revenue generating account or product or strategy over another. |
| ■ | Personal interests: The performance of one or more accounts managed by Jennison’s investment professionals is taken into consideration in determining their compensation. Jennison also manages accounts that are investment options in its employee benefit plans such as its defined contribution plans or deferred compensation arrangements and where its employees may have personally invested alongside other accounts where there is no personal interest. These factors could create an incentive for Jennison to favor the accounts where it has a personal interest over accounts where Jennison does not have a personal interest. |
How Jennison Addresses These
Conflicts of Interest
The conflicts of interest described
above could create incentives for Jennison to favor one or more accounts or types of accounts over others in the allocation of investment opportunities, time, aggregation and timing of investments. Portfolios in a
particular strategy with similar objectives are managed similarly to the extent possible. Accordingly, portfolio holdings and industry and sector exposure tend to be similar across a group of accounts in a strategy
that have similar objectives, which tends to minimize the potential for conflicts of interest among accounts within a product strategy. While these accounts have many similarities, the investment performance of each
account will be different primarily due to differences in guidelines, individual portfolio manager’s decisions, timing of investments, fees, expenses and cash flows.
Additionally, Jennison has
developed policies and procedures that seek to address, mitigate and assess these conflicts of interest. Jennison cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent, or lead to the
disclosure of, each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
| ■ | Jennison has adopted trade aggregation and allocation procedures that seek to treat all clients (including affiliated accounts) fairly and equitably. These policies and procedures address the allocation of limited investment opportunities, such as initial public offerings (IPOs) and new issues, the allocation of transactions across multiple accounts, and the timing of transactions between its non-wrap accounts and its wrap fee accounts. |
| ■ | Jennison has policies that limit the ability to short securities in portfolios that primarily rely on its fundamental research and investment processes (fundamental portfolios) if the security is held long in other fundamental portfolios. |
| ■ | Jennison has adopted procedures to review allocations or performance dispersion between accounts with performance fees and non-performance fee based accounts and to review overlapping long and short positions among long accounts and long-short accounts and between wrap fee program sponsers. |
| ■ | Jennison has adopted a code of ethics and policies relating to personal trading. |
| ■ | Jennison provides disclosure of these conflicts as described in its Form ADV. |
K2/D&S MANAGEMENT CO., L.L.C.
Portfolio managers that provide
investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other
products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation. This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a
matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function
and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory
fees.
43
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives,
benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for
the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a portfolio manager are managed using the same investment
strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios, which may
minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce potential conflicts
of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity
that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts.
The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio
manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased
assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Finally, the management of personal
accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions reasonably necessary to
prevent a wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that
could result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund
have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict
arises.
COMPENSATION
. The investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers
receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on
individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account
over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
Base salary
Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus
Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus.
Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested
interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus
compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment
Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin
Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
| • | Investment performance . Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate. |
| • | Non-investment performance . The more qualitative contributions of a portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including business knowledge, contribution to team efforts, mentoring of junior staff, and contribution to the marketing of the Fund, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award. |
| • | Research . Where the portfolio management team also has research responsibilities, each portfolio manager is evaluated on the number and performance of recommendations over time. |
| • | Responsibilities . The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal. |
44
Additional long-term equity-based
compensation
Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based
compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Portfolio managers also participate
in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of the investment manager.
Longfellow Investment Management Co.
LLC
COMPENSATION
. Longfellow’s professionals receive a base salary that considers their responsibilities and their experience. They also are awarded a significant annual bonus based upon their
specific contributions to the success and profitability of the firm. Longfellow is 100% owned by 5 employees. Owners receive a portion of the firm’s profits in addition to base salary and bonus.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Actual or potential conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has management responsibilities to more than one account. This would include devotion of unequal time and
attention to the management of the accounts and the inability to allocate limited investment opportunities across a broad array of accounts. Longfellow has adopted policies and procedures to address such
conflicts.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management,
Inc.
COMPENSATION.
Morgan Stanley’s compensation structure is based on a total reward system of base salary and incentive compensation, which is paid either in the form of cash bonus, or for employees
meeting the specified deferred compensation eligibility threshold, partially as a cash bonus and partially as mandatory deferred compensation. Deferred compensation granted to Investment Management employees are
generally granted as a mix of deferred cash awards under the Investment Management Alignment Plan (IMAP) and equity-based awards in the form of stock units. The portion of incentive compensation granted in the form of
a deferred compensation award and the terms of such awards are determined annually by the Compensation, Management Development and Succession Committee of the Morgan Stanley Board of Directors.
Base salary compensation.
Generally, portfolio managers receive base salary compensation based on the level of their position with the Adviser.
Incentive compensation. In addition
to base compensation, portfolio managers may receive discretionary year-end compensation.
Incentive compensation may
include:
| ■ | Cash Bonus. |
| ■ | Deferred Compensation: |
| ■ | A mandatory program that defers a portion of incentive compensation into restricted stock units or other awards based on Morgan Stanley common stock or other plans that are subject to vesting and other conditions. |
| ■ | IMAP is a cash-based deferred compensation plan designed to increase the alignment of participants’ interests with the interests of the Advisor’s clients. For eligible employees, a portion of their deferred compensation is mandatorily deferred into IMAP on an annual basis. Awards granted under IMAP are notionally invested in referenced funds available pursuant to the plan, which are funds advised by Investment Management. Portfolio managers are required to notionally invest a minimum of 25% of their account balance in the designated funds that they manage and are included in the IMAP notional investment fund menu. |
| ■ | Deferred compensation awards are typically subject to vesting over a multi-year period and are subject to cancellation through the payment date for competition, cause (i.e., any act or omission that constitutes a breach of obligation to the Company, including failure to comply with internal compliance, ethics or risk management standards, and failure or refusal to perform duties satisfactorily, including supervisory and management duties), disclosure of proprietary information, and solicitation of employees or clients. Awards are also subject to clawback through the payment date if an employee’s act or omission (including with respect to direct supervisory responsibilities) causes a restatement of the Firm’s consolidated financial results, constitutes a violation of the Firm’s global risk management principles, policies and standards, or causes a loss of revenue associated with a position on which the employee was paid and the employee operated outside of internal control policies. |
Investment Management compensates
employees based on principles of pay-for-performance, market competitiveness and risk management. Eligibility for, and the amount of any, discretionary compensation is subject to a multi-dimensional process.
Specifically, consideration is given to one or more of the following factors, which can vary by portfolio management team and circumstances:
| ■ | Revenue and profitability of the business and/or each fund/accounts managed by the portfolio manager |
| ■ | Revenue and profitability of the Firm |
| ■ | Return on equity and risk factors of both the business units and Morgan Stanley |
| ■ | Assets managed by the portfolio manager |
| ■ | External market conditions |
| ■ | New business development and business sustainability |
45
| ■ | Contribution to client objectives |
| ■ | The pre-tax investment performance of the funds/accounts managed by the portfolio manager (which may, in certain cases, be measured against the applicable benchmark(s) and/or peer group(s) over one, three and five-year periods. |
| ■ | Individual contribution and performance |
Further, the Firm’s Global
Incentive Compensation Discretion Policy requires compensation managers to consider only legitimate, business related factors when exercising discretion in determining variable incentive compensation, including
adherence to Morgan Stanley’s core values, conduct, disciplinary actions in the current performance year, risk management and risk outcomes.
Other Accounts Managed by the
Portfolio Managers
Because the portfolio managers may
manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to
favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Adviser and/or Sub- Advisers may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may
receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of
interest could exist to the extent the Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers have proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain accounts or when certain accounts are
investment options in the Adviser’s and/or Sub-Advisers’ employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor these accounts over others. If the
Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers manage accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, the Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the
benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Adviser and/or Sub-Advisers have adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that
they believe are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Because the portfolio managers may manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and
certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Sub-Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher
than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee
accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of interest could exist to the extent the Sub-Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain
accounts or when certain accounts are investment options in the Sub-Adviser’s employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor these accounts over
others. If the Sub-Adviser manages accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, the Sub-Adviser could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the
accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Sub-Adviser has adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably
designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.
Brokerage Selection
MSIM, as the Fund’s
sub-adviser, is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, for broker-dealer selection and for negotiation of commission rates. MSIM is prohibited from directing brokerage transactions on the
basis of the referral of clients or the sale of shares of advised investment companies. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In
the OTC market, securities may be traded as agency transactions through broker dealers or traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission,
although the price of the security usually includes profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price that includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally
referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid.
On occasion, the Fund may purchase
certain money market instruments directly from an issuer without payment of a commission or concession. Money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for
their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer.
The Fund anticipates that certain
of its transactions involving foreign securities will be effected on foreign securities exchanges. There is also generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges and brokers than in
the United States. MSIM serves as investment adviser to a number of clients, including other investment companies. MSIM attempts to equitably allocate
46
purchase and sale transactions among the Fund and
other client accounts. To that end, MSIM considers various factors, including respective investment objectives, relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, availability of cash for
investment, size of investment commitments generally held and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Fund and other client accounts.
MSIM selects the brokers or dealers
that will execute the purchases and sales of investment securities for the Fund. Selection of approved brokers for execution is based on three main criteria: access to liquidity, provision of capital and quality of
execution. MSIM effects transactions with those broker-dealers under the obligation to seek best execution. MSIM may place portfolio transactions with those brokers and dealers who also furnish research and other
services to the Fund and/or MSIM. Services provided may include certain research services (as described below), as well as effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as
clearance, settlement and custody).
MSIM and its affiliated investment
advisers have established commission sharing arrangements under a commission management program (the “Commission Management Program” or “CMP”), pursuant to which execution and research costs or
a portion of those costs are decoupled in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.
“Approved Equity CMP Partner
Brokers” are those executing brokers with which MSIM or its affiliated investment advisers have agreement(s) to accrue research commission credits for the benefit of clients. Over a certain time period, the
research credits are pooled at the Approved Equity CMP Partner Brokers and a third party vendor (also known as the “CMP Aggregator”) who will, under MSIM’s supervision, act as the administrator of
certain CMP related activities which may include reconciliation of research credits with brokers, as well as holding research credits in an account for purposes of distribution to applicable research providers at a
later time. These research credits are subsequently used to pay for eligible research services.
Under the CMP, MSIM and its
affiliated investment advisers select approved equity brokers (which include MSIM’s affiliates) for execution services and after accumulation of commissions at such brokers, MSIM and/or its affiliated investment
advisers instruct these approved equity brokers to transfer a predetermined percentage of commissions to an aggregator. MSIM and/or its affiliated investment advisers then instruct the aggregator to utilize these
balances to pay for eligible research provided by executing brokers or third-party research providers on MSIM’s and its affiliated investment advisers’ Approved Research Provider List. Generally, MSIM and
its affiliated investment advisers will direct the aggregator and/or approved equity broker to record research credits based upon a previously agreed-upon allocation and will periodically instruct the aggregator
and/or approved equity broker to direct specified dollar amounts from that pool to pay for eligible research services provided by third-party research providers and/or executing brokers. The research credits are
pooled among MSIM and its affiliated investment advisers and allocated on behalf of both MSIM and its affiliated investment advisers. Likewise, the research services obtained under the CMP are shared among MSIM and
its affiliated investment advisers.
For those costs not decoupled, but
retained by broker-dealers, MSIM also effects transactions with brokers which directly pay for proprietary research services provided in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “1934 Act”). Such transactions include equity transactions effected on an agency basis.
Transactions involving client
accounts managed by two or more affiliated investment advisers may be aggregated and executed using the services of broker-dealers that provide third-party benefits/research so long as all client accounts involved in
the transaction benefit from one or more of the services offered by such broker-dealer.
The research services received
include those of the nature described above and other services that aid MSIM in fulfilling its investment decision-making responsibilities, including (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the
advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; and (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries,
securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts. Where a particular item has both research and non-research related uses, MSIM will make a reasonable allocation of the cost
of the item between research and non-research uses and will only pay for the portion of the cost allocated to research uses with client brokerage transactions.
Certain investment professionals
and other employees of MSIM are also officers of affiliated investment advisers and may provide investment advisory services to clients of such affiliated investment advisers. Research services furnished or paid for
by brokers through whom MSIM effects transactions for a particular account may be used by MSIM or its affiliated investment advisers in servicing its other accounts, and not all such services may be used for the
benefit of the client which pays the brokerage commission that results in the receipt of such research services. Commissions paid to brokers providing research services may be higher than those charged by brokers not
providing such services.
MSIM’s personnel also provide
research and trading support to personnel of certain affiliated investment advisers. Research related costs may be shared by affiliated investment advisers and may benefit the clients of such affiliated investment
advisers.
47
Research services that benefit MSIM
may be received in connection with commissions generated by clients of its affiliated investment advisers.
MSIM and its affiliated investment
advisers make a good faith determination of the value of research services in accordance with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, UK Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority Rules and other relevant
regulatory requirements.
MSIM and certain of its affiliates
currently serve as an investment adviser to a number of clients, including other investment companies, and may in the future act as investment adviser to others. It is the practice of MSIM and its affiliates to cause
purchase and sale transactions (including transactions in certain initial and secondary public offerings) to be allocated among clients whose assets they manage (including the Fund) in such manner they deem equitable.
In making such allocations among the Fund and other client accounts, various factors may be considered, including the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable
securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Fund and other client accounts. MSIM and its
affiliates may operate one or more order placement facilities and each facility will implement order allocation in accordance with the procedures described above. From time to time, each facility may transact in a
security at the same time as other facilities are trading in that security.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC
COMPENSATION.
Neuberger Berman's compensation philosophy is one that focuses on rewarding performance and incentivizing our employees. We are also focused on creating a compensation process that we
believe is fair, transparent, and competitive with the market.
Compensation for
Portfolio Managers consists of fixed (salary) and variable (bonus) compensation but is more heavily weighted on the variable portion of total compensation and is paid from a team compensation pool made available to
the portfolio management team with which the Portfolio Manager is associated. The size of the team compensation pool is determined based on a formula that takes into consideration a number of factors including the
pre-tax revenue that is generated by that particular portfolio management team, less certain adjustments. The bonus portion of the compensation is discretionary and is determined on the basis of a variety of criteria,
including investment performance (including the aggregate multi-year track record), utilization of central resources (including research, sales and operations/support), business building to further the longer term
sustainable success of the investment team, effective team/people management, and overall contribution to the success of Neuberger Berman. Certain Portfolio Managers may manage products other than mutual funds, such
as high net worth separate accounts. For the management of these accounts, a Portfolio Manager may generally receive a percentage of pre-tax revenue determined on a monthly basis less certain deductions. The
percentage of revenue a Portfolio Manager receives pursuant to this arrangement will vary based on certain revenue thresholds. Neuberger Berman has policies and procedures in place to monitor and manage any conflicts
of interest that may arise as a result of this structure.
The terms of our long-term
retention incentives are as follows:
Employee-Owned
Equity. Certain employees (primarily senior leadership and investment professionals) participate in Neuberger Berman’s equity ownership structure, which was designed to incentivize and retain key personnel. We
also offer an equity acquisition program which allows employees a more direct opportunity to invest Neuberger Berman.
In addition, in prior years certain
employees may have elected to have a portion of their compensation delivered in the form of equity, which, in certain instances, is vested upon issuance and in other instances vesting aligns with the vesting of our
Contingent Compensation Plan (vesting over 3 years).
For confidentiality and privacy
reasons, we cannot disclose individual equity holdings or program participation.
Contingent
Compensation. Certain employees may participate in the Neuberger Berman Group Contingent Compensation Plan (the “CCP”) to serve as a means to further align the interests of our employees with the success
of the firm and the interests of our clients, and to reward continued employment. Under the CCP, up to 20% of a participant’s annual total compensation in excess of $500,000 is contingent and subject to vesting.
The contingent amounts are maintained in a notional account that is tied to the performance of a portfolio of Neuberger Berman investment strategies as specified by the firm on an employee-by-employee basis. By having
a participant’s contingent compensation tied to Neuberger Berman investment strategies, each employee is given further incentive to operate as a prudent risk manager and to collaborate with colleagues to
maximize performance across all business areas. In the case members of investment teams, including Portfolio Managers, the CCP is currently structured so that such employees have exposure to the investment strategies
of their respective teams as well as the broader Neuberger Berman portfolio. In prior years, employees may
48
have elected to have a portion of their contingent
amounts delivered in the form of NBSH equity (either vested or unvested, depending on the terms of the plain for that year). Neuberger Berman determines annually which employees participate in the program based on
total compensation for the applicable year.
Restrictive Covenants. Most
investment professionals, including Portfolio Managers, are subject to notice periods and restrictive covenants which include employee and client non-solicit restrictions as well as restrictions on the use of
confidential information. In addition, depending on participation levels, certain senior professionals who have received equity have also agreed to additional notice and transition periods and, in some cases,
non-compete restrictions. For confidentiality and privacy reasons, we cannot disclose individual restrictive covenant arrangements.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a Portfolio Manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account. The management of
multiple funds and accounts (including proprietary accounts) may give rise to actual or potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different or similar objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and
fees, as the Portfolio Manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The Portfolio Manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely
impact the value of securities held by a fund, and which may include transactions that are directly contrary to the positions taken by a fund. For example, a Portfolio Manager may engage in short sales of securities
for another account that are the same type of securities in which a fund it manages also invests. In such a case, the Portfolio Manager could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the
account engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. Additionally, if a Portfolio Manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than
one fund or other account, a fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity. Further, Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers (“NBIA”) may take an investment position or action for a fund or
account that may be different from, inconsistent with, or have different rights than (e.g., voting rights, dividend or repayment priorities or other features that may conflict with one another), an action or position
taken for one or more other funds or accounts, including a fund, having similar or different objectives. A conflict may also be created by investing in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure (e.g.,
equity or debt, or different positions in the debt structure). Those positions and actions may adversely impact, or in some instances benefit, one or more affected accounts, including the funds. Potential conflicts
may also arise because portfolio decisions and related actions regarding a position held for a fund or another account may not be in the best interests of a position held by another fund or account having similar or
different objectives. If one account were to buy or sell portfolio securities shortly before another account bought or sold the same securities, it could affect the price paid or received by the second account.
Securities selected for funds or accounts other than a fund may outperform the securities selected for the fund. Finally, a conflict of interest may arise if NBIA and a Portfolio Manager have a financial incentive to
favor one account over another, such as a performance-based management fee that applies to one account but not all funds or accounts for which the Portfolio Manager is responsible. In the ordinary course of operations
certain businesses within the Neuberger Berman organization (the “Firm”) may seek access to material non-public information. For instance, certain loan portfolio managers may utilize material non-public
information in purchasing loans and from time to time, may be offered the opportunity on behalf of applicable clients to participate on a creditors committee, which participation may provide access to material
non-public information. The Firm maintains procedures that address the process by which material non-public information may be acquired intentionally by the Firm. When considering whether to acquire material
non-public information, the Firm will take into account the interests of all clients and will endeavor to act fairly to all clients. The intentional acquisition of material non-public information may give rise to a
potential conflict of interest since the Firm may be prohibited from rendering investment advice to clients regarding the public securities of such issuer and thereby potentially limiting the universe of public
securities that the Firm, including a fund, may purchase or potentially limiting the ability of the Firm, including a fund, to sell such securities. Similarly, where the Firm declines access to (or otherwise does not
receive) material non-public information regarding an issuer, the portfolio managers may base investment decisions for its clients, including a fund, with respect to loan assets of such issuer solely on public
information, thereby limiting the amount of information available to the portfolio managers in connection with such investment decisions.
NBIA has adopted certain compliance
procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
PGIM INVESTMENTS LLC
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
Prudential provides compensation opportunities to eligible employees to motivate and reward the achievement of outstanding results by providing market-based programs that:
| ■ | Attract and reward highly qualified employees |
| ■ | Align with critical business goals and objectives |
| ■ | Link to the performance results relevant to the business segment and Prudential |
| ■ | Retain top performers |
| ■ | Pay for results and differentiate levels of performance |
49
| ■ | Foster behaviors and contributions that promote Prudential's success |
The components of compensation for
a Vice President in PGIM Investments consists of base salary, annual incentive compensation and long term incentive compensation.
Base Pay Overview:
The Prudential compensation structure is organized in grades, each with its own minimum and maximum base pay (i.e., salary). The grades reflect pay patterns in the market. Each job in the
plan—from CEO through an entry-level job—is included in one of the grades. The main determinant of placement in the base pay structure is market data. On an annual basis, Corporate Compensation collects
and analyzes market data to determine if any change to the placement of job in the structure is necessary to maintain market competitiveness. If necessary, structural compensation changes (e.g., increases to base pay
minimum and maximums) will be effective on the plan's effective date for base pay increases.
Annual Incentive Compensation
Overview:
The plan provides an opportunity for all participants to share in the annual results of Prudential, as well as the results of their division or profit center. Results are reviewed and
incentive payments are made as early as practicable after the close of the plan year. Incentive payments are awarded based on organizational performance—which determines the available dollar amounts—and
individual performance. Individual performance will be evaluated on the basis of contributions relative to others in the organization. Incentive payments are granted from a budgeted amount of money that is made
available by the Company. Initial budgets are developed by determining the competitive market rates for incentives as compared to our comparator companies. Each organization's budget pool may be increased or decreased
based on organizational performance. Organizational performance is determined by a review of performance relative to our comparator group, as well as key measures indicated in our business plan, such as Return on
Required Equity (RORE), earnings and revenue growth.
Long Term Incentive Compensation
Overview:
In addition, executives at the Vice President level and above are eligible to participate in a long term incentive program to provide an ownership stake in Prudential Financial. Long-Term
incentives currently consist of restricted stock and stock options. The stock options vest
1
⁄
3
per year over 3 years and the restricted stock vests 100% at the end of 3 years.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
PGIM Investments follows Prudential Financial's policies on business ethics, personal securities trading by investment personnel, and information barriers and has adopted a code of ethics,
allocation policies, supervisory procedures and conflicts of interest policies, among other policies and procedures, which are designed to ensure that clients are not harmed by these potential or actual conflicts of
interests; however, there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will detect and ensure avoidance, disclosure or mitigation of each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
PGIM FIXED INCOME
COMPENSATION
.
General.
The base salary of an investment professional in the PGIM Fixed Income unit of PGIM is based on market data relative to similar positions as well as the past performance, years of experience
and scope of responsibility of the individual. Incentive compensation, including the annual cash bonus, the long-term equity grant and grants under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plans, is primarily
based on such person’s contribution to PGIM Fixed Income’s goal of providing investment performance to clients consistent with portfolio objectives, guidelines and risk parameters and market- based data
such as compensation trends and levels of overall compensation for similar positions in the asset management industry. In addition, an investment professional’s qualitative contributions to the organization and
its commercial success are considered in determining incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not solely based on the performance of, or value of assets in, any single account or group of client
accounts.
An investment professional’s
annual cash bonus is paid from an annual incentive pool. The pool is developed as a percentage of PGIM Fixed Income’s operating income and the percentage used to calculate the pool may be refined by factors such
as:
| ■ | business initiatives; |
| ■ | the number of investment professionals receiving a bonus and related peer group compensation; |
| ■ | financial metrics of the business relative to those of appropriate peer groups; and |
| ■ | investment performance of portfolios: (i) relative to appropriate peer groups and/or (ii) as measured against relevant investment indices. |
Long-Term Compensation
Long-term
compensation consists of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial) restricted stock and grants under the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan. Grants under the long-term incentive
plan and targeted long-term incentive plan, are participation interests in notional accounts with a beginning value of a specified dollar amount. For the long-term incentive plan, the value attributed to these
notional accounts increases or decreases over a defined period of time based, in part, on the performance of investment composites representing a number of PGIM Fixed Income’s investment strategies. With respect
to targeted long-term incentive awards, the value attributed to the notional accounts increases or decreases over a defined period of time based on the performance of either (i) a long-short investment composite or
(ii) a commingled investment vehicle. An investment composite is an
50
aggregation of
accounts with similar investment strategies. The long-term incentive plan is designed to more closely align compensation with investment performance and the growth of PGIM Fixed Income’s business. In addition,
the targeted long-term incentive plan is designed to align the interests of certain PGIM Fixed Income’s investment professionals with the performance of a particular long-short composite or commingled investment
vehicle. The chief investment officer/head of PGIM Fixed Income also receives (i) performance shares which represent the right to receive shares of Prudential Financial common stock conditioned upon, and subject to,
the achievement of specified financial performance goals by Prudential Financial; (ii) book value units which track the book value per share of Prudential Financial; and (iii) Prudential Financial stock options. Each
of the restricted stock, long-term incentive plan grants, performance shares and book value units and stock options is subject to vesting requirements.
POTENTIAL Conflicts of Interest.
Like other investment advisers, PGIM Fixed Income is subject to various conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of its business. PGIM Fixed Income strives to identify potential risks,
including conflicts of interest, that are inherent in its business, and conducts annual conflict of interest reviews. When actual or potential conflicts of interest are identified, PGIM Fixed Income seeks to address
such conflicts through one or more of the following methods:
| ■ | elimination of the conflict; |
| ■ | disclosure of the conflict; or |
| ■ | management of the conflict through the adoption of appropriate policies, procedures or other mitigants. |
PGIM Fixed Income follows the
policies of Prudential Financial on business ethics, personal securities trading by investment personnel, and information barriers. PGIM Fixed Income has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies and conflicts of
interest policies, among others, and has adopted supervisory procedures to monitor compliance with its policies. PGIM Fixed Income cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent,
or result in the disclosure of, each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.
Side-by-Side Management of Accounts
and Related Conflicts of Interest.
PGIM Fixed Income’s side-by-side management of multiple accounts can create conflicts of interest. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how PGIM Fixed Income
addresses these conflicts.
| ■ | Performance Fees— PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. This side-by-side management may be deemed to create an incentive for PGIM Fixed Income and its investment professionals to favor one account over another. Specifically, PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates could be considered to have the incentive to favor accounts for which PGIM Fixed Income or an affiliate receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in order to bolster performance and increase its fees. |
| ■ | Affiliated accounts— PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts on behalf of its affiliates as well as unaffiliated accounts. PGIM Fixed Income could be considered to have an incentive to favor accounts of affiliates over others. |
| ■ | Large accounts—large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts and certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s strategies have higher fees than others. As a result, a portfolio manager could be considered to have an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for PGIM Fixed Income. |
| ■ | Long only and long/short accounts— PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts that only allow it to hold securities long as well as accounts that permit short selling. PGIM Fixed Income may, therefore, sell a security short in some client accounts while holding the same security long in other client accounts. These short sales could reduce the value of the securities held in the long only accounts. In addition, purchases for long only accounts could have a negative impact on the short positions. |
| ■ | Securities of the same kind or class— PGIM Fixed Income sometimes buys or sells for one client account securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client at prices that may be different. PGIM Fixed Income may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in PGIM Fixed Income’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side. |
| ■ | Financial interests of investment professionals— PGIM Fixed Income investment professionals may invest in certain investment vehicles that it manages, including mutual funds and private funds. Also, certain of these investment vehicles are options under the 401(k) and deferred compensation plans offered by Prudential Financial. In addition, the value of grants under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan is affected by the performance of certain client accounts. As a result, PGIM Fixed Income investment professionals may have financial interests in accounts managed by PGIM Fixed Income or that are related to the performance of certain client accounts. |
| ■ | Non-discretionary accounts— PGIM Fixed Income provides non-discretionary investment advice to some clients and manages others on a discretionary basis. Trades in non-discretionary accounts could occur before, in concert with, or after PGIM Fixed Income executes similar trades in its discretionary accounts. The non-discretionary clients may be disadvantaged if PGIM Fixed Income investment advice to them after it initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa. |
How PGIM Fixed Income Addresses
These Conflicts of Interest.
PGIM Fixed Income has developed policies and procedures designed to address the conflicts of interest with respect to its different types of side-by-side management described
above.
51
| ■ | The chief investment officer/head of PGIM Fixed Income periodically reviews and compares performance and performance attribution for each client account within its various strategies during meetings typically attended by members of PGIM Fixed Income’s senior leadership team, chief compliance officer or his designee, and senior portfolio managers. |
| ■ | In keeping with PGIM Fixed Income’s fiduciary obligations, its policy with respect to trade aggregation and allocation is to treat all of its accounts fairly and equitably over time. PGIM Fixed Income’s trade management oversight committee, which generally meets quarterly, is responsible for providing oversight with respect to trade aggregation and allocation. Its compliance group periodically reviews a sampling of new issue allocations and related documentation to confirm compliance with the trade aggregation and allocation procedures. In addition, the compliance and investment risk management groups review forensic reports regarding new issue and secondary trade activity on a quarterly basis. This forensic analysis includes such data as the: (i) number of new issues allocated in the strategy; (ii) size of new issue allocations to each portfolio in the strategy; (iii) profitability of new issue transactions; and (iv) portfolio turnover. The results of these analyses are reviewed and discussed at PGIM Fixed Income’s trade management oversight committee meetings. The procedures above are designed to detect patterns and anomalies in PGIM Fixed Income’s side-by-side management and trading so that it may assess and improve its processes. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income has procedures that specifically address its side-by-side management of long/short and long only portfolios. These procedures address potential conflicts that could arise from differing positions between long/short and long only portfolios. In addition, lending opportunities with respect to securities for which the market is demanding a slight premium rate over normal market rates are allocated to long only accounts prior to allocating the opportunities to long/short accounts. |
Conflicts Related to PGIM Fixed
Income’s Affiliations.
As an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, PGIM Fixed Income is part of a diversified, global financial services organization. PGIM Fixed Income is affiliated with many
types of U.S. and non-U.S. financial service providers, including insurance companies, broker-dealers, commodity trading advisors, commodity pool operators and other investment advisers. Some of its employees are
officers of some of these affiliates.
| ■ | Conflicts Arising Out of Legal Restrictions . PGIM Fixed Income may be restricted by law, regulation, contract or other constraints as to how much, if any, of a particular security it may purchase or sell on behalf of a client, and as to the timing of such purchase or sale. Sometimes these restrictions apply as a result of its relationship with Prudential Financial and its other affiliates. For example, PGIM Fixed Income does not purchase securities issued by Prudential Financial for client accounts. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income’s holdings of a security on behalf of its clients are required, under some SEC rules, to be aggregated with the holdings of that security by other Prudential Financial affiliates. These holdings could, on an aggregate basis, exceed certain reporting or ownership thresholds. Prudential Financial tracks these aggregated holdings and may restrict purchases to avoid exceeding these thresholds because of the potential consequences to Prudential Financial if such thresholds are exceeded. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income could receive material, non-public information with respect to a particular issuer and, as a result, be unable to execute transactions in securities of that issuer for its clients. For example, PGIM Fixed Income’s bank loan team often invests in private bank loans in connection with which the borrower provides material, non-public information, resulting in restrictions on trading securities issued by those borrowers. PGIM Fixed Income has procedures in place to carefully consider whether to intentionally accept material, non-public information with respect to certain issuers. PGIM Fixed Income is generally able to avoid receiving material, non-public information from its affiliates and other units within PGIM by maintaining information barriers. In some instances, it may create an isolated information barrier around a small number of its employees so that material, non-public information received by such employees is not attributed to the rest of PGIM Fixed Income. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Outside Business Activity . From time to time, certain of PGIM Fixed Income employees or officers may engage in outside business activity, including outside directorships. Any outside business activity is subject to prior approval pursuant to PGIM Fixed Income’s personal conflicts of interest and outside business activities policy. Actual and potential conflicts of interest are analyzed during such approval process. PGIM Fixed Income could be restricted in trading the securities of certain issuers in client portfolios in the unlikely event that an employee or officer, as a result of outside business activity, obtains material, non-public information regarding an issuer. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Investment of Client Assets in Affiliated Funds . PGIM Fixed Income may invest client assets in funds that it manages or subadvises for an affiliate. PGIM Fixed Income may also invest cash collateral from securities lending transactions in these funds. These investments benefit both PGIM Fixed Income and its affiliate. |
| ■ | PICA General Account . Because of the substantial size of the general account of The Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA), trading by PICA’s general account, including PGIM Fixed Income’s trades on behalf of the account, may affect market prices. Although PGIM Fixed Income does not expect that PICA’s general account will execute transactions that will move a market frequently, and generally only in response to unusual market or issuer events, the execution of these transactions could have an adverse effect on transactions for or positions held by other clients. |
Conflicts Related to Securities
Holdings and Other Financial Interests
| ■ | Prudential Financial, PICA, PGIM Fixed Income and other affiliates of PGIM at times have financial interests in, or relationships with, companies whose securities PGIM Fixed Income holds, purchase or sells in its client accounts. Certain of these interests and relationships are material to PGIM Fixed Income or to the Prudential enterprise. At any time, these interests and relationships could be inconsistent or in potential or actual conflict with positions held or actions taken by PGIM Fixed Income on behalf of PGIM Fixed Income’s client accounts. For example: |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income invests in the securities of one or more clients for the accounts of other clients. |
52
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates sell various product and/or services to certain companies whose securities PGIM Fixed Income purchases and sells for PGIM Fixed Income clients. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income invests in the debt securities of companies whose equity is held by its affiliates. |
| ■ | PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates hold public and private debt and equity securities of a large number of issuers and may invest in some of the same companies as other client accounts but at different levels in the capital structure. For example: Affiliated accounts can hold the senior debt of an issuer whose subordinated debt is held by PGIM Fixed Income’s clients or hold secured debt of an issuer whose public unsecured debt is held in client accounts. In the event of restructuring or insolvency, the affiliated accounts as holders of senior debt may exercise remedies and take other actions that are not in the interest of, or are adverse to, other clients that are the holders of junior debt. To the extent permitted by applicable law, PGIM Fixed Income may also invest client assets in offerings of securities the proceeds of which are used to repay debt obligations held in affiliated accounts or other client accounts. PGIM Fixed Income’s interest in having the debt repaid creates a conflict of interest. PGIM Fixed Income has adopted a refinancing policy to address this conflict. Certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates (as well as directors or officers of its affiliates) are officers or directors of issuers in which PGIM Fixed Income invests from time to time. These issuers may also be service providers to PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income may invest client assets in securities backed by commercial mortgage loans that were originated or are serviced by an affiliate. In general, conflicts related to the financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that PGIM Fixed Income makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such client. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to the Offer and Sale of Securities. Certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s employees may offer and sell securities of, and interests in, commingled funds that it manages or subadvises. There is an incentive for PGIM Fixed Income’s employees to offer these securities to investors regardless of whether the investment is appropriate for such investor since increased assets in these vehicles will result in increased advisory fees to it. In addition, such sales could result in increased compensation to the employee. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Long-Term Compensation. The performance of many client accounts is not reflected in the calculation of changes in the value of participation interests under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plan. This may be because the composite representing the strategy in which the account is managed is not one of the composites included in the calculation or because the account is excluded from a specified composite due to guideline restrictions or other factors. In addition, the performance of only a small number of our investment strategies is covered under PGIM Fixed Income’s targeted long-term incentive plan. As a result of the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan, PGIM Fixed Income’s portfolio managers from time to time have financial interests related to the investment performance of some, but not all, of the accounts they manage. To address potential conflicts related to these financial interests, PGIM Fixed Income has procedures, including trade allocation and supervisory review procedures, designed to confirm that each of its client accounts is managed in a manner that is consistent with PGIM Fixed Income’s fiduciary obligations, as well as with the account’s investment objectives, investment strategies and restrictions. For example, PGIM Fixed Income’s chief investment officer/head reviews performance among similarly managed accounts on a quarterly basis during meetings typically attended by members of PGIM Fixed Income’s senior leadership team, chief compliance officer of his designee, and senior portfolio managers. |
| ■ | Conflicts Related to Trading—Personal Trading by Employees . Personal trading by PGIM Fixed Income employees creates a conflict when they are trading the same securities of types of securities as PGIM Fixed Income trades on behalf of its clients. This conflict is mitigated by PGIM Fixed Income’s personal trading standards and procedure. |
In general, conflicts related to
the securities holdings and financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that PGIM Fixed Income makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such
client.
Conflicts Related to Valuation and
Fees.
When client
accounts hold illiquid or difficult to value investments, PGIM Fixed Income faces a conflict of interest when making recommendations regarding the value of such investments since its management fees are generally
based on the value of assets under management. PGIM Fixed Income believes that its valuation policies and procedures mitigate this conflict effectively and enable it to value client assets fairly and in a manner that
is consistent with the client’s best interests. In addition, single client account clients often calculate fees based on the valuation of assets provided by their custodian or administrator.
QUANTITATIVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES
LLC (QMA)
COMPENSATION.
QMA’s investment professionals are compensated through a combination of base salary, a performance-based annual cash incentive bonus and an annual long-term incentive grant. QMA
regularly utilizes third party surveys to compare its compensation program against leading asset management firms to monitor competitiveness.
An investment
professional’s incentive compensation, including both the annual cash bonus and long-term incentive grant, is largely driven by a person’s contribution to QMA’s goal of providing investment
performance to clients consistent with portfolio objectives, guidelines and risk parameters, as well as such person’s qualitative contributions to the organization. An investment professional’s long-term
incentive grant is currently divided into two components: (i) 80% of the value of the grant is subject to increase or decrease based on the performance of certain QMA strategies, and (ii) 20% of the value of the grant
consists of restricted stock of Prudential
53
Financial, Inc.
(QMA’s ultimate parent company). The long-term incentive grants are subject to vesting requirements. The incentive compensation of each investment professional is not based solely or directly on the performance
of a fund (or any other individual account managed by QMA) or the value of the assets of a fund (or any other individual account managed by QMA).
The annual cash bonus pool is
determined quantitatively based on two primary factors: 1) investment performance of composites representing QMA’s various investment strategies on a 1-year and 3-year basis relative to appropriate market peer
groups and the indices against which QMA’s strategies are managed, and 2) business results as measured by QMA’s pretax income.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Like other investment advisers, QMA is subject to various conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of its business. QMA strives to identify potential risks, including conflicts of
interest, that are inherent in its business, and conducts annual conflict of interest reviews. When actual or potential conflicts of interest are identified, QMA seeks to address such conflicts through one or more of
the following methods:
| ■ | Elimination of the conflict; |
| ■ | Disclosure of the conflict; or |
| ■ | Management of the conflict through the adoption of appropriate policies and procedures. |
QMA follows Prudential
Financial’s policies on business ethics, personal securities trading, and information barriers. QMA has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies and conflicts of interest policies, among others, and has
adopted supervisory procedures to monitor compliance with its policies. QMA cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent, or result in the disclosure of, each and every situation
in which a conflict may arise.
Side-by-Side Management of Accounts
and Related Conflicts of Interest.
Side-by-side management of multiple accounts can create incentives for QMA to favor one account over another. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how QMA addresses these
conflicts.
| ■ | Asset-Based Fees vs. Performance-Based Fees; Other Fee Considerations . QMA manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. Asset-based fees are calculated based on the value of a client’s portfolio at periodic measurement dates or over specified periods of time. Performance-based fees are generally based on a share of the total return of a portfolio, and may offer greater upside potential to QMA than asset-based fees, depending on how the fees are structured. This side-by-side management could create an incentive for QMA to favor one account over another. Specifically, QMA could have the incentive to favor accounts for which it receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in order to bolster performance and increase its fees. In addition, since fees are negotiable, one client may be paying a higher fee than another client with similar investment objectives or goals. In negotiating fees, QMA takes into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, the investment strategy, the size of a portfolio being managed, the relationship with the client, and the required level of service. Fees may also differ based on account type. For example, fees for commingled vehicles, including those that QMA subadvises, may differ from fees charged for single client accounts. |
| ■ | Long Only/Long-Short Accounts. QMA manages accounts that only allow it to hold securities long as well as accounts that permit short selling. QMA may, therefore, sell a security short in some client accounts while holding the same security long in other client accounts, creating the possibility that QMA is taking inconsistent positions with respect to a particular security in different client accounts. |
| ■ | Compensation/Benefit Plan Accounts/Other Investments by Investment Professionals . QMA manages certain funds and strategies whose performance is considered in determining long-term incentive plan benefits for certain investment professionals. Investment professionals involved in the management of those accounts in these strategies have an incentive to favor them over other accounts they manage in order to increase their compensation. Additionally, QMA’s investment professionals may have an interest in funds in those strategies if the funds are chosen as options in their 401(k) or deferred compensation plans offered by Prudential or if they otherwise invest in those funds directly. |
| ■ | Affiliated Accounts. QMA manages accounts on behalf of its affiliates as well as unaffiliated accounts. QMA could have an incentive to favor accounts of affiliates over others. |
| ■ | Non-Discretionary Accounts or Models. QMA provides non-discretionary model portfolios to some clients and manages other portfolios on a discretionary basis. The non-discretionary clients may be disadvantaged if QMA delivers the model investment portfolio to them after it initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa. |
| ■ | Large Accounts/Higher Fee Strategies . Large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts and certain strategies have higher fees than others. As a result, a portfolio manager has an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for QMA. |
| ■ | Securities of the Same Kind or Class . QMA may buy or sell, or may direct or recommend that one client buy or sell, securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client, at prices that may be different. QMA may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account, due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies effecting trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in QMA’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side. |
54
How QMA Addresses These Conflicts
of Interest.
The conflicts of interest described above with respect to different types of side-by-side management could influence QMA’s allocation of investment opportunities as well as its timing,
aggregation and allocation of trades. QMA has developed policies and procedures designed to address these conflicts of interest. QMA's Conflicts of Interest and related policies stress that investment decisions are to
be made in accordance with the fiduciary duties owed to each account without giving consideration to QMA or QMA personnel's pecuniary, investment or other financial interests.
In keeping with its fiduciary
obligations, QMA’s policies with respect to allocation and aggregation are to treat all of its accounts fairly and equitably. QMA’s investment strategies generally require that QMA invest its
clients’ assets in securities that are publicly traded. QMA generally does not participate in initial public offerings. QMA's investment strategies are team managed, reducing the likelihood that one portfolio
would be favored over other portfolios managed by the team. These factors significantly reduce the risk that QMA could favor one client over another in the allocation of investment opportunities. QMA’s
compliance procedures with respect to these policies include independent reviews by its compliance unit of the timing, allocation and aggregation of trades and the allocation of investment opportunities. These
procedures are designed to detect patterns and anomalies in QMA’s side-by-side management and trading so that QMA may take measures to correct or improve its processes. QMA’s trade management oversight
committee, which consists of senior members of its management team, reviews trading patterns on a periodic basis.
QMA rebalances portfolios
periodically with frequencies that vary with market conditions and investment objectives and may differ across portfolios in the same strategy based on variations in portfolio characteristics and constraints. QMA may
aggregate trades for all portfolios rebalanced on any given day, where appropriate and consistent with its duty of best execution. Orders are generally allocated at the time of the transaction, or as soon as possible
thereafter, on a pro rata basis equal to each account’s appetite for the issue when such appetite can be determined. As mentioned above, QMA’s compliance unit performs periodic reviews to determine that
all portfolios are rebalanced consistently, over time, within all equity strategies.
With respect to QMA’s
management of long-short and long only accounts, the security weightings (positive or negative) in each account are always determined by a quantitative algorithm. An independent review is performed by the compliance
unit to assess whether any such positions would represent a departure from the quantitative algorithm used to derive the positions in each portfolio. QMA’s review is also intended to identify situations where
QMA would seem to have conflicting views of the same security in different portfolios, although such views may actually be reasonable and consistent due to differing portfolio constraints.
QMA’s Relationships with
Affiliates and Related Conflicts of Interest.
As an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, QMA is part of a diversified, global financial services organization. It is affiliated with many types of financial service
providers, including broker-dealers, insurance companies, commodity pool operators and other investment advisers. Some of its employees are officers of some of these affiliates.
Conflicts Related to QMA’s
Affiliations.
Conflicts Arising
Out of Legal Restrictions.
QMA may be restricted by law, regulation or contract as to how much, if any, of a particular security it may purchase or sell on behalf of a client, and as to the timing of such purchase or
sale. These restrictions may apply as a result of QMA’s relationship with Prudential Financial and its other affiliates. For example, QMA’s holdings of a security on behalf of its clients are required,
under certain regulations, to be aggregated with the holdings of that security by other Prudential Financial affiliates. These holdings could, on an aggregate basis, exceed certain reporting thresholds. QMA tracks
these aggregate holdings and may restrict purchases to avoid crossing such thresholds. In addition, QMA could receive material, non-public information with respect to a particular issuer from an affiliate and, as a
result, be unable to execute purchase or sale transactions in securities of that issuer for its clients. QMA is generally able to avoid receiving material, non-public information from its affiliates by maintaining
information barriers to prevent the transfer of information between affiliates.
The Fund may be prohibited from
engaging in transactions with its affiliates even when such transactions may be beneficial for the Fund. Certain affiliated transactions are permitted in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund and reviewed by
the independent board members of the Fund.
Conflicts Arising Out of Certain
Vendor Agreements.
QMA and its affiliates, from time to time, have service agreements with various vendors that are also investment consultants. Under these agreements, QMA or its affiliates compensate the
vendors for certain services, including software, market data and technology services. QMA’s clients may also retain these vendors as investment consultants. The existence of service agreements between these
consultants and QMA may provide an incentive for the investment consultants to favor QMA when they advise their clients. QMA does not, however, condition its purchase of services from consultants upon their
recommending QMA to their clients. QMA will provide clients with information about services that QMA or its affiliates obtain from these consultants upon request. QMA retains third party advisors and other service
providers to provide various services for QMA as well as for funds that QMA manages or subadvises. A service provider may provide services to QMA or one of its funds while also providing services
55
to PGIM, Inc. (PGIM) other PGIM-advised funds, or
affiliates of PGIM, and may negotiate rates in the context of the overall relationship. QMA may benefit from negotiated fee rates offered to its funds and vice-versa. There is no assurance that QMA will be able to
obtain advantageous fee rates from a given service provider negotiated by its affiliates based on their relationship with the service provider, or that it will know of such negotiated fee rates.
Conflicts Related to QMA’s
Asset Allocation Services.
QMA performs asset allocation services as subadviser for affiliated mutual funds managed or co-managed by the Investment Manager, including for some Portfolios offered by the Fund. QMA may,
under these arrangements, allocate assets to an asset class within which funds or accounts that QMA directly manages will be selected. In these circumstances, QMA receives both an asset allocation fee and a management
fee. As a result, QMA has an incentive to allocate assets to an asset class that it manages in order to increase its fees. To help mitigate this conflict, the compliance group monitors the asset allocation to
determine that the investments were made within the established guidelines by asset class.
In certain arrangements QMA
subadvises mutual funds for the Investment Manager through a program where they have selected QMA as a manager, resulting in QMA’s collection of subadvisory fees from them. The Investment Manager also selects
managers for some of QMA’s asset allocation products and, in certain cases, is compensated by QMA for these services under service agreements. The Investment Manager and QMA may have a mutual incentive to
continue these types of arrangements that benefit both companies. These and other types of conflicts of interest are reviewed to verify that appropriate oversight is performed.
Conflicts Arising Out of Securities
Holdings and Other Financial Interests.
QMA, Prudential Financial, Inc., the general account of the Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA) and accounts of other affiliates of QMA (collectively, affiliated accounts) may, at
times, have financial interests in, or relationships with, companies whose securities QMA may hold, purchase or sell in its client accounts. This may occur, for example, because affiliated accounts hold public and
private debt and equity securities of a large number of issuers and may invest in some of the same companies as QMA’s client accounts. At any time, these interests and relationships could be inconsistent or in
potential or actual conflict with positions held or actions taken by QMA on behalf of its client accounts. For instance, QMA may invest client assets in the equity of companies whose debt is held by an affiliate. QMA
may also invest in the securities of one or more clients for the accounts of other clients. While these conflicts cannot be eliminated, QMA has implemented policies and procedures, including adherence to PGIM’s
information barrier policy, that are designed to ensure that investments of clients are managed in their best interests.
Certain of QMA’s employees
may offer and sell securities of, and units in, commingled funds that QMA manages or subadvises. Employees may offer and sell securities in connection with their roles as registered representatives of Prudential
Investment Management Services LLC (a broker-dealer affiliate), or as officers, agents, or approved persons of other affiliates. There is an incentive for QMA’s employees to offer these securities to investors
regardless of whether the investment is appropriate for such investor since increased assets in these vehicles will result in increased advisory fees to QMA. In addition, although sales commissions are not paid for
such activities, such sales could result in increased compensation to the employee. To mitigate this conflict, QMA performs suitability checks on new clients as well as on an annual basis with respect to all
clients.
A portion of the
long-term incentive grant of some of QMA’s investment professionals will increase or decrease based on the annual performance of several of QMA’s strategies over a defined time period. Consequently, some
of QMA’s portfolio managers from time to time have financial interests in the accounts they advise. To address potential conflicts related to these financial interests, QMA has procedures, including supervisory
review procedures, designed to verify that each of its accounts is managed in a manner that is consistent with QMA’s fiduciary obligations, as well as with the account’s investment objectives, investment
strategies and restrictions. Specifically, QMA’s chief investment officer will perform a comparison of trading costs between the advised accounts whose performance is considered in connection with the long-term
incentive grant and other accounts, to verify that such costs are consistent with each other or otherwise in line with expectations. The results of the analysis are discussed at a trade meeting of QMA's Trade
Management Oversight Committee.
Conflicts of Interest in the Voting
Process.
Occasionally, a conflict of interest may arise in connection with proxy voting. For example, the issuer of the securities being voted may also be a client or affiliate of QMA. When QMA
identifies an actual or potential conflict of interest between QMA and its clients or affiliates, QMA votes in accordance with the policy of its proxy vendor rather than its own policy. In that manner, QMA seeks to
maintain the independence and objectivity of the vote.
QS INVESTORS, LLC (QS INVESTORS)
COMPENSATION.
Compensation for all investment professionals includes a combination of base salary and annual discretionary bonus as well as a generous benefits package made available to all employees on a
non-discretionary basis. Specifically, the compensation package includes:
Competitive base salaries;
56
Individual
discretionary -based bonuses based on the investment professional’s added value to the products for which they are responsible. Bonuses are not directly tied to peer group and/or relative performance to any
benchmark. The qualitative analysis of a portfolio manager’s individual performance is based on, among other things, the results of an annual management process, and management’s assessment of a portfolio
manager’s contributions to the investment team, the investment process and overall performance (distinct from fund and other account performance). Other factors taken into consideration include the
individual’s contributions to model and investment process research, risk management, client service and new business development; and
Corporate profit sharing.
Certain investment professionals
may also have longer-term incentive packages that are tied to the success of the organization.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. QS Investors maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and minimize potential conflicts of interest inherent in circumstances when a portfolio manager has day-to-day
portfolio management responsibilities for multiple portfolios. Nevertheless, no set of policies and procedures can possibly anticipate or relieve all potential conflicts of interest. These conflicts may be real,
potential, or perceived; certain of these conflicts are described in detail below.
Allocation of Limited Investment
Opportunities.
If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity (including initial public offerings) that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the investment opportunity
may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a client’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity, due to liquidity constraints or other factors.
QS Investors has adopted trade
allocation procedures designed to ensure that allocations of limited investment opportunities are conducted in a fair and equitable manner between client accounts. Nevertheless, investment opportunities may be
allocated differently among client accounts due to the particular characteristics of an account, such as the size of the account, cash position, investment guidelines and restrictions or its sector/country/region
exposure or other risk controls, or market restrictions.
Similar Investment
Strategies.
QS Investors and its portfolio management team may manage multiple portfolios with similar investment strategies. Investment decisions for each portfolio are generally made based on each
portfolio’s investment objectives and guidelines, cash availability, and current holdings. Purchases or sales of securities for the portfolios may be appropriate for other portfolios with like objectives and may
be bought or sold in different amounts and at different times in multiple portfolios. In these cases, transactions are allocated to portfolios in a manner believed fair and equitable across client account portfolios
by QS Investors’ methodology. Purchase and sale orders for a portfolio may be combined with those of other portfolios in the interest of achieving the most favorable net results for all clients.
Different Investment
Strategies.
QS Investors may manage long-short strategies alongside long-only strategies. As such, the potential exists for short sales of securities in certain portfolios while the same security is
held long in one or more other portfolios. In an attempt to mitigate the inherent risks of simultaneous management of long-short and long-only strategies, QS Investors has established and implemented procedures to
promote fair and equitable treatment of all portfolios. The procedures include monitoring and surveillance, supervisory reviews, and compliance oversight of short sale activity.
Differences in Financial
Incentives.
A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to a portfolio manager or an investment adviser differ among the funds and/or accounts under management. For
example, when the structure of an investment adviser’s management fee differs among the funds and/or accounts under its management (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or
performance-based management fees), a portfolio manager might be motivated to favor certain funds and/or accounts over others. Performance-based fees could also create an incentive for an investment adviser to make
investments that are riskier or more speculative. In addition, a portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she or the investment adviser and/or its affiliates have a financial
interest. Similarly, the desire to maintain or raise assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record in a particular investment strategy or to derive other rewards, financial or
otherwise, could influence a portfolio manager to lend preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager. To manage conflicts that may arise from
management of portfolios with performance-based fees, performance in portfolios with like strategies is regularly reviewed by management.
In multi-asset strategies where QS
Investors is responsible for asset allocation and has the discretionary authority to direct assets to funds or accounts managed by QS Investors, affiliated managers and/or unaffiliated managers, QS Investors may have
financial or other incentives to advise that client assets be directed to funds or accounts managed by QS Investors instead of funds or accounts managed by affiliated managers or unaffiliated managers, or to advise
that client assets be directed to funds or accounts managed by affiliated managers instead of unaffiliated managers.
57
QS Investors has
established and implemented various policies and procedures to promote fair and equitable treatment and to manage these and other potential conflicts that may arise from differences in financial incentives. For
example, with regard to the management of portfolios with performance-based fees, performance in portfolios with like strategies is regularly reviewed by management. With regard to conflicts associated with
fund/manager selection, QS Investors employs an asset allocation process that is primarily quantitative, and certain investment decisions that could be deemed to result in conflicts of interest (e.g., initial
allocations or substantial increases in allocations to funds or accounts managed by QS Investors) are subject to review and pre-approval by certain management and compliance personnel.
Personal Holdings and
Transactions
. Investment professionals employed by QS Investors may manage personal accounts in which they have a fiduciary interest with holdings similar to those of client accounts. QS Investors also
allows its employees to trade in securities that it recommends to advisory clients. QS Investors purchasing, holding or selling the same or similar securities for client account portfolios and the actions taken by
such individuals on a personal basis may differ from, or be inconsistent with, the nature and timing of advice or actions taken by QS Investors for its client accounts. QS Investors and its employees may also invest
in mutual funds and other pooled investment vehicles that are managed by QS Investors. This may result in a potential conflict of interest since QS Investors’ employees have knowledge of such funds’
investment holdings, which is non-public information. QS Investors has implemented a Code of Ethics which is designed to address and mitigate the possibility that these professionals could place their own interests
ahead of those of clients. The Code of Ethics addresses this potential conflict of interest by imposing pre-clearance and reporting requirements, blackout periods, supervisory oversight, and other measures designed to
reduce conflict.
BRANDYWINE GLOBAL INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT, INC. (BRANDYWINE GLOBAL)
COMPENSATION.
Brandywine Global portfolio managers’ compensation includes a fixed base salary coupled with a bonus which is based on 1) the manager’s portfolio pre-tax performance versus a
relevant peer-group universe over one quarter, one year, three year and five year time periods, and 2) the overall profitability of all portfolios managed by the portfolio managers. The bonus calculation treats every
account under the portfolio manager’s direction in the same manner, including the Portfolio. More subjective measurements of an individual’s contributions to the success of their product group and to the
overall success of the firms are also considered as part of the individual allocation decision. After this performance-based incentive compensation is allocated, profits associated with individual product groups are
allocated to a pool shared by all product groups. Finally, Brandywine investment professionals are eligible for options on Legg Mason, Inc. stock, provided from time to time at Legg Mason, Inc.’s discretion to
its investment management subsidiaries. Brandywine Global believes this system achieves the goal of retaining top-quality investment professionals, as it provides extremely competitive compensation with
entrepreneurial potential, and of fostering excellent performance, growth and teamwork.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Brandywine Global believes that there are no material conflicts of interest that arise in connection with its simultaneous management of its various portfolios. All portfolios within a given
investment style are treated in a similar fashion for all investment decisions, unless a client provides specific investment restrictions. All trade executions of a given investment decision are allocated in an
unbiased manner to avoid any conflict over allocation of investment opportunities.
CLEARBRIDGE INVESTMENTS, LLC.
(CLEARBRIDGE)
COMPENSATION
. ClearBridge's investment professionals participate in a competitive compensation program that is designed to attract and retain outstanding investment professionals and closely align the
interests of its investment professionals with those of its clients and overall Firm results. The total compensation program includes a competitive base salary and a significant incentive component that rewards high
performance standards, integrity, and collaboration consistent with the Firm's values. A portion of annual bonuses is deferred into compensation plans that vest over the course of several years after the grant date.
Deferrals are tied to portfolio performance, ClearBridge equity products,
and Legg Mason
stock.
Base salary is fixed and primarily
determined based on market factors and the experience and responsibilities of the investment professional within the Firm.
Discretionary compensation can
include:
| ■ | Cash Incentive Award |
| ■ | ClearBridge's Deferred Incentive Plan (“CDIP”) — A mandatory program that typically defers 15% of discretionary year-end compensation into ClearBridge managed products. For portfolio managers, one third of this deferral tracks the performance of their primary managed product, one-third tracks the performance of a composite portfolio of the firm's new products and one-third can be elected to track the performance of one or more of ClearBridge managed funds. Consequently, Portfolio Managers can have two-thirds of their CDIP award tracking the performance of their primary managed product. For centralized Research Analysts, two-thirds of their deferral is elected to track the performance of one or more ClearBridge managed funds, while one-third tracks the performance of the new product composite. ClearBridge then makes a company investment in the proprietary managed funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the balance sheet and paid out to the employees in shares subject to vesting requirements. |
58
| ■ | Restricted Stock Deferral — A mandatory program that typically defers 5% of discretionary year-end compensation into Legg Mason restricted stock. The award is paid out to employees in shares subject to vesting requirements. |
| ■ | ClearBridge Management Equity Plan — A discretionary program offered to certain employees that enables participants to share in the long-term growth of the enterprise value of the firm. Employees are awarded units subject to vesting requirements. |
Several factors are considered by
ClearBridge Senior Management when determining discretionary compensation for Portfolio Managers. These include but are not limited to:
| ■ | A portfolio manager's compensation is linked to the investment performance of the fund/accounts managed by the portfolio manager. Investment performance is calculated for one-, three- and five-year periods measured against the applicable product benchmark (e.g., Russell 1000® Growth Index) and relative to applicable industry peer groups. The greatest weight is generally placed on three- and five-year performance. |
| ■ | Appropriate risk positioning that is consistent with ClearBridge's investment philosophy and the Risk Management Committee/Co-Chief Investment Officers approach to generation of alpha. |
| ■ | Overall firm profitability and performance. |
| ■ | Amount and nature of assets managed by the portfolio manager. |
| ■ | Contributions for asset retention, gathering and client satisfaction. |
| ■ | Contribution to mentoring, coaching and/or supervising. |
| ■ | Contribution and communication of investment ideas in ClearBridge's Investment meetings and on a day to day basis. |
| ■ | Market compensation survey research by independent third parties. |
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
. Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other
accounts, as is the case for the fund’s portfolio managers.
The subadviser and the fund have
adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the subadviser and the individuals that each employs. For example, the subadviser seeks to
minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The subadviser has also
adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures
adopted by the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:
Allocation of Limited Time and
Attention.
A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. The effects of this
potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.
Allocation of Investment
Opportunities.
If a portfolio manager identifies an investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts,
which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. The subadviser has adopted policies and procedures to ensure that all accounts, including the fund, are treated
equitably.
Pursuit of Differing Strategies.
At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment
responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for
one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.
Selection of Broker/Dealers.
In addition to executing trades, some broker/dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), which may result in the payment
of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee
that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.
Variation in Compensation.
A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of
the manager’s management fee (and the percentage paid to the subadviser) differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management
fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which
the manager and/or
59
its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the
desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording
preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.
WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT
COMPANY/WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED (WESTERN ASSET)
COMPENSATION.
At Western Asset, one compensation
methodology covers all employees, including investment professionals.
Standard compensation includes
competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits, incentive bonus and a retirement plan which includes an employer match and discretionary profit sharing. Incentive bonuses are usually distributed in May.
The Firm’s compensation
philosophy is to manage fixed costs by paying competitive base salaries, but reward performance through the incentive bonus. A total compensation range for each position within Western Asset is derived from annual
market surveys and other relevant compensation-related data that benchmark each role to their job function and peer universe. This method is designed to base the reward for employees with total compensation reflective
of the external market value of their skills, experience, and ability to produce desired results. Furthermore, the incentive bonus makes up the variable component of total compensation. Additional details regarding
the incentive bonus are below:
| ■ | Each employee participates in the annual review process in which a formal performance review is conducted at the end of the year and also a mid-year review is conducted halfway through the fiscal year. |
| ■ | The incentive bonus is based on one’s individual contributions to the success of one’s team performance and the Firm. The overall success of the Firm will determine the amount of funds available to distribute for all incentive bonuses. |
| ■ | Incentive compensation is the primary focus of management decisions when determining Total Compensation, as base salaries are purely targeting to pay a competitive rate for the role. |
| ■ | Western Asset offers long-term incentives (in the form of deferred cash or Legg Mason restricted stock) as part of the discretionary bonus for eligible employees. The eligibility requirements are discretionary and the plan participants include all investment professionals, sales and relationship management professionals and senior managers. The purpose of the plan is to retain key employees by allowing them to participate in the plans where the awards are denominated in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock or are invested into a variety of Western Asset and Legg Mason funds. These contributions plus the investment gains are paid to the employee if he/she remains employed and in good standing with Western Asset until the discretionary contributions become vested. Discretionary contributions made to the Plan will be placed in a special trust that restricts management's use of and access to the money. |
| ■ | Under limited circumstances, employees may be paid additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance or as a retention tool. These incentives may include Legg Mason stock options. |
For portfolio managers, the formal
review process also includes the use of a Balanced Scorecard to measure performance. The Balanced Scorecard includes one-, three-, and five-year investment performance, monitoring of risk, (portfolio dispersion and
tracking error), client support activities, adherence to client portfolio objectives and guidelines, and certain financial measures (assets under management and revenue trends). In reviewing investment performance,
one-, three-, and five-year annualized returns are measured against appropriate market peer groups and to each fund's benchmark index. These are structured to reward sector specialists for contributions to the Firm as
well as relative performance of their specific portfolios/product and are determined by the professional’s job function and performance as measured by the review process.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
.
Western Asset has adopted
compliance policies and procedures to address a wide range of potential conflicts of interest that could directly impact client portfolios. For example, potential conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the
management of multiple portfolios (including portfolios managed in a personal capacity). These could include potential conflicts of interest related to the knowledge and timing of a portfolio’s trades,
investment opportunities and broker selection. Portfolio managers are privy to the size, timing, and possible market impact of a portfolio’s trades.
It is possible that an investment
opportunity may be suitable for both a portfolio and other accounts managed by a portfolio manager, but may not be available in sufficient quantities for both the portfolio and the other accounts to participate fully.
Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by a portfolio and another account. A conflict may arise where the portfolio manager may have an incentive to treat an account preferentially as
compared to a portfolio because the account pays a performance-based fee or the portfolio manager, the Advisers or an affiliate has an interest in the account. The Firm has adopted procedures for allocation of
portfolio transactions and investment opportunities across multiple client accounts on a fair and equitable basis over time. All eligible accounts
60
that can
participate in a trade share the same price on a pro-rata allocation basis to ensure that no conflict of interest occurs. Trades are allocated among similarly managed accounts to maintain consistency of portfolio
strategy, taking into account cash availability, investment restrictions and guidelines, and portfolio composition versus strategy.
With respect to securities
transactions, the Adviser determines which broker or dealer to use to execute each order, consistent with their duty to seek best execution of the transaction. However, with respect to certain other accounts (such as
pooled investment vehicles that are not registered investment companies and other accounts managed for organizations and individuals), the Firm may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or
dealers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker or dealer. In these cases, trades for a portfolio in a particular security may be placed separately from, rather than aggregated with, such
other accounts. Having separate transactions with respect to a security may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the possible detriment of a portfolio or
the other account(s) involved. Additionally, the management of multiple portfolios and/or other accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each portfolio and/or
other account. Western Asset’s team approach to portfolio management and block trading approach works to limit this potential risk.
The Firm also maintains a gift and
entertainment policy to address the potential for a business contact to give gifts or host entertainment events that may influence the business judgment of an employee. Employees are permitted to retain gifts of only
a nominal value and are required to make reimbursement for entertainment events above a certain value. All gifts (except those of a de minimus value) and entertainment events that are given or sponsored by a business
contact are required to be reported in a gift and entertainment log which is reviewed on a regular basis for possible issues.
Employees of the Firm have access
to transactions and holdings information regarding client accounts and the Firm’s overall trading activities. This information represents a potential conflict of interest because employees may take advantage of
this information as they trade in their personal accounts. Accordingly, the Firm maintains a Code of Ethics that is compliant with Rule 17j-1 and Rule 204A-1 to address personal trading. In addition, the Code of
Ethics seeks to establish broader principles of good conduct and fiduciary responsibility in all aspects of the Firm’s business. The Code of Ethics is administered by the Legal & Compliance Department and
monitored through the Firm’s compliance monitoring program.
Western Asset may also face other
potential conflicts of interest with respect to managing client assets, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict of interest that could be deemed to exist. The Firm also maintains a
compliance monitoring program and engages independent auditors to conduct a SOC 1/ISAE 3402 audit on an annual basis. These steps help to ensure that potential conflicts of interest have been addressed.
T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED (COLLECTIVELY, T. ROWE PRICE)
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED (COLLECTIVELY, T. ROWE PRICE)
PORTFOLIO MANAGER COMPENSATION
STRUCTURE.
Portfolio manager compensation consists primarily of a base salary, a cash bonus, and an equity incentive that usually comes in the form of restricted stock grants. Compensation is variable
and is determined based on the following factors:
Investment performance over 1-, 3-,
5-, and 10-year periods is the most important input. The weightings for these time periods are generally balanced and are applied consistently across similar strategies. T. Rowe Price (and T. Rowe Price Hong Kong, T.
Rowe Price Singapore, and T. Rowe Price International, as appropriate), evaluates performance in absolute, relative, and risk-adjusted terms. Relative performance and risk-adjusted performance are typically determined
with reference to the broad-based index (e.g., S&P 500 Index) and the Lipper index (e.g., Large-Cap Growth Index) set forth in the total returns table in the fund’s prospectus, although other benchmarks may
be used as well. Investment results are also measured against comparably managed funds of competitive investment management firms. The selection of comparable funds is approved by the applicable investment steering
committee and is the same as the selection presented to the directors of the T. Rowe Price Funds in their regular review of fund performance. Performance is primarily measured on a pretax basis although tax efficiency
is considered.
Compensation is viewed with a
long-term time horizon. The more consistent a manager’s performance over time, the higher the compensation opportunity. The increase or decrease in a fund’s assets due to the purchase or sale of fund
shares is not considered a material factor. In reviewing relative performance for fixed-income funds, a fund’s expense ratio is usually taken into account. Contribution to T. Rowe Price’s overall
investment process is an important consideration as well. Leveraging ideas and investment insights across the global investment platform; working effectively with and mentoring others; and other contributions to our
clients, the firm or our culture are important components of T. Rowe Price’s long-term success and are highly valued.
61
All employees of T. Rowe Price,
including portfolio managers, participate in a 401(k) plan sponsored by T. Rowe Price Group. In addition, all employees are eligible to purchase T. Rowe Price common stock through an employee stock purchase plan that
features a limited corporate matching contribution. Eligibility for and participation in these plans is on the same basis for all employees. Finally, all vice presidents of T. Rowe Price Group, including all portfolio
managers, receive supplemental medical/hospital reimbursement benefits.
This compensation structure is used
for all portfolios managed by the portfolio manager.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
Portfolio managers at T. Rowe Price and its affiliates may manage multiple accounts. These accounts may include, among others, mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of
institutions such as pension funds, colleges and universities, foundations), offshore funds and common trust accounts. Portfolio managers make investment decisions for each portfolio based on the investment
objectives, policies, practices and other relevant investment considerations that the managers believe are applicable to that portfolio. Consequently, portfolio managers may purchase (or sell) securities for one
portfolio and not another portfolio. T. Rowe Price and its affiliates have adopted brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures that they believe are reasonably designed to address any potential conflicts
associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. Also, as disclosed under the “Portfolio Manager Compensation” above, our portfolio managers' compensation is determined in the same manner
with respect to all portfolios managed by the portfolio manager.
T. Rowe Price funds may, from time
to time, own shares of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar is a provider of investment research to individual and institutional investors, and publishes ratings on mutual funds, including the T. Rowe Price Funds. T. Rowe
Price manages the Morningstar retirement plan and T. Rowe Price and its affiliates pay Morningstar for a variety of products and services. In addition, Morningstar may provide investment consulting and investment
management services to clients of T. Rowe Price or its affiliates.
Since the T. Rowe
Price funds and other accounts have different investment objectives or strategies, potential conflicts of interest may arise in executing investment decisions or trades among client accounts. For example, if T. Rowe
Price purchases a security for one account and sells the same security short (either directly or through derivatives, such as total return equity swaps) for another account, such a trading pattern could disadvantage
either the account that is long or short. It is possible that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more T. Rowe Price funds and other accounts (and vice versa), and
create potential trading conflicts, such as when long and short positions are being executed at the same time. To mitigate these potential conflicts of interest, T. Rowe Price has implemented policies and procedures
requiring trading and investment decisions to be made in accordance with T. Rowe Price’s fiduciary duties to all accounts, including the T. Rowe Price funds. Pursuant to these policies, portfolio managers are
generally prohibited from managing multiple strategies where they hold the same security long in one strategy and short in another, except in certain circumstances, including where an investment oversight committee
has specifically reviewed and approved the holdings or strategy. Additionally, T. Rowe Price has implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure the fair and equitable allocation
of trades, both long and short, to minimize the impact of trading activity across client accounts. T. Rowe Price monitors short sales to determine whether its procedures are working as intended and that such short
sale activity is not materially impacting our trade executions and long positions for other clients
TEMPLETON GLOBAL ADVISORS LIMITED
Portfolio managers that provide
investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other
products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation. This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a
matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function
and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory
fees.
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives,
benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for
the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed
by a portfolio manager are managed
using the same investment strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar
portfolios, which may minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce
potential conflicts of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited
investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full
62
advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation
of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities
among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio
manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased
assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Finally, the management of personal
accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions designed to prevent a
wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that could
result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund
have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict
arises.
COMPENSATION.
The investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers
receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on
individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account
over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
Base salary
Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus
Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus.
Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested
interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus
compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment
Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin
Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
| ■ | Investment performance . Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years measured against risk benchmarks developed by the fixed income management team. The pretax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate. |
| ■ | Non-investment performance . The more qualitative contributions of the portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including business knowledge, productivity, customer service, creativity, and contribution to team goals, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award. |
| ■ | Responsibilities . The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal. |
Additional long-term equity-based
compensation
Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based
compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Wellington Management Company LLP
Portfolio Manager Compensation
Wellington
Management Company LLP (Wellington Management) receives a fee based on the assets under management of a Portfolio as set forth in the Investment Subadvisory Agreement between Wellington Management and the Manager on
behalf of a Portfolio. Wellington Management pays its investment professionals out of its total revenues, including the advisory fees earned with respect to a Portfolio. The following information is as of December 31,
2017.
63
Wellington
Management’s compensation structure is designed to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals necessary to deliver high quality investment management services to its clients. Wellington
Management’s compensation of the Fund’s managers listed in the prospectus who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of a Portfolio (the “Investment Professional”) includes a
base salary and incentive components. The base salary for each Investment Professional who is a partner (a “Partner”) of Wellington Management Group LLP, the ultimate holding company of Wellington
Management, is generally a fixed amount that is determined by the managing partners of Wellington Management Group LLP. The base salary for the other Investment Professionals is determined by the Investment
Professionals’ experience and performance in their role as an Investment Professional. Base salaries for Wellington Management’s employees are reviewed annually and may be adjusted based on the
recommendation of an Investment Professional’s manager, using guidelines established by Wellington Management's Compensation Committee, which has final oversight responsibility for base salaries of employees of
the firm. Each Investment Professional, with the exception of Stahl and Thomas, is eligible to receive an incentive payment based on the revenues earned by Wellington Management from the Fund managed by the Investment
Professional and generally each other account managed by such Investment Professional. The Investment Professional's incentive payment relating to the Fund is linked to the gross pre-tax performance of the Fund
managed by the Investment Professional compared to the benchmark index and/or peer group identified below over one, three, and five year periods, with an emphasis on five year results. Wellington Management applies
similar incentive compensation structures (although the benchmarks or peer groups, time periods and rates may differ) to other accounts managed by the Investment Professional, including accounts with performance
fees.
Portfolio-based incentives across
all accounts managed by an investment professional can, and typically do, represent a significant portion of an investment professional's overall compensation; incentive compensation varies significantly by individual
and can vary significantly from year to year. The Investment Professionals may also be eligible for bonus payments based on their overall contribution to Wellington Management’s business operations. Senior
management at Wellington Management may reward individuals as it deems appropriate based on other factors. Each Partner is eligible to participate in a Partner-funded tax qualified retirement plan, the contributions
to which are made pursuant to an actuarial formula. Messrs. Gorman, Chally, Stahl, Soukas, Sullivan and Thomas are Partners.
| Portfolio | Benchmark Index and/or Peer Group for Incentive Period |
| AST Small Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio | Russell 2000 Growth Index |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Hedged to USD |
| AST Wellington Management Total Return Portfolio | Bloomberg Barclays US TIPS (1-10) Yr Index |
Potential Conflicts
Individual investment professionals
at Wellington Management manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of institutions, such as pension funds, insurance companies,
foundations, or separately managed account programs sponsored by financial intermediaries), bank common trust accounts, and hedge funds. A Portfolio’s managers listed in the prospectus who are primarily
responsible for the day-to-day management of a Portfolio (“Investment Professionals”) generally manage accounts in several different investment styles. These accounts may have investment objectives,
strategies, time horizons, tax considerations and risk profiles that differ from those of a Portfolio. The Investment Professionals make investment decisions for each account, including a Portfolio, based on the
investment objectives, policies, practices, benchmarks, cash flows, tax and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that account. Consequently, the Investment Professionals may purchase or sell
securities, including IPOs, for one account and not another account, and the performance of securities purchased for one account may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other accounts. Alternatively,
these accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to a Portfolio and thus the accounts may have similar, and in some cases nearly identical, objectives, strategies and/or holdings to that of a Portfolio.
An Investment Professional or other
investment professionals at Wellington Management may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of a Portfolio, or make investment
decisions that are similar to those made for a Portfolio, both of which have the potential to adversely impact a Portfolio depending on market conditions. For example, an investment professional may purchase a
security in one account while appropriately selling that same security in another account. Similarly, an Investment Professional may purchase the same security for a Portfolio and one or more other accounts at or
about the same time. In those instances the other accounts will have access to their respective holdings prior to the public disclosure of a Portfolio’s holdings. In addition, some of these accounts have fee
structures, including performance fees, which are or have the potential to be higher, in some cases significantly higher, than the fees Wellington Management receives for managing a Portfolio. Messrs. Chally, Siegle,
McLane, Stahl, Sullivan and Thomas also manage accounts which pay performance allocations to Wellington Management or its affiliates. Because incentive payments paid by Wellington Management to the Investment
Professionals
64
are tied to revenues earned by Wellington
Management and, where noted, to the performance achieved by the manager in each account, the incentives associated with any given account may be significantly higher or lower than those associated with other accounts
managed by a given Investment Professional. Finally, the Investment Professionals may hold shares or investments in the other pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts identified above.
Wellington Management’s goal
is to meet its fiduciary obligation to treat all clients fairly and provide high quality investment services to all of its clients. Wellington Management has adopted and implemented policies and procedures, including
brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which it believes address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Wellington Management monitors a variety of
areas, including compliance with primary account guidelines, the allocation of IPOs, and compliance with the firm’s Code of Ethics, and places additional investment restrictions on investment professionals who
manage hedge funds and certain other accounts. Furthermore, senior investment and business personnel at Wellington Management periodically review the performance of Wellington Management’s investment
professionals. Although Wellington Management does not track the time an investment professional spends on a single account, Wellington Management does periodically assess whether an investment professional has
adequate time and resources to effectively manage the investment professional’s various client mandates.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
CUSTODIAN.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corp., 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10286 serves as Custodian for the Trust's portfolio securities and cash, and in that capacity, maintains certain
financial accounting books and records pursuant to an agreement with the Trust. Subcustodians provide custodial services for any foreign assets held outside the United States.
TRANSFER AGENT AND SHAREHOLDER
SERVICING AGENT.
Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC (PMFS), 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, serves as the transfer and dividend disbursing agent of the Trust. PMFS is an affiliate of PGIM
Investments. PMFS provides customary transfer agency services to the Trust, including the handling of shareholder communications, the processing of shareholder transactions, the maintenance of shareholder account
records, the payment of dividends and distributions, and related functions. For these services, PMFS receives compensation from the Trust and is reimbursed for its transfer agent expenses which include an annual fee
per shareholder account, a monthly inactive account fee per shareholder account and its out-of-pocket expenses; including but not limited to postage, stationery, printing, allocable communication expenses and other
costs.
BNY Mellon Asset Servicing (US)
Inc. (BNYAS) serves as sub-transfer agent to the Trust. PMFS has contracted with BNYAS, 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, to provide certain administrative functions to the Transfer Agent. PMFS will
compensate BNYAS for such services.
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.
KPMG LLP, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, served as independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and in that capacity will audit the
annual financial statements for the Trust for the next fiscal year.
SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES
. Goldman Sachs Bank USA, doing business as Goldman Sachs Agency Lending (GSAL), serves as the securities lending agent for the Trust, and in that role administers the Portfolios’
securities lending program
pursuant to the terms of a securities lending agency
agreement entered into between the Trust on behalf of each Portfolio and
GSAL.
As securities lending agent, GSAL
is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from each Portfolio’s portfolio. GSAL is responsible for the administration and management of each Portfolio’s securities lending
program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and
documented with the Portfolio’s custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral is delivered by the borrower(s), and arranging for the investment
of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with each Portfolio’s investment guidelines.
GSALreceives as compensation for
its services a portion of the amount earned by each Portfolio for lending securities.
The table below sets forth, for
each Portfolio’s most recently completed fiscal year, the Portfolio’s gross income received from securities lending activities, the fees and/or other compensation paid by the Portfolio for securities
lending activities, and the net income earned by the Portfolio for securities lending activities. The table below also discloses any other fees or payments incurred by each Portfolio resulting from lending
securities.
65
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
AB Global Bond Portfolio |
AST
American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio |
AST
Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio |
AST
Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio |
AST
FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $ 257,918 | N/A | $15,165 | $ 4,874 | $0 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (8,906) | N/A | $ (874) | $ (55) | $0 |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (15,942) | N/A | $ (605) | $ (277) | $0 |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $(151,996) | N/A | $ (5,789) | $(3,977) | $0 |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | N/A | $ 0 | $ 0 | $0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(176,844) | N/A | $ (7,268) | $(4,309) | $0 |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 81,074 | N/A | $ 7,897 | $ 565 | $0 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio |
AST
Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
AST
Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $1,826 | $ 7,825 | $ 22,042 | $ 15,870 | $ 1,664 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (104) | $ (178) | $ (251) | $ (363) | $ (67) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (85) | $ (423) | $ (1,251) | $ (1,001) | $ (82) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $ (684) | $(5,663) | $(18,267) | $(11,277) | $ (909) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $ (873) | $(6,264) | $(19,769) | $(12,641) | $(1,058) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 953 | $ 1,561 | 2,273 | $ 3,229 | $ 606 |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
AST
Managed Alternatives Portfolio |
AST
Managed Fixed Income Portfolio |
AST
Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
AST
Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $169,041 | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (6,406) | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (8,909) | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $ (95,720) | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
66
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
AST
Managed Alternatives Portfolio |
AST
Managed Fixed Income Portfolio |
AST
Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
AST
Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
|
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $(111,035) | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $ 58,006 | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Securities Lending Activities | |||||
|
AST
Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
AST
QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
AST
T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
AST
Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio |
AST
Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio |
|
| Gross income from securities lending activities | $149 | $ 458,508 | $15,861 | $ 80,977 | $ 3,108 |
| Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |||||
| Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split | $ (13) | $ (37,143) | $ (1,179) | $ (3,126) | $ (126) |
| Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) | $ (4) | $ (11,812) | $ (296) | $ (4,791) | $ (159) |
| Administrative fees not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Indemnification fee not included in revenue split | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Rebate (paid to borrower) | $ (22) | $ (77,197) | $ (3,626) | $(44,419) | $(1,695) |
| Other fees not included in revenue split (specify) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities | $ (39) | $(126,152) | $ (5,101) | $(52,336) | $(1,980) |
| Net income from securities lending activities | $110 | $ 332,356 | $10,760 | $ 28,641 | $ 1,128 |
Prudential Financial, Inc.
(Prudential), the parent company of the Manager, self-reported in February 2016 to the SEC and certain other regulators that, in some cases, it failed to maximize securities lending income for certain of the
Trust’s Portfolios due to a long-standing restriction benefitting Prudential. The Board was not notified of the restriction until after it had been removed. Prudential paid each of the affected Portfolios an
amount equal to the estimated loss associated with the unauthorized restriction. At the Board’s direction, this payment occurred on June 30, 2016. The estimated opportunity loss was calculated by an independent
consultant hired by Prudential whose calculation methodology was subsequently reviewed by a consultant retained by the independent trustees of the Portfolios. The amount of opportunity loss payment to each of the
Portfolios is disclosed in the Trust’s annual report to shareholders in the respective Portfolios’ “Statement of Changes in Net Assets” and “Financial Highlights” as “Capital
Contributions”. In addition to the above, Prudential has paid and continues to directly pay certain legal, audit and other charges in connection with the matter on behalf of the Portfolios. The SEC staff and
other regulators are currently reviewing the matter.
DISTRIBUTOR.
The Trust has distribution arrangements with PAD, pursuant to which PAD serves as the distributor for the shares of each Portfolio. PAD is an affiliate of the Investment Managers.
The Trust’s distribution
agreement with respect to the Trust and the Portfolios (Distribution Agreement) has been approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, with respect to each Portfolio. The Distribution
Agreement will remain in effect from year to year provided that the Distribution Agreement’s continuance is approved annually by (i) a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not parties to the agreement
and, if applicable, who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Shareholder Services and Distribution Plan (the 12b-1 Plan) or any such related agreement, by a vote cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Agreements and (ii) either by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, as
applicable.
The Trust has adopted the 12b-1
Plan in the manner prescribed under Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the 12b-1 Plan, each Portfolio (except for AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio, AST Managed Equity Portfolio and AST Managed Fixed Income
Portfolio) is authorized to pay PAD an annual shareholder services and distribution fee of 0.25% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.
67
The shareholder services and
distribution fee paid by each Portfolio to PAD is intended to compensate PAD and its affiliates for various administrative services, including but not limited to the filing, printing and delivery of the Trust’s
prospectus and statement of additional information, annual and semi-annual shareholder reports, and other required regulatory documents, responding to shareholder questions and inquiries relating to the Portfolios,
and related functions and services. In addition, pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan, the fee is intended to compensate PAD and its affiliates for various services rendered and expenses incurred in connection with activities
intended to result in the sale or servicing of the shares of the covered Portfolios. These activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ■ | printing and mailing of prospectuses, statements of additional information, supplements, proxy statement materials, and annual and semi-annual reports for current owners of variable life or variable annuity contracts indirectly investing in the shares (the Contracts); |
| ■ | reconciling and balancing separate account investments in the Portfolios; |
| ■ | reconciling and providing notice to the Trust of net cash flow and cash requirements for net redemption orders; |
| ■ | confirming transactions; |
| ■ | providing Contract owner services related to investments in the Portfolios, including assisting the Trust with proxy solicitations, including providing solicitation and tabulation services, and investigating and responding to inquiries from Contract owners that relate to the Portfolios; |
| ■ | providing periodic reports to the Trust and regarding the Portfolios to third-party reporting services; |
| ■ | paying compensation to and expenses, including overhead, of employees of PAD and other broker-dealers and financial intermediaries that engage in the distribution of the shares including, but not limited to, commissions, service fees and marketing fees; |
| ■ | printing and mailing of prospectuses, statements of additional information, supplements and annual and semi-annual reports for prospective Contract owners; |
| ■ | paying expenses relating to the development, preparation, printing and mailing of advertisements, sales literature, and other promotional materials describing and/or relating to the Portfolios; |
| ■ | paying expenses of holding seminars and sales meetings designed to promote the distribution of the shares; |
| ■ | paying expenses of obtaining information and providing explanations to Contract owners regarding investment objectives, policies, performance and other information about the Trust and its Portfolios; |
| ■ | paying expenses of training sales personnel regarding the Portfolios; and |
| ■ | providing other services and bearing other expenses for the benefit of the Portfolios, including activities primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Trust. |
The 12b-1Plan is of a type known as
a “compensation” plan because payments are made for services rendered to the covered Portfolios of the Trust regardless of the level of actual expenditures by PAD. However, as part of their oversight of
the operations of the Trust and the 12b-1Plan, the Trustees consider and examine all payments made to PAD and all expenditures by PAD for purposes of reviewing operations under the 12b-1 Plan. As required under Rule
12b-1, the 12b-1 Plan provides that PAD and any other person(s) authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Portfolios pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan or any related agreement will provide to the
Board, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Fees payable to PAD under the 12b-1 Plan are accrued daily
and paid bi-weekly.
The 12b-1 Plan and any related
agreement will continue in effect, with respect to each Portfolio, for a period of more than one year only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of (a) the Board and
(b) the Trust’s Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the 12b-1Plan or such agreement, as applicable. In addition, the 12b-1 Plan and any related agreement
may be terminated at any time with respect to any Portfolio by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities representing the shares of that Portfolio.
The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution and shareholder service fees permissible with respect to any Portfolio until it has been approved by the Board and by a vote of at
least a majority of the outstanding voting securities representing the shares of that Portfolio.
The amounts
received by PAD from each Portfolio pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan during the most recently completed fiscal year are set out in the table below:
| Amounts Received by PAD | |
| Portfolio Name | Amount |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | $4,220,407 |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio | N/A |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | $45,474 |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | $21,473 |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | $23,427 |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | $56,142 |
68
| Amounts Received by PAD | |
| Portfolio Name | Amount |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | $71,337 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | $2,000,616 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | $781,465 |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | $28,068 |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | $552,812 |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio | None |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | None |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | None |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | $13,630 |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | $43,360 |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | $59,919 |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | $2,213,840 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | $123,539 |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | $4,942,806 |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | $44,512 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS &
BROKERAGE
The Trust has adopted a policy
pursuant to which the Trust and its Investment Managers, subadvisers, and principal underwriter are prohibited from directly or indirectly compensating a broker-dealer for promoting or selling Trust shares by
directing brokerage transactions to that broker. The Trust has adopted procedures for the purpose of deterring and detecting any violations of the policy. The policy permits the Trust, the Investment Managers, and the
subadvisers to use selling brokers to execute transactions in portfolio securities so long as the selection of such selling brokers is the result of a decision that executing such transactions is in the best interest
of the Trust and is not influenced by considerations about the sale of Portfolio shares.
The Investment Managers are
responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities, futures contracts and options on such securities and futures for the Trust, the selection of brokers, dealers and futures commission merchants to effect the
transactions and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. On a national securities exchange, broker-dealers may receive negotiated brokerage commissions on Trust portfolio transactions, including options,
futures, and options on futures transactions and the purchase and sale of underlying securities upon the exercise of options. On a foreign securities exchange, commissions may be fixed. For purposes of this section,
the term “Investment Managers” includes the investment subadvisers. Orders may be directed to any broker or futures commission merchant including, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable
laws, affiliates of the Investment Managers and/or subadvisers (an affiliated broker). Brokerage commissions on US securities, options and futures exchanges or boards of trade are subject to negotiation between the
Investment Managers and the broker or futures commission merchant.
In the over-the-counter market,
securities are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the
dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion,
certain money market instruments and US government agency securities may be purchased directly from the issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid. The Trust will not deal with an affiliated broker in
any transaction in which an affiliated broker acts as principal except in accordance with the rules of the SEC.
In placing orders for portfolio
securities of the Trust, the Investment Managers’ overriding objective is to obtain the best possible combination of favorable price and efficient execution. The Investment Managers seek to effect such
transaction at a price and commission that provides the most favorable total cost of proceeds reasonably attainable in the circumstances. The factors that the Investment Managers may consider in selecting a particular
broker, dealer or futures commission merchant (firms) are the Investment Managers’ knowledge of negotiated commission rates currently available and other current transaction costs; the nature of the portfolio
transaction; the size of the transaction; the desired timing of the trade; the activity existing and expected in the market for the particular transaction; confidentiality; the execution, clearance and settlement
capabilities of the firms; the availability of research and research related services provided through such firms; the Investment Managers’ knowledge of the financial stability of the firms; the Investment
Managers’ knowledge of actual or apparent operational problems of firms; and the amount of capital, if any, that would be contributed by firms executing the transaction. Given these factors, the Trust may pay
transaction costs in excess of that which another firm might have charged for effecting the same transaction.
69
Unless prohibited
by applicable law, such as the European Union’s Market in Financial Instruments Directive (“MiFID II”), when the Investment Managers select a firm that executes orders or is a party to portfolio
transactions, relevant factors taken into consideration are whether that firm has furnished research and research-related products and/or services, such as research reports, research compilations, statistical and
economic data, computer data bases, quotation equipment and services, research-oriented computer software, hardware and services, reports concerning the performance of accounts, valuations of securities, investment
related periodicals, investment seminars and other economic services and consultations. Such services are used in connection with some or all of the Investment Managers’ investment activities; some of such
services, obtained in connection with the execution of transactions for one investment account, may be used in managing other accounts, and not all of these services may be used in connection with the Trust. The
Investment Managers maintain an internal allocation procedure to identify those firms who have provided them with research and research-related products and/or services, and the amount that was provided, and to
endeavor to direct sufficient commissions to them to ensure the continued receipt of those services that the Investment Managers believe provide a benefit to the Trust and its other clients. The Investment Managers
make a good faith determination that the research and/or service is reasonable in light of the type of service provided and the price and execution of the related portfolio transactions.
Under MiFID II, which became
effective January 3, 2018, investment managers that are regulated under MiFID II, including certain Investment Managers, are no longer able to use soft dollars to pay for research from brokers. Investment Managers
that are regulated under MiFID II are required to either pay for research out of their own resources or agree with clients to have research costs paid by clients through “research payment accounts” that
are funded out of execution commissions or by a specific client research charge, provided that the payments for research are unbundled from the payments for execution. MiFID II is expected to limit the ability of
certain Investment Managers to pay for research using soft dollars in various circumstances. MiFID II’s research requirements present various compliance and operational considerations for investment managers and
broker-dealers serving clients in both the United States and the European Union, and the Investment Managers have adopted a variety of approaches to complying with the MiFID II requirements.
When the Investment Managers deem
the purchase or sale of equities to be in the best interests of the Trust or its other clients, including Prudential, the Investment Managers may, but are under no obligation to, aggregate the transactions in order to
obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the transactions, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the
Investment Managers in the manner they consider to be most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to its clients. The allocation of orders among firms and the commission rates paid are reviewed
periodically by the Trust's Board of Trustees. Portfolio securities may not be purchased from any underwriting or selling syndicate of which any affiliated broker, during the existence of the syndicate, is a principal
underwriter (as defined in the 1940 Act), except in accordance with rules of the SEC. This limitation, in the opinion of the Trust, will not significantly affect the Trust's ability to pursue its present investment
objective. However, in the future in other circumstances, the Trust may be at a disadvantage because of this limitation in comparison to other funds with similar objectives but not subject to such limitations.
Subject to the above
considerations, an affiliated broker may act as a broker or futures commission merchant for the Trust. In order for an affiliated broker to effect any portfolio transactions for the Trust, the commissions, fees or
other remuneration received by the affiliated broker must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to other firms in connection with comparable transactions involving similar
securities or futures being purchased or sold on an exchange or board of trade during a comparable period of time. This standard would allow the affiliated broker to receive no more than the remuneration which would
be expected to be received by an unaffiliated firm in a commensurate arm's-length transaction. Furthermore, the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees, have adopted procedures which
are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to the affiliated broker (or any affiliate) are consistent with the foregoing standard. In accordance with Section 11 (a) of the
1934 Act, an affiliated broker may not retain compensation for effecting transactions on a national securities exchange for the Trust unless the Trust has expressly authorized the retention of such compensation. The
affiliated broker must furnish to the Trust at least annually a statement setting forth the total amount of all compensation retained by it from transactions effected for the Trust during the applicable period.
Brokerage transactions with an affiliated broker are also subject to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon the broker by applicable law. Transactions in options by the Trust will be subject to limitations
established by each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of options which may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or
held on the same or different exchanges or are written or held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Trust may write or hold may be affected by options written
or held by the Investment Managers and other investment advisory clients of the Investment Managers. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain
other sanctions.
70
Each Portfolio of the Trust
participates in a voluntary commission recapture program available through Russell Implementation Services, Inc. (Russell). Subadvisers that choose to participate in the program retain the responsibility to seek best
execution and are under no obligation to place any specific trades with a broker available through the program (each, a designated broker). A portion of commissions on trades executed through designated brokers is
rebated to a Portfolio as a credit that can be used by the Portfolio to pay expenses of the Portfolio.
The tables below
set forth information concerning the payment of brokerage commissions by the Portfolios, including the amount of brokerage commissions paid to any affiliated broker, for the three most recently completed fiscal years,
as applicable:
| Total Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Portfolios | |||
| Portfolio | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio | None | None | None |
| AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio | $11,037 | 6,621 | 1,290 |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio | $532 | 928 | 777 |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio | $6,299 | 7,476 | 6,777 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio | $1,471 | 1,667 | 929 |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio | $776 | N/A | N/A |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio | $462 | N/A | N/A |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio | $15,579 | 16,758 | 13,625 |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio | $67,462 | 49,547 | 30,905 |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio | $85 | 359 | 52 |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio | $9 | 10 | N/A |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio | $5,195 | 16,682 | 12,824 |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio | $19,949 | 13,130 | 6,741 |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio | $14,543 | 1,531 | 1,286 |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio | $602,166 | 508,380 | 745,827 |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio | $18,261 | 15,145 | 12,064 |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio | None | None | 777 |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio | $41,925 | 35,451 | 14,377 |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliated Brokers: Fiscal Year 2017 | ||||
| Portfolio | Commissions Paid | Broker Name |
% of Commissions
Paid to Broker |
% of Dollar Amt. of Transactions
Involving Commissions Effected through Broker |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliated Brokers: Fiscal Year 2016 | ||||
| Portfolio | Commissions Paid | Broker Name |
% of Commissions
Paid to Broker |
% of Dollar Amt. of Transactions
Involving Commissions Effected through Broker |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FUND HISTORY.
The Trust is a managed, open-end investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust, the separate Portfolios of which are diversified, unless otherwise indicated. Formerly, the
Trust was known as the Henderson International Growth Fund, which consisted of only one Portfolio (The Henderson International Growth Fund is currently known as the AST J.P. Morgan
71
International Equity Portfolio (formerly known as
the AST Strong International Equity Portfolio, the AST AIM International Equity Portfolio, the AST Putnam International Equity Portfolio and the Seligman Henderson International Equity Portfolio)).The investment
manager was Henderson International, Inc. Shareholders of what was, at the time, the Henderson International Growth Fund, approved certain changes in a meeting held April 17, 1992. These changes included engagement of
a new investment manager, engagement of a Subadviser and election of new Trustees. Subsequent to that meeting, the new Trustees adopted a number of resolutions, including, but not limited to, resolutions renaming the
Trust. Since that time the Trustees have adopted a number of resolutions, including, but not limited to, making new Portfolios available and adopting forms of Investment Management Agreements and subadvisory
Agreements between the Investment Managers and the Trust and the Investment Managers and each subadviser, respectively.
The AST AllianceBernstein Growth
& Income Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Alliance Growth and Income Portfolio and as the AST Lord Abbett Growth and Income Portfolio) was first offered as of May 1, 1992. The AST Government Money Market
Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Money Market Portfolio) was first offered as of November 4, 1992. The AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the Federated Utility Income Portfolio) and
the AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Global Allocation Portfolio, the DeAM Global Allocation Portfolio, the AIM Balanced Portfolio, the AST Putnam Balanced Portfolio and the AST Phoenix
Balanced Asset Portfolio) were first offered as of May 1, 1993. The AST High Yield Portfolio (formerly known as the Goldman Sachs High Yield Portfolio and the AST Federated High Yield Portfolio), the AST T. Rowe Price
Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST State Street Research Small-Cap Growth Portfolio, the AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the PBHG Small-Cap Growth
Portfolio), the AST Janus Small-Cap Growth Portfolio and the Founders Capital Appreciation Portfolio), the Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Hotchkis Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio and the AST
INVESCO Capital Income Portfolio) and the AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio (formerly known as the AST PIMCO Total Return Bond Portfolio) were first offered as of December 31, 1993. The AST T. Rowe Price
Global Bond Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Scudder International Bond Portfolio) was first offered as of May 1, 1994.
The AST International Value
Portfolio (formerly known as the AST LSV International Value Portfolio, the AST DeAM International Equity Portfolio, the AST Founders Passport Portfolio and the Seligman Henderson International Small Cap Portfolio),
the AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio and the AST PIMCO Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio were first offered as of May 2, 1995. The AST AllianceBernstein Large-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST
Alliance Growth Portfolio, AST Oppenheimer Large-Cap Growth Portfolio, and the Robertson Stephens Value + Growth Portfolio) was first offered as of May 2, 1996. The AST International Growth Portfolio (formerly known
as the AST William Blair International Growth Portfolio and the AST Janus Overseas Growth Portfolio), the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Gabelli Small-Cap Value Portfolio and the AST T. Rowe
Price Small Company Value Portfolio) and the AST American Century Income & Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Putnam Value Growth Income Portfolio) were first offered as of January 2, 1997. The AST
Marsico Capital Growth Portfolio was first offered as of December 22, 1997. The AST Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Lord Abbett Small Cap Value Portfolio), the AST Cohen & Steers
Realty Portfolio, and the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (formerly known as the AST AllianceBernstein Managed Index 500 Portfolio, the AST Sanford Bernstein Managed Index 500 Portfolio and as the AST Bankers Trust
Managed Index 500 Portfolio) were first offered as of January 2, 1998. The AST Neuberger Berman Small-Cap Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST DeAM Small-Cap Growth Portfolio and the AST Scudder Small-Cap
Growth Portfolio) was first offered as of January 4, 1999. The AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio and the AST MFS Growth Portfolio were first offered as of October 18, 1999. The AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio
(formerly known as the AST Janus Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio) was first offered as of May 1, 2000. The AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio), the
AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Gabelli All-Cap Value Portfolio), the AST DeAM Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the Janus Strategic Value Portfolio) and the AST Lord Abbett Core
Fixed Income Portfolio (formerly, the AST Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio) were first offered on October 23, 2000. The AST AllianceBernstein Core Value (formerly known as the AST Sanford Bernstein Core Value)
Portfolio was first offered on May 1, 2001.
Effective as of December 2, 2005,
the AST Alger All-Cap Growth Portfolio and the AST AllianceBernstein Growth + Value Portfolio were reorganized into the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio and the AST AllianceBernstein Managed Index 500
Portfolio, respectively, and ceased to exist.
The AST Aggressive Asset Allocation
Portfolio, the AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio (formerly the AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio), the AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio
(formerly the AST Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio, and the AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio were each first offered on or about December 5, 2005.
The AST Advanced Strategies
Portfolio, the AST First Trust Balanced Target Portfolio and the AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio were each first offered on or about March 20, 2006.
72
The AST Western Asset Core Plus
Bond Portfolio, the AST CLS Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST CLS Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST Horizon Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio, the AST Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio,
and the AST Niemann Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio were each first offered on or about November 17, 2007.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2018, the
AST Bond Portfolio 2019, and the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio were each first offered on or about January 28, 2008.
The AST Global Real Estate
Portfolio and the AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio were each first offered on or about April 28, 2008.
The AST Focus Four Plus Portfolio
was first offered on or about July 21, 2008.
Effective as of July 18, 2008, the
AST DeAM Small-Cap Value Portfolio was reorganized into the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2016 and the
AST Bond Portfolio 2020 were each first offered on or about January 2, 2009.
Effective as of November 13, 2009,
the AST Focus Four Plus Portfolio was reorganized into the AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2017 and the
AST Bond Portfolio 2021 were each first offered on or about January 14, 2010.
The AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio and the AST Boston Partners Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Jennison Large-Cap Value Portfolio) were each first offered on or about November 16, 2009.
Effective as of March 15, 2010, the
AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio was renamed as the AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio.
Effective as of May 1, 2010, the
AST DeAM Large-Cap Value Portfolio was renamed the AST Value Portfolio. Effective as of July 16, 2010, the AST Value Portfolio was renamed as the AST BlackRock Value Portfolio. Effective as of May 1, 2011, the AST
Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio was renamed the AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2022 was
first offered on or about January 3, 2011.
The AST BlackRock Global Strategies
Portfolio and the AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio were each first offered on or about May 2, 2011.
Effective as of April 29, 2011, the
AST Aggressive Asset Allocation Portfolio was renamed the AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio.
The AST Neuberger Berman Small-Cap
Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio (now known as the AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio) on April 29, 2011.
The AST Prudential Core Bond
Portfolio was first offered on or about October 17, 2011.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2023 was
first offered on or about January 3, 2012.
The AST American Century Income &
Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio on April 30, 2012. The AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio was first offered on April 30, 2012.
Effective as of April 27, 2012, the
AST CLS Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named the AST Schroders Global Tactical Portfolio.
Effective as of August 20, 2012,
the AST Horizon Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named the AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio.
The AST MFS Large-Cap Value
Portfolio and the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio were first offered on or about August 20, 2012.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2024 was
first offered on or about January 2, 2013.
Effective as of December 17, 2012,
the AST CLS Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named AST Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio.
73
The AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth
Portfolio, AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, AST QMA Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, and AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio were each first offered on or about February 25, 2013.
Effective on or about April 29,
2013, the following Portfolios were re-named: AST T. Rowe Price Global Bond Portfolio was re-named AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio. AST Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named AST Goldman Sachs
Multi-Asset Portfolio. AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio was re-named AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio. AST Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio was re-named AST RCM World Trends
Portfolio.
Effective on or about April 29,
2013, the following new Portfolios of the Trust commenced operations: AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio, AST BlackRock iShares ETF Portfolio, AST Defensive Asset Allocation Portfolio, and AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio.
Effective on or about July 15,
2013, the following Portfolios were re-named: AST BlackRock Value Portfolio was re-named AST Herndon Large-Cap Value Portfolio. AST Marsico Capital Growth Portfolio was re-named AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth
Portfolio.
Effective on or about November 4,
2013, the AST Long Duration Bond Portfolio was re-named as AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2025 was
first offered on or about January 2, 2014.
The AST T. Rowe Price Growth
Opportunities Portfolio was first offered on or about February 10, 2014.
Effective on or about February 10,
2014, the AST First Trust Balanced Target Portfolio was re-named as AST FI Pyramis
®
Quantitative Portfolio.
Effective on or about February 10,
2014, the AST Goldman Sachs Concentrated Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Loomis Sayles Large-Cap Growth Portfolio.
The following
Portfolios were first offered on or about April 28, 2014: AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio, AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio,
AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio, AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio, AST Managed Equity Portfolio, AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio, AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio, and AST
T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio.
The AST Legg Mason Diversified
Growth Portfolio was first offered on or about November 24, 2014.
Effective on November 24, 2014, the
AST Jennison Large-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST Boston Partners Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on November 24, 2014, the
AST Federated Aggressive Growth Portfolio was re-named as AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2026 was
first offered on January 2, 2015.
The AST QMA International Core
Equity Portfolio was first offered on January 5, 2015.
Effective on January 5, 2015, the
AST PIMCO Total Return Bond Portfolio was re-named as AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio.
The following Portfolios were first
offered on or about July 13, 2015: AST AB Global Bond Portfolio, AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio, AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio, AST Managed
Alternatives Portfolio, AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio, AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio, AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio, and AST Wellington Management Real Total Return
Portfolio.
Effective on July 13, 2015, the AST
PIMCO Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio was re-named as AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST FI Pyramis
®
Asset Allocation Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Franklin Templeton Founding Funds Allocation Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio.
74
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Franklin Templeton Founding Funds Plus Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST RCM World Trends Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Neuberger Berman Core Bond Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed-Income Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST Schroders Multi-Asset World Strategies Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Schroders Global Tactical Portfolio.
Effective on or about October 19,
2015, the AST T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2027 was
first offered on January 4, 2016.
Effective on or about April 25,
2016, the AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on or about April 25,
2016, the AST Large-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST Hotchkis &Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on or about September 12,
2016, the AST Money Market Portfolio was re-named as AST Government Money Market Portfolio.
Effective on or about September 12,
2016, the AST Herndon Large-Cap Value Portfolio was re-named as AST Value Equity Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST QMA Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Boston Partners Large-Cap Value Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST BlackRock iShares ETF Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Defensive Asset Allocation Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Schroders Global Tactical Portfolio was reorganized (merged) into the AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio.
Effective on or about May 1, 2017,
the AST Value Equity Portfolio was re-named as AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
The AST Bond
Portfolio 2028 was first offered on January 3, 2017.
The AST Bond Portfolio 2029 was
first offered on January 2, 2018.
The AST American Funds Growth
Allocation Portfolio was first offered on April 30, 2018.
Effective on or about April 30,
2018, the AST FI Pyramis
®
Quantitative Portfolio was re-named as AST Fidelity Institutional AM
SM
Quantitative Portfolio.
If approved by the Trustees, the
Trust may add more Portfolios and may cease to offer any existing Portfolios in the future.
Effective as of May 1, 2007, the
Trust changed its name from American Skandia Trust to Advanced Series Trust.
DESCRIPTION OF
SHARES AND ORGANIZATION.
As of the date of this SAI, the beneficial interest in the Trust is divided into 89 separate Portfolios, each offering one class of shares.
75
The Trust's Second Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust, dated December 1, 2005, which governs certain Trust matters, permits the Trust's Board of Trustees to issue multiple classes of shares, and within each class, an unlimited number of
shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $.001 per share. Each share entitles the holder to one vote for the election of Trustees and on all other matters that are not specific to one class of shares, and to
participate equally in dividends, distributions of capital gains and net assets of each applicable Portfolio. Only shareholders of shares of a specific Portfolio may vote on matters specific to that Portfolio. Shares
of one class may not bear the same economic relationship to the Trust as shares of another class. In the event of dissolution or liquidation, holders of shares of a Portfolio will receive pro rata, subject to the
rights of creditors, the proceeds of the sale of the assets held in such Portfolio less the liabilities attributable to such Portfolio. Shareholders of a Portfolio will not be liable for the expenses, obligations or
debts of another Portfolio.
No preemptive or conversion rights
apply to any of the Trust's shares. The Trust's shares, when issued, will be fully paid, non-assessable and transferable. The Trustees may at any time create additional series of shares without shareholder
approval.
Generally, there will not be annual
meetings of shareholders of any Portfolio of the Trust. A Trustee may, in accordance with certain rules of the SEC, be removed from office when the holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding
shares either present a written declaration to the Trust's custodian or vote in person or by proxy at a meeting called for this purpose. In addition, the Trustees will promptly call a meeting of shareholders to remove
a Trustee(s) when requested to do so in writing by record holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding shares. Finally, the Trustees shall, in certain circumstances, give such shareholders access to a list of the
names and addresses of all other shareholders or inform them of the number of shareholders and the cost of mailing their request.
Under Massachusetts law,
shareholders could, under certain circumstances, be held liable for the obligations of the Trust. However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires
that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees to all parties, and each party thereto must expressly waive all rights of
action directly against shareholders. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of the Trust's property for all loss and expense of any shareholder of the Trust held liable on account of being or
having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust would be unable to meet its obligations wherein
the complaining party was held not to be bound by the disclaimer.
The Declaration of Trust further
provides that the Trustees will have no personal liability to any person in connection with the Trust property or affairs of the Trust except for that arising from his bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of his duty to that person. All persons must look solely to the Trust property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the Trust's affairs. In general, the Declaration
of Trust provides for indemnification by the Trust of the Trustees and officers of the Trust except with respect to any matter as to which the Trustee or officer acted in bad faith, or with willful misfeasance, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of his duties.
From time to time, Prudential
Financial, Inc. and/or its insurance company affiliates have purchased shares of the Trust to provide initial capital and to enable the Portfolios to avoid unrealistically poor investment performance that might
otherwise result because the amounts available for investment are too small. Prudential will not redeem any of its shares until a Portfolio is large enough so that redemption will not have an adverse effect upon
investment performance. Prudential will vote its shares in the same manner and in the same proportion as the shares held by the separate accounts that invest in the Trust, which in turn, are generally voted in
accordance with instructions from Contract owners.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
To the knowledge
of the Trust, the following persons/entities owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the Portfolios of the Trust as of April 3, 2018. As of April 3, 2018, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust, as a group owned
less than 1% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Trust.
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
| AST AB Global Bond Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
57,303,252.678 / 36.62% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
40,284,196.928 / 25.75% |
76
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
54,634,151.022 / 34.92% | |
| AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
300,000.000 / 17.01% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
IRELP SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 11.34% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,151,573.029 / 65.28% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
112,538.034 / 6.38% | |
| AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
300,000.000 / 32.07% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
IRELP SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 21.38% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
352,826.758 / 37.71% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
82,697.127 / 8.84% | |
| AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
300,000.000 / 33.90% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO ATTN BRIAN AHRENS & ANDREI MARINICH 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
99,858.375 / 11.28% | |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
PICA SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 22.60% |
77
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
235,648.452 / 26.63% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
49,467.296 / 5.59% | |
| AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
248,927.477 / 9.38% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
PICA SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
148,927.477 / 5.61% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
1,955,144.384 / 73.67% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
300,812.269 / 11.34% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,421,366.069 / 87.31% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
350,967.242 / 12.66% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
27,192,606.237 / 36.58% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
19,164,724.320 / 25.78% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
25,989,039.805 / 34.96% | |
| AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,014,576.608 / 34.73% |
78
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
7,791,878.244 / 24.57% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
10,570,776.574 / 33.33% | |
| AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
300,000.000 / 26.95% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NJ
PLNJ SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENTS OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
100,000.000 / 8.98% | |
|
PRUDENTIAL RETIREMENT INSURANCE &
ANNUITY COMPANY PRIAC SEED ACCT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07105 |
100,000.000 / 8.98% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
465,981.151 / 41.86% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
147,076.988 / 13.21% | |
| AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
26,638,259.034 / 89.41% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
3,155,022.331 / 10.59% | |
| AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
656,735.157 / 79.07% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
168,829.793 / 20.33% | |
| AST Managed Equity Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,295,151.861 / 88.98% |
79
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
279,336.394 / 10.83% | |
| AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
2,939,479.950 / 84.85% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
519,642.419 / 15.00% | |
| AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO ATTN BRIAN AHRENS & ANDREI MARINICH 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
226,096.878 / 36.32% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
IRELP SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 32.13% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
168,397.465 / 27.05% | |
| AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO ATTN BRIAN AHRENS & ANDREI MARINICH 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
164,036.682 / 9.39% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
IRELP SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 11.44% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
270,376.972 / 15.47% | |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
113,354.633 / 6.49% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
1,000,000.000 / 57.22% | |
| AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
5,587,930.621 / 85.78% |
80
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
925,588.206 / 14.21% | |
| AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
6,364,557.975 / 9.04% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
30,038,339.718 / 42.67% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
11,375,590.446 / 16.16% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
18,957,169.836 / 26.93% | |
| AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio |
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
4,089,829.977 / 88.75% |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLNJ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
517,517.428 / 11.23% | |
| AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST PRESERVATION ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
68,700,390.001 / 36.63% |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST CAPITAL GROWTH ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
48,326,793.701 / 25.77% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST BALANCED ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
65,530,994.548 / 34.94% | |
| AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio |
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST MANAGED ALTERNATIVES PORTFOLIO ATTN BRIAN AHRENS & ANDREI MARINICH 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
163,721.133 / 8.17% |
|
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO OF AMERICA
IRELP SEED ACCOUNT ATTN PUBLIC INVESTMENT OPS 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
200,000.000 / 9.98% |
81
| Portfolio Name | Shareholder Name/Address | Shares / % of Portfolio |
|
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
PLAZ ANNUITY ATTN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS 7TH FLOOR 213 WASHINGTON ST NEWARK NJ 07102-0000 |
208,349.308 / 10.39% | |
|
ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
AST ACADEMIC STRATEGIES ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO 655 BROAD STREET 17TH FLOOR NEWARK NJ 07102 |
1,400,000.000 / 69.84% |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial
statements of the Trust for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 have been incorporated into this SAI by reference to the annual report to shareholders. Such financial statements have been audited by KPMG LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports thereon are included in the Trust’s annual reports to shareholders. KPMG LLP’s principal business address is 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10154.
The Trust's Annual Reports for the
year ended December 31, 2017 can be obtained without charge by calling (800) 778-2255 or by writing to the Trust at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
82
PART II
INVESTMENT RISKS &
CONSIDERATIONS
Set forth below are descriptions of
some of the types of investments and investment strategies that a Portfolio may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. A Portfolio may invest in the types of
investments and investment strategies that are consistent with its investment objective, policies and any limitations described in the prospectus and in the SAI.
ASSET-BACKED
SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities directly or indirectly represent a participation interest in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream
of payments generated by particular assets such as motor vehicle or credit card receivables. Payments of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of
credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the entities issuing the securities. Asset-backed securities may be classified as pass-through certificates or collateralized obligations.
Pass-through certificates are
asset-backed securities which represent an undivided fractional ownership interest in an underlying pool of assets. Pass-through certificates usually provide for payments of principal and interest received to be
passed through to their holders, usually after deduction for certain costs and expenses incurred in administering the pool. Because pass-through certificates represent an ownership interest in the underlying assets,
the holders thereof bear directly the risk of any defaults by the obligors on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support.
Asset-backed securities issued in
the form of debt instruments, also known as collateralized obligations, are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Such
assets are most often trade, credit card or automobile receivables. The assets collateralizing such asset-backed securities are pledged to a trustee or custodian for the benefit of the holders thereof. Such issuers
generally hold no assets other than those underlying the asset-backed securities and any credit support provided. As a result, although payments on such asset-backed securities are obligations of the issuers, in the
event of defaults on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support, the issuing entities are unlikely to have sufficient assets to satisfy their obligations on the related asset-backed securities.
Credit-Related
Asset-Backed Securities.
This type of asset-backed security is collateralized by a basket of underlying corporate bonds or other securities, including junk bonds. Unlike the traditional asset-backed securities
described above, these asset-backed securities often do have the benefit of a security interest or ownership interest in the related collateral. With a credit-related asset-backed security, the underlying bonds have
the risk of being prepaid prior to maturity. Although generally not pre-payable at any time, some of the underlying bonds may have call options, while others may have maturity dates that are earlier than the
asset-backed security itself. As with traditional asset-backed securities described above, the Portfolio bears the risk of loss of the resulting increase or decrease in yield to maturity after a prepayment of an
underlying bond. However, the primary risk associated with credit-related asset-backed securities is the potential loss of principal associated with losses on the underlying bonds.
Collateralized Loan Obligations
(CLOs).
This type of asset-backed security is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured
loans, and subordinate corporate loans, as well as loans rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the quality of the underlying loans and may be
characterized by the Portfolio as illiquid securities.
For credit-related asset-backed
securities and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of
defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior
tranche from a trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, other tranches can experience
substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to particular
underlying assets as a class.
BORROWING AND LEVERAGE.
A Portfolio may borrow up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of the value of its total assets (calculated at the time of the borrowing). The Portfolio may pledge up to 33
1
⁄
3
% of its total assets to secure these borrowings. If the Portfolio's asset coverage for borrowings falls below 300%, the Portfolio will take prompt action to reduce its borrowings. If the
Portfolio borrows to invest in securities, any investment gains made on the securities in excess of interest paid on the borrowing will cause the net asset value of the shares to rise faster than would otherwise be
the case. On the other hand, if the investment performance of the additional securities purchased fails to cover their cost (including any interest paid on the money borrowed) to the Portfolio, the net asset value of
the Portfolio's shares will decrease faster than would otherwise be the case. This is the speculative factor known as “leverage.”
83
A Portfolio may borrow from time to
time, at the investment subadviser's discretion, to take advantage of investment opportunities, when yields on available investments exceed interest rates and other expenses of related borrowing, or when, in the
investment adviser's opinion, unusual market conditions otherwise make it advantageous for the Portfolio to increase its investment capacity. A Portfolio will only borrow when there is an expectation that it will
benefit a Portfolio after taking into account considerations such as interest income and possible losses upon liquidation. Borrowing by a Portfolio creates an opportunity for increased net income but, at the same
time, creates risks, including the fact that leverage may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of Portfolio shares and in the yield on a Portfolio. A Portfolio may borrow through forward rolls, dollar rolls or
reverse repurchase agreements, although no Portfolio currently has any intention of doing so, except for portfolios managed by Wellington Management.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.
Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest payments paid on corporate debt securities or the dividend preference on a preferred stock until such time as the convertible
security matures or is redeemed or until the holder elects to exercise the conversion privilege. The characteristics of convertible securities make them appropriate investments for an investment company seeking a high
total return from capital appreciation and investment income. These characteristics include the potential for capital appreciation as the value of the underlying common stock increases, the relatively high yield
received from dividend or interest payments as compared to common stock dividends and decreased risks of decline in value relative to the underlying common stock due to their fixed income nature. As a result of the
conversion feature, however, the interest rate or dividend preference on a convertible security is generally less than would be the case if the securities were issued in nonconvertible form.
In analyzing convertible
securities, the subadviser(s) will consider both the yield on the convertible security relative to its credit quality and the potential capital appreciation that is offered by the underlying common stock, among other
things.
Convertible securities are issued
and traded in a number of securities markets. Even in cases where a substantial portion of the convertible securities held by a Portfolio are denominated in US dollars, the underlying equity securities may be quoted
in the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. With respect to convertible securities denominated in a currency different from that of the underlying equity securities, the conversion price may be based
on a fixed exchange rate established at the time the security is issued. As a result, fluctuations in the exchange rate between the currency in which the debt security is denominated and the currency in which the
share price is quoted will affect the value of the convertible security. As described below, a Portfolio is authorized to enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in which it may seek to reduce the effect of
such fluctuations.
Apart from currency considerations,
the value of convertible securities is influenced by both the yield of nonconvertible securities of comparable issuers and by the value of the underlying common stock. The value of a convertible security viewed
without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield) is sometimes referred to as its “investment value.” To the extent interest rates change, the investment value of the
convertible security typically will fluctuate. However, at the same time, the value of the convertible security will be influenced by its “conversion value,” which is the market value of the underlying
common stock that would be obtained if the convertible security were converted. Conversion value fluctuates directly with the price of the underlying common stock. If, because of a low price of the common stock the
conversion value is substantially below the investment value of the convertible security, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value.
To the extent the conversion value
of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the price of the convertible security will be influenced principally by its conversion value. A convertible security
will sell at a premium over the conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security. The yield and conversion premium of
convertible securities issued in Japan and the Euromarket are frequently determined at levels that cause the conversion value to affect their market value more than the securities' investment value.
Holders of convertible securities
generally have a claim on the assets of the issuer prior to the common stockholders but may be subordinated to other debt securities of the same issuer. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the
option of the issuer at a price established in the charter provision, indenture or other governing instrument pursuant to which the convertible security was issued. If a convertible security held by a Portfolio is
called for redemption, the Portfolio will be required to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Certain convertible debt securities may provide a put option to
the holder, which entitles the holder to cause the security to be redeemed by the issuer at a premium over the stated principal amount of the debt security under certain circumstances.
Synthetic convertible securities
may be either (i) a debt security or preferred stock that may be convertible only under certain contingent circumstances or that may pay the holder a cash amount based on the value of shares of underlying common stock
partly or wholly in lieu of a conversion right (a Cash-Settled Convertible), (ii) a combination of separate securities chosen by the subadviser(s) in order to create the economic characteristics of a convertible
security, i.e., a fixed income security paired with a security with equity conversion features, such as an option or warrant (a Manufactured Convertible) or (iii) a synthetic security manufactured by another party.
84
Synthetic convertible securities
may include either Cash-Settled Convertibles or Manufactured Convertibles. Cash-Settled Convertibles are instruments that are created by the issuer and have the economic characteristics of traditional convertible
securities but may not actually permit conversion into the underlying equity securities in all circumstances. As an example, a private company may issue a Cash-Settled Convertible that is convertible into common stock
only if the company successfully completes a public offering of its common stock prior to maturity and otherwise pays a cash amount to reflect any equity appreciation. Manufactured Convertibles are created by the
subadviser(s) by combining separate securities that possess one of the two principal characteristics of a convertible security, i.e., fixed income (fixed income component) or a right to acquire equity securities
(convertibility component). The fixed income component is achieved by investing in nonconvertible fixed income securities, such as nonconvertible bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The
convertibility component is achieved by investing in call options, warrants, or other securities with equity conversion features (equity features) granting the holder the right to purchase a specified quantity of the
underlying stocks within a specified period of time at a specified price or, in the case of a stock index option, the right to receive a cash payment based on the value of the underlying stock index.
A Manufactured Convertible differs
from traditional convertible securities in several respects. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a unitary market value, a Manufactured Convertible is comprised of two or more
separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the total “market value” of such a Manufactured Convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed income component and its convertibility
component.
More flexibility is possible in the
creation of a Manufactured Convertible than in the purchase of a traditional convertible security. Because many corporations have not issued convertible securities, the subadviser(s) may combine a fixed income
instrument and an equity feature with respect to the stock of the issuer of the fixed income instrument to create a synthetic convertible security otherwise unavailable in the market. The subadviser(s) may also
combine a fixed income instrument of an issuer with an equity feature with respect to the stock of a different issuer when the subadviser(s) believe such a Manufactured Convertible would better promote a Portfolio's
objective than alternate investments. For example, the subadviser(s) may combine an equity feature with respect to an issuer's stock with a fixed income security of a different issuer in the same industry to diversify
the Portfolio's credit exposure, or with a US Treasury instrument to create a Manufactured Convertible with a higher credit profile than a traditional convertible security issued by that issuer. A Manufactured
Convertible also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately and, upon purchasing the separate securities, “combined” to create a Manufactured Convertible. For
example, a Portfolio may purchase a warrant for eventual inclusion in a Manufactured Convertible while postponing the purchase of a suitable bond to pair with the warrant pending development of more favorable market
conditions.
The value of a Manufactured
Convertible may respond differently to certain market fluctuations than would a traditional convertible security with similar characteristics. For example, in the event a Portfolio created a Manufactured Convertible
by combining a short-term US Treasury instrument and a call option on a stock, the Manufactured Convertible would likely outperform a traditional convertible of similar maturity that is convertible into that stock
during periods when Treasury instruments outperform corporate fixed income securities and underperform during periods when corporate fixed income securities outperform Treasury instruments.
CORPORATE LOANS.
Commercial banks and other financial institutions make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates
that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or the prime rate of US banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less
responsive to shifts in market interest rates. Because the trading market for corporate loans is less developed than the secondary market for bonds and notes, a Portfolio may experience difficulties from time to time
in selling its corporate loans. Borrowers frequently provide collateral to secure repayment of these obligations. Leading financial institutions often act as agent for a broader group of lenders, generally referred to
as a “syndicate.” The syndicate's agent arranges the corporate loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. If the agent develops financial problems, a Portfolio may not recover
its investment, or there might be a delay in the Portfolio's recovery. By investing in a corporate loan, a Portfolio becomes a member of the syndicate.
As in the case of
junk bonds, the corporate loans in which a Portfolio may invest can be expected to provide higher yields than higher-rated fixed income securities but may be subject to greater risk of loss of principal and income.
There are, however, some significant differences between corporate loans and junk bonds. Corporate loans are frequently secured by pledges of liens and security interests in the assets of the borrower, and the holders
of corporate loans are frequently the beneficiaries of debt service subordination provisions imposed on the borrower's bondholders. These arrangements are designed to give corporate loan investors preferential
treatment over junk bond investors in the event of a deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer. Even when these arrangements exist, however, there can be no assurance that the principal and interest owed on
the corporate loans will be repaid in full. Corporate loans generally bear interest at rates set at a margin above a generally recognized base lending rate that may fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, in the case of the
Prime Rate of a US bank, or that may be adjusted on set dates, typically 30 days but generally not more than one year, in the case of LIBOR. Consequently, the value of corporate loans held by a Portfolio may be
expected to fluctuate significantly less than
85
the value of fixed
rate junk bond instruments as a result of changes in the interest rate environment. On the other hand, the secondary dealer market for corporate loans is not as well developed as the secondary dealer market for junk
bonds, and therefore presents increased market risk relating to liquidity and pricing concerns.
A Portfolio may acquire interests
in corporate loans by means of a novation, assignment or participation. In a novation, a Portfolio would succeed to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and become a contracting party under the
credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation. As an alternative, a Portfolio may purchase an assignment, in which case the Portfolio may be required to rely on the assigning institution to demand payment and
enforce its rights against the borrower but would otherwise typically be entitled to all of such assigning institution's rights under the credit agreement. Participation interests in a portion of a debt obligation
typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution selling the participation interest and not with the borrower. In purchasing a loan participation, a Portfolio generally will have no right to
enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Portfolio may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in
which it has purchased the participation. As a result, a Portfolio will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation to the Portfolio.
CYBER SECURITY AND OPERATIONAL
RISK.
With the increasing use of technology and computer systems in general and, in particular, the Internet to conduct necessary business functions, each Portfolio and its service providers are
susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. These risks, which are often collectively referred to as “cyber security” risks, may include deliberate or malicious attacks, as well as
unintentional events and occurrences. Cyber security is generally defined as the technology, operations and related protocol surrounding and protecting a user’s computer hardware, network, systems and
applications and the data transmitted and stored therewith. These measures ensure the reliability of a user’s systems, as well as the security, availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data
assets.
Deliberate cyber attacks can
include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to computer systems in order to misappropriate and/or disclose sensitive or confidential information; deleting, corrupting or modifying data; and causing
operational disruptions. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (in order to prevent access to
computer networks). In addition to deliberate breaches engineered by external actors, cyber security risks can also result from the conduct of malicious, exploited or careless insiders, whose actions may result in the
destruction, release or disclosure of confidential or proprietary information stored on an organization’s systems.
Cyber security
failures or breaches, whether deliberate or unintentional, arising from a Portfolios’ third-party service providers (e.g., custodians, financial intermediaries, transfer agents), subadvisers, shareholder usage
of unsecure systems to access personal accounts, as well as breaches suffered by the issuers of securities in which the Portfolios invests, may cause significant disruptions in the business operations of the
Portfolios. Potential impacts may include, but are not limited to, potential financial losses for the Portfolios and the issuers’ securities, the inability of shareholders to conduct transactions with the
Portfolios, an inability of the Portfolios to calculate net asset value (NAV), and disclosures of personal or confidential shareholder information.
In addition to direct impacts on
Portfolio shareholders, cyber security failures by a Portfolios and/or its service providers and others may result in regulatory inquiries, regulatory proceedings, regulatory and/or legal and litigation costs to the
Portfolios, and reputational damage. The Portfolios may incur reimbursement and other expenses, including the costs of litigation and litigation settlements and additional compliance costs. The Portfolios may also
incur considerable expenses in enhancing and upgrading computer systems and systems security following a cyber security failure.
The rapid proliferation of
technologies, as well as the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists, and others continue to pose new and significant cyber security threats. Although the Portfolios and its
service providers and subadvisers may have established business continuity plans and risk management systems to mitigate cyber security risks, there can be no guarantee or assurance that such plans or systems will be
effective, or that all risks that exist, or may develop in the future, have been completely anticipated and identified or can be protected against. Furthermore, the Portfolios cannot control or assure the efficacy of
the cyber security plans and systems implemented by third-party service providers, the subadvisers, and the issuers in which a Portfolios invests.
A Portfolio’s investments or
its service providers may be negatively impacted due to operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and
technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third-party service providers or trading counterparties. In particular, these errors or failures as well as other technological issues may adversely affect the
Portfolios’ ability to calculate their NAVs in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period. Although the Portfolios attempt to minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not
possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect a Portfolio or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. A Portfolio and its
shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
86
DEBT SECURITIES.
Debt securities, such as bonds, involve credit risk. This is the risk that the issuer will not make timely payments of principal and interest. The degree of credit risk depends on the
issuer's financial condition and on the terms of the bonds. Changes in an issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of a Portfolio's investment in that
issuer. Credit risk is reduced to the extent a Portfolio limits its debt investments to US Government securities. All debt securities, however, are subject to interest rate risk. This is the risk that the value of the
security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term
securities.
DEPOSITARY
RECEIPTS.
A Portfolio may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may
not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are receipts or shares
typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a
similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs and ADSs, in registered form, are designed for use in the
US securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. A
Portfolio may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less
information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts are generally subject to the same risks as
the foreign securities that they evidence or into or for which they may be converted or exchanged, as well as the risks associated with foreign
investments.
DERIVATIVES.
A Portfolio may use instruments referred to as derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments the value of which is derived from another security, a commodity (such as gold or oil), a
currency or an index (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500 Index or the prime lending rate). Derivatives allow certain Portfolios to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Portfolio is
exposed more quickly and efficiently than transactions in other types of instruments. Each Portfolio may use derivatives for hedging purposes. A Portfolio may also use derivatives to seek to enhance returns. The use
of a derivative is speculative if the Portfolio is primarily seeking to achieve gains, rather than offset the risk of other positions. When the Portfolio invests in a derivative for speculative purposes, the Portfolio
will be fully exposed to the risks of loss of that derivative, which may sometimes be greater than the derivative's cost. No Portfolio may use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it
would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly.
The use of derivative instruments
involves risks different from, and/or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying assets or references. The use of derivative instruments is a highly specialized activity that
involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the portfolio manager is incorrect in the forecasts of security or market values, interest
rates or currency exchange rates, as applicable, the investment performance of a Portfolio would be less favorable than it would have been if derivative instruments were not used. Potential losses from certain
derivative instruments are unlimited. Derivative instruments can be highly volatile, illiquid, subject to counterparty risk and difficult to value. There is also the risk that changes in the value of a derivative
instrument held by a Portfolio for hedging purposes may not correlate with the Portfolio’s investments which are intended to be hedged, which could impact Portfolio performance. A Portfolio may choose not to
invest in derivative instruments because of their cost, limited availability or other reasons.
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.
A Portfolio may invest in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). ETFs, which may be unit investment trusts or mutual funds, typically hold portfolios of securities designed to track the performance
of various broad securities indexes or sectors of such indexes. ETFs provide another means, in addition to futures and options on indexes, of including stock index exposure in these Portfolios' investment strategies.
A Portfolio will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such ETF. In addition, an investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a
conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies, and policies.
87
|
FUND OF FUNDS.
A Portfolio that is structured as a “fund of funds” invests primarily in a combination of underlying investment companies which we refer to as “Underlying
Portfolios.” In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the Underlying Portfolios, these Portfolios are subject to the following risks:
|
HEDGING.
Hedging is a strategy in which a derivative or security is used to offset the risks associated with other Portfolio holdings. Losses on the other investment may be substantially reduced by
gains on a derivative that reacts in an opposite manner to market movements. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a different manner than
anticipated by the Portfolio or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match those of the holdings being
hedged as expected by a Portfolio, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced or may be increased. The inability to close options and futures positions also could have an adverse impact
on a Portfolio's ability to hedge effectively its portfolio. There is also a risk of loss by the Portfolio of margin deposits or collateral in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Portfolio has an open
position in an option, a futures contract or a related option. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio's hedging strategies will be effective or that hedging transactions will be available to a Portfolio. No
Portfolio is required to engage in hedging transactions and each Portfolio may choose not to do so.
INDEXED AND INVERSE SECURITIES.
A Portfolio may invest in securities the potential return of which is based on an index or interest rate. As an illustration, a Portfolio may invest in a security whose value is based on
changes in a specific index or that pays interest based on the current value of an interest rate index, such as the prime rate. A Portfolio may also invest in a debt security that returns principal at maturity based
on the level of a securities index or a basket of securities, or based on the relative changes of two indices. In addition, certain Portfolios may invest in securities the potential return of which is based inversely
on the change in an index or interest rate (that is, a security the value of which will move in the opposite direction of changes to an index or interest rate). For example, a Portfolio may invest in securities that
pay a higher rate of interest when a particular index decreases and pay a lower rate of interest (or do not fully return principal) when the value of the index increases. If a Portfolio invests in such securities, it
may be subject to reduced or eliminated interest payments or loss of principal in the event of an adverse movement in the relevant interest rate, index or indices. Indexed and inverse securities may involve credit
risk, and certain indexed and inverse securities may involve leverage risk, liquidity risk and currency risk. A Portfolio may invest in indexed and inverse securities for hedging purposes or to seek to increase
returns. When used for hedging purposes, indexed and inverse securities involve correlation risk. (Furthermore, where such a security includes a contingent liability, in the event of such an adverse movement, a
Portfolio may be required to pay substantial additional margin to maintain the position.)
INFLATION-PROTECTED SECURITIES.
Inflation-protected debt securities tend to react to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates can be described as nominal interest rates minus the expected impact of inflation.
In general, the price of an inflation-protected debt security falls when real interest rates rise, and rises when real interest rates fall. Interest payments on inflation-protected debt securities will vary as the
principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and may be more volatile than interest paid on ordinary bonds. In periods of deflation, a Portfolio may have no income at all from such investments. Income earned by
a shareholder depends on the amount of principal invested.
88
INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS.
Each Portfolio may invest in initial public offerings (IPOs). An IPO is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. IPOs are often issued by smaller, younger companies
seeking capital to expand, but can also be done by large privately owned companies looking to become publicly traded.
In an IPO, the issuer obtains the
assistance of an underwriting firm, which helps it determine what type of security to issue (common or preferred), best offering price and time to bring it to market. The volume of IPOs and the levels at which the
newly issued stocks trade in the secondary market are affected by the performance of the stock market overall. If IPOs are brought to the market, availability may be limited and a Portfolio may not be able to buy any
shares at the offering price, or if it is able to buy shares, it may not be able to buy as many shares at the offering price as it would like.
Investing in IPOs entails risks.
Importantly, the prices of securities involved in IPOs are often subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than more established stocks. It is difficult to predict what the stock will do on its initial
day of trading and in the near future since there is often little historical data with which to analyze the company. Also, most IPOs are of companies going through a transitory growth period, and they are therefore
subject to additional uncertainty regarding their future value.
PARTICIPATION NOTES
. Participation Notes (P-Notes) are a type of equity-linked derivative which generally are traded over-the-counter. Even though a P-Note is intended to reflect the performance of the
underlying equity securities, the performance of a P-Note will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the P-Note seeks to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses.
Investments in P-Notes involve risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank
that issues the P-Notes will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with a Portfolio.
SWAP
AGREEMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into swap transactions, including but not limited to, interest rate, index, credit default, total return and, to the extent that it may invest in foreign
currency-denominated securities, currency exchange rate swap agreements. In addition, certain Portfolios may enter into options on swap agreements (swap options). These swap transactions are entered into in an attempt
to obtain a particular return when it is considered desirable to do so, possibly at a lower cost to the Portfolio than if the Portfolio had invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired
return.
Swap agreements are two party
contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns
(or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on or calculated with respect to particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be
exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” that is, the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a
particular interest rate or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index or other investments or instruments.
Most swap
agreements entered into by a Portfolio would calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a “net basis.” Consequently, the Portfolio's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement
will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the net amount). The Portfolio's current
obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Portfolio) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation of
liquid assets.
To the extent that a Portfolio
enters into swaps on other than a net basis, the amount maintained in a segregated account will be the full amount of the Portfolio's obligations, if any, with respect to such swaps, accrued on a daily basis. Inasmuch
as segregated accounts are established for these hedging transactions, the investment adviser and the Portfolio believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly, will not treat them as
being subject to its borrowing restrictions. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Portfolio will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreement related to the transaction. Since
swaps are individually negotiated, the Portfolio expects to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between its rights to receive a return on its portfolio securities and its rights and obligations to receive and
pay a return pursuant to swaps. The Portfolio will enter into swaps only with parties meeting creditworthiness standards of the investment subadviser. The investment subadviser will monitor the creditworthiness of
such parties.
CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP
AGREEMENTS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into credit default swap agreements and similar agreements, and may also buy credit-linked securities. The credit default swap agreement or similar instrument
may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by a Portfolio. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract may be obligated to pay the protection
“seller” an up front or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided generally that no credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller
generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller
may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. A Portfolio may
89
be either the buyer or seller in the transaction.
If a Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Portfolio recovers nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may elect to receive the full
notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value. As a seller, a Portfolio generally receives an up front payment or a
fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an
equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value.
Credit default swaps and similar
instruments involve greater risks than if a Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly, since, in addition to general market risks, they are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit
risks. A Portfolio will enter into credit default swap agreements and similar instruments only with counterparties who are rated investment grade quality by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating
organization at the time of entering into such transaction or whose creditworthiness is believed by the subadviser(s) to be equivalent to such rating. A buyer also will lose its investment and recover nothing should
no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the up front or periodic payments
previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Portfolio. When a Portfolio acts as a seller of a credit default swap or a similar instrument, it
is exposed to many of the same risks of leverage since, if a credit event occurs, the seller may be required to pay the buyer the full notional value of the contract net of any amounts owed by the buyer related to its
delivery of deliverable obligations.
CREDIT LINKED SECURITIES.
Among the income producing securities in which a Portfolio may invest are credit linked securities, which are issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle that, in turn, invests in a
derivative instrument or basket of derivative instruments, such a credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and other securities, in order to provide exposure to certain fixed income markets. For instance, a Portfolio
may invest in credit linked securities as a cash management tool in order to gain exposure to a certain market and/or to remain fully invested when more traditional income producing securities are not
available.
Like an investment
in a bond, investments in these credit linked securities represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the security. However,
these payments are conditioned on the issuer's receipt of payments from, and the issuer's potential obligations to, the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the issuer invests.
For instance, the issuer may sell one or more credit default swaps, under which the issuer would receive a stream of payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with
respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default occurs, the stream of payments may stop and the issuer would be obligated to pay the counterparty the par (or other agreed upon
value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that a Portfolio would receive. A Portfolio's investments in these instruments are indirectly subject to the
risks associated with derivative instruments, including, among others, credit risk, default or similar event risk, counterparty risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and management risk. It is also expected that the
securities will be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Accordingly, there may be no established trading market for the securities and they may constitute illiquid investments.
TOTAL RETURN SWAP AGREEMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into total return swap agreements. Total return swap agreements are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments based on the change in market
value of the underlying assets, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest
rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market. Total
return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to the Portfolio’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, a Portfolio would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the
swap. Total return swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to s Portfolio thereunder. Swap agreements also bear the risk that a Portfolio will not be able to meet its
obligation to the counterparty. Generally, a Portfolio will enter into total return swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only
the net amount of the two payments). The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Portfolio's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each total return swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of
cash or liquid instruments having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be segregated by a Portfolio. If the total return swap transaction is entered into on other than a net basis,
the full amount of a Portfolio's obligations will be accrued on a daily basis, and the full amount of a Portfolio's obligations will be segregated by a Portfolio in an amount equal to or greater than the market value
of the liabilities under the total return swap agreement or the amount it would have cost a Portfolio initially to make an equivalent direct investment, plus or minus any amount a Portfolio is obligated to pay or is
to receive under the total return swap agreement.
Unless otherwise noted, a
Portfolio's net obligations in respect of all swap agreements (i.e., the aggregate net amount owed by the Portfolio) is limited to 15% of its net assets. This limitation does not apply to the AST Franklin Templeton K2
Global Absolute Return Portfolio.
90
NON-STANDARD WARRANTS
. From time to time, a Portfolio may use synthetic foreign equity securities derivatives in the form non-standard warrants, often referred to as low exercise price warrants or participatory
notes or low exercise price options (LEPOs), to gain indirect exposure to issuers in certain countries, such as India. These securities are issued by banks and other financial institutions. The buyer of a low exercise
price warrant effectively pays the full value of the underlying common stock at the outset. LEPOs are different from standard warrants in that they do not give their holders the right to receive a security of the
issuer upon exercise. Rather, LEPOs pay the holder the difference in price of the underlying security between the date the LEPO was purchased and the date it is sold. LEPOs entail the same risks as other over-the
counter derivatives. These include the risk that the counterparty or issuer of the LEPO may not be able to fulfill its obligations, that the holder and counterparty or issuer may disagree as to the meaning or
application of contractual terms, or that the instrument may not perform as expected. Additionally, while LEPOs may be listed on an exchange, there is no guaranty that a liquid market will exist or that the
counterparty or issuer of a LEPO will be willing to repurchase the LEPO when the Portfolio wishes to sell it. A discussion of the risk factors relating to derivatives is set out in the sub-section entitled “Risk
Factors In Derivatives”.
OPTIONS ON SECURITIES AND SECURITIES
INDEXES.
A Portfolio may invest in options on individual securities, baskets of securities or particular measurements of value or rate (an index), such as an index of the price of treasury
securities or an index representative of short term interest rates.
Types of Options.
A Portfolio may engage in transactions in options on individual securities, baskets of securities or securities indices, or particular measurements of value or rate (an index), such as an
index of the price of treasury securities or an index representative of short term interest rates. Such investments may be made on exchanges and in the over-the-counter markets. In general, exchange-traded options
have standardized exercise prices and expiration dates and require the parties to post margin against their obligations, and the performance of the parties' obligations in connection with such options is guaranteed by
the exchange or a related clearing corporation. OTC options have more flexible terms negotiated between the buyer and the seller, but generally do not require the parties to post margin and are subject to greater
credit risk. OTC options also involve greater liquidity risk. See “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives” below.
A Portfolio will write only
“covered” options. A written option is covered if, so long as a Portfolio is obligated the option, it (1) owns an offsetting position in the underlying security or currency or (2) segregates cash or other
liquid assets, in an amount equal to or greater than its obligation under the option.
CALL OPTIONS.
A Portfolio may purchase call options on any of the types of securities or instruments in which it may invest. A call option gives a Portfolio the right to buy, and obligates the seller to
sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period. A Portfolio also may purchase and sell call options on indices. Index options are similar to options on securities except that,
rather than taking or making delivery of securities underlying the option at a specified price upon exercise, an index option gives the holder the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the
index upon which the option is based is greater than the exercise price of the option.
Each Portfolio may only write
(i.e., sell) covered call options on the securities or instruments in which it may invest and to enter into closing purchase transactions with respect to certain of such options. A covered call option is an option in
which a Portfolio either owns an offsetting position in the underlying security or currency, or the Portfolio segregates cash or other liquid assets in an amount equal to or greater than its obligation under the
option. The principal reason for writing call options is the attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. By writing covered call options, a
Portfolio gives up the opportunity, while the option is in effect, to profit from any price increase in the underlying security above the option exercise price. In addition, a Portfolio's ability to sell the
underlying security will be limited while the option is in effect unless the Portfolio enters into a closing purchase transaction. A closing purchase transaction cancels out a Portfolio's position as the writer of an
option by means of an offsetting purchase of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has written. Covered call options also serve as a partial hedge to the extent of the premium received against
the price of the underlying security declining.
PUT OPTIONS.
A Portfolio may purchase put options to seek to hedge against a decline in the value of its securities or to enhance its return. By buying a put option, a Portfolio acquires a right to sell
such underlying securities or instruments at the exercise price, thus limiting the Portfolio's risk of loss through a decline in the market value of the securities or instruments until the put option expires. The
amount of any appreciation in the value of the underlying securities or instruments will be partially offset by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and any related transaction costs. Prior to its
expiration, a put option may be sold in a closing sale transaction and profit or loss from the sale will depend on whether the amount received is more or less than the premium paid for the put option plus the related
transaction costs. A closing sale transaction cancels out a Portfolio's position as the purchaser of an option by means of an offsetting sale of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has
purchased. A Portfolio also may purchase uncovered put options.
91
Each Portfolio may write (i.e.,
sell) put options on the types of securities or instruments that may be held by the Portfolio, provided that such put options are covered, meaning that such options are secured by segregated, liquid instruments. A
Portfolio will receive a premium for writing a put option, which increases the Portfolio's return. A Portfolio will not sell puts if, as a result, more than 25% of the Portfolio's net assets would be required to cover
its potential obligations under its hedging and other investment transactions.
FUTURES.
A Portfolio may engage in transactions in futures and options thereon. Futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts which obligate a purchaser to take delivery, and a seller to make
delivery, of a specific amount of an asset at a specified future date at a specified price. No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Rather, upon purchasing or selling a futures contract a Portfolio is
required to deposit collateral (margin) equal to a percentage (generally less than 10%) of the contract value. Each day thereafter until the futures position is closed, the Portfolio will pay additional margin
representing any loss experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day or be entitled to a payment representing any profit experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day. Futures involve
substantial leverage risk.
The sale of a futures contract
limits a Portfolio's risk of loss through a decline in the market value of portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract prior to the futures contract's expiration date. In the event the market value of the
portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract increases rather than decreases, however, a Portfolio will realize a loss on the futures position and a lower return on the portfolio holdings than would have
been realized without the purchase of the futures contract.
The purchase of a futures contract
may protect a Portfolio from having to pay more for securities as a consequence of increases in the market value for such securities during a period when the Portfolio was attempting to identify specific securities in
which to invest in a market the Portfolio believes to be attractive. In the event that such securities decline in value or a Portfolio determines not to complete an anticipatory hedge transaction relating to a futures
contract, however, the Portfolio may realize a loss relating to the futures position.
A Portfolio is also authorized to
purchase or sell call and put options on futures contracts including financial futures and stock indices in connection with its hedging activities. Generally, these strategies would be used under the same market and
market sector conditions (i.e., conditions relating to specific types of investments) in which the Portfolio entered into futures transactions. A Portfolio may purchase put options or write (i.e., sell) call options
on futures contracts and stock indices rather than selling the underlying futures contract in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of its securities. Similarly, a Portfolio can purchase call options, or
write put options on futures contracts and stock indices, as a substitute for the purchase of such futures to hedge against the increased cost resulting from an increase in the market value of securities which the
Portfolio intends to purchase.
A Portfolio may only write
“covered” put and call options on futures contracts. A Portfolio will be considered “covered” with respect to a call option it writes on a futures contract if the Portfolio owns the assets that
are deliverable under the futures contract or an option to purchase that futures contract having a strike price equal to or less than the strike price of the “covered” option and having an expiration date
not earlier than the expiration date of the “covered” option, or if it segregates for the term of the option cash or other liquid assets equal to the fluctuating value of the optioned future. A Portfolio
will be considered “covered” with respect to a put option it writes on a futures contract if it owns an option to sell that futures contract having a strike price equal to or greater than the strike price
of the “covered” option, or if it segregates for the term of the option cash or other liquid assets at all times equal in value to the exercise price of the put (less any initial margin deposited by the
Portfolio with its custodian with respect to such option). There is no limitation on the amount of a Portfolio's assets that can be segregated.
With respect to futures contracts
that are not legally required to “cash settle,” a Portfolio may cover the open position by setting aside or earmarking liquid assets in an amount equal to the market value of the futures contact. With
respect to futures that are required to “cash settle,” however, a Portfolio is permitted to set aside or earmark liquid assets in an amount equal to the Portfolio's daily marked to market (net) obligation,
if any, (in other words, the Portfolio's daily net liability, if any) rather than the market value of the futures contract. By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligation under cash-settled futures, a
Portfolio will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Portfolio were required to segregate assets equal to the full market value of the futures contract.
Each Portfolio,
except for AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio, AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio, AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio,
AST Managed Alternatives Portfolio, AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio and AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio has filed a notice of exemption
from regulation as a “commodity pool,” and the Manager has filed a notice of exemption from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to each Portfolio, under applicable rules
issued by the CFTC under the Commodity Exchange Act (the CEA). In order to continue to claim the “commodity pool” exemption, a Portfolio is limited in its ability to use futures, options and swaps subject
to regulation under the CEA for purposes other than bona fide hedging, which is narrowly defined. With respect to transactions other than for bona fide hedging purposes, either: (1) the aggregate initial margin and
premiums required to establish a Portfolio’s positions in such investments may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Portfolio’s
92
assets, or (2) the aggregate net notional value of
such instruments may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Portfolio’s assets. In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, a Portfolio may not market itself as a commodity pool or
otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the futures, options or swaps markets.
Based on the trading strategies for
AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio, AST Franklin Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio, AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio, AST Managed
Alternatives Portfolio, AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio and AST Wellington Management Real Total Return Portfolio, each shall be considered a “commodity
pool” and the Manager shall be considered a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the Portfolio under the CEA. Compliance with applicable CFTC disclosure, reporting and recordkeeping regulations
may increase the Portfolios’ gross expenses.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
TRANSACTIONS.
A Portfolio may engage in spot and forward foreign exchange transactions and currency swaps, purchase and sell options on currencies and purchase and sell currency futures and related
options thereon (collectively, Currency Instruments) for purposes of hedging against the decline in the value of currencies in which its portfolio holdings are denominated against the US dollar or with respect to
certain Portfolios, to seek to enhance returns. Such transactions could be effected with respect to hedges on non-US dollar denominated securities owned by a Portfolio, sold by a Portfolio but not yet delivered, or
committed or anticipated to be purchased by a Portfolio. As an illustration, a Portfolio may use such techniques to hedge the stated value in US dollars of an investment in a yen-denominated security. In such
circumstances, for example, the Portfolio may purchase a foreign currency put option enabling it to sell a specified amount of yen for dollars at a specified price by a future date. To the extent the hedge is
successful, a loss in the value of the yen relative to the dollar will tend to be offset by an increase in the value of the put option. To offset, in whole or in part, the cost of acquiring such a put option, the
Portfolio may also sell a call option which, if exercised, requires it to sell a specified amount of yen for dollars at a specified price by a future date (a technique called a straddle). By selling such a call option
in this illustration, the Portfolio gives up the opportunity to profit without limit from increases in the relative value of the yen to the dollar. “Straddles” of the type that may be used by a Portfolio
are considered to constitute hedging transactions and are consistent with the policies described above.
FORWARD FOREIGN EXCHANGE
TRANSACTIONS.
Forward foreign exchange transactions are OTC contracts to purchase or sell a specified amount of a specified currency or multinational currency unit at a price and future date set at the
time of the contract. Spot foreign exchange transactions are similar but require current, rather than future, settlement. A Portfolio will enter into foreign exchange transactions for purposes of hedging either a
specific transaction or a portfolio position,
or with respect to certain Portfolios to seek to enhance returns. A Portfolio may enter into a foreign exchange transaction for purposes of hedging a specific transaction by, for example,
purchasing a currency needed to settle a security transaction or selling a currency in which the Portfolio has received or anticipates receiving a dividend or distribution. A Portfolio may enter into a foreign
exchange transaction for purposes of hedging a portfolio position by selling forward a currency in which a portfolio position of the Portfolio is denominated or by purchasing a currency in which the Portfolio
anticipates acquiring a portfolio position in the near future. A Portfolio may also hedge portfolio positions through currency swaps, which are transactions in which one currency is simultaneously bought for a second
currency on a spot basis and sold for the second currency on a forward basis. Forward foreign exchange transactions involve substantial currency risk, and also involve credit and liquidity risk.
CURRENCY FUTURES.
A Portfolio may also seek to enhance returns or hedge against the decline in the value of a currency against the US dollar through use of currency futures or options thereon. Currency
futures are similar to forward foreign exchange transactions except that futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts. See “Futures” above. Currency futures involve substantial currency risk, and
also involve leverage risk.
CURRENCY OPTIONS.
A Portfolio may also seek to enhance returns or hedge against the decline in the value of a currency against the US dollar through the use of currency options. Currency options are similar
to options on securities, but in consideration for an option premium the writer of a currency option is obligated to sell (in the case of a call option) or purchase (in the case of a put option) a specified amount of
a specified currency on or before the expiration date for a specified amount of another currency. A Portfolio may engage in transactions in options on currencies either on exchanges or OTC markets. See “Types of
Options” above and “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives” below. Currency options involve substantial currency risk, and may also involve credit,
leverage or liquidity risk.
LIMITATIONS ON
CURRENCY HEDGING.
Most Portfolios will not speculate in Currency Instruments although certain Portfolios may use such instruments to seek to enhance returns. Accordingly, a Portfolio will not hedge a
currency in excess of the aggregate market value of the securities that it owns (including receivables for unsettled securities sales), or has committed to or anticipates purchasing, which are denominated in such
currency. A Portfolio may, however, hedge a currency by entering into a transaction in a Currency Instrument denominated in a currency other than the currency being hedged (a “cross-hedge”). A Portfolio
will only enter into a cross-hedge if the Manager believes that (i) there is a demonstrable high correlation between the currency in which the cross-hedge is denominated and
93
the currency being hedged, and (ii) executing a
cross-hedge through the currency in which the cross-hedge is denominated will be significantly more cost-effective or provide substantially greater liquidity than executing a similar hedging transaction by means of
the currency being hedged.
RISK FACTORS IN HEDGING FOREIGN
CURRENCY RISKS.
Hedging transactions involving Currency Instruments involve substantial risks, including correlation risk. While a Portfolio's use of Currency Instruments to effect hedging strategies is
intended to reduce the volatility of the net asset value of the Portfolio's shares, the net asset value of the Portfolio's shares will fluctuate. Moreover, although Currency Instruments will be used with the intention
of hedging against adverse currency movements, transactions in Currency Instruments involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted and that the Portfolio's hedging strategies
will be ineffective. To the extent that a Portfolio hedges against anticipated currency movements that do not occur, the Portfolio may realize losses and decrease its total return as the result of its hedging
transactions. Furthermore, a Portfolio may only engage in hedging activities from time to time and may not be engaging in hedging activities when movements in currency exchange rates occur.
In connection with its trading in
forward foreign currency contracts, a Portfolio will contract with a foreign or domestic bank, or foreign or domestic securities dealer, to make or take future delivery of a specified amount of a particular currency.
There are no limitations on daily price moves in such forward contracts, and banks and dealers are not required to continue to make markets in such contracts. There have been periods during which certain banks or
dealers have refused to quote prices for such forward contracts or have quoted prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which the bank or dealer is prepared to buy and that at which it is prepared to
sell. Governmental imposition of credit controls might limit any such forward contract trading. With respect to its trading of forward contracts, if any, a Portfolio will be subject to the risk of bank or dealer
failure and the inability of, or refusal by, a bank or dealer to perform with respect to such contracts. Any such default would deprive the Portfolio of any profit potential or force the Portfolio to cover its
commitments for resale, if any, at the then market price and could result in a loss to the Portfolio.
It may not be possible for a
Portfolio to hedge against currency exchange rate movements, even if correctly anticipated, in the event that (i) the currency exchange rate movement is so generally anticipated that the Portfolio is not able to enter
into a hedging transaction at an effective price, or (ii) the currency exchange rate movement relates to a market with respect to which Currency Instruments are not available and it is not possible to engage in
effective foreign currency hedging. The cost to a Portfolio of engaging in foreign currency transactions varies with such factors as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions
then prevailing. Since transactions in foreign currency exchange usually are conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.
RISK FACTORS IN DERIVATIVES.
Derivatives are volatile and involve significant risks, including:
Leverage Risk
—the risk associated with certain types of investments or trading strategies (such as borrowing money to increase the amount of investments) that relatively small market movements may
result in large changes in the value of an investment. Certain investments or trading strategies that involve leverage can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.
Liquidity Risk
—the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently
worth.
Use of derivatives
for hedging purposes involves correlation risk. If the value of the derivative moves more or less than the value of the hedged instruments, a Portfolio will experience a gain or loss that will not be completely offset
by movements in the value of the hedged instruments.
A Portfolio intends to enter into
transactions involving derivatives only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market for such instruments or, in the case of illiquid instruments traded in OTC transactions, such instruments satisfy the criteria
set forth below under “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives.” However, there can be no assurance that, at any specific time, either a liquid secondary
market will exist for a derivative or the Portfolio will otherwise be able to sell such instrument at an acceptable price. It may therefore not be possible to close a position in a derivative without incurring
substantial losses, if at all.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT RISKS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in foreign equity and/or debt securities. Foreign debt securities include certain foreign bank obligations and US dollar or foreign currency-denominated
obligations of foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, international agencies and supranational entities.
Foreign Market Risk.
Portfolios that may invest in foreign securities offer the potential for more diversification than a Portfolio that invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign
markets have often (though not always) performed differently than securities in the United States. However, such investments involve special risks not present in US investments that can increase the
94
chances that a Portfolio will lose money. In
particular, a Portfolio is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Portfolio to buy and
sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States.
Foreign Economy Risk.
The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of
capital, resources, and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic
sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely
affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of
certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair a
Portfolio's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Portfolio's assets or income back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect a Portfolio's operations. Other foreign market risks
include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts, and political and social
instability. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries.
Currency Risk and Exchange
Risk.
Securities in which a Portfolio invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the US dollar. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of a
Portfolio's portfolio. Generally, when the US dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer US dollars. Conversely, when the
US dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more US dollars. This risk, generally known as “currency risk,”
means that a stronger US dollar will reduce returns for US investors while a weak US dollar will increase those returns.
Governmental Supervision and
Regulation/Accounting Standards.
Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors
comparable to the US securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic
information about that company. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as US
accounting standards, it may be harder for Portfolio management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition.
Certain Risks of Holding Portfolio
Assets Outside the United States.
A Portfolio generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to
the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on a Portfolio's ability to recover its assets if a
foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for a Portfolio to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the
United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount a Portfolio can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Portfolio as compared
to investment companies that invest only in the United States.
Settlement Risk.
Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve
certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of US investments. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be
unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these
problems may make it difficult for a Portfolio to carry out transactions. If a Portfolio cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of
its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If a Portfolio cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or,
if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Portfolio could be liable to that party for any losses incurred.
Dividends or interest on, or
proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thereby reducing the amount available for distribution to shareholders.
95
Certain
transactions in derivatives (such as futures transactions or sales of put options) involve substantial leverage risk and may expose a Portfolio to potential losses, which exceed the amount originally invested by the
Portfolio. When a Portfolio engages in such a transaction, the Portfolio will deposit in a segregated account at its custodian liquid securities with a value at least equal to the Portfolio's exposure, on a
mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). Such segregation will ensure that a Portfolio has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the
transaction, but will not limit the Portfolio's exposure to loss.
Additional Risk Factors of OTC
Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives.
Certain derivatives traded in OTC markets, including indexed securities, swaps and OTC options, involve substantial liquidity risk. The absence of liquidity may make it difficult or
impossible for a Portfolio to sell such instruments promptly at an acceptable price. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for a Portfolio to ascertain a market value for such instruments. A
Portfolio will, therefore, acquire illiquid OTC instruments (i) if the agreement pursuant to which the instrument is purchased contains a formula price at which the instrument may be terminated or sold, or (ii) for
which the Manager anticipates the Portfolio can receive on each business day at least two independent bids or offers, unless a quotation from only one dealer is available, in which case that dealer's quotation may be
used.
Because derivatives traded in OTC
markets are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation and generally do not require payment of margin, to the extent that a Portfolio has unrealized gains in such instruments or has deposited collateral
with its counterparty the Portfolio is at risk that its counterparty will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations. A Portfolio will attempt to minimize the risk that a counterparty will become
bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations by engaging in transactions in derivatives traded in OTC markets only with financial institutions that appear to have substantial capital or that have provided the
Portfolio with a third-party guaranty or other credit enhancement.
RECENT EVENTS IN EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES.
A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced
to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have
needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These
difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within and beyond Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may
result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse
effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, in June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to withdraw from the European Union (commonly referred to as “Brexit”),
and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the euro, the common currency of the European Union. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion,
is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching. Brexit may have a significant impact on the economies of the United Kingdom and Europe as well as the broader global economy, which may cause increased
volatility and illiquidity in global financial markets, and potentially lower economic growth in these and other markets. In addition, Brexit may cause other member states to contemplate withdrawing from the EU, which
would likely prolong political and economic instability in the region and cause additional market disruption. Whether or not a Portfolio invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure
to European issuers or countries, these events could result in losses to the Portfolio, as there may be negative effects on the value and liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments and/or the Portfolio's ability
to enter into certain transactions.
DISTRESSED
SECURITIES.
A Portfolio may invest in securities, including corporate loans purchased in the secondary market, which are the subject of bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise in default as to the
repayment of principal and/or interest at the time of acquisition by the Portfolio or are rated in the lower rating categories (Ca or lower by Moody's and CC or lower by S&P or Fitch) or which, if unrated, are in
the judgment of the Manager of equivalent quality (Distressed Securities). Investment in Distressed Securities is speculative and involves significant risks. Distressed Securities frequently do not produce income
while they are outstanding and may require a Portfolio to bear certain extraordinary expenses in order to protect and recover its investment.
A Portfolio will generally make
such investments only when the Manager believes it is reasonably likely that the issuer of the Distressed Securities will make an exchange offer or will be the subject of a plan of reorganization pursuant to which the
Portfolio will receive new securities. However, there can be no assurance that such an exchange offer will be made or that such a plan of reorganization will be adopted. In addition, a significant period of time may
pass between the time at which a Portfolio makes its investment in Distressed Securities and the time that any such exchange offer or plan of reorganization is completed. During this period, it is unlikely that a
Portfolio will receive any interest payments on the Distressed Securities, the Portfolio will be subject to significant uncertainty as to whether or not the exchange offer or plan of reorganization will be completed
and the Portfolio may be required to bear certain extraordinary expenses to protect and recover its investment. Even if an exchange offer is made or plan of reorganization is adopted with respect to Distressed
Securities held by a Portfolio, there can be no assurance that the securities or other assets received by a Portfolio
96
in connection with such exchange offer or plan of
reorganization will not have a lower value or income potential than may have been anticipated when the investment was made. Moreover, any securities received by a Portfolio upon completion of an exchange offer or plan
of reorganization may be restricted as to resale. As a result of a Portfolio's participation in negotiations with respect to any exchange offer or plan of reorganization with respect to an issuer of Distressed
Securities, the Portfolio may be restricted from disposing of such securities.
ILLIQUID OR RESTRICTED
SECURITIES.
Each Portfolio generally may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. An illiquid security is one that may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business
within seven days at approximately the price used to determine the Portfolio's net asset value. Illiquid securities include, but are not limited to, certain securities sold in private placements with restrictions on
resale and not traded, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, and other investment determined not to be readily marketable. The 15% limit is applied as of the date the Portfolio purchases an illiquid
security. It is possible that a Portfolio's holding of illiquid securities could exceed the 15% limit, for example as a result of market developments or redemptions.
Each Portfolio may
purchase certain restricted securities that can be resold to institutional investors and which may be determined to be liquid pursuant to the procedures of the Portfolios. In many cases, those securities are traded in
the institutional market under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and are called Rule 144A securities. Securities determined to be liquid under these procedures are not subject to the 15% and 5% limits.
Investments in illiquid securities
involve more risks than investments in similar securities that are readily marketable. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid securities. Investment of a Portfolio's assets in
illiquid securities may restrict the ability of the Portfolio to dispose of its investments in a timely fashion and for a fair price as well as its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. The risks
associated with illiquidity will be particularly acute where a Portfolio's operations require cash, such as when a Portfolio has net redemptions, and could result in the Portfolio borrowing to meet short-term cash
requirements or incurring losses on the sale of illiquid investments.
Illiquid securities are often
restricted securities sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. In many cases, the privately placed
securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or due to contractual restrictions on resale. To the extent privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated
transactions, the prices realized from the sales could be less than those originally paid by the Portfolio or less than the fair value of the securities. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded
may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. If any privately placed securities held by a Portfolio are required to
be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, the Portfolio may be required to bear the expenses of registration. Private placement investments may involve investments in
smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risks than investments in more established companies. These issuers may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on
a limited management group. In making investments in private placement securities, a Portfolio may obtain access to material non-public information, which may restrict the Portfolio's ability to conduct transactions
in those securities.
In October 2016,
the SEC adopted a new rule that regulates the management of liquidity risk by certain investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, such as the Portfolios. The new rule may impact the Portfolios’
performance and ability to achieve their respective investment objectives. The Manager continues to evaluate the potential impact of this new rule, which has a compliance date of June 1, 2019 as it relates to the
Portfolios.
INVESTMENT IN EMERGING MARKETS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in the securities of issuers domiciled in various countries with emerging capital markets. Specifically, a country with an emerging capital market is any
country that the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations or its authorities has determined to have a low or middle income economy. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions
such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa.
Investments in the securities of
issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks not involved in investments in securities of issuers in more developed capital markets, such as (i) low or non-existent
trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities, as compared to securities of comparable issuers in more developed capital markets, (ii) uncertain national
policies and social, political and economic instability, increasing the potential for expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments, (iii) possible
fluctuations in exchange rates, differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or US governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such
investments, (iv) national policies that may limit a Portfolio's investment opportunities such as restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests, and (v) the lack or
relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose
differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors.
97
Such capital markets are emerging
in a dynamic political and economic environment brought about by events over recent years that have reshaped political boundaries and traditional ideologies. In such a dynamic environment, there can be no assurance
that these capital markets will continue to present viable investment opportunities for a Portfolio. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims
of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that a Portfolio could lose the entire value of its investments
in the affected markets.
Also, there may be less publicly
available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting
standards and requirements comparable to those to which US companies are subject. In certain countries with emerging capital markets, reporting standards vary widely. As a result, traditional investment measurements
used in the United States, such as price/earnings ratios, may not be applicable. Emerging market securities may be substantially less liquid and more volatile than those of mature markets, and companies may be held by
a limited number of persons. This may adversely affect the timing and pricing of the Portfolio's acquisition or disposal of securities.
Practices in relation to settlement
of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because a Portfolio will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody
and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and,
along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. A Portfolio would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation.
Restrictions on
Certain Investments.
A number of publicly traded closed-end investment companies have been organized to facilitate indirect foreign investment in developing countries, and certain of such countries, such as
Thailand, South Korea, Chile and Brazil have specifically authorized such Portfolios. There also are investment opportunities in certain of such countries in pooled vehicles that resemble open-end investment
companies. In accordance with the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of other investment companies, not more than 5% of which may be invested in any one such company. In
addition, under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may not own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any investment company. These restrictions on investments in securities of investment companies may limit
opportunities for a Portfolio to invest indirectly in certain developing countries. New shares of certain investment companies may at times be acquired only at market prices representing premiums to their net asset
values. If a Portfolio acquires shares of other investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses of the Portfolio (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the
expenses of such other investment companies. See also
“Investments in Other Investment Companies.”
Restrictions on Foreign Investments
in Asia-Pacific Countries.
Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as a
Portfolio. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the
investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. There can
be no assurance that a Portfolio will be able to obtain required governmental approvals in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to a Portfolio's purchase
of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.
The manner in which foreign
investors may invest in companies in certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of a Portfolio. For example, a Portfolio
may be required in certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Portfolio. Re-registration may in some
instances not be able to occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which a Portfolio may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain
corporate actions. There also may be instances where a Portfolio places a purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign
investors has been filled, depriving the Portfolio of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.
Substantial limitations may exist
in certain countries with respect to a Portfolio's ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. A Portfolio could be adversely affected by delays in, or
a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Portfolio of any restrictions on investments. For example, in September 1998, Malaysia imposed
currency controls that limited a Portfolio's ability to repatriate proceeds of Malaysian investments. It is possible that Malaysia, or certain other countries may impose similar restrictions or other restrictions
relating to their
98
currencies or to
securities of issuers in those countries. To the extent that such restrictions have the effect of making certain investments illiquid, securities may not be available to meet redemptions. Depending on a variety of
financial factors, the percentage of a Portfolio's portfolio subject to currency controls may increase. In the event other countries impose similar controls, the portion of the Portfolio's assets that may be used to
meet redemptions may be further decreased. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of a Portfolio. For
example, investments may be withdrawn from the People's Republic of China only in US or Hong Kong dollars and only at an exchange rate established by the government once each week. In certain countries, banks or other
financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities. The 1940 Act restricts a Portfolio's investments in any equity securities of an issuer that, in its most recent fiscal
year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may restrict a Portfolio's investments in certain foreign banks and
other financial institutions.
Risk of Investing through Stock
Connect.
China A-shares (“A-shares”) are equity securities of companies based in mainland China that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange
(“SSE”) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”). Foreign investment in A-shares on the SSE and SZSE has historically not been permitted, other than through a license granted under regulations
in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) known as the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor and Renminbi (“RMB”) Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor systems. Each license permits
investment in A-shares only up to a specified quota.
Investment in eligible A-shares
listed and traded on the SSE is also permitted through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (“Stock Connect”). Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing program established by Hong Kong
Securities Clearing Company Limited (“HKSCC”), the SSE and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited (“CSDCC”) that aims to provide mutual stock market access between the PRC
and Hong Kong by permitting investors to trade and settle shares on each market through their local exchanges. Certain Portfolios may invest in A-shares through Stock Connect or on such other stock exchanges in China
which participate in Stock Connect from time to time. Under Stock Connect, a Portfolio’s trading of eligible A-shares listed on the SSE would be effectuated through its Hong Kong broker.
Although no individual investment
quotas or licensing requirements apply to investors in Stock Connect, trading through Stock Connect’s Northbound Trading Link is subject to aggregate and daily investment quota limitations that require that buy
orders for A-shares be rejected once the remaining balance of the relevant quota drops to zero or the daily quota is exceeded (although the Portfolio will be permitted to sell A-shares regardless of the quota
balance). These limitations may restrict the Portfolio from investing in A-shares on a timely basis, which could affect the Portfolio’s ability to effectively pursue its investment strategy. Investment quotas
are also subject to change.
Investment in eligible A-shares
through Stock Connect is subject to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that could pose risks to the Portfolio. A-shares purchased through Stock Connect generally may not be sold or otherwise transferred
other than through Stock Connect in accordance with applicable rules. For example, PRC regulations require that in order for an investor to sell any A-shares on a certain trading day, there must be sufficient A-shares
in the investor’s account before the market opens on that day. If there are insufficient A-shares in the investor’s account, the sell order will be rejected by the SSE. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong
(“SEHK”) carries out pre-trade checking on sell orders of certain stocks listed on the SSE market (“SSE Securities”) of its participants (i.e., stock brokers) to ensure that this requirement is
satisfied. While shares must be designated as eligible to be traded under Stock Connect, those shares may also lose such designation, and if this occurs, such shares may be sold but cannot be purchased through Stock
Connect. In addition, Stock Connect will only operate on days when both the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore,
an investment in A-shares through Stock Connect may subject the Portfolio to a risk of price fluctuations on days where the Chinese market is open, but Stock Connect is not trading. Moreover, day (turnaround) trading
is not permitted on the A-shares market. If an investor buys A-shares on day “T,” the investor will only be able to sell the A-shares on or after day T+1. Further, since all trades of eligible Stock
Connect A-shares must be settled in RMB, investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of offshore RMB, which cannot be guaranteed.
A-shares held through the nominee
structure under Stock Connect will be held through HKSCC as nominee on behalf of investors. The precise nature and rights of the Portfolio as the beneficial owner of the SSE Securities through HKSCC as nominee is not
well defined under PRC law. There is lack of a clear definition of, and distinction between, legal ownership and beneficial ownership under PRC law and there have been few cases involving a nominee account structure
in the PRC courts. The exact nature and methods of enforcement of the rights and interests of the Portfolio under PRC law is also uncertain. In the unlikely event that HKSCC becomes subject to winding up proceedings
in Hong Kong there is a risk that the SSE Securities may not be regarded as held for the beneficial ownership of the Portfolio or as part of the general assets of HKSCC available for general distribution to its
creditors. Notwithstanding the fact that HKSCC does not claim proprietary interests in the SSE Securities held in its omnibus stock account in the CSDCC, the CSDCC as the share registrar for SSE listed companies will
still treat HKSCC as one of the shareholders when it handles corporate actions in respect of such SSE Securities. HKSCC monitors the corporate actions affecting SSE Securities and keeps participants of Central
Clearing and Settlement System (“CCASS”) informed of all such corporate actions that require CCASS participants to take steps in order to participate in them.
99
Investors may only exercise their voting rights by
providing their voting instructions to the HKSCC through participants of the CCASS. All voting instructions from CCASS participants will be consolidated by HKSCC, who will then submit a combined single voting
instruction to the relevant SSE-listed company.
The Portfolio’s investments
through Stock Connect’s Northbound Trading Link are not covered by Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Portfolio. Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Portfolio is established to pay compensation to
investors of any nationality who suffer pecuniary losses as a result of default of a licensed intermediary or authorized financial institution in relation to exchange-traded products in Hong Kong. In addition, since
the Portfolio is carrying out Northbound trading through securities brokers in Hong Kong but not PRC brokers, it is not protected by the China Securities Investor Protection Portfolio in the PRC.
Market participants are able to
participate in Stock Connect subject to meeting certain information technology capability, risk management and other requirements as may be specified by the relevant exchange and/or clearing house. Further, the
“connectivity” in Stock Connect requires the routing of orders across the border of Hong Kong and the PRC. This requires the development of new information technology systems on the part of the SEHK and
exchange participants. There is no assurance that these systems will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets. In the event that the relevant systems fail to
function properly, trading in A-shares through Stock Connect could be disrupted.
Stock Connect launched on
November 17, 2014 and is in its initial stages. The current regulations are untested and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied or interpreted going forward. In addition, the current regulations are
subject to change and there can be no assurance that Stock Connect will not be discontinued. New regulations may be issued from time to time by the regulators and stock exchanges in PRC and Hong Kong in connection
with operations, legal enforcement and cross-border trades under Stock Connect. The Portfolio may be adversely affected as a result of such changes. Furthermore, the securities regimes and legal systems of PRC and
Hong Kong differ significantly and issues may arise based on these differences. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in both markets through Stock Connect could be disrupted
and the Portfolio’s ability to achieve its investment objective may be adversely affected. In addition, the Portfolio’s investments in A-shares through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese
securities regulations and listing rules, among other restrictions. Further, different fees, costs and taxes are imposed on foreign investors acquiring A-shares obtained through Stock Connect, and these fees, costs
and taxes may be higher than comparable fees, costs and taxes imposed on owners of other securities providing similar investment exposure.
A-Share Market Suspension
Risk.
A-shares may only be bought from, or sold to, the Portfolio at times when the relevant A-shares may be sold or purchased on the relevant Chinese stock exchange. The A-shares market has
historically had a higher propensity for trading suspensions than many other global equity markets. Trading suspensions in certain stocks could lead to greater market execution risk and costs for the Portfolio. The
SSE currently applies a daily price limit, set at 10%, of the amount of fluctuation permitted in the prices of A-shares during a single trading day. The daily price limit refers to price movements only and does not
restrict trading within the relevant limit. There can be no assurance that a liquid market on an exchange will exist for any particular A-share or for any particular time.
INVESTMENT IN OTHER INVESTMENT
COMPANIES.
Each Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds. In accordance with the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in
securities of other investment companies. In addition, under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio may not own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any investment company and not more than 5% of the value of the
Portfolio's total assets may be invested in securities of any investment company. (These limits do not restrict a Feeder Fund from investing all of its assets in shares of its Master Portfolio).
Notwithstanding
the limits discussed above, a Portfolio may invest in other investment companies without regard to the limits set forth above, provided that the Portfolio complies with Rules 12d1-1, 12d1-2 and 12d1-3 promulgated by
the SEC under the 1940 Act or otherwise permitted by exemptive order, SEC releases, no-action letters or similar interpretation. As with other investments, investments in other investment companies are subject to
market and selection risk. In addition, if the Portfolio acquires shares in investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Portfolio (including management and advisory
fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such investment companies (including management and advisory fees). Investments by a Portfolio in wholly-owned investment companies created under the laws of certain countries
will not be deemed an investment in other investment companies. The underlying investment companies in which the Portfolio invests may not meet their investment objectives.
JUNK BONDS.
Junk bonds are debt securities that are rated below investment grade by the major rating agencies or are unrated securities that the Manager believes are of comparable quality. Although
junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, they are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for a Portfolio. The major risks in junk bond investments
include the following:
100
| ■ | Junk bonds are issued by less credit worthy companies. These securities are vulnerable to adverse changes in the issuer's industry and to general economic conditions. Issuers of junk bonds may be unable to meet their interest or principal payment obligations because of an economic downturn, specific issuer developments or the unavailability of additional financing. |
| ■ | The issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. If the issuer experiences financial stress, it may be unable to meet its debt obligations. The issuer's ability to pay its debt obligations also may be lessened by specific issuer developments, or the unavailability of additional financing. |
| ■ | Junk bonds are frequently ranked junior to claims by other creditors. If the issuer cannot meet its obligations, the senior obligations are generally paid off before the junior obligations. |
| ■ | Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Portfolio before it matures. If an issuer redeems the junk bonds, a Portfolio may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income. |
| ■ | Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Negative economic developments may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on other higher rated fixed income securities. |
| ■ | Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed income securities even under normal economic conditions. There are fewer dealers in the junk bond market, and there may be significant differences in the prices quoted for junk bonds by the dealers. Because they are less liquid, judgment may play a greater role in valuing certain of a Portfolio's portfolio securities than in the case of securities trading in a more liquid market. |
| ■ | A Portfolio may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. |
LIQUIDATION OF PORTFOLIOS.
Each Portfolio reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time, to merge or reorganize itself, or to cease operations and liquidate at any time.
MONEY MARKET
INSTRUMENTS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in money market instruments. Money market instruments include cash equivalents and short-term obligations of US banks, certificates of deposit, short-term
obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies. Money market instruments also include bankers' acceptances, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and Eurodollar obligations issued or
guaranteed by bank holding companies in the US, their subsidiaries and foreign branches, by foreign banking institutions, and by the World Bank and other multinational instrumentalities, as well as commercial paper
and other short-term obligations of, and variable amount master demand notes, variable rate notes and similar agreements issued by, US and foreign corporations.
MONEY MARKET FUND REFORM.
In July 2014, the SEC adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. Rule 2a-7 imposes quality, liquidity and other requirements on any registered mutual fund that holds itself out to
the public as a money market fund. Compliance with the various provisions of the amendments took effect over the course of 2015 and 2016. The new regulations impact money market funds differently depending upon the
types of investors that will be permitted to invest in a fund, and the types of securities in which a fund may invest.
“Retail” money market
funds have policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit their beneficial owners to natural persons. All other money market funds are considered to be “institutional” money market funds. Retail and
institutional money market funds are further classified by their investments. “Prime” money market funds are permitted to invest primarily in corporate or other non-government securities, “US
government” money market funds are required to invest a very high percentage of their assets in US government securities and “municipal” money market funds are required to invest significantly in
municipal securities.
Under the revised rule,
institutional prime money market funds and institutional municipal money market funds are required to value their portfolio securities using market-based factors, and sell and redeem shares at prices based on a
floating net asset value. A floating net asset value is calculated by rounding to the fourth decimal place in the case of a money market fund with a $1.0000 share price. Retail money market funds and institutional US
government money market funds are not subject to the floating net asset value requirement.
Under the revised rule, any type of
money market fund is permitted to impose a discretionary liquidity fee of up to 2% on redemptions or temporarily suspend redemptions (also known as “gate”) if the money market fund’s weekly liquid
assets (as defined in Rule 2a-7) fall below 30% of the fund’s total assets and the money market fund’s board of trustees determines that the fee or gate is in the fund’s best interests. Once imposed,
a discretionary liquidity fee or redemption gate will remain in effect until the fund’s board of trustees determines that the fee or gate is no longer in the fund’s best interests or the next business day
after the fund’s weekly liquid assets return to 30% of the fund’s total assets, whichever occurs first. Regardless, the redemption gate is required to be lifted no later than the 10th business day after
the gate is imposed, and a money market fund may not impose a redemption gate for more than 10 business days in any rolling 90-calendar day period.
101
Under the revised
rule, any type of money market fund (except for US government money market funds) is required to impose a liquidity fee of 1% on all redemptions if the money market fund’s weekly liquid assets (as defined in
Rule 2a-7) fall below 10% of the fund’s total assets, unless the fund’s board of trustees determines that the fee is not in the fund’s best interests, or that a lower or higher (up to 2%) liquidity
fee is in the fund’s best interests.
Other requirements of the revised
rule include enhanced website disclosure obligations, the adoption of a new form for disclosure of certain material events (such as the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates), stronger diversification
requirements and enhanced stress testing.
As a result of the
revised rule, money market funds are required to implement changes that will impact and may adversely affect the money market funds and their investors. The extent of any future changes to the management or operation
of money market funds resulting from the requirements of the revised rule are under evaluation and consideration by the Board of the Trust and by PGIM Investments, but have not yet been determined.
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES.
Investing in mortgage-backed securities involves certain unique risks in addition to those generally associated with investing in fixed income securities and in the real estate industry in
general. These unique risks include the failure of a party to meet its commitments under the related operative documents, adverse interest rate changes and the effects of prepayments on mortgage cash flows.
Mortgage-backed securities are “pass-through” securities, meaning that principal and interest payments made by the borrower on the underlying mortgages are passed through to a Portfolio. The value of
mortgage-backed securities, like that of traditional fixed income securities, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, mortgage-backed securities differ from
traditional fixed income securities because of their potential for prepayment without penalty. The price paid by a Portfolio for its mortgage-backed securities, the yield the Portfolio expects to receive from such
securities and the average life of the securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying mortgages. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may
prepay the underlying mortgages more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the mortgage-backed securities. Moreover, when a Portfolio reinvests the proceeds of a
prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid.
To the extent that a Portfolio
purchases mortgage-backed securities at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and principal prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If a Portfolio buys such securities at a discount, both
scheduled payments of principal and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and will accelerate the recognition of income which, when distributed to shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary
income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying mortgages may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change a security
that was considered short or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a long-term security. Since long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term
securities, maturity extension risk could increase the inherent volatility of the Portfolio. Under certain interest rate and prepayment scenarios, a Portfolio may fail to recoup fully its investment in mortgage-backed
securities notwithstanding any direct or indirect governmental or agency guarantee.
Most mortgage-backed securities are
issued by Federal government agencies such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), or by government sponsored enterprises such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) or the
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). Principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities issued by the Federal government and some Federal government agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, are
guaranteed by the Federal government and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Mortgage-backed securities issued by other government agencies or government sponsored enterprises, such as Freddie
Mac or Fannie Mae, are backed only by the credit of the government agency or enterprise and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. While certain mortgage-related securities receive
government or private support, there is no assurance that such support will remain in place in the future. Additionally, mortgage-backed securities issued by government agencies or sponsored enterprises like Freddie
Mac or Fannie Mae generally have very little credit risk, but may be subject to substantial interest rate risks. Private mortgage-backed securities are issued by private corporations rather than government agencies
and are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Some mortgage-backed securities, including those issued by government agencies and government-sponsored enterprises, may be based on pools of loans that are
originated by an affiliate of the Manager.
In September 2008, the US Treasury
placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under conservatorship and appointed the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to manage their daily operations. In addition, the US Treasury entered into purchase agreements with
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to provide them with capital in exchange for senior preferred stock. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae.
Participation certificates representing interests in mortgages from Freddie Mac’s national portfolio are guaranteed as to the timely payment of interest and principal by Freddie Mac. Private, government, or
government-related entities may create mortgage loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to those described above. The mortgages underlying these securities may be alternative mortgage instruments
(that is, mortgage instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms to maturity may be shorter than customary).
102
MUNICIPAL
SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may, from time to time, invest in municipal bonds including general obligation and revenue bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its
faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest, whereas revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the
proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. A Portfolio may also invest in municipal notes including tax, revenue and bond anticipation notes which are issued to obtain Portfolios for various public
purposes.
Municipal securities include notes
and bonds issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities and the District of Columbia, the interest on which is
generally eligible for exclusion from federal income tax and, in certain instances, applicable state or local income and personal property taxes. Such securities are traded primarily in the over-the-counter market.
The interest rates payable on
certain municipal bonds and municipal notes are not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. Municipal bonds and notes of this type are called “variable rate” obligations. The interest
rate payable on a variable rate obligation is adjusted either at predesignated intervals or whenever there is a change in the market rate of interest on which the interest rate payable is based. Other features may
include the right whereby a Portfolio may demand prepayment of the principal amount of the obligation prior to its stated maturity (a demand feature) and the right of the issuer to prepay the principal amount prior to
maturity. The principal benefit of a variable rate obligation is that the interest rate adjustment minimizes changes in the market value of the obligation. As a result, the purchase of variable rate obligations should
enhance the ability of a Portfolio to maintain a stable NAV per share and to sell an obligation prior to maturity at a price approximating the full principal amount of the obligation.
Variable or floating rate
securities include participation interests therein and inverse floaters. Floating rate securities normally have a rate of interest that is set as a specific percentage of a designated base rate, such as the rate on
Treasury Bonds or Bills. The interest rate on floating rate securities changes whenever there is a change in the designated base interest rate. Variable rate securities provide for a specific periodic adjustment in
the interest rate based on prevailing market rates and generally would allow a Portfolio to demand payment of the obligation on short notice at par plus accrued interest, which amount may, at times, be more or less
than the amount the Portfolio paid for them. Some floating rate and variable rate securities have maturities longer than 397 calendar days but afford the holder the right to demand payment at dates earlier than the
final maturity date. Such floating rate and variable rate securities will be treated as having maturities equal to the demand date or the period of adjustment of the interest rate whichever is longer.
An inverse floater is a debt
instrument with a floating or variable interest rate that moves in the opposite direction of the interest rate on another security or the value of an index. Changes in the interest rate on the other security or index
inversely affect the residual interest rate paid on the inverse floater, with the result that the inverse floater's price will be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed rate bond. Generally, income from
inverse floating rate bonds will decrease when short-term interest rates increase, and will increase when short-term interest rates decrease. Such securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment
leverage, since they may increase or decrease in value in response to changes, as an illustration, in market interest rates at a rate that is a multiple (typically two) of the rate at which fixed-rate, long-term,
tax-exempt securities increase or decrease in response to such changes. As a result, the market values of such securities generally will be more volatile than the market values of fixed-rate tax-exempt securities.
While inverse floaters may expose a Portfolio to leverage risk, they do not constitute borrowings for purposes of a Portfolio's restrictions on borrowings. For additional information relating to inverse floaters,
please see “Indexed and Inverse Securities.”
REAL ESTATE RELATED
SECURITIES.
Although no Portfolio may invest directly in real estate, certain Portfolios may invest in equity securities of issuers that are principally engaged in the real estate industry. Therefore,
an investment in such a Portfolio is subject to certain risks associated with the ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the
value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage Portfolios or other limitations on access to capital; overbuilding; risks associated with leverage;
market illiquidity; extended vacancies of properties; increase in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws or other governmental regulation; costs resulting
from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting from, environmental problems; tenant bankruptcies or other credit problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods,
earthquakes or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents, including decreases in market rates for rents; investment in developments that are not completed or that are subject to delays in
completion; and changes in interest rates. To the extent that assets underlying a Portfolio's investments are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, the Portfolio may be subject to
certain of the foregoing risks to a greater extent. Investments by a Portfolio in securities of companies providing mortgage servicing will be subject to the risks associated with refinancings and their impact on
servicing rights. In addition, if a Portfolio receives rental income or income from the disposition of real property acquired as a result of a default on securities the Portfolio owns, the receipt of such income may
adversely affect the Portfolio's ability to retain its tax status as a regulated investment company because of certain income source requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code.
103
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
(REITS).
Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the
value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified geographically or by
property type, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. REITs must also meet certain requirements under the Code to avoid entity level tax and be eligible to
pass-through certain tax attributes of their income to shareholders. REITs are consequently subject to the risk of failing to meet these requirements for favorable tax treatment and of failing to maintain their
exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. REITs are also subject to the risks of changes in the Code, affecting their tax status.
REITs (especially mortgage REITs)
are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT's investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT's
investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT's investments in such loans will gradually
align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate
obligations.
Investing in certain REITs involves
risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. These REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt
or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as these REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P
500 Index. The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may
own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which the REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may incur significant amounts of leverage.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.
A Portfolio may invest in securities pursuant to repurchase agreements. A Portfolio will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties meeting creditworthiness standards as set forth
in the Portfolio's repurchase agreement procedures.
Under such agreements, the other
party agrees, upon entering into the contract with a Portfolio, to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed-upon time and price in a specified currency, thereby determining the yield during the term of the
agreement. This results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such period, although such return may be affected by currency fluctuations. In the case of repurchase agreements, the prices
at which the trades are conducted do not reflect accrued interest on the underlying obligation. Such agreements usually cover short periods, such as under one week. Repurchase agreements may be construed to be
collateralized loans by the purchaser to the seller secured by the securities transferred to the purchaser.
In the case of a repurchase
agreement, as a purchaser, a Portfolio will require all repurchase agreements to be fully collateralized at all times by cash or other liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the resale price. The seller is
required to provide additional collateral if the market value of the securities falls below the repurchase price at any time during the term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of default by the seller under a
repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the Portfolio but only constitute collateral for the seller's obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore,
the Portfolio may suffer time delays and incur costs or possible losses in connection with disposition of the collateral.
A Portfolio may
participate in a joint repurchase agreement account with other investment companies managed by PGIM Investments pursuant to an order of the SEC. On a daily basis, any uninvested cash balances of the Portfolio may be
aggregated with those of such investment companies and invested in one or more repurchase agreements. Each Portfolio participates in the income earned or accrued in the joint account based on the percentage of its
investment.
DOLLAR ROLLS.
Certain Portfolios may enter into dollar rolls. In a dollar roll, a Portfolio sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially
similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date from the same party. During the roll period, a Portfolio foregoes principal and interest paid on the securities. A Portfolio is compensated by the
difference between the current sale price and the forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the drop) as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The Portfolio will
establish a segregated account in which it will maintain cash or other liquid assets, marked to market daily, having a value equal to its obligations in respect of dollar rolls.
Dollar rolls involve the risk that
the market value of the securities retained by the Portfolio may decline below the price of the securities, the Portfolio has sold but is obligated to repurchase under the agreement. In the event the buyer of
securities under a dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Portfolio's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver,
whether to enforce the Portfolio's obligation to repurchase the securities. Cash proceeds from dollar rolls may be invested in cash or other liquid assets.
104
SECURITIES
LENDING.
Unless otherwise noted, the Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions subject to applicable regulatory requirements and guidance,
including the requirements that: (1) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33 1/3% of the total assets of the Portfolio; (2) the borrower pledge and maintain with the Portfolio
collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or securities issued or guaranteed by the US government having at all times a value of not less than 100% of the value of the securities lent; and (3)
the loan be made subject to termination by the Portfolio at any time. Goldman Sachs Bank USA d/b/a Goldman Sachs Agency Lending (GSAL) serves as securities lending agent for the Portfolio, and in that role administers
the Portfolio’s securities lending program. As compensation for these services, GSAL receives a portion of any amounts earned by the Portfolio through lending securities.
The Portfolio may invest the cash
collateral and/or it may receive a fee from the borrower. To the extent that cash collateral is invested, it will be invested in an affiliated prime money market fund and will be subject to market depreciation or
appreciation. The Portfolio will be responsible for any loss that results from this investment of collateral.
On termination of the loan, the
borrower is required to return the securities to the Portfolio, and any gain or loss in the market price during the loan would inure to the Portfolio. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the
securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, the Portfolio could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. In such situations, the Portfolio may
sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement
investment is purchased.
During the time portfolio
securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Portfolio an amount equivalent to any dividend or interest paid on such securities. Voting or consent rights which accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower.
However, all loans may be terminated at any time to facilitate the exercise of voting or other consent rights with respect to matters considered to be material. The Portfolio bears the risk that there may be a delay
in the return of the securities which may impair the Portfolio’s ability to exercise such rights.
SECURITIES OF SMALLER OR EMERGING
GROWTH COMPANIES.
Investment in smaller or emerging growth companies involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in more established companies. The securities of smaller or
emerging growth companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established companies or the market average in general. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or
financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group.
While smaller or
emerging growth company issuers may offer greater opportunities for capital appreciation than large cap issuers, investments in smaller or emerging growth companies may involve greater risks and thus may be considered
speculative. The Manager believes that properly selected companies of this type have the potential to increase their earnings or market valuation at a rate substantially in excess of the general growth of the economy.
Full development of these companies and trends frequently takes time.
Small cap and emerging growth
securities will often be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. As a
result, the disposition by a Portfolio of portfolio securities to meet redemptions or otherwise may require a Portfolio to make many small sales over a lengthy period of time, or to sell these securities at a discount
from market prices or during periods when, in the Manager’s judgment, such disposition is not desirable.
While the process of selection and
continuous supervision by the Manager does not, of course, guarantee successful investment results, it does provide access to an asset class not available to the average individual due to the time and cost involved.
Careful initial selection is particularly important in this area as many new enterprises have promise but lack certain of the factors necessary to prosper. Investing in small cap and emerging growth companies requires
specialized research and analysis. In addition, many investors cannot invest sufficient assets in such companies to provide wide diversification.
Small companies are generally
little known to most individual investors although some may be dominant in their respective industries. The Manager believes that relatively small companies will continue to have the opportunity to develop into
significant business enterprises. A Portfolio may invest in securities of small issuers in the relatively early stages of business development that have a new technology, a unique or proprietary product or service, or
a favorable market position. Such companies may not be counted upon to develop into major industrial companies, but Portfolio management believes that eventual recognition of their special value characteristics by the
investment community can provide above-average long-term growth to the portfolio.
Equity securities of specific small
cap issuers may present different opportunities for long-term capital appreciation during varying portions of economic or securities markets cycles, as well as during varying stages of their business development. The
market valuation of small cap issuers tends to fluctuate during economic or market cycles, presenting attractive investment opportunities at various points during these cycles.
105
Smaller companies, due to the size
and kinds of markets that they serve, may be less susceptible than large companies to intervention from the Federal government by means of price controls, regulations or litigation.
SHORT SALES AND
SHORT SALES AGAINST-THE-BOX.
Certain Portfolios may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the
Portfolio does not own declines in value. When a Portfolio makes a short sale, it borrows the security sold short and delivers it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. A Portfolio may have to pay
a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to turn over any payments received on such borrowed securities to the lender of the securities. The Portfolio may not be able to limit any losses resulting
from share price volatility if the security indefinitely continues to increase in value at such specified time.
A Portfolio secures its obligation
to replace the borrowed security by depositing collateral with the broker-dealer, usually in cash, US Government securities or other liquid securities similar to those borrowed. With respect to the uncovered short
positions, a Portfolio is required to (1) deposit similar collateral with its custodian or otherwise segregate collateral on its records, to the extent that the value of the collateral in the aggregate is at all times
equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the security sold short, or (2) a Portfolio must otherwise cover its short position. Depending on arrangements made with the broker-dealer from which the Portfolio
borrowed the security, regarding payment over of any payments received by a Portfolio on such security, a Portfolio may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral deposited with such
broker-dealer. Because making short sales in securities that it does not own exposes a Portfolio to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative exposure risk. As a result, if a
Portfolio makes short sales in securities that increase in value, it will likely underperform similar mutual Portfolios that do not make short sales in securities they do not own. A Portfolio will incur a loss as a
result of a short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Portfolio replaces the borrowed security. A Portfolio will realize a gain if the security
declines in price between those dates. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. Although a Portfolio's gain is
limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is limited only by the maximum attainable price of the security, less the price at which the security was sold and may, theoretically, be
unlimited.
Certain Portfolios
may also make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box is a short sale in which a Portfolio owns an equal amount of the securities sold short, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, with or
without payment of any further consideration, such securities. However, if further consideration is required in connection with the conversion or exchange, cash or other liquid assets, in an amount equal to such
consideration must be segregated on a Portfolio's records or with its Custodian.
SOVEREIGN DEBT.
Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal
and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its
cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the
government entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a government entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from
foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements
may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic
performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend Portfolios to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or
willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt. Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to
extend further loans to government entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.
STANDBY COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS.
A Portfolio may enter into standby commitment agreements. These agreements commit a Portfolio, for a stated period of time, to purchase a stated amount of securities that may be issued and
sold to that Portfolio at the option of the issuer. The price of the security is fixed at the time of the commitment. At the time of entering into the agreement the Portfolio is paid a commitment fee, regardless of
whether or not the security is ultimately issued. A Portfolio will enter into such agreements for the purpose of investing in the security underlying the commitment at a price that is considered advantageous to the
Portfolio. A Portfolio will limit its investment in such commitments so that the aggregate purchase price of securities subject to such commitments, together with the value of portfolio securities subject to legal
restrictions on resale that affect their marketability, will not exceed 15% of its net assets taken at the time of the commitment. A Portfolio segregates liquid assets in an aggregate amount equal to the purchase
price of the securities underlying the commitment. There can be no assurance that the securities subject to a standby commitment will be issued, and the value of the security, if issued, on the delivery date may be
more or less than its purchase price. Since the issuance of the security underlying the commitment is at the option of the issuer, the Portfolio may bear the risk of a decline in the value of such security and may not
benefit from any appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period. The purchase of a security subject
106
to a standby commitment agreement and the related
commitment fee will be recorded on the date on which the security can reasonably be expected to be issued, and the value of the security thereafter will be reflected in the calculation of a Portfolio's net asset
value. The cost basis of the security will be adjusted by the amount of the commitment fee. In the event the security is not issued, the commitment fee will be recorded as income on the expiration date of the standby
commitment.
STRIPPED SECURITIES.
Stripped securities are created when the issuer separates the interest and principal components of an instrument and sells them as separate securities. In general, one security is entitled
to receive the interest payments on the underlying assets (the interest only or “IO” security) and the other to receive the principal payments (the principal only or “PO” security). Some
stripped securities may receive a combination of interest and principal payments. The yields to maturity on IOs and POs are sensitive to the expected or anticipated rate of principal payments (including prepayments)
on the related underlying assets, and principal payments may have a material effect on yield to maturity. If the underlying assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Portfolio may not
fully recoup its initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the underlying assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on POs could be adversely affected. Stripped securities may be
highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and rates of prepayment.
STRUCTURED
NOTES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in structured notes. The values of the structured notes in which a Portfolio will invest may be linked to equity securities or equity indices or other
instruments or indices(reference instruments). These notes differ from other types of debt securities in several respects. The interest rate or principal amount payable at maturity may vary based on changes in the
value of the equity security, instrument, or index. A structured note may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, its value or interest rate may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument
increases. Similarly, its value may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument decreases. Further, the change in the principal amount payable with respect to, or the interest rate of, a structured
note may be a multiple of the percentage change (positive or negative) in the value of the underlying reference instrument(s).
Investments in structured notes
involve certain risks, including the credit risk of the issuer and the normal risks of price changes in response to changes in interest rates. Further, in the case of certain structured notes, a decline or increase in
the value of the reference instrument may cause the interest rate to be reduced to zero, and any further declines or increases in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. The
percentage by which the value of the structured note decreases may be far greater than the percentage by which the value of the reference instrument increases or decreases. Finally, these securities may be less liquid
than other types of securities, and may be more volatile than their underlying reference instruments.
SUPRANATIONAL ENTITIES.
A Portfolio may invest in debt securities of supranational entities. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the European Steel and
Coal Community, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The government members, or “stockholders,” usually make initial capital contributions to the supranational entity and in
many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the supranational entity is unable to repay its borrowings.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGY AND
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS.
Each Portfolio may temporarily invest without limit in money market instruments, including commercial paper of US corporations, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and other
obligations of domestic banks, and obligations issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or its instrumentalities, as part of a temporary defensive strategy or to maintain liquidity to meet redemptions.
Money market instruments typically have a maturity of one year or less as measured from the date of purchase.
A Portfolio also may temporarily
hold cash or invest in money market instruments pending investment of proceeds from new sales of Portfolio shares or during periods of portfolio restructuring.
TRACERS AND TRAINS.
Tradable Custodial Receipts or TRACERS represent an interest in a basket of investment grade corporate credits. Targeted Return Index Securities or TRAINS represent an interest in a basket
of high yield securities of varying credit quality. Interests in TRACERS and TRAINS provide a cost-effective alternative to purchasing individual issues.
WARRANTS AND RIGHTS.
Warrants and rights are securities permitting, but not obligating, the warrant holder to subscribe for other securities. Buying a warrant does not make a Portfolio a shareholder of the
underlying stock. The warrant holder has no right to dividends or votes on the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more
speculative than other equity-based investments.
WHEN ISSUED SECURITIES, DELAYED
DELIVERY SECURITIES AND FORWARD COMMITMENTS.
A Portfolio may purchase or sell securities that it is entitled to receive on a when issued basis. A Portfolio may also purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery basis or through a
forward commitment. These transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities by a Portfolio at an established price with payment and delivery taking place in the future. A Portfolio enters into these transactions
to obtain what is considered an advantageous price to
107
the Portfolio at the time of entering into the
transaction. No Portfolio has established any limit on the percentage of its assets that may be committed in connection with these transactions. When a Portfolio purchases securities in these transactions, the
Portfolio segregates liquid securities in an amount equal to the amount of its purchase commitments.
There can be no assurance that a
security purchased on a when issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold through a forward commitment will be delivered. The value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be
more or less than the Portfolio's purchase price. The Portfolio may bear the risk of a decline in the value of the security in these transactions and may not benefit from an appreciation in the value of the security
during the commitment period.
US GOVERNMENT
SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in adjustable rate and fixed rate US Government securities. US Government securities are instruments issued or guaranteed by the US Treasury or by an agency
or instrumentality of the US Government. US Government guarantees do not extend to the yield or value of the securities or a Portfolio's shares. Not all US Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit
of the United States. Some are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency.
US Treasury securities include
bills, notes, bonds and other debt securities issued by the US Treasury. These instruments are direct obligations of the US Government and, as such, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. They
differ primarily in their interest rates, the lengths of their maturities and the dates of their issuances. US Government guarantees do not extend to the yield or value of the securities or a Portfolio's shares.
Securities issued by agencies of
the US Government or instrumentalities of the US Government, including those which are guaranteed by Federal agencies or instrumentalities, may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Obligations of the Ginnie Mae, the Farmers Home Administration and the Small Business Administration are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. In the case of securities not backed by the full faith
and credit of the United States, a Portfolio must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the
agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments.
Certain Portfolios
may also invest in component parts of US Government securities, namely either the corpus (principal) of such obligations or one or more of the interest payments scheduled to be paid on such obligations. These
obligations may take the form of (1) obligations from which the interest coupons have been stripped; (2) the interest coupons that are stripped; (3) book-entries at a Federal Reserve member bank representing ownership
of obligation components; or (4) receipts evidencing the component parts (corpus or coupons) of US Government obligations that have not actually been stripped. Such receipts evidence ownership of component parts of US
Government obligations (corpus or coupons) purchased by a third party (typically an investment banking firm) and held on behalf of the third party in physical or book-entry form by a major commercial bank or trust
company pursuant to a custody agreement with the third party. A Portfolio may also invest in custodial receipts held by a third party that are not US Government securities. US Government securities may be affected by
changing interest rates.
ZERO COUPON SECURITIES, PAY-IN-KIND
SECURITIES AND DEFERRED PAYMENT SECURITIES.
Certain Portfolios may invest in zero coupon securities. Zero coupon securities are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during
the life of the security. The discount approximates the total amount of interest the security will accrue and compound over the period until maturity on the particular interest payment date at a rate of interest
reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the par value of the security. While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of
such securities are deemed to have received income (phantom income) annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is
that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at the same rate eliminates
the risk of being unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder's ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For
this reason, some of these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently, which
fluctuation increases the longer the period to maturity. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are
willing to defer receipt of cash.
A Portfolio accrues income with
respect to these securities for Federal income tax and accounting purposes prior to the receipt of cash payments. Zero coupon securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event
of adverse market conditions than comparable rated securities paying cash interest at regular intervals. In addition to the above-described risks, there are certain other risks related to investing in zero coupon
securities. During a period of severe market conditions, the market for such securities may become even less liquid. In addition, as these securities do not pay cash interest, a Portfolio's investment exposure to
these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are held in the Portfolio's portfolio. Further, to maintain its qualification for pass-through treatment under
the Federal tax laws, a Portfolio is required to distribute income to
108
its shareholders and, consequently, may have to
dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate the cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash to satisfy these distributions, as they relate to the income accrued
but not yet received. The required distributions will result in an increase in a Portfolio's exposure to such securities.
Pay-in-kind
securities are securities that have interest payable by delivery of additional securities. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the aggregate par value of the securities. Deferred payment securities are
securities that remain a zero coupon security until a predetermined date, at which time the stated coupon rate becomes effective and interest becomes payable at regular intervals. Holders of these types of securities
are deemed to have received income phantom income annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments which do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield
is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at the same rate eliminates the risk of being
unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder's ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason, some of
these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities which pay interest currently, which fluctuation increases the
longer the period to maturity. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt
of cash. Zero coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred payment securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparable rated securities paying
cash interest at regular intervals.
In addition to the above described
risks, there are certain other risks related to investing in zero coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred payment securities. During a period of severe market conditions, the market for such securities may become even less
liquid. In addition, as these securities do not pay cash interest, the Portfolio's investment exposure to these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are
held in the Portfolio's portfolio. Further, to maintain its qualification for pass-through treatment under the federal tax laws, the Portfolio is required to distribute income to its shareholders and, consequently,
may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate the cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash to satisfy these distributions, as they relate to the
distribution of phantom income and the value of the paid-in-kind interest. The required distributions will result in an increase in the Portfolio's exposure to such securities.
NET ASSET VALUES
Any purchase or sale of Portfolio
shares is made at the net asset value, or NAV, of such shares. The price at which a purchase or redemption is made is based on the next calculation of the NAV after the order is received in good order. The NAV of each
Portfolio is typically determined on each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of the exchange's regular trading session (which is generally 4:00 p.m. New York time). The Trust will not treat an intraday
unscheduled disruption in NYSE trading as a closure of the NYSE and will price its shares as of 4:00 p.m. if the particular disruption directly affects only the NYSE. The NYSE is closed on most national holidays and
Good Friday. The Trust does not price, and shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem, the Trust's shares on days when the NYSE is closed but the primary markets for the Trust's foreign securities are open,
even though the value of these securities may have changed. Conversely, the Trust will ordinarily price its shares, and shareholders may purchase and redeem shares, on days that the NYSE is open but foreign securities
markets are closed.
The securities
held by each of the Trust's portfolios are valued based upon market quotations or, if not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board. The Trust may use fair
value pricing if it determines that a market quotation is not reliable based, among other things, on market conditions that occur after the quotation is derived or after the closing of the primary market on which the
security is traded, but before the time that the NAV is determined. This use of fair value pricing most commonly occurs with securities that are primarily traded outside of the US because such securities present
time-zone arbitrage opportunities when events or conditions affecting the prices of specific securities or the prices of securities traded in such markets generally occur after the close of the foreign markets but
prior to the time that a Portfolio determines its NAV.
The Trust may also use fair value
pricing with respect to US traded securities if, for example, trading in a particular security is halted and does not resume before a Portfolio calculates its NAV or the exchange on which a security is traded closes
early. In addition, fair value pricing is used for securities where the pricing agent or principal market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment
of the Manager (or subadviser) does not represent fair value. Different valuation methods may result in differing values for the same security. The fair value of a portfolio security that a Portfolio uses to determine
its NAV may differ from the security's published or quoted price. If a Portfolio needs to implement fair value pricing after the NAV publishing deadline but before shares of the Portfolio are processed, the NAV you
receive or pay may differ from the published NAV price. For purposes of computing each Portfolio's NAV, we will value each Portfolio's futures contracts 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on the NYSE.
Except when we fair value securities, we normally value each foreign security held by the Trust as of the close of the security's primary market.
109
Fair value pricing
procedures are designed to result in prices for a Portfolio's securities and its NAV that are reasonable in light of the circumstances which make or have made market quotations unavailable or unreliable, and to reduce
arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders. There is no assurance, however, that fair value pricing will more accurately reflect the market value of a security than the market price of such security on
that day or that it will prevent dilution of a Portfolio's NAV by short-term traders. In the event that the fair valuation of a security results in a change of $0.01 or more to a Portfolio’s NAV per share and/or
in the aggregate results in a change of one half of one percent or more of a Portfolio’s daily NAV, the Board shall promptly be notified, in detail, of the fair valuation, and the fair valuation will be reported
on at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. Also, the Board receives, on an interim basis, minutes of the meetings of the Trust’s Valuation Committee that occur between regularly scheduled Board
meetings.
The NAV for each of the Portfolios
is determined by a simple calculation. It's the total value of a Portfolio (assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of shares outstanding.
To determine a Portfolio's NAV, its
holdings are valued as follows:
Equity securities for which the
primary market is on an exchange (whether domestic or foreign) shall be valued at the last sale price on such exchange or market on the day of valuation or, if there was no sale on such day, at the mean between the
last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Securities included within the NASDAQ market shall be valued at the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP) on
the day of valuation, or if there was no NOCP issued, at the last sale price on such day. Securities included within the NASDAQ market for which there is no NOCP and no last sale price on the day of valuation shall be
valued at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day or at the last bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price. Equity securities that are not sold on an exchange or NASDAQ are generally
valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker.
A Portfolio may own securities that
are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Portfolios do not price their shares. Therefore, the value of a Portfolio's assets may change on days when shareholders cannot
purchase or redeem Portfolio shares.
Convertible debt securities that
are traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed convertible debt securities for which the primary market is believed by PGIM Investments or a subadviser to be over-the-counter, are valued on the day of
valuation at an evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing agent or, in the absence of a valuation provided by an independent pricing agent, at the bid price provided by a principal market maker or primary
market dealer.
Other debt securities—those
that are not valued on an amortized cost basis—are valued using an independent pricing service. Options on stock and stock indexes that are traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale
price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was no such sale on such day, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such exchange.
Futures contracts and options on
futures contracts are valued at the last sale price at the close of the commodities exchange or board of trade on which they are traded. If there has been no sale that day, the securities will be valued at the mean
between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on that exchange or board of trade.
Forward currency exchange contracts
are valued at the cost of covering or offsetting such contracts calculated on the day of valuation. Securities which are valued in accordance herewith in a currency other than US dollars shall be converted to US
dollar equivalents at a rate obtained from a recognized bank, dealer or independent service on the day of valuation.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options are
valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by a dealer (which may be the counterparty). A subadviser will monitor the market prices of the securities underlying the OTC options with a view to determining
the necessity of obtaining additional bid and ask quotations from other dealers to assess the validity of the prices received from the primary pricing dealer.
All short-term debt securities,
including bonds, notes, debentures and other debt securities, and money market instruments such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers' acceptances and obligations of domestic and foreign banks for
which market quotations are readily available, are valued by an independent pricing agent or principal market maker (if available, otherwise a primary market dealer).
110
TAXATION
This discussion of federal income
tax consequences applies to the Participating Insurance Companies because they are the direct shareholders of the Trust. Contract owners should consult their Contract prospectus for information relating to the tax
matters applicable to their Contracts. In addition, variable contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the Trust, including the application of state
and local taxes.
Each Portfolio currently intends to
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, each Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits will be “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating
Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes. Distributions may be made to the various separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies in the form of additional shares
(not in cash).
Under Code Section 817(h), a
segregated asset account upon which a variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy is based must be “adequately diversified.” A segregated asset account will be adequately diversified if it
satisfies one of two alternative tests set forth in Treasury regulations. For purposes of these alternative diversification tests, a segregated asset account investing in shares of a regulated investment company will
be entitled to “look-through” the regulated investment company to its pro rata portion of the regulated investment company's assets, provided the regulated investment company satisfies certain conditions
relating to the ownership of its shares. The Trust intends to satisfy these ownership conditions. Further, the Trust intends that each Portfolio separately will be adequately diversified. Accordingly, a segregated
asset account investing solely in shares of a Portfolio will be adequately diversified, and a segregated asset account investing in shares of one or more Portfolios and shares of other adequately diversified funds
generally will be adequately diversified.
The foregoing discussion of federal
income tax consequences is based on tax laws and regulations in effect on the date of this SAI, and is subject to change by legislative or administrative action. A description of other tax considerations generally
affecting the Trust and its shareholders is found in the section of the Prospectus entitled “Federal Income Taxes.” No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Trust or
its shareholders. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of state or local tax matters. The discussion herein and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO
HOLDINGS
Each Portfolio's portfolio holdings
as of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters are made public, as required by law, in the Trust's annual and semi-annual reports. These reports are filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR and mailed to shareholders
within 60 days after the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters. The Trust's annual and semi-annual reports are posted on the Trust's website. Each Portfolio's portfolio holdings as of the end of the first and
third fiscal quarters are made public and filed with the SEC on Form N-Q within 60 days after the end of the Portfolio's first and third fiscal quarters. In addition, the Trust may provide a full list of each
Portfolio's portfolio holdings as of the end of each month on its website no sooner than approximately three business days prior to the end of the following month. The Trust may also release, at a sleeve level and/or
the composite level, each Portfolio's top ten holdings (or in the case of a fund of funds the complete list of portfolio funds and/or the top ten holdings of the portfolio funds), and summary statistics regarding
sectors, countries and/or industries and other characteristics, as of each month end, with all such information posted to the Trust’s website approximately 15 days after the end of the month, unless noted
otherwise herein.
When authorized by the Trust's
Chief Compliance Officer and another officer of the Trust, portfolio holdings information may be disseminated more frequently or at different periods than as described above. The Trust has entered into ongoing
arrangements to make available information about the Trust's portfolio holdings. Parties receiving this information may include intermediaries that distribute the Trust's shares, third party providers of auditing,
custody, proxy voting and other services for the Trust, rating and ranking organizations, and certain affiliated persons of the Trust, as described below. The procedures utilized to determine eligibility are set forth
below:
Procedures for Release of Portfolio
Holdings Information:
1. A request for release of
Portfolio holdings shall be provided by such third party setting forth a legitimate business purpose for such release which shall specify the Portfolio, the terms of such release, and frequency (e.g., level of detail
staleness). The request shall address whether there are any conflicts of interest between the Portfolio and the investment adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter or any affiliated person thereof and how such
conflicts shall be dealt with to demonstrate that the disclosure is in the best interest of the shareholders of the Portfolio.
2. The request shall be forwarded
to the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust, or his delegate, for review and approval.
3. A confidentiality agreement in
the form approved by an officer of the Trust must be executed with the recipient of the Portfolio holdings information.
111
4. An officer of the Portfolio
shall approve the release and agreement. Copies of the release and agreement shall be sent to PGIM Investments' law department.
5. Written notification of the
approval shall be sent by such officer to PGIM Investments’ Fund Administration Department to arrange the release of Portfolio holdings information.
6. PGIM Investments’ Fund
Administration Department shall arrange for the release of Portfolio holdings information by the Portfolio's custodian bank(s).
As of the date of this Statement of
Additional Information, the Trust will provide:
1. Traditional External
Recipients/Vendors
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to RiskMetrics Group, Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc., Broadridge and Glass, Lewis & Co (proxy voting administrator/agents) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to RickMetrics Group (securities class action claims services administrator) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to each Portfolio's subadviser(s) (as identified in the Trust's prospectus), Custodian Bank (Bank of New York), sub-custodian (Citibank, NA (foreign sub-custodian)) and accounting agents (which includes the Custodian Bank and any other accounting agent that may be appointed) at the end of each day. When a Portfolio has more than one subadviser, each subadviser receives holdings information only with respect to the “sleeve” or segment of the Portfolio for which the subadviser has responsibility; |
| ■ | Full holdings to each Portfolio's independent registered public accounting firm (KPMG LLP) as soon as practicable following the Portfolio's fiscal year-end or on an as-needed basis; and |
| ■ | Full holdings to financial printers (RR Donnelly and/or VG Reed, as applicable) as soon as practicable following the end of a Portfolio's quarterly, semi-annual and annual period ends. |
2. Analytical Service Providers
| ■ | Portfolio trades on a quarterly basis to Abel/Noser Corp. (an agency-only broker and transaction cost analysis company) as soon as practicable following a Portfolio's fiscal quarter-end; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to FT Interactive Data (a fair value information service) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to FactSet Research Systems, Inc. and Lipper, Inc. (analytical services/investment research providers) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Vestek (for preparation of fact sheets) at the end of each day (Target Funds and selected Prudential Investments Funds only); |
| ■ | Full holdings on a quarterly basis to Plexus (review of brokerage transactions) as soon as practicable following a Portfolio's fiscal quarter-end; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Investment Technology Group, Inc. (analytical services) (AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio (QS Investors-managed segments) and AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Markit WSO Corporation (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day; |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to State Street Bank and Trust Company (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day. |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Glass, Lewis & Co. (certain operational functions) (AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio only) at the end of each day. |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to Thomson Reuters (analytical services) (AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio (QS Investors -managed segments only) at the end of each day. |
| ■ | Full holdings on a daily basis to SunGard (compliance services) (AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio (QS Investors -managed segments only) at the end of each day. |
| ■ | Full holdings on an intraday basis to StarCompliance (compliance services) (AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio only) at the end of each day. |
In each case, the information
disclosed must be for a legitimate business purpose and is subject to a confidentiality agreement intended to prohibit the recipient from trading on or further disseminating such information (except for legitimate
business purposes). Such arrangements will be monitored on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and PGIM Investments' Law Department on an annual basis.
In addition, certain authorized
employees of PGIM Investments receive portfolio holdings information on a quarterly, monthly or daily basis or upon request, in order to perform their business functions. All PGIM Investments employees are subject to
the requirements of the personal securities trading policy of Prudential Financial, Inc., which prohibits employees from trading on, or further disseminating confidential information, including portfolio holdings
information.
112
In no instance may
the Manager or the Trust receive any compensation or consideration in exchange for the portfolio holdings information.
The Board has approved PGIM
Investments’ Policy for the Dissemination of Portfolio Holdings. The Board shall, on a quarterly basis, be advised of any revisions to the list of recipients of the portfolio holdings information and the reason
for such disclosure. The Board has delegated oversight of the Trust's disclosure of portfolio holdings to the Chief Compliance Officer.
Arrangements pursuant to which the
Trust discloses non-public information with respect to its portfolio holdings do not provide for any compensation in return for the disclosure of the information.
There can be no assurance that the
Trust's policies and procedures on portfolio holdings information will protect the Trust from the potential misuse of such information by individuals or entities that come into possession of the information.
In each case, the information
disclosed must be for a legitimate business purpose and is subject to a confidentiality agreement intended to prohibit the recipient from trading on or further disseminating such information (except for legitimate
business purposes). Such arrangements will be monitored on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed by the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer and PGIM Investments’ Law Department on an annual basis.
In addition, certain authorized
employees of PGIM Investments receive portfolio holdings information on a quarterly, monthly or daily basis or upon request, in order to perform their business functions. All PGIM Investments employees are subject to
the requirements of the personal securities trading policy of Prudential Financial, Inc., which prohibits employees from trading on, or further disseminating confidential information, including portfolio holdings
information.
PROXY VOTING
The Board has delegated to the
Trust's investment manager, PGIM Investments, the responsibility for voting any proxies and maintaining proxy recordkeeping with respect to each Portfolio. The Trust authorizes the Manager to delegate, in whole or in
part, its proxy voting authority to its investment subadviser or third party vendors consistent with the policies set forth below. The proxy voting process shall remain subject to the supervision of the Board,
including any committee thereof established for that purpose.
The Manager and the Board view the
proxy voting process as a component of the investment process and, as such, seek to ensure that all proxy proposals are voted with the primary goal of seeking the optimal benefit for each Portfolio. Consistent with
this goal, the Board views the proxy voting process as a means to encourage strong corporate governance practices and ethical conduct by corporate management. The Manager and the Board maintain a policy of seeking to
protect the best interests of each Portfolio should a proxy issue potentially implicate a conflict of interest between a Portfolio and the Manager or its affiliates.
The Manager delegates to each
Portfolio's subadviser(s) the responsibility for voting each Portfolio's proxies. The subadviser is expected to identify and seek to obtain the optimal benefit for the Portfolio it manages, and to adopt written
policies that meet certain minimum standards, including that the policies be reasonably designed to protect the best interests of a Portfolio and delineate procedures to be followed when a proxy vote presents a
conflict between the interests of the Portfolio and the interests of the subadviser or its affiliates.
The Manager and the Board expect
that the subadviser will notify the Manager and the Board at least annually of any such conflicts identified and confirm how the issue was resolved. In addition, the Manager expects that the subadviser will deliver to
the Manager, or its appointed vendor, information required for filing the Form N-PX with the SEC. Information regarding how each Portfolio of the Trust voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities during the
most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available on the Trust’s website and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
CODES OF ETHICS
The Board has
adopted a Code of Ethics. In addition, the Manager, investment subadviser(s) and Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics (the Codes). The Codes apply to access persons (generally, persons who have access to
information about a Portfolio's investment program) and permit personnel subject to the Codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by a Portfolio. However, the protective
provisions of the Codes prohibit certain investments and limit such personnel from making investments during periods when the Portfolio is making such investments. The Codes are on public file with, and are available
from, the SEC.
113
APPENDIX I: DESCRIPTION OF BOND
RATINGS
S&P Global
Ratings (S&P)
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings
AAA:
An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA:
An obligation rated AA differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A:
An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the
obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB:
An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the
obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BB:
An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic
conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B:
An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC:
An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment
on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC:
An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C:
The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action has been taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued.
Plus (+) or Minus (–):
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories
Commercial Paper Ratings
A-1:
This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus
sign (+) designation.
A-2:
Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
Notes Ratings
An S&P notes rating reflects the
liquidity factors and market risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a notes rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The
following criteria will be used in making that assessment.
| ■ | Amortization schedule-the longer the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
| ■ | Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
Note rating symbols are as
follows:
SP-1:
Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2:
Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
114
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
(MOODY'S)
Debt Ratings
Aaa:
Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edged.” Interest
payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair
the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa:
Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower
than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than the Aaa securities.
A:
Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are
considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa:
Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate
for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative
characteristics as well.
Ba:
Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very
moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B:
Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any
long period of time may be small.
Caa:
Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca:
Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C:
Bonds which are rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment
standing.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers
1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating category from Aa to Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issuer is in the higher end of its letter rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; the modifier 3
indicates that the issuer is in the lower end of the letter ranking category.
Short-Term Ratings
Moody's short-term debt ratings are
opinions of the ability of issuers to honor senior financial obligations and contracts. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted.
PRIME-1:
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of
the following characteristics:
| ■ | Leading market positions in well-established industries. |
| ■ | High rates of return on Portfolios employed. |
| ■ | Conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection. |
| ■ | Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation. |
| ■ | Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity. |
PRIME-2:
Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This normally will be evidenced by many of the characteristics
cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external
conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
115
MIG 1:
This designation denotes best quality. There is strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for
refinancing.
MIG 2:
This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample although not so large as in the proceeding group.
FITCH, INC.
International Long-Term Credit
Ratings
AAA:
Highest Credit Quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial
commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA:
Very High Credit Quality. AA ratings denote a very low expectation of credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not
significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A:
High Credit Quality. A ratings denote a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be
more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB:
Good Credit Quality. BBB ratings indicate that there is currently a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but
adverse changes in circumstances and in economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.
BB:
Speculative. BB ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial
alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.
B:
Highly Speculative. B ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for
continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC, CC, C:
High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A CC rating
indicates that default of some kind appears probable. C ratings signal imminent default.
International Short-Term Credit
Ratings
F1:
Highest Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit
feature.
F2:
Good Credit Quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.
F3:
Fair Credit Quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.
B:
Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C:
High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic investment.
Plus (+) or Minus (–):
Plus or minus signs may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA long-term rating category, to categories
below CCC, or to short-term ratings other than F1.
APPENDIX II: PROXY VOTING
POLICIES OF THE SUBADVISERS
ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN, L.P.
Proxy Voting Policy Statement
Introduction
116
As an investment adviser, we are
shareholder advocates and have a fiduciary duty to make investment decisions that are in our clients’ best interests by maximizing the value of their shares. Proxy voting is an integral part of this process,
through which we support strong corporate governance structures, shareholder rights and transparency.
We have an obligation to vote
proxies in a timely manner and we apply the principles in our Proxy Voting and Governance Policy (“Proxy Voting and Governance Policy” or “Policy”) and this policy statement to our proxy
decisions. We believe a company’s environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) practices may have a significant effect on the value of the company, and we take these factors into consideration when
voting. For additional information regarding our ESG policies and practices, please refer to our firm’s Statement of Policy Regarding Responsible Investment (“RI Policy”).
Our Policy, which outlines our
policies for proxy voting and includes a wide range of issues that often appear on proxies, applies to all of AB’s investment management subsidiaries and investment services groups investing on behalf of clients
globally. Both this Statement and the Policy are intended for use by those involved in the proxy voting decision-making process and those responsible for the administration of proxy voting (“Proxy
Managers”), in order to ensure that our proxy voting policies and procedures are implemented consistently. Copies of the Policy, the RI Policy and our voting records, as noted below in “Voting
Transparency”, can be found on our Internet site (www.abglobal.com).
We sometimes manage accounts where
proxy voting is directed by clients or newly-acquired subsidiary companies. In these cases, voting decisions may deviate from the Policy.
Research Underpins Decision Making
As a research-driven firm, we
approach our proxy voting responsibilities with the same commitment to rigorous research and engagement that we apply to all of our investment activities. The different investment philosophies utilized by our
investment teams may occasionally result in different conclusions being drawn regarding certain proposals and, in turn, may result in the Proxy Manager making different voting decisions on the same proposal.
Nevertheless, the Proxy Manager votes proxies with the goal of maximizing the value of the securities in client portfolios.
In addition to our firm-wide proxy
voting policies, we have a Proxy Voting and Governance Committee (“Proxy Voting and Governance Committee” or “Committee”), which provides oversight and includes senior investment professionals
from Equities, Legal personnel and Operations personnel. It is the responsibility of the Committee to evaluate and maintain proxy voting procedures and guidelines, to evaluate proposals and issues not covered by these
guidelines, to consider changes in policy, and to review this Statement and the Policy no less frequently than annually. In addition, the Committee meets at least three times a year and as necessary to address special
situations.
Research Services
We subscribe to the corporate
governance and proxy research services of Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”). All our investment professionals can access these materials via the Proxy Manager and/or the Committee.
Engagement
In evaluating proxy issues and
determining our votes, we welcome and seek out the points of view of various parties. Internally, the Proxy Manager may consult the Committee, Chief Investment Officers, Directors of Research, and/or Research Analysts
across our equities platforms, and Portfolio Managers in whose managed accounts a stock is held. Externally, we may engage with companies in advance of their Annual General Meeting, and throughout the year. We believe
engagement provides the opportunity to share our philosophy, our corporate governance values, and more importantly, affect positive change. Also, these meetings often are joint efforts between the investment
professionals, who are best positioned to comment on company-specific details, and the Proxy Manager(s), who offer a more holistic view of governance practices and relevant trends. In addition, we engage with
shareholder proposal proponents and other stakeholders to understand different viewpoints and objectives.
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Our proxy voting guidelines are
both principles-based and rules-based. We adhere to a core set of principles that are described in the Policy. We assess each proxy proposal in light of these principles. Our proxy voting “litmus test”
will always be what we view as most likely to maximize long-term shareholder value. We believe that authority and accountability for setting and executing corporate policies, goals and compensation generally should
rest with the board of directors and senior management. In return, we support strong investor rights that allow shareholders to hold directors and management accountable if they fail to act in the best interests of
shareholders.
117
Our proxy voting guidelines
pertaining to specific issues are set forth in the Policy and include guidelines relating to board and director proposals, compensation proposals, capital changes and anti-takeover proposals, auditor proposals,
shareholder access and voting proposals, and environmental, social and disclosure proposals. The following are examples of specific issues within each of these broad categories:
Board and Director Proposals:
Election of Directors
The election of directors is an
important vote. We expect directors to represent shareholder interests at the company and maximize shareholder value. We generally vote in favor of the management-proposed slate of directors while considering a number
of factors, including local market best practice. We believe companies should have a majority of independent directors and independent key committees. However, we will incorporate local market regulation and corporate
governance codes into our decision making. We may support more progressive requirements than those implemented in a local market if we believe more progressive requirements may improve corporate governance practices.
We will generally regard a director as independent if the director satisfies the criteria for independence (i) espoused by the primary exchange on which the company’s shares are traded, or (ii) set forth in the
code we determine to be best practice in the country where the subject company is domiciled and may take into account affiliations, related-party transactions and prior service to the company. We consider the election
of directors who are “bundled” on a single slate on a case-by-case basis considering the amount of information available and an assessment of the group’s qualifications.
Compensation Proposals: Executive and
Employee Compensation Plans, Policies and Reports
In certain markets, (e.g.,
Australia, Canada, Germany and the United States), publicly traded issuers are required by law to submit their company’s remuneration report to a non-binding shareholder vote. The report contains, among other
things, the nature and amount of the compensation of the directors and certain executive officers as well as a discussion of the company’s performance. In other markets, remuneration policy resolutions are
binding.
We evaluate remuneration reports
and policies on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the reasonableness of the company’s compensation structure and the adequacy of the disclosure. In all cases, however, we assess each proposed
Compensation Plan within the framework of four guiding principles, each of which ensures a company’s Compensation Plan and helps to align the long-term interests of management with shareholders:
| 1. | Valid measures of business performance should be tied to the firm’s strategy and shareholder value creation, which should also be clearly articulated and incorporate appropriate time periods; |
| 2. | Compensation costs should be managed in the same way as any other expense; |
| 3. | Compensation should reflect management’s handling, or failure to handle, any recent social, environmental, governance, ethical or legal issue that had a significant adverse financial or reputational effect on the company; and |
| 4. | In granting compensatory awards, management should exhibit a history of integrity and decision-making based on logic and well thought out processes. |
We may oppose plans which include,
and directors who establish, compensation plan provisions deemed to be poor practice such as automatic acceleration of equity, or single-triggered, in the event of a change in control.
Although votes on compensation
plans are by nature only broad indications of shareholder views, they do lead to more compensation-related dialogue between management and shareholders and help ensure that management and shareholders meet their
common objective: maximizing shareholder value.
In markets where votes on
compensation plans are not required for all companies, we will support shareholder proposals asking the board to adopt such a vote on an advisory basis.
Capital Changes and Anti-Takeover
Proposals: Authorize Share Repurchase
We generally support share
repurchase proposals that are part of a well-articulated and well-conceived capital strategy. We assess proposals to give the board unlimited authorization to repurchase shares on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, we
would generally support the use of derivative instruments (e.g., put options and call options) as part of a share repurchase plan absent a compelling reason to the contrary. Also, absent a specific concern at the
company, we will generally support a repurchase plan that could be continued during a takeover period.
Auditor Proposals: Appointment of
Auditors
118
We believe that the company is in
the best position to choose its accounting firm, and we generally support management's recommendation.
We recognize that there may be
inherent conflicts when a company’s independent auditors perform substantial non-audit related services for the company. Therefore, in reviewing a proposed auditor, we will consider the amount of fees paid for
non-audit related services performed compared to the total audit fees paid by the company to the auditing firm, and whether there are any other reasons for us to question the independence or performance of the
firm’s auditor such as, for example, tenure. We generally will deem as excessive the non-audit fees paid by a company to its auditor if those fees account for 50% or more of total fees paid. In the UK market,
which utilizes a different standard, we adhere to a non-audit fee cap of 100% of audit fees. Under these circumstances, we generally vote against the auditor and the directors, in particular the members of the
company’s audit committee. In addition, we generally vote against authorizing the audit committee to set the remuneration of such auditors. We exclude from this analysis non-audit fees related to IPOs,
bankruptcy emergence, and spin-offs and other extraordinary events. We may vote against or abstain due to a lack of disclosure of the name of the auditor while taking into account local market practice.
Shareholder Access and Voting
Proposals: Proxy Access for Annual Meetings
These proposals allow
“qualified shareholders” to nominate directors. We generally vote in favor of management and shareholder proposals for proxy access that employ guidelines reflecting the SEC framework for proxy access
(adopted by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in 2010, but vacated by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011), which would have allowed a single shareholder, or group of shareholders, who
hold at least 3% of the voting power for at least three years continuously to nominate up to 25% of the current board seats, or two directors, for inclusion in the subject company’s annual proxy statement
alongside management nominees.
We may vote against proposals that
use requirements that are stricter than the SEC’s framework including implementation restrictions and against individual board members, or entire boards, who exclude from their ballot properly submitted
shareholder proxy access proposals or include their own competing and stricter, proposals on the same ballot.
We will evaluate on a case-by-case
basis proposals with less stringent requirements than the vacated SEC framework.
From time to time we may receive
requests to join with other shareholders to support a shareholder action. We may, for example, receive requests to join a voting block for purposes of influencing management. If the third parties requesting our
participation are not affiliated with us and have no business relationships with us, we will consider the request on a case-by-case basis. However, where the requesting party has a business relationship with us (e.g.,
the requesting party is a client or a significant service provider), agreeing to such a request may pose a potential conflict of interest. As a fiduciary we have an obligation to vote proxies in the best interest of
our clients (without regard to our own interests in generating and maintaining business with our other clients) and given our desire to avoid even the appearance of a conflict, we will generally decline such a
request.
Environmental, Social and Disclosure
Proposals: Lobbying and Political Spending
We generally vote in favor of
proposals requesting increased disclosure of political contributions and lobbying expenses, including those paid to trade organizations and political action committees, whether at the federal, state, or local level.
These proposals may increase transparency.
We generally vote proposals in
accordance with these guidelines but, consistent with our “principles-based” approach to proxy voting, we may deviate from the guidelines if warranted by the specific facts and circumstances of the
situation (i.e., if, under the circumstances, we believe that deviating from our stated policy is necessary to help maximize long-term shareholder value). In addition, these guidelines are not intended to address all
issues that may appear on all proxy ballots. Proposals not specifically addressed by these guidelines, whether submitted by management or shareholders, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, always keeping in mind
our fiduciary duty to make voting decisions that, by maximizing long-term shareholder value, are in our clients’ best interests.
Conflicts of Interest
As a fiduciary, we always must act
in our clients’ best interests. We strive to avoid even the appearance of a conflict that may compromise the trust our clients have placed in us, and we insist on strict adherence to fiduciary standards and
compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws. We have adopted a comprehensive Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code”) to help us meet these obligations. As part of this
responsibility and as expressed throughout the Code, we place the interests of our clients first and attempt to avoid any perceived or actual conflicts of interest.
119
We recognize that there may be a
potential material conflict of interest when we vote a proxy solicited by an issuer that sponsors a retirement plan we manage (or administer), that distributes AB-sponsored mutual funds, or with which we or one or
more of our employees have another business or personal relationship that may affect how we vote on the issuer’s proxy. Similarly, we may have a potential material conflict of interest when deciding how to vote
on a proposal sponsored or supported by a shareholder group that is a client. In order to avoid any perceived or actual conflict of interest, we have established procedures for use when we encounter a potential
conflict to ensure that our voting decisions are based on our clients’ best interests and are not the product of a conflict. These procedures include compiling a list of companies and organizations whose proxies
may pose potential conflicts of interest (e.g., if such company is our client) and reviewing our proposed votes for these companies and organizations in light of the Policy and ISS’s recommendations. If our
proposed vote is contrary to, or not contemplated in, the Policy, is consistent with a client’s position and is contrary to ISS’s recommendation, we refer to proposed vote to our Independent Compliance
Officer for his determination.
In addition, our Proxy Voting and
Governance Committee takes reasonable steps to verify that ISS continues to be independent, including an annual review of ISS’s conflict management procedures. When reviewing these conflict management
procedures, we consider, among other things, whether ISS (i) has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues; and (ii) can offer research in an impartial manner and in the best interests of our
clients.
Voting Transparency
We publish our voting records on
our Internet site (www.abglobal.com) quarterly, 30 days after the end of the previous quarter. Many clients have requested that we provide them with periodic reports on how we voted their proxies. Clients may obtain
information about how we voted proxies on their behalf by contacting their Advisor. Alternatively, clients may make a written request to the Chief Compliance Officer.
Recordkeeping
All of the records referenced in
our Policy will be kept in an easily accessible place for at least the length of time required by local regulation and custom, and, if such local regulation requires that records are kept for less than five years from
the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, we will follow the U.S. rule of five years. We maintain the vast majority of these records electronically. We will keep paper records, if
any, in one of our offices for at least two years.
BRANDYWINE PROXY VOTING
Proxy Voting
| I. | Client Accounts for which Brandywine Global Votes Proxies |
Brandywine Global shall vote
proxies for each client account for which the client:
| A. | has specifically authorized Brandywine Global to vote proxies in the applicable investment management agreement or other written instrument; or |
| B. | without specifically authorizing Brandywine Global to vote proxies, has granted general investment discretion to Brandywine Global in the applicable investment management agreement. |
Also, Brandywine Global shall vote
proxies for any employee benefit plan client subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), unless the investment management agreement specifically reserves the
responsibility for voting proxies to the plan trustees or other named fiduciary.
At or prior to inception of each
client account, Brandywine Global shall determine whether it has proxy voting authority over such account.
| II. | General Principles |
In exercising discretion to vote
proxies for securities held in client accounts, Brandywine Global is guided by general fiduciary principles. Brandywine Global’s goal in voting proxies is to act prudently and solely in the best economic
interest of its clients for which it is voting proxies. In furtherance of such goal, Brandywine Global will vote proxies in a manner that Brandywine Global believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize
shareholder values.
Brandywine Global does not exercise
its proxy voting discretion to further policy, political or other issues that have no connection to enhancing the economic value of the client’s investment, but will consider environmental, social, and
governance issues that may impact the value of the investment, either through introducing opportunity or by creating risk to the value.
120
| III. | How Brandywine Global Votes Proxies |
Appendix A sets forth general
guidelines considered by Brandywine Global and its portfolio management teams in voting common proxy items.
In the case of a proxy issue for
which there is a stated position set forth in Appendix A, Brandywine Global generally votes in accordance with the stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in
Appendix A that Brandywine Global considers in voting on such issue, Brandywine Global considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles described in Section II. In
the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors set forth in Appendix A that Brandywine Global considers in voting on such issue, Brandywine Global votes on a case-by-case basis in
accordance with the general principles described in Section II.
The general guidelines set forth in
Appendix A are not binding on Brandywine Global and its portfolio management teams, but rather are intended to provide an analytical framework for the review and assessment of common proxy issues. Such guidelines can
always be superseded by a portfolio management team based on the team’s assessment of the proxy issue and determination that a vote that is contrary to such general guidelines is in the best economic interests
of the client accounts for which the team is responsible. Different portfolio management teams may vote differently on the same issue based on their respective assessments of the proxy issue and determinations as to
what is in the best economic interests of client accounts for which they are responsible.
In the case of Taft-Hartley
clients, Brandywine Global will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Glass Lewis & Co. PVS Proxy Voting Guidelines, which Glass Lewis & Co. represents to be fully consistent with
AFL-CIO guidelines.
| IV. | Use of an Independent Proxy Service Firm |
Brandywine Global may contract with
an independent proxy service firm to provide Brandywine Global with information and/or recommendations with regard to proxy votes. Any such information and/or recommendations will be made available to Brandywine
Global’s portfolio management teams, but Brandywine Global and its portfolio management teams are not required to follow any recommendation furnished by such service provider. The use of an independent proxy
service firm to provide proxy voting information and/or recommendations does not relieve Brandywine Global of its responsibility for any proxy votes.
With respect to any independent
proxy service firm engaged by Brandywine Global to provide Brandywine Global with information and/or recommendations with regard to proxy votes, Brandywine Global’s Proxy Administrator shall periodically review
and assess such firm’s policies, procedures and practices including those with respect to the disclosure and handling of conflicts of interest.
| V. | Conflict of Interest Procedures |
In furtherance of Brandywine
Global’s goal to vote proxies in the best interests of clients, Brandywine Global follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between the interests of Brandywine Global
and its employees and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. Conflicts of interest may arise both at the firm level and as a result of an employee’s personal relationships or
circumstances.
| A. | Procedures for Identifying Conflicts of Interest |
Brandywine Global relies on the
procedures set forth below to seek to identify conflicts of interest with respect to proxy voting.
| 1. | Brandywine Global’s Compliance Department annually requires each Brandywine Global employee to complete a questionnaire designed to elicit information that may reveal potential conflicts between the employee’s interests and those of Brandywine Global clients. |
| 2. | Brandywine Global treats client relationships as creating a material conflict of interest for Brandywine Global in voting proxies with respect to securities issued by such client or its known affiliates. |
| 3. | As a general matter, Brandywine Global takes the position that relationships between a non-Brandywine Global Legg Mason business unit and an issuer (e.g., investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-Brandywine Global Legg Mason investment adviser affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for Brandywine Global in voting proxies with respect to such issuer because Brandywine Global operates as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units and because of the existence of informational barriers between Brandywine Global and certain other Legg Mason business units. |
| B. | Procedures for Assessing Materiality of Conflicts of Interest |
121
| 1. | All potential conflicts of interest identified pursuant to the procedures outlined in Section V.A.1. must be brought to the attention of the Investment Committee for resolution. |
| 2. | The Investment Committee shall determine whether a conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest shall be considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, Brandywine Global’s decision-making in voting the proxy. All materiality determinations will be based on an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. A written record of all materiality determinations made by the Investment Committee shall be maintained. |
| 3. | If it is determined by the Investment Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, Brandywine Global may vote proxies following normal processes notwithstanding the existence of the conflict. |
| C. | Procedures for Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest |
| 1. | With the exception of those material conflicts identified in A.2. which will be voted in accordance with paragraph C.1.b., if it is determined by the Investment Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Investment Committee shall determine an appropriate method or combination of methods to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted by Brandywine Global. Such determination shall be based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue, the nature of the conflict of interest, etc. Such methods may include: |
| a. | confirming that the proxy will be voted in accordance with a stated position or positions set forth in Appendix A; |
| b. | confirming that the proxy will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of an independent proxy service firm retained by Brandywine Global; |
| c. | in the case of a conflict of interest resulting from a particular employee’s personal relationships or circumstances, removing such employee from the decision-making process with respect to such proxy vote; |
| d. | disclosing the conflict to clients and obtaining their consent before voting; |
| e. | suggesting to clients that they engage another party to vote the proxy on their behalf; or |
| f. | such other method as is deemed appropriate given the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue, the nature of the conflict of interest, etc. |
| 2. | A written record of the method used to resolve a material conflict of interest shall be maintained. |
| VI. | Other Considerations |
In certain situations, Brandywine
Global may decide not to vote proxies on behalf of a client account for which it has discretionary voting authority because Brandywine Global believes that the expected benefit to the client account of voting shares
is outweighed by countervailing considerations (excluding the existence of a potential conflict of interest). Examples of situations in which Brandywine Global may determine not to vote proxies are set forth below.
| A. | Share Blocking |
Proxy voting in certain countries
requires “share blocking.” This means that shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the date of the meeting (e.g. one week) with a designated depositary. During
the blocking period, shares that will be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares have been returned to client accounts by the designated depositary. In deciding whether to
vote shares subject to share blocking, Brandywine Global will consider and weigh, based on the particular facts and circumstances, the expected benefit to client accounts of voting in relation to the potential
detriment to clients of not being able to sell such shares during the applicable period.
| B. | Securities on Loan |
Certain clients of Brandywine
Global, such as an institutional client or a registered investment company for which Brandywine Global acts as a sub-adviser, may engage in securities lending with respect to the securities in their accounts.
Brandywine Global typically does not direct or oversee such securities lending activities. To the extent feasible and practical under the circumstances, Brandywine Global may request that the client recall shares that
are on loan so that such shares can be voted if Brandywine Global believes that the expected benefit to the client of voting such shares outweighs the detriment to the client of recalling such shares (e.g.,
foregone
122
income). The ability to timely recall shares for
proxy voting purposes typically is not entirely within the control of Brandywine Global and requires the cooperation of the client and its other service providers. Under certain circumstances, the recall of shares in
time for such shares to be voted may not be possible due to applicable proxy voting record dates and administrative considerations.
| VII. | Proxy Voting-Related Disclosures |
| A. | Proxy Voting Independence and Intent |
Brandywine Global exercises its
proxy voting authority independently of other Legg Mason affiliated investment advisers. Brandywine Global and its employees shall not consult with or enter into any formal or informal agreements with Brandywine
Global’s parent, Legg Mason, Inc., any other Legg Mason business unit, or any of their respective officers, directors or employees, regarding the voting of any securities by Brandywine Global on behalf of its
clients.
Brandywine Global and its employees
must not disclose to any person outside of Brandywine Global, including without limitation another investment management firm (affiliated or unaffiliated) or the issuer of securities that are the subject of the proxy
vote, how Brandywine Global intends to vote a proxy without prior approval from Brandywine Global’s Chief Compliance Officer.
If a Brandywine Global employee
receives a request to disclose Brandywine Global’s proxy voting intentions to, or is otherwise contacted by, another person outside of Brandywine Global (including an employee of another Legg Mason business
unit) in connection with an upcoming proxy voting matter, the employee should immediately notify Brandywine Global’s Chief Compliance Officer.
If a Brandywine Global portfolio
manager wants to take a public stance with regards to a proxy, the portfolio manager must consult with and obtain the approval of Brandywine Global’s Chief Compliance Officer before making or issuing a public
statement.
| B. | Disclosure of Proxy Votes and Policy and Procedures |
Upon Brandywine Global’s
receipt of any oral or written client request for information on how Brandywine Global voted proxies for that client’s account, Brandywine Global must promptly provide the client with such requested information
in writing.
Brandywine Global must deliver to
each client, for which it has proxy voting authority, no later than the time it accepts such authority, a written summary of this Proxy Voting policy and procedures. This summary must include information on how
clients may obtain information about how Brandywine Global has voted proxies for their accounts and must also state that a copy of Brandywine Global’s Proxy Voting policy and procedures is available upon
request.
Brandywine Global must create and
maintain a record of each written client request for proxy voting information. Such record must be created promptly after receipt of the request and must include the date the request was received, the content of the
request, and the date of Brandywine Global’s response. Brandywine Global must also maintain copies of written client requests and copies of all responses to such requests.
| C. | Delegation of Duties |
Brandywine Global may delegate to
non-investment personnel the responsibility to vote proxies in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Appendix A. Such delegation of duties will only be made to employees deemed to be reasonably capable of
performing this function in a satisfactory manner.
| VIII. | Shareholder Activism and Certain Non-Proxy Voting Matters |
In no event shall Brandywine
Global’s possession of proxy voting authority obligate it to undertake any shareholder activism on behalf of a client. Brandywine Global may undertake such activism in connection with a proxy or otherwise if and
to the extent that Brandywine Global determines that doing so is consistent with applicable general fiduciary principles, provided Brandywine Global has first obtained its Chief Compliance Officer’s approval of
the proposed activism.
Absent a specific contrary written
agreement with a client, Brandywine Global does not (1) render any advice to, or take any action on behalf of, clients with respect to any legal proceedings, including bankruptcies and shareholder litigation, to which
any securities or other investments held in client account, or the issuers thereof, become subject, or (2) initiate or pursue legal proceedings, including without limitation shareholder litigation, on behalf of
clients with respect to transactions or securities or other investments held in client accounts, or the issuers thereof. Except as otherwise agreed to in writing with a particular client, the right to take any action
with respect to any legal proceeding, including without limitation bankruptcies and shareholder litigation, and the right to initiate or pursue any legal proceedings, including without limitation shareholder
litigation, with respect to transactions or securities or other investments held in a client account is expressly reserved to the client.
123
| IX. | Recordkeeping |
In addition to all other records
required by this Policy and Procedures, Brandywine Global shall maintain the following records relating to proxy voting:
| A. | a copy of this Policy and Procedures, including any and all amendments that may be adopted; |
| B. | a copy of each proxy statement that Brandywine Global receives regarding client securities; |
| C. | a record of each vote cast by Brandywine Global on behalf of a client; |
| D. | documentation relating to the identification and resolution of conflicts of interest; |
| E. | any documents created by Brandywine Global that were material to a proxy voting decision or that memorialized the basis for that decision; |
| F. | a copy of each written client request for information on how Brandywine Global voted proxies on behalf of the client, and a copy of any written response by Brandywine Global to any (written or oral) client request for information on how Brandywine Global voted proxies on behalf of the requesting client; and |
| G. | records showing whether or not Brandywine Global has proxy voting authority for each client account. |
All required records shall be
maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than six years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in an appropriate
office of Brandywine Global. Brandywine Global also shall maintain a copy of any proxy voting policies and procedures that were in effect at any time within the last five years.
To the extent that Brandywine
Global is authorized to vote proxies for a United States registered investment company, Brandywine Global shall maintain such records as are necessary to allow such fund to comply with its recordkeeping, reporting and
disclosure obligations under applicable laws, rules and regulations.
In lieu of keeping copies of proxy
statements, Brandywine Global may rely on proxy statements filed on the EDGAR system as well as on third party records of proxy statements if the third party provides an undertaking to provide copies of such proxy
statements promptly upon request. Brandywine Global may rely on a third party to make and retain, on Brandywine Global’s behalf, records of votes cast by Brandywine Global on behalf of clients if the third party
provides an undertaking to provide a copy of such records promptly upon request.
Appendix A
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Brandywine Global Diversified
Portfolio Management Team
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Below are proxy voting guidelines
that Brandywine Global’s Diversified Portfolio Management Team generally follows when voting proxies for securities held in client accounts. The Team may decide to deviate from these guidelines with respect to
any one or more particular proxy votes, subject in all cases to the Team’s duty to act solely in the best interest of their client accounts holding the applicable security.
| I. | Compensation |
| A. | We vote for non-employee director stock options, unless we consider the number of shares available for issue excessive. We may consider current and past stock option grants in determining whether the cumulative dilution is excessive. |
| B. | We vote for employee stock purchase programs. Normally, these programs allow all employees to purchase company stock at a price equal to 85% of current market price. Usually, we will still vote for these employee programs even if we vote against a non-employee or executive-only stock purchase program because of excessive dilution. |
| C. | We vote for compensation plans that are tied to the company achieving set profitability hurdles. Plans are structured this way to |
124
| comply with IRS laws allowing for deductibility of management compensation exceeding $1 million. | |
| D. | We vote against attempts to re-price options. Also, we vote against the re-election of incumbent Directors in the event of such a re-pricing proposal. |
| E. | We vote against attempts to increase incentive stock options available for issuance when the shares underlying such options would exceed 10% of the company’s outstanding shares. |
| F. | We vote against stock option plans allowing for stock options with exercise prices less than 100% of the stock’s price at the time of the option grant. |
| G. | We vote against stock option plans allowing for very large allocations to a single individual because we generally believe that stock option plans should provide for widespread employee participation. |
| H. | We vote against proposals to authorize or approve loans to company executives or Board members for personal reasons or for the purpose of enabling such persons to purchase company shares. |
| II. | Governance |
| A. | We vote for proposals to separate the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board positions. |
| B. | We vote against “catch-all” authorizations permitting proxy holders to conduct unspecified business that arises during shareholder meetings. |
| III. | Anti-Takeover |
We vote against anti-takeover
measures, including without limitation:
| A. | Staggered Boards of Directors (for example, where 1/3 of a company’s Board is elected each year rather than the entire Board each year). |
| B. | Super-Majority Voting Measures (for example, requiring a greater than 50% vote to approve takeovers or make certain changes). |
| C. | Poison Pills, which are special stock rights that go into effect upon a takeover offer or an outsider acquiring more than a specified percentage of a company’s outstanding shares. |
| IV. | Capital Structure |
We vote against attempts to
increase authorized shares by more than twice the number of outstanding shares unless there is a specific purpose for such increase given, such as a pending stock split or a corporate purchase using shares, and we
determine that increasing authorized shares for such purpose is appropriate. Generally, we believe it is better to use shares to pay for acquisitions when they are trading at higher values than when they are trading
at or near historical lows. The dilution effect is less.
| V. | Business Management |
We generally prefer not to dictate
to companies on matters of business strategy, believing that as long as the company is operating responsibly it is management’s role to make these decisions. Business strategy includes management of
environmental and social practices, as they have the potential to pose significant financial, legal, and reputational risk if not appropriately governed. In cases where we feel management has not taken sufficient
efforts to address material environmental or social risk, we may choose to support shareholder proposals aimed at enhancing shareholder value or risk mitigation in alignment with our fiduciary principles.
Brandywine Global Fixed Income
Portfolio Management Team
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Below are proxy voting guidelines
that Brandywine Global Fixed Income Portfolio Management Team generally follows when voting proxies for securities held in client accounts. The Team may decide to deviate from these guidelines with respect to any one
or more particular proxy votes, subject in all cases to the Team’s duty to act solely in the best interest of their client accounts holding the applicable security.
| I. | Compensation |
125
| A. | We vote for non-employee director stock options, unless we consider the number of shares available for issue excessive. |
| B. | We vote for employee stock purchase programs. Normally, these programs allow all employees to purchase company stock at a price equal to 85% of current market price. Usually, we will still vote for these employee programs even if we vote against a non-employee or executive-only stock purchase program because of excessive dilution. |
| C. | We vote for measures that give shareholders a vote on executive compensation. |
| D. | We vote for compensation plans that are tied to the company achieving set profitability hurdles. This is to comply with IRS laws to allow for deductibility of management compensation exceeding $1 million. |
| E. | We vote against any attempt to re-price options. Also, we vote against the re- election of incumbent Directors in the event of such a re-pricing proposal. |
| F. | We vote against attempts to increase incentive stock options when we determine they are excessive, either in total or for one individual. |
| G. | We vote against stock option plans allowing for stock options with exercise prices less than 100% of the stock’s price at the time of the option grant. |
| II. | Governance |
| A. | We vote for cumulative shareholder voting. |
| B. | We vote against “catch-all” authorizations permitting proxy holders to conduct unspecified business that arises during shareholder meetings. |
| III. | Anti-Takeover |
We vote against anti-takeover
measures, including without limitation:
| A. | Staggered Boards of Directors (for example, where 1/3 of a company’s Board is elected each year rather than the entire Board each year). |
| B. | Super-Majority Voting Measures (for example, requiring a greater than 50% vote to approve takeovers or make certain changes). |
| C. | Poison Pills, which are special stock rights that go into effect upon a takeover offer or an outsider acquiring more than a specified percentage of a company’s outstanding shares. |
| IV. | Capital Structure |
We vote against attempts to
increase authorized shares by more than twice the number of outstanding shares unless there is a specific purpose for such increase given, such as a pending stock split or a corporate purchase using shares, and we
determine that increasing authorized shares for such purpose is appropriate. Generally, we believe it is better to use shares to pay for acquisitions when they are trading at higher values than when they are trading
at or near historical lows. The dilution effect is less.
| V. | Business Management |
We generally prefer not to dictate
to companies on matters of business strategy, believing that as long as the company is operating responsibly it is management’s role to make these decisions. Business strategy includes management of
environmental and social practices, as they have the potential to pose significant financial, legal, and reputational risk if not appropriately governed. In cases where we feel management has not taken sufficient
efforts to address material environmental or social risk, we may choose to support shareholder proposals aimed at enhancing shareholder value or risk mitigation in alignment with our fiduciary principles.
CAPITAL
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures
Policy
126
Capital
International, Inc. (“CII”), a U.S. based investment adviser, provides investment management services to clients including institutional retirement plans and U.S and non-U.S. investment funds. CII
considers proxy voting an important part of those management services, and as such, CII seeks to vote all the proxies of securities held in client accounts for which it has proxy voting authority in the best interest
of those clients. The procedures that govern this activity are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of CII’s clients.
Fiduciary Responsibility and
Long-term Shareholder Value
CII’s fiduciary obligation to
manage its accounts in the best interest of its clients extends to proxy voting. When voting proxies, CII considers those factors that would affect the value of its clients’ investment and acts solely in the
interest of, and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to, its clients. As required by ERISA, CII votes proxies solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of retirement plans and does not
subordinate the interest of participants and beneficiaries in their retirement income to unrelated objectives.
CII believes the best interests of
clients are served by voting proxies in a way that maximizes long-term shareholder value. Therefore, the investment professionals responsible for voting proxies have the discretion to make the best decision given the
individual facts and circumstances of each issue. Proxy issues are evaluated on their merits and considered in the context of the analyst’s knowledge of a company, its current management, management’s past
record, and CII’s general position on the issue. In addition, many proxy issues are reviewed and voted on by a proxy voting committee comprised primarily of investment professionals, bringing a wide range of
experience and views to bear on each decision.
As the management of a portfolio
company is responsible for its day-to-day operations, CII believes that management, subject to the oversight of the relevant board of directors, is often in the best position to make decisions that serve the interests
of shareholders. However, CII votes against management on proposals where it perceives a conflict may exist between management and client interests, such as those that may insulate management or diminish shareholder
rights. CII also votes against management in other cases where the facts and circumstances indicate that the proposal is not in its clients’ best interests.
Special Review
From time to time CII may vote a)
on proxies of portfolio companies that are also clients of CII or its affiliates, b) on shareholder proposals submitted by clients, or c) on proxies for which clients have publicly supported or actively solicited CII
or its affiliates to support a particular position. When voting these proxies, CII analyzes the issues on their merits and does not consider any client relationship in a way that interferes with its responsibility to
vote proxies in the best interest of its clients. The CII Special Review Committee reviews certain of these proxy decisions for improper influences on the decision-making process and takes appropriate action, if
necessary.
Procedures
Proxy Review Process
Associates on the proxy voting team
in CII’s Global Investment Control department or the private equity operations team with respect to the CII managed private equity funds are responsible for coordinating the voting of proxies. These associates
work with outside proxy voting service providers and custodian banks and are responsible for coordinating and documenting the internal review of proxies.
The proxy voting team or the
private equity operations team reviews each proxy ballot for routine and non-routine items. Routine proxy items are typically voted with management unless the research analyst who follows the company or a member of an
investment or proxy voting committee requests additional review. Routine items currently include the uncontested election of directors, ratifying auditors, adopting reports and accounts, setting dividends and
allocating profits for the prior year, and certain other administrative items.
All other items are voted in
accordance with the decision of the analyst, portfolio managers, investment specialists, the appropriate proxy voting committee or the full investment committee(s) depending on parameters determined by those
investment committee(s) from time to time. Various proxy voting committees specialize in regional mandates and review the proxies of portfolio companies within their mandates. The proxy voting committees are typically
comprised primarily of members of CII’s and its institutional affiliates’ investment committees and their activity is subject to oversight by those committees.
CII seeks to vote all of its
clients’ proxies. In certain circumstances, CII may decide not to vote a proxy because the costs of voting outweigh the benefits to its clients (e.g., when voting could lead to share blocking where CII wishes to
retain flexibility to trade shares). In addition, proxies with respect to securities on loan through client directed lending programs are not available to CII to vote and therefore are not voted.
127
Proxy Voting
Guidelines
CII has developed proxy voting
guidelines that reflect its general position and practice on various issues. To preserve the ability of decision makers to make the best decision in each case, these guidelines are intended only to provide context and
are not intended to dictate how the issue must be voted. The guidelines are reviewed and updated as necessary, but at least annually, by the appropriate proxy voting and investment committees.
CII’s general position
related to corporate governance, capital structure, stock option and compensation plans and social and corporate responsibility issues is reflected below.
| ■ | Corporate governance. CII supports strong corporate governance practices. It generally votes against proposals that serve as anti-takeover devices or diminish shareholder rights, such as poison pill plans and supermajority vote requirements, and generally supports proposals that encourage responsiveness to shareholders, such as initiatives to declassify the board or establish a majority voting standard for the election of the board of directors. Mergers and acquisitions, reincorporations and other corporate restructurings are considered on a case-by-case basis, based on the investment merits of the proposal. |
| ■ | Capital structure. CII generally supports increases to capital stock for legitimate financing needs. It generally does not support changes in capital stock that can be used as an anti-takeover device, such as the creation of or increase in blank-check preferred stock or of a dual class capital structure with different voting rights. |
| ■ | Stock-related remuneration plans. CII supports the concept of stock-related compensation plans as a way to align employee and shareholder interests. However, plans that include features which undermine the connection between employee and shareholder interests generally are not supported. When voting on proposals related to new plans or changes to existing plans, CII considers, among other things, the following information to the extent it is available: the exercise price of the options, the size of the overall plan and/or the size of the increase, the historical dilution rate, whether the plan permits option repricing, the duration of the plan, and the needs of the company. Additionally, CII supports option expensing in theory and will generally support shareholder proposals on option expensing if such proposal language is non-binding and does not require the company to adopt a specific expensing methodology. |
| ■ | Corporate social responsibility. CII votes on these issues based on the potential impact to the value of its clients’ investment in the portfolio company. |
Special Review Procedures
If a research analyst has a
personal conflict in making a voting recommendation on a proxy issue, he or she must disclose such conflict, along with his or her recommendation. If a member of the proxy voting committee has a personal conflict in
voting the proxy, he or she must disclose such conflict to the appropriate proxy voting committee and must not vote on the issue.
Clients representing 0.0025 or more
of assets under investment management across all affiliates owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. (CII’s indirect parent company), are deemed to be “Interested Clients”. Each proxy is reviewed
to determine whether the portfolio company, a proponent of a shareholder proposal, or a known supporter of a particular proposal is an Interested Client. If the voting decision for a proxy involving an Interested
Client is against such client, then it is presumed that there was no undue influence in favor of the Interested Client. If the decision is in favor of the Interested Client, then the decision, the rationale for such
decision, information about the client relationship and all other relevant information is reviewed by the Special Review Committee (“SRC”). The SRC reviews such information in order to identify whether
there were improper influences on the decision-making process so that it may determine whether the decision was in the best interest of CII’s clients. Based on its review, the SRC may accept or override the
decision, or determine another course of action. The SRC is comprised of senior representatives from CII’s and its institutional affiliates’ investment and legal groups and does not include representatives
from the marketing department.
Any other proxy will be referred to
the SRC if facts or circumstances warrant further review.
In cases where CII has discretion
to vote proxies for shares issued by an affiliated mutual fund, CII will instruct that the shares be voted in the same proportion as votes cast by shareholders for whom CII does not have discretion to vote proxies.
CII’s Proxy Voting Record
Upon client request, CII will
provide reports of its proxy voting record as it relates to the securities held in the client’s account(s) for which CII has proxy voting authority.
Annual Assessment
CII will conduct an annual
assessment of this proxy voting policy and related procedures and will notify clients for which it has proxy voting authority of any material changes to the policy.
Effective Date
128
This policy is
effective as of 20 November 2015.
CLEARBRIDGE INVESTMENTS, LLC.
Proxy Voting Guidelines Procedures
Summary.
ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client
accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.
ClearBridge votes proxies for each
client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the
best interest of the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will
be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, such
recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its responsibility for the proxy vote.
In the case of a proxy issue for
which there is a stated position in the policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the policies that
ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. In the case of a proxy issue for which
there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which
there is a stated position set forth in the policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including
election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructuring, and social and environmental
issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management
professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. An investment team (e.g., ClearBridge SAI investment
team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement ClearBridge's Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote
proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services' (ISS) PVS Voting guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.
In furtherance of ClearBridge's
goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge's interests and those of its clients before
voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the
potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships or ClearBridge's business relationships or
the personal or business relationships of other Legg Mason units' employees, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge's General Counsel/Chief Compliance
Officer. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies.
ClearBridge generally takes the
position that non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on
the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business
units.
ClearBridge's Proxy Committee
reviews and addresses conflicts of interest. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is
not brought to the attention of the Proxy Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge's position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance
with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Committee first determines whether such
conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge's decision-making in
voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.
If it is determined by the Proxy
Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is
voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.
COLUMBIA MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT
ADVISERS, LLC.
129
PROXY VOTING POLICY (SUMMARY)
DECEMBER 2013
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (CMIA) has adopted and implemented the Proxy
POLICY SUMMARY
Voting Policy (the
“Policy”), which it believes is reasonably designed to:
| ■ | Ensure that proxies are voted in the best economic interest of clients; |
| ■ | Address material conflicts of interest that may arise; and |
| ■ | Comply with disclosure and other requirements in connection with its proxy voting responsibilities. |
POLICY
As a fiduciary, CMIA owes its
clients the duties of care and loyalty with respect to all services undertaken on the client's behalf. This Policy memorializes how CMIA meets these requirements in voting its clients’ proxies.
Vested Discretionary Voting
Authority.
Proxies regarding client securities for which CMIA has authority to vote will, unless CMIA determines in accordance with policies stated below to refrain from voting, be
voted in a manner considered by CMIA to be in the best economic interests of its clients without regard to any resulting benefit or detriment to CMIA, its employees or its affiliates. In addition, with respect to
ERISA accounts, CMIA has an affirmative obligation to vote proxies for an ERISA account, unless the client expressly retains proxy voting authority. The best economic interests of clients is defined for this purpose
as the interest of enhancing or protecting the value of client accounts, considered as a group rather than individually, as CMIA determines in its sole and absolute discretion. In the event a client believes that its
interests require a different vote, CMIA will vote as the client clearly instructs, provided CMIA receives such instructions in time to act accordingly. CMIA endeavors to vote all proxies of which it becomes aware
prior to the vote deadline; however, in certain limited circumstances, CMIA may determine to refrain from voting (see Foreign Securities and Securities on Loan below).
No Discretionary Voting Authority.
In certain limited circumstances when CMIA is not vested with discretionary authority to vote a client’s proxies (i.e., when the client retains voting discretion),
CMIA will administer proxy voting on behalf of the client in accordance with the client’s voting guidelines, or the client will vote its own proxies, or the client’s agent will vote its proxies on behalf
of the client.
Proxy Voting Guidelines.
CMIA has adopted proxy voting guidelines covering certain types of proposals. The guidelines indicate whether to vote for, against or abstain from a particular proposal,
or whether the matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis. CMIA may also consider the voting recommendations of analysts, portfolio managers and information obtained from outside resources, including from one
and/or more third party research providers in situations when the guidelines do not contemplate a particular proposal; however, CMIA reserves the right to consider each proxy vote, whether covered by the guidelines or
a third-party recommendation, based on the facts and circumstances of the proposal presented, and submit a vote that it believes is in the best economic interests of clients. CMIA may from time to time vote a proposal
in a manner contrary to one or more other affiliates. CMIA regularly reviews and may amend the guidelines based on, among other things, industry trends and proposal frequency.
Portfolio Managers, Research
Analysts, and Corporate Governance Analysts (collectively, “Investment Professionals”).
In circumstances where proposals are not covered by the guidelines or a voting determination must be made on a case-by-case basis (“Proxy Referrals”) an
Investment Professional will make the voting determination. Investment Professionals may include both CMIA portfolio managers, research analyst or corporate governance analyst personnel as well as personnel employed
by other investment advisers that provide sub-advisory services to one of more CMIA advisory client(s). CMIA follows a hierarchy in terms of the Investment Professional sources it leverages for proxy voting
discretion. In each of these circumstances, the Investment Professional must vote in the clients’ best economic interest and must comply with the conflict of interest practices (described below).
Proxy Referrals for Passive Index
Accounts.
Proxy Referrals for a security that is held only within a passive index account managed by CMIA’s Quantitative Strategies Group or CMIA’s Tax Efficient
Structured Equity Group and not in any other account within CMIA, will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of a third party research provider selected by CMIA or as specified by the client.
Conflicts of Interest.
For purpose of this Policy, a conflict of interest is a relationship or activity engaged in by CMIA or a CMIA employee that creates an incentive (or appearance thereof)
to favor the interests of CMIA, or the employee, rather than the clients’ interests. For example, CMIA may have a conflict of interest if either CMIA has a significant business relationship with a company that
is soliciting a proxy, or if a CMIA employee who is involved in the proxy voting decision-making process has a significant personal or family relationship with the particular company. A conflict of interest is
considered to be “material” to the extent that a reasonable person could expect the
130
conflict to influence CMIA’s decision on the
particular vote at issue. CMIA seeks to avoid the occurrence of actual or apparent material conflicts of interest in the proxy voting process by voting in accordance with predetermined voting guidelines, and by
observing procedures that are intended to prevent when practicable and manage material conflicts of interest. In all cases in which there is deemed to be a material conflict of interest, CMIA will seek to resolve the
conflict in the clients’ best interests. CMIA considers: (1) proxies solicited by open-end and closed-end investment companies for which CMIA serves as an investment adviser or principal underwriter; and (2)
proxies solicited by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. to present a material conflict of interest for CMIA. Consequently, these proxies will be voted following one of the conflict of interest management practices discussed
below.
In the case of Proxy Referrals, or
when a CMIA Investment Professional believes that voting contrary to the guidelines may be in the best economic interest of CMIA’s clients, CMIA may use its discretion to vote the proxy, provided that: (1) the
proxy does not involve companies with which CMIA has a significant business relationship; and (2) the relevant CMIA investment personnel (i.e. Investment Professionals or Members of the CMIA Proxy Voting
Sub-Committee) who have disclosed any personal conflict of interest circumstances to CMIA’s Conflicts Officer do not vote on the matter. If an Investment Professional or Member of the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee
has a personal conflict of interest, he will be recused from participating in the proxy vote at issue.
If the Conflicts Officer, Proxy
Voting Sub-Committee, or the Chairperson of the Proxy Voting Sub- Committee determines that a proxy matter presents a material conflict of interest, or a material conflict of interest is otherwise determined to exist
through the application of this Policy, CMIA will invoke one or more of the following conflict management practices:
| ■ | Causing the proxies to be voted in accordance with the recommendations of an independent third party (which generally will be CMIA’s proxy voting agent); |
| ■ | Causing the proxies to be delegated to an independent third party, which may include CMIA’s proxy voting agent; or |
| ■ | In unusual cases, with the client’s consent and upon ample notice, forwarding the proxies to CMIA’s clients so that they may vote the proxies directly. |
Proxy Voting Agent.
In providing proxy voting administration services to clients, CMIA relies on the services of a designated third-party service provider.
Disclosures.
CMIA's Proxy Voting Policy and procedures are summarized in its Form ADV, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and furnished to
clients. In addition, CMIA will provide clients with a copy of its policies upon request. Advisory clients may obtain information on how their proxies were voted by CMIA. However, CMIA will not selectively disclose
its investment company clients' proxy voting records to third parties. CMIA will provide proxy voting records of its registered investment company clients to such clients as their agents for disclosure on Form
N-PX.
Foreign Securities.
While CMIA will make reasonable efforts to vote foreign securities on behalf of clients, voting proxies of companies not domiciled in the United States may involve
greater effort and cost due to the variety of regulatory schemes and corporate practices. Certain non-U.S. countries require securities to be blocked prior to a vote. CMIA typically will not vote securities in
shareblocking countries as the need for liquidity outweighs the benefit of voting. There may also be additional costs associated with voting in non-U.S. countries such that CMIA may determine that the cost of voting
outweighs the potential benefit.
Securities on Loan.
Some of CMIA’s clients may participate in securities lending programs. In these situations, in which CMIA is responsible for voting a client’s proxies, CMIA
will work with the client to determine whether there will be situations in which securities loaned out under these lending arrangements will be recalled for the purpose of exercising voting rights. In certain
circumstances securities on loan may not be recalled due to clients’ preferences or due to circumstances beyond the control of CMIA.
DANA INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC.
Proxy Voting Policy and Disclosure
Overview
Proxy statements deserve careful
review and consideration. Increasingly, they contain controversial issues involving shareholder rights and corporate governance. Therefore, it is Dana’s policy to review these issues and make decisions
exclusively on the judgment of what will best serve the financial interest(s) of our clients.
In order to
provide ongoing professional analysis and recommendations regarding each proxy statement, Dana has retained the services of Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”), a leader in providing proxy
voting services to the investment advisor community. The partnership with ISS allows for the seamless delivery of proxies from the client’s custodial institution to ISS. Once at ISS, each proxy statement is
analyzed according to ISS’ Proxy Voting Guidelines (“ISS Guidelines”). A number of recurring issues can be identified with
131
respect to the
governance of a company and actions proposed by that company’s board. Following a standard proxy voting guideline such as the ISS Guidelines allows votes to be cast in a uniform manner. All non-routine matters
are also addressed in the ISS Guidelines. In addition, the following key points apply to related proxy issues:
Procedures used to address any
potential conflicts of interest.
Dana bases its
votes on a pre-established set of policy guidelines and on the recommendations of an independent third party; namely, ISS. Using ISS Guidelines, ISS makes recommendations based on its independent, objective analysis
of the economic interests of shareholders. This process helps to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of client shareholders, further insulating the voting decisions from any potential conflicts of
interest.
The extent to which Dana delegates
proxy voting authority to or relies on recommendations of a third party.
As noted above,
Dana relies on the recommendations of ISS. However, Dana maintains ultimate responsibility for voting proxy statements, and retains the ability to override any ISS vote recommendation that Dana believes to be in the
best interests of client shareholders. In addition, Dana conducts its own independent proxy voting research for shareholder initiatives related to Dana’s ESG integrated investment strategies that Dana may also
rely upon to override ISS vote recommendations. Lastly, Dana periodically receives specific instructions from certain client shareholders to vote their shares in a particular manner. In certain cases such as this, it
is possible that Dana may vote in more than one way on the same issue for various clients.
The extent to which Dana will support
or give weight to the views of management of a portfolio company.
Dana bases all
voting decisions on the ISS Guidelines and on ISS recommendations, both of which are driven by considerations believed to be in the best interests of client shareholders.
Policies and procedures relating to
matters substantially affecting the rights of the holders of the security being voted.
ISS Guidelines
include a section devoted specifically to shareholder rights. Dana generally supports shareholder voting rights and opposes efforts to restrict them.
Obtaining additional information
relating to Dana’s proxy voting procedures.
Dana will provide complete copies
of its proxy voting guidelines to any client (or prospective client) shareholder upon request. Requests should be made by contacting Dana’s Chief Compliance Officer, Michael Stewart, at either (262) 782-8658 or
via e-mail at michaels@danainvestment.com.
FIRST QUADRANT, L.P.
Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures
Investment Advisers Act of 1940
Rule 206(4)-6 imposes a number of requirements on investment advisers that have voting authority with respect to securities held in their clients’ portfolios. As a fiduciary, First Quadrant owes its clients the
duty of care and loyalty with respect to services undertaking on the clients’ behalves, including proxy voting. To satisfy its duty of loyalty, an adviser must cast the proxy votes in a manner consistent with
the best interests of its clients, and must never put the adviser’s own interest above those of its clients. First Quadrant defines the best interest of a client to mean the best economic interest of the holders
of the same or similar securities of the issuer held in the client’s account.
These written policies and
procedures are designed to reasonably ensure that First Quadrant, L.P. (“First Quadrant”) votes proxies in the best interest of clients for whom First Quadrant has voting authority and describe how the
adviser addresses material conflicts between its interests and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting.
First Quadrant utilizes the
services of an independent outside proxy service, Glass Lewis & Co (“Glass Lewis”), to act as agent for the proxy process, to maintain records on proxy voting for our clients, and to provide
independent research on corporate governance, proxy, and corporate responsibility issues. In addition, First Quadrant has adopted as its own policies those of Glass Lewis’ proxy voting guidelines.
First Quadrant maintains a Proxy
Committee (the “Committee”), made up of senior members of the equity investment team, which is responsible for deciding what is in the best interests of each client when deciding how proxies are voted. The
Committee meets at least annually to review, approve, and adopt as First Quadrant’s own policies, Glass Lewis proxy voting guidelines. Any changes to the Glass Lewis voting guidelines must be reviewed, approved,
and adopted by the Committee when changes occur.
132
A copy of First Quadrant’s
proxy voting policies is available upon request to its clients. Because circumstances differ between clients, some clients contractually reserve the right to vote their own proxies or contractually may direct First
Quadrant to vote certain of their proxies in a specific manner, in which case the Committee will assume the responsibility for voting the proxies in accordance with the client’s desires.
First Quadrant’s Trade
Operations Group will monitor corporate actions, ensuring notifications from custodians and/or information from Bloomberg or other electronic surveillance systems is recorded in our portfolio management and accounting
systems.
Voting Client Proxies
When a new portfolio is opened and
First Quadrant has ascertained either through language found within the investment management agreement or through written correspondence with the client that First Quadrant is responsible for voting proxies, a letter
is sent to the custodian informing them that Glass Lewis will act as First Quadrant’s proxy voting agent and advising them to forward all proxy material pertaining to the portfolio to Glass Lewis for execution.
Additionally, First Quadrant provides Glass Lewis with a list of the portfolios for which First Quadrant holds voting authority as needed.
Glass Lewis, as proxy voting agent
for First Quadrant, is responsible for analyzing and voting each proxy in a timely manner, maintaining records of proxy statements received and votes cast, and providing reports to First Quadrant, upon request,
concerning how proxies were voted for a client. First Quadrant’s Client Service Dept. is responsible for: setting up new portfolios; determining which portfolios First Quadrant has proxy voting responsibilities;
ensuring the custodians and Glass Lewis are appropriately notified; receiving and forwarding to the Committee, and ultimately Glass Lewis, any direction received from a client to vote a proxy in a specific manner; and
maintaining client documentation and any communications received by First Quadrant related to proxy voting, including records of all communications received from clients requesting information on how their proxies
were voted and First Quadrant’s responses.
With respect to securities out on
loan, please refer to Addendum A for specific policies and procedures regarding the voting of proxies.
Oversight of GLASS LEWIS
As First Quadrant retains ultimate
responsibility for proxies voted by Glass Lewis, First Quadrant’s Proxy Committee will monitor Glass Lewis proxy voting to ensure it is completed in accordance with the proxy voting guidelines adopted by First
Quadrant. First Quadrant’s Proxy Committee will also periodically review Glass Lewis’ business practices, procedures, and potential conflicts that may impact its ability to carry out the described
responsibilities. This monitoring may be accomplished through discussions with Glass Lewis, document and record reviews, or a combination of these approaches.
Conflicts of Interest
The adoption of the Glass Lewis
proxy voting policies provides pre-determined policies for voting proxies and thereby minimizes the potential conflict of interests that could affect the outcome of a vote. The intent of this policy is to minimize the
discretion that First Quadrant may have to interpret what is in the best interest of any client or how to vote proxies in cases where First Quadrant has a material conflict of interest or the appearance of a material
conflict of interest. However, under very limited circumstances First Quadrant will exercise discretion when it believes that the Glass Lewis’ proxy voting policy does not align with First Quadrant’s
clients’ unique interests on the matters being voted on . First Quadrant’s Proxy Voting Committee will maintain the proper records when it decides to exercise the discretion and vote directly.
Providing Voting Information
First Quadrant will provide
information to its clients on how their securities were voted for their specific portfolio(s). Clients should be directed to contact First Quadrant at 626-795-8220 or fqclientservice@firstquadrant.com for such
information.
Policy last updated: October
2015
_____________________________
1
See Voting Client Proxies section for an explanation of this role.
K2/D&s Management Co., L.L.C.
PROXY VOTING
133
Section 1.1
General Duty
. Certain clients (including the Funds) have delegated the right to vote proxies to K2. Where K2 exercises voting authority for its clients, including providing a
consent to (or a vote against) a proposal by an Underlying Fund, it must act in accordance with the following policies and procedures, which are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best
interest of K2’s clients, and in accordance with K2’s fiduciary duties and applicable regulations.
Proxies are an asset of a client
account, which should be treated by K2 with the same care, diligence and loyalty as any asset belonging to a client. Accordingly, proxy voting must be conducted with the same degree of prudence and loyalty accorded
any fiduciary or other obligation of K2.
The advisory contract that each
client signs with K2 should clearly specify whether the client has retained the power to vote proxies or whether this power has been delegated to K2. (K2 has the authority to vote all proxies on behalf of the Funds.)
In all circumstances, K2 will comply with specific client directions to vote proxies (unless such client is in a commingled Fund), whether or not such client directions specify voting proxies in a manner that is
different from these policies and procedures. In every case in which a client has delegated the power to vote proxies to K2, every reasonable effort should be made to vote proxies.
There may be circumstances under
which K2 may abstain from voting a client proxy for cost reasons (e.g., non-U.S. securities). (K2 will generally, however, vote proxies received with respect to non-U.S. Underlying Funds.) K2 understands that it must
weigh the costs and benefits of voting proxy proposals under such circumstances and make an informed decision with respect to whether voting a given proxy proposal is prudent and solely in the interests of the client.
K2’s decision in such circumstances will take into account the effect that the proxy vote, either by itself or together with other votes, is expected to have on the value of the client’s investment and
whether this expected effect would outweigh the cost of voting.
Section 1.2
Proxies for Equity Securities.
K2 subscribes to a proxy monitoring
and voting agent service for certain K2 Funds. The service transmits votes, records and generates a voting activity report for each client portfolio.
K2 also subscribes to an
independent proxy research service to provide proxy analysis with research and vote recommendations for each shareholder meeting of the companies in client portfolios. Unless a particular proposal or the particular
circumstances of a company suggest otherwise, proposals regarding routine matters (i.e., Level I issues) generally shall be voted in accordance with written analysis and voting recommendation provided by the
independent proxy research service.
Section 1.3
Guidelines for Voting Proxies
. If a client has delegated the power to vote proxies, K2 generally will vote proxies in what is believed to be the client’s (or Fund
shareholders’, members’ or partners’) best interest and not necessarily always with management.
The Legal/Compliance team is
responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The guidelines set forth below deal with various categories of proxy proposals, particularly in the area of corporate governance. While they are
not exhaustive, they do provide a good indication of K2’s general approach to a wide range of issues.
K2 generally
characterizes proxy voting issues into three Levels (I, II and III). Proxies are generally initially received and reviewed by the Legal/Compliance team. The Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee will
categorize the proxy in the appropriate level. The K2 Associate General Counsel or Chief Compliance Officer will have the authority to vote Level I and Level II proxies but decisions with respect to Level III proxies
must be made by senior Employees of the Research, Risk, Operational Due Diligence, FinOps, Legal and Compliance (the “Proxy Review Group”).
Provided below are guidelines for
certain types of proxy proposals K2 employs to develop its position in its proxy voting procedures within each Level of proposal. This section also provides examples of categories and issues as a guide for K2 and is
not intended to be a comprehensive list of all possible issues within each Level.
(a) General Guidelines. Each
situation is considered individually within the general guidelines. Level I matters normally are voted based on the recommendation of the issuer’s management. Matters that could meaningfully impact the position
of existing equityholders (Levels II and III) are given special consideration and voted in a manner that is believed to support the interests of equityholders. K2 usually opposes proposals that dilute the economic
interest of equityholders, reduce equityholders’ voting rights or otherwise limit their authority. However, in certain cases, it may not be in a client’s best interest to vote against a proposal. For
example, K2 may receive a proposal from an Underlying Fund manager that would impose more unfavorable fee or liquidity terms. K2 may nevertheless conclude that continued investment in the Underlying Fund is still in
the client’s best interest and abstain from voting or give another party the right to exercise K2’s vote.
134
Each proxy
proposal should be considered on its own merits, and an independent determination should be made whether to support or oppose management’s position.
K2 generally will vote against any
management proposal that clearly has the effect of restricting the ability of equityholders to realize the full potential value of their investment. In addition to the steps taken to render a decision in the
above-mentioned scenarios (Level I and Level II proposals), the Legal/Compliance team and/or the Proxy Review Group or its designee may find it necessary to contact company management to discuss any such proposal to
gain a more complete understanding before casting a vote.
(i)
Level I Proposals
. Level I proposals are those that do not propose to change the structure, bylaws, or operations of the entity. Given the routine nature of these proposals,
proxies will most likely be voted with management. However, the Legal/Compliance team, in consultation with the Proxy Review Group as appropriate, will research the issue before making a conclusion as to how a vote
would be in the best interest of the client. Traditionally, Level I issues include:
| ■ | Approval of auditors |
| ■ | Election of directors and officers of the entity |
| ■ | Indemnification provisions for directors |
| ■ | Liability limitations of directors |
| ■ | Name changes |
| ■ | Declaring stock splits |
| ■ | Elimination of preemptive rights |
| ■ | Incentive compensation plans |
| ■ | Changing the date and/or the location of the annual meeting |
| ■ | Minor amendments to organizational documents |
| ■ | Employment contracts between the entity and its executives and remuneration for directors |
| ■ | Automatic dividend reinvestment plans |
| ■ | Retirement plans, pensions plans and profit sharing plans, creation of and amendments thereto |
| ■ | Any other issues that do not adversely affect investors. |
(ii)
Level II Proposals
. Issues in this category are more likely to affect the structure and operations of the company and, therefore, will have a greater impact on the value of a
client’s investment. The Legal/Compliance team, in consultation with Proxy Review Group as appropriate, will review each issue in this category on a case-by-case basis and perform diligent research to make a
decision based on the best interest of the client. As stated previously, voting decisions will be made based on the perceived best interest of the clients. Level II proposals include:
| ■ | Mergers and acquisitions |
| ■ | Restructuring |
| ■ | Re-incorporation or formation |
| ■ | Changes in capitalization |
| ■ | Increase or decrease in number of directors |
| ■ | Increase or decrease in preferred stock |
| ■ | Increase or decrease in common stock or other equity securities |
| ■ | Stock option plans or other compensation plans |
| ■ | Change of manager |
| ■ | Social issues |
(iii)
Level III (Corporate Governance) Proposals
. Proposals in Level III may include:
| ■ | Increases in fees (including high water marks) and expenses |
| ■ | Changes in liquidity terms |
| ■ | Changes in indemnification/standard of care |
| ■ | Poison pills |
| ■ | Side pockets |
| ■ | Liquidating trusts |
| ■ | Golden parachutes |
| ■ | Greenmail |
| ■ | Supermajority voting |
| ■ | Board classification without cumulative voting |
| ■ | Confidential voting |
135
(b)
Voting Process
. K2 will receive and forward the proxy statement or consent that falls under a Level III proposal for each individual meeting to the Proxy Review Group to
review. The Legal/Compliance team will have the authority to vote Level I and Level II proxies but decisions with respect to Level III proxies must be made by the Proxy Review Group. Once a decision has been reached,
the Legal/Compliance team will then arrange for the votes to be entered. The Legal/Compliance team may employ a third party or utilize specialized software to record and transmit proxy votes electronically. Any
communication of the Proxy Review Group will be preserved for not less than twelve months and otherwise in compliance with Section 10.8 above.
K2 Compliance will conduct a
periodic review of these Proxy Voting procedures to ensure compliance therewith.
Section 1.4
Conflicts of Interest
. Each proxy is reviewed by the Legal/Compliance team to assess the extent to which there may be a material conflict of interest between K2 and the
client. Any communication between the client and K2 regarding the client’s voting direction will be maintained by the Legal/Compliance Team for a period of not less than twelve months, and otherwise in
compliance with Section 10.8 above. Examples of a material conflict of interest may be:
| • | if a proposal may harm a client financially while enhancing the financial or business prospects of K2. Likewise, if a proposal may harm the financial or business prospects of K2 while enhancing a client’s financial position; and |
| • | if a proposal may be contrary to the social philosophy or beliefs of a client while enhancing the financial position of the client or the financial or business prospects of K2. |
Issues not covered by these
guidelines will be examined by the Legal/Compliance team.
Section 1.5 Recordkeeping and
Reporting. See Section 10.8 above for K2’s recordkeeping policy in regards to proxy-voting records.
[April 2017]
Franklin Advisers, Inc.
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
PROXY VOTING POLICIES & PROCEDURES
An SEC Compliance Rule Policy and Procedures*
An SEC Compliance Rule Policy and Procedures*
RESPONSIBILITY OF INVESTMENT MANAGER TO VOTE PROXIES
Franklin Advisers, Inc.
(hereinafter the “Investment Manager”) has delegated its administrative duties with respect to voting proxies for securities to the Proxy Group within Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC (the “Proxy
Group”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC provides a variety of general corporate services to its affiliates, including, but not limited to, legal and
compliance activities. Proxy duties consist of analyzing proxy statements of issuers whose stock is owned by any client (including both investment companies and any separate accounts managed by the Investment Manager)
that has either delegated proxy voting administrative responsibility to the Investment Manager or has asked for information and/or recommendations on the issues to be voted.
The Proxy Group will process proxy
votes on behalf of, and the Investment Manager votes proxies solely in the best interests of, separate account clients, the Investment Manager-managed investment company shareholders, or shareholders of funds that
have appointed Franklin Templeton International Services S.à. r.l. (“FTIS S.à.r.l.”) as the Management Company, provided such funds or clients have properly delegated such responsibility in
writing, or, where employee benefit plan assets subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, are involved (“ERISA accounts”), in the best interests of the plan participants
and beneficiaries (collectively, “Advisory Clients”), unless (i) the power to vote has been specifically retained by the named fiduciary in the documents in which the named fiduciary appointed the
Investment Manager or (ii) the documents otherwise expressly prohibit the Investment Manager from voting proxies. The Investment Manager recognizes that the exercise of voting rights on securities held by ERISA plans
for which the Investment Manager has voting responsibility is a fiduciary duty that must be exercised with care, skill, prudence and diligence. The Investment Manager will inform Advisory Clients that have not
delegated the voting responsibility but that have requested voting advice about the Investment Manager's views on such proxy votes. The Proxy Group also provides these services to other advisory affiliates of the
Investment Manager.
The Investment Manager has adopted
and implemented Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Proxy Policies”) that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of Advisory Clients in accordance with
its fiduciary duties and rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. To the extent that the Investment Manager has a subadvisory agreement with an affiliated investment manager (the “Affiliated
Subadviser”) with respect to a particular Advisory Client, the Investment Manager may
136
delegate proxy voting responsibility to the
Affiliated Subadviser. The Investment Manager’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are substantially similar to those of its affiliated investment managers. The Investment Manager may also delegate proxy
voting responsibility to a Non-Affiliated Subadviser in certain limited situations as disclosed to fund shareholders (e.g., where an Investment Manager to a pooled investment vehicle has engaged an unaffiliated
Subadviser to manage all or a portion of the assets).
HOW INVESTMENT MANAGER VOTES PROXIES
Fiduciary Considerations
All proxies
received by the Proxy Group will be voted based upon the Investment Manager's instructions and/or policies. To assist it in analyzing proxies of equity securities, the Investment Manager subscribes to Institutional
Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), an unaffiliated third party corporate governance research service that provides in-depth analyses of shareholder meeting agendas and vote recommendations. In addition,
the Investment Manager subscribes to ISS’s Proxy Voting Service and Vote Disclosure Service. These services include receipt of proxy ballots, custodian bank relations, account maintenance, vote execution, ballot
reconciliation, vote record maintenance, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and vote disclosure services. Also, the Investment Manager subscribes to Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC (“Glass Lewis”), an
unaffiliated third party analytical research firm, to receive analyses and vote recommendations on the shareholder meetings of publicly held U.S. companies, as well as a limited subscription to its international
research. Also, the Investment Manager has a supplemental subscription to Egan-Jones Proxy Services (“Egan-Jones”), an unaffiliated third party proxy advisory firm, to receive analyses and vote
recommendations. Although analyses provided by ISS, Glass Lewis, Egan-Jones, and/or another independent third party proxy service provider (each a “Proxy Service”) are thoroughly reviewed and considered in
making a final voting decision, the Investment Manager does not consider recommendations from a Proxy Service or any third party to be determinative of the Investment Manager's ultimate decision. Rather, the
Investment Manager exercises its independent judgment in making voting decisions (except as discussed below in the section entitled “Circumstances Where the Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the
Recommendations of a Proxy Service”). As a matter of policy, the officers, directors and employees of the Investment Manager and the Proxy Group will not be influenced by outside sources whose interests conflict
with the interests of Advisory Clients.
For ease of reference, the Proxy
Policies often refer to all Advisory Clients. However, our processes and practices seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual Advisory Clients. For most proxy proposals, the Investment
Manager’s evaluation should result in the same position being taken for all Advisory Clients. In some cases, however, the evaluation may result in an individual Advisory Client voting differently, depending upon
the nature and objective of the fund or account, the composition of its portfolio and other factors.
Circumstances Where the Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the Recommendations of a Proxy Service
The Franklin LibertyQ exchange
traded funds (“ETFs”) of the Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, seek to track a particular securities index. As a result, each Franklin LibertyQ ETF may hold the securities of hundreds of issuers. Because the
primary criteria for determining whether a security should be included (or continued to be included) in a Franklin LibertyQ ETF’s investment portfolio is whether such security is a representative component of
the securities index that the Franklin LibertyQ ETF is seeking to track, the ETFs do not require the same level of fundamental security research and analyst coverage that an actively-managed portfolio would require.
Accordingly, in light of the high number of positions held by a Franklin LibertyQ ETF and the considerable time and effort that would be required to review proxy statements and ISS or Glass Lewis recommendations, the
Investment Manager may review the ISS and Glass Lewis Proxy Voting Guidelines and determine to instruct the Proxy Group to generally vote proxies consistent with the recommendations of ISS or Glass Lewis rather than
analyze each individual proxy vote. Permitting the Investment Manager of the Franklin LibertyQ ETFs to defer its judgment for voting on a proxy to the recommendations of ISS or Glass Lewis may result in a proxy
related to the securities of a particular issuer held by a Franklin LibertyQ ETF being voted differently from the same proxy that is voted on by other funds managed by the Investment Manager.
The Investment Manager, however,
will retain the ability to vote a proxy differently than ISS or Glass Lewis recommends if the Investment Manager determines that it would be in the best interests of a Franklin LibertyQ ETF and its shareholders.
Conflicts of Interest
All conflicts of interest will be
resolved in the best interests of the Advisory Clients. The Investment Manager is an affiliate of a large, diverse financial services firm with many affiliates and makes its best efforts to avoid conflicts of
interest. However, conflicts of interest can arise in situations where:
1. The issuer is a
client1 of the Investment Manager or its affiliates;
137
2. The issuer is a vendor whose
products or services are material or significant to the business of the Investment Manager or its affiliates;
2
3. The issuer is an entity
participating to a material extent in the distribution of proprietary investment products advised, administered or sponsored by the Investment Manager or its affiliates (e.g., a broker, dealer or bank);
3
4. The issuer is a significant
executing broker dealer;
4
5. An Access Person
5
of the Investment Manager or its affiliates also serves as a director or officer of the issuer;
6. A director or trustee of
Franklin Resources, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries or of a Franklin Templeton investment product, or an immediate family member
6
of such director or trustee, also serves as an officer or director of the issuer; or
7. The issuer is Franklin
Resources, Inc. or any of its proprietary investment products that are offered to the public as a direct investment.
Nonetheless, even though a
potential conflict of interest may exist: (1) the Investment Manager may vote in opposition to the recommendations of an issuer’s management even if contrary to the recommendations of a third party proxy voting
research provider; (2) if management has made no recommendations, the Proxy Group may defer to the voting instructions of the Investment Manager; and (3) with respect to shares held by Franklin Resources, Inc. or its
affiliates for their own corporate accounts, such shares may be voted without regard to these conflict procedures.
Material conflicts of interest are
identified by the Proxy Group based upon analyses of client, distributor, broker dealer, and vendor lists, information periodically gathered from directors and officers, and information derived from other sources,
including public filings. The Proxy Group gathers and analyzes this information on a best efforts basis, as much of this information is provided directly by individuals and groups other than the Proxy Group, and the
Proxy Group relies on the accuracy of the information it receives from such parties.
In situations where a material
conflict of interest is identified between the Investment Manager or one of its affiliates and an issuer, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the voting recommendation of a Proxy Service or send the proxy
directly to the relevant Advisory Clients with the Investment Manager’s recommendation regarding the vote for approval.
Where the Proxy Group refers a
matter to an Advisory Client, it may rely upon the instructions of a representative of the Advisory Client, such as the board of directors or trustees, a committee of the board, or an appointed delegate in the case of
a U. S. registered investment company, a conducting officer in the case of a fund that has appointed FTIS S.à.r.l as its Management Company, the Independent Review Committee for Canadian investment funds, or a
plan administrator in the case of an employee benefit plan. The Proxy Group may determine to vote all shares held by Advisory Clients of the Investment Manager and affiliated Investment Managers in accordance with the
instructions of one or more of the Advisory Clients.
The Investment Manager may also
decide whether to vote proxies for securities deemed to present conflicts of interest that are sold following a record date, but before a shareholder meeting date. The Investment Manager may consider various factors
in deciding whether to vote such proxies, including the Investment Manager’s long-term view of the issuer’s securities for investment, or it may defer the decision to vote to the applicable Advisory
Client. The Investment Manager also may be unable to vote, or choose not to vote, a proxy for securities deemed to present a conflict of interest for any of the reasons outlined in the first paragraph of the section
of these policies entitled “Proxy Procedures.”
Where a material conflict of
interest has been identified, but the items on which the Investment Manager’s vote recommendations differ from a Proxy Service relate specifically to (1) shareholder proposals regarding social or environmental
issues, (2) “Other Business” without describing the matters that might be considered, or (3) items the Investment Manager wishes to vote in opposition to the recommendations of an issuer’s
management, the Proxy Group may defer to the vote recommendations of the Investment Manager rather than sending the proxy directly to the relevant Advisory Clients for approval.
To avoid certain potential
conflicts of interest, the Investment Manager will employ echo voting, if possible, in the following instances: (1) when a Franklin Templeton U.S. registered investment company invests in an underlying fund in
reliance on any one of Sections 12(d)(1)(E), (F), or (G) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (“1940 Act”), the rules thereunder, or pursuant to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) exemptive order thereunder; (2) when a Franklin Templeton U.S. registered investment company invests uninvested cash in affiliated money market funds pursuant to the rules under the 1940 Act or any
exemptive orders thereunder (“cash sweep arrangement”); or (3) when required pursuant to the fund’s governing documents or applicable law. Echo voting means that the Investment Manager will vote the
shares in the same proportion as the vote of all of the other holders of the fund’s shares.
138
In addition, with respect to an
open-ended collective investment scheme formed as a Société d'investissement à capital variable (SICAV), in accordance with Luxembourg law, if one sub-fund (the “Acquirer”) has invested in
another sub-fund of the SICAV (the “Target”), then the voting rights attached to the shares of the Target will be suspended for voting purposes as long as they are held by the Acquirer. Similarly, in
accordance with Canadian law, Canadian mutual funds that are invested in another proprietary mutual fund are prohibited from voting the units of the underlying fund.
Weight Given Management
Recommendations
One of the primary factors the
Investment Manager considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular company is the quality and depth of that company's management. Accordingly, the recommendation of management on any issue is
a factor that the Investment Manager considers in determining how proxies should be voted. However, the Investment Manager does not consider recommendations from management to be determinative of the Investment
Manager's ultimate decision. As a matter of practice, the votes with respect to most issues are cast in accordance with the position of the company's management. Each issue, however, is considered on its own merits,
and the Investment Manager will not support the position of a company's management in any situation where it determines that the ratification of management's position would adversely affect the investment merits of
owning that company's shares.
Engagement with Issuers
The Investment Manager believes
that engagement with issuers is important to good corporate governance and to assist in making proxy voting decisions. The Investment Manager may engage with issuers to discuss specific ballot items to be voted on in
advance of an annual or special meeting to obtain further information or clarification on the proposals. The Investment Manager may also engage with management on a range of environmental, social or corporate
governance issues throughout the year.
THE PROXY GROUP
The Proxy Group is
part of the Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC Legal Department and is overseen by legal counsel. Fulltime staff members and support staff (which includes individuals that are employees of affiliates of Franklin
Templeton Companies, LLC) are devoted to proxy voting administration and oversight and providing support and assistance where needed. On a daily basis, the Proxy Group will review each proxy upon receipt as well as
any agendas, materials and recommendations that they receive from a Proxy Service or other sources. The Proxy Group maintains a log of all shareholder meetings that are scheduled for companies whose securities are
held by the Investment Manager's managed funds and accounts. For each shareholder meeting, a member of the Proxy Group will consult with the research analyst that follows the security and provide the analyst with the
agenda, analyses of one or more Proxy Services, recommendations and any other information provided to the Proxy Group. Except in (i) situations identified as presenting material conflicts of interest and (ii) the
section entitled “Circumstances Where the Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the Recommendations of a Proxy Service,” the Investment Manager's research analyst and relevant portfolio manager(s) are
responsible for making the final voting decision based on their review of the agenda, analyses of one or more Proxy Services, proxy statements, their knowledge of the company and any other information publicly
available.
In situations where the Investment
Manager has not responded with vote recommendations to the Proxy Group by the deadline date, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the vote recommendations of a Proxy Service. Except in cases where the Proxy Group
is voting consistent with the voting recommendation of a Proxy Service, the Proxy Group must obtain voting instructions from the Investment Manager's research analyst, relevant portfolio manager(s), legal counsel
and/or the Advisory Client prior to submitting the vote. In the event that an account holds a security that the Investment Manager did not purchase on its behalf, and the Investment Manager does not normally consider
the security as a potential investment for other accounts, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the voting recommendations of a Proxy Service or take no action on the meeting.
GENERAL PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
The Investment
Manager has adopted general guidelines for voting proxies as summarized below. In keeping with its fiduciary obligations to its Advisory Clients, the Investment Manager reviews all proposals, even those that may be
considered to be routine matters (except as noted above in the section entitled “Circumstances Where Investment Manager May Generally Rely on the Recommendations of a Proxy Service”). Although these
guidelines are to be followed as a general policy, in all cases each proxy and proposal (including both management and shareholder proposals) will be considered based on the relevant facts and circumstances on a
case-by-case basis. The Investment Manager may deviate from the general policies and procedures when it determines that the particular facts and circumstances warrant such deviation to protect the best interests of
the Advisory Clients. These guidelines cannot provide an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise nor can the Investment Manager anticipate all future situations. Corporate governance issues are diverse and
continually evolving and the Investment Manager devotes significant time and resources to monitor these changes.
139
THE INVESTMENT MANAGER’S PROXY
VOTING POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES
The Investment Manager's proxy
voting positions have been developed based on years of experience with proxy voting and corporate governance issues. These principles have been reviewed by various members of the Investment Manager's organization,
including portfolio management, legal counsel, and the Investment Manager's officers. The Board of Directors of Franklin Templeton’s U.S.-registered investment companies will approve the proxy voting policies
and procedures annually.
The following guidelines reflect
what the Investment Manager believes to be good corporate governance and behavior:
Board of Directors:
The election of directors and an independent board are key to good corporate governance. Directors are expected to be competent individuals and they should be accountable and responsive to
shareholders. The Investment Manager supports an independent, diverse board of directors, and prefers that key committees such as audit, nominating, and compensation committees be comprised of independent directors.
The Investment Manager supports boards with strong risk management oversight. The Investment Manager will generally vote against management efforts to classify a board and will generally support proposals to
declassify the board of directors. The Investment Manager will consider withholding votes from directors who have attended less than 75% of meetings without a valid reason. While generally in favor of separating
Chairman and CEO positions, the Investment Manager will review this issue on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration other factors including the company's corporate governance guidelines and performance. The
Investment Manager evaluates proposals to restore or provide for cumulative voting on a case-by-case basis and considers such factors as corporate governance provisions as well as relative performance. The Investment
Manager generally will support non-binding shareholder proposals to require a majority vote standard for the election of directors; however, if these proposals are binding, the Investment Manager will give careful
review on a case-by-case basis of the potential ramifications of such implementation.
In the event of a contested
election, the Investment Manager will review a number of factors in making a decision including management’s track record, the company’s financial performance, qualifications of candidates on both slates,
and the strategic plan of the dissidents and/or shareholder nominees.
Ratification of Auditors:
The Investment Manager will closely scrutinize the independence, role, and performance of auditors. On a case-by-case basis, The Investment Manager will examine proposals relating to
non-audit relationships and non-audit fees. The Investment Manager will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to rotate auditors, and will vote against the ratification of auditors when there is clear and
compelling evidence of a lack of independence, accounting irregularities or negligence attributable to the auditors. The Investment Manager may also consider whether the ratification of auditors has been approved by
an appropriate audit committee that meets applicable composition and independence requirements.
Management & Director
Compensation:
A company's equity-based compensation plan should be in alignment with the shareholders' long-term interests. The Investment Manager believes that executive compensation should be directly
linked to the performance of the company. The Investment Manager evaluates plans on a case-by-case basis by considering several factors to determine whether the plan is fair and reasonable. The Investment Manager
reviews the ISS quantitative model utilized to assess such plans and/or the Glass Lewis evaluation of the plan. The Investment Manager will generally oppose plans that have the potential to be excessively dilutive,
and will almost always oppose plans that are structured to allow the repricing of underwater options, or plans that have an automatic share replenishment “evergreen” feature. The Investment Manager will
generally support employee stock option plans in which the purchase price is at least 85% of fair market value, and when potential dilution is 10% or less.
Severance compensation arrangements
will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, although the Investment Manager will generally oppose “golden parachutes” that are considered excessive. The Investment Manager will normally support proposals
that require that a percentage of directors' compensation be in the form of common stock, as it aligns their interests with those of the shareholders.
The Investment Manager will review
non-binding say-on-pay proposals on a case-by-case basis, and will generally vote in favor of such proposals unless compensation is misaligned with performance and/or shareholders’ interests, the company has not
provided reasonably clear disclosure regarding its compensation practices, or there are concerns with the company’s remuneration practices.
Anti-Takeover Mechanisms and Related
Issues:
The Investment Manager generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they tend to reduce shareholder rights. However, as with all proxy issues, the Investment Manager conducts an
independent review of each anti-takeover proposal. On occasion, the Investment Manager may vote with management when the research analyst has concluded that the proposal is not onerous and would not harm Advisory
Clients' interests as stockholders. The Investment Manager generally supports proposals that require shareholder rights plans (“poison pills”) to be subject to a shareholder vote. The Investment Manager
will closely evaluate shareholder rights' plans on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not they warrant support. The Investment Manager will generally vote against any proposal to issue stock that has unequal
or subordinate voting rights. In addition, the Investment Manager generally opposes any supermajority voting requirements as well as the payment of “greenmail.” The Investment Manager usually
140
supports “fair price” provisions and
confidential voting. The Investment Manager will review a company’s proposal to reincorporate to a different state or country on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration financial benefits such as tax
treatment as well as comparing corporate governance provisions and general business laws that may result from the change in domicile.
Changes to Capital
Structure:
The Investment Manager realizes that a company's financing decisions have a significant impact on its shareholders, particularly when they involve the issuance of additional shares of
common or preferred stock or the assumption of additional debt. The Investment Manager will carefully review, on a case-by-case basis, proposals by companies to increase authorized shares and the purpose for the
increase. The Investment Manager will generally not vote in favor of dualclass capital structures to increase the number of authorized shares where that class of stock would have superior voting rights. The Investment
Manager will generally vote in favor of the issuance of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock
issuance are deemed reasonable. The Investment Manager will review proposals seeking preemptive rights on a case-by-case basis.
Mergers and Corporate
Restructuring:
Mergers and acquisitions will be subject to careful review by the research analyst to determine whether they would be beneficial to shareholders. The Investment Manager will analyze
various economic and strategic factors in making the final decision on a merger or acquisition. Corporate restructuring proposals are also subject to a thorough examination on a case-by-case basis.
Environmental and Social
Issues:
The Investment Manager considers environmental and social issues alongside traditional financial measures to provide a more comprehensive view of the value, risk and return potential of an
investment. Companies may face significant financial, legal and reputational risks resulting from poor environmental and social practices, or negligent oversight of environmental or social issues. Franklin
Templeton’s “Responsible Investment Principles and Policies” describes the Investment Manager’s approach to consideration of environmental, social and governance issues within the Investment
Manager’s processes and ownership practices.
In the Investment Manager’s
experience, those companies that are managed well are often effective in dealing with the relevant environmental and social issues that pertain to their business. As such, the Investment Manager will generally give
management discretion with regard to environmental and social issues. However, in cases where management and the board have not demonstrated adequate efforts to mitigate material environmental or social risks, have
engaged in inappropriate or illegal conduct, or have failed to adequately address current or emergent risks that threaten shareholder value, the Investment Manager may choose to support well-crafted shareholder
proposals that serve to promote or protect shareholder value. This may include seeking appropriate disclosure regarding material environmental and social issues. The Investment Manager will review shareholder
proposals on a case-by-case basis and may support those that serve to enhance value or mitigate risk, are drafted appropriately, and do not disrupt the course of business or require a disproportionate or inappropriate
use of company resources.
The Investment Manager will
consider supporting a shareholder proposal seeking disclosure and greater board oversight of lobbying and corporate political contributions if the Investment Manager believes that there is evidence of inadequate
oversight by the company’s board, if the company’s current disclosure is significantly deficient, or if the disclosure is notably lacking in comparison to the company’s peers.
Governance Matters:
The Investment Manager generally supports the right of shareholders to call special meetings and act by written consent. However, the Investment Manager will review such shareholder
proposals on a case-by-case basis in an effort to ensure that such proposals do not disrupt the course of business or require a disproportionate or inappropriate use of company resources.
Proxy Access:
In cases where the Investment Manager is satisfied with company performance and the responsiveness of management, it will generally vote against shareholder proxy access proposals not
supported by management. In other instances, the Investment Manager will consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as the size of the company, ownership thresholds and holding
periods, nomination limits (e.g., number of candidates that can be nominated), the intentions of the shareholder proponent, and shareholder base.
Global Corporate Governance:
The Investment Manager manages investments in countries worldwide. Many of the tenets discussed above are applied to the Investment Manager's proxy voting decisions for international
investments. However, the Investment Manager must be flexible in these worldwide markets. Principles of good corporate governance may vary by country, given the constraints of a country’s laws and acceptable
practices in the markets. As a result, it is on occasion difficult to apply a consistent set of governance practices to all issuers. As experienced money managers, the Investment Manager's analysts are skilled in
understanding the complexities of the regions in which they specialize and are trained to analyze proxy issues germane to their regions.
PROXY PROCEDURES
141
The Proxy Group is
fully cognizant of its responsibility to process proxies and maintain proxy records pursuant to SEC and Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”) rules and regulations. In addition, the Investment Manager
understands its fiduciary duty to vote proxies and that proxy voting decisions may affect the value of shareholdings. Therefore, the Investment Manager will generally attempt to process every proxy it receives for all
domestic and foreign securities. However, there may be situations in which the Investment Manager may be unable to successfully vote a proxy, or may choose not to vote a proxy, such as where: (i) a proxy ballot was
not received from the custodian bank; (ii) a meeting notice was received too late; (iii) there are fees imposed upon the exercise of a vote and it is determined that such fees outweigh the benefit of voting; (iv)
there are legal encumbrances to voting, including blocking restrictions in certain markets that preclude the ability to dispose of a security if the Investment Manager votes a proxy or where the Investment Manager is
prohibited from voting by applicable law, economic or other sanctions, or other regulatory or market requirements, including but not limited to, effective Powers of Attorney; (v) additional documentation or the
disclosure of beneficial owner details is required; (vi) the Investment Manager held shares on the record date but has sold them prior to the meeting date; (vii) a proxy voting service is not offered by the custodian
in the market; (viii) due to either system error or human error, the Investment Manager’s intended vote is not correctly submitted; (ix) the Investment Manager believes it is not in the best interest of the
Advisory Client to vote the proxy for any other reason not enumerated herein; or (x) a security is subject to a securities lending or similar program that has transferred legal title to the security to another
person.
In some non U.S. jurisdictions,
even if the Investment Manager uses reasonable efforts to vote a proxy on behalf of its Advisory Clients, such vote or proxy may be rejected because of (a) operational or procedural issues experienced by one or more
third parties involved in voting proxies in such jurisdictions; (b) changes in the process or agenda for the meeting by the issuer for which the Investment Manager does not have sufficient notice; or (c) the exercise
by the issuer of its discretion to reject the vote of the Investment Manager. In addition, despite the best efforts of the Proxy Group and its agents, there may be situations where the Investment Manager’s votes
are not received, or properly tabulated, by an issuer or the issuer’s agent.
The Investment Manager or its
affiliates may, on behalf of one or more of the proprietary registered investment companies advised by the Investment Manager or its affiliates, determine to use its best efforts to recall any security on loan where
the Investment Manager or its affiliates (a) learn of a vote on a material event that may affect a security on loan and (b) determine that it is in the best interests of such proprietary registered investment
companies to recall the security for voting purposes. The Investment Manager will not generally make such efforts on behalf of other Advisory Clients, or notify such Advisory Clients or their custodians that the
Investment Manager or its affiliates has learned of such a vote.
There may be instances in certain
non-U.S. markets where split voting is not allowed. Split voting occurs when a position held within an account is voted in accordance with two differing instructions. Some markets and/or issuers only allow voting on
an entire position and do not accept split voting. In certain cases, when more than one Franklin Templeton Investment Manager has accounts holding shares of an issuer that are held in an omnibus structure, the Proxy
Group will seek direction from an appropriate representative of the Advisory Client with multiple Investment Managers (such as a conducting officer of the Management Company in the case of a SICAV), or the Proxy Group
will submit the vote based on the voting instructions provided by the Investment Manager with accounts holding the greatest number of shares of the security within the omnibus structure.
The Investment Manager may vote
against an agenda item where no further information is provided, particularly in non-U.S. markets. For example, if “Other Business” is listed on the agenda with no further information included in the proxy
materials, the Investment Manager may vote against the item as no information has been provided prior to the meeting in order to make an informed decision. The Investment Manager may also enter a
“withhold” vote on the election of certain directors from time to time based on individual situations, particularly where the Investment Manager is not in favor of electing a director and there is no
provision for voting against such director.
If several issues are bundled
together in a single voting item, the Investment Manager will assess the total benefit to shareholders and the extent that such issues should be subject to separate voting proposals.
The following describes the
standard procedures that are to be followed with respect to carrying out the Investment Manager's proxy policy:
| 1. | The Proxy Group will identify all Advisory Clients, maintain a list of those clients, and indicate those Advisory Clients who have delegated proxy voting authority in writing to the Investment Manager. The Proxy Group will periodically review and update this list. If the agreement with an Advisory Client permits the Advisory Client to provide instructions to the Investment Manager regarding how to vote the client’s shares, the Investment Manager will make a best-efforts attempt to vote per the Advisory Client’s instructions. |
| 2. | All relevant information in the proxy materials received (e.g., the record date of the meeting) will be recorded promptly by the Proxy |
142
| Group in a database to maintain control over such materials. | |
| 3. | The Proxy Group will review and compile information on each proxy upon receipt of any agendas, materials, reports, recommendations from a Proxy Service, or other information. The Proxy Group will then forward this information to the appropriate research analyst for review and voting instructions. |
| 4. | In determining how to vote, the Investment Manager's analysts and relevant portfolio manager(s) will consider the General Proxy Voting Guidelines set forth above, their in-depth knowledge of the company, any readily available information and research about the company and its agenda items, and the recommendations of a Proxy Service. |
| 5. | The Proxy Group is responsible for maintaining the documentation that supports the Investment Manager’s voting decision. Such documentation may include, but is not limited to, any information provided by a Proxy Service and, with respect to an issuer that presents a potential conflict of interest, any board or audit committee memoranda describing the position it has taken. Additionally, the Proxy Group may include documentation obtained from the research analyst, portfolio manager and/or legal counsel; however, the relevant research analyst may, but is not required to, maintain additional documentation that was used or created as part of the analysis to reach a voting decision, such as certain financial statements of an issuer, press releases, or notes from discussions with an issuer’s management. |
| 6. | After the proxy is completed but before it is returned to the issuer and/or its agent, the Proxy Group may review those situations including special or unique documentation to determine that the appropriate documentation has been created, including conflict of interest screening. |
| 7. | The Proxy Group will make every effort to submit the Investment Manager's vote on all proxies to ISS by the cut-off date. However, in certain foreign jurisdictions or instances where the Proxy Group did not receive sufficient notice of the meeting, the Proxy Group will use its best efforts to send the voting instructions to ISS in time for the vote to be processed. |
| 8. | With respect to proprietary products, the Proxy Group will file Powers of Attorney in all jurisdictions that require such documentation on a best efforts basis; the Proxy Group does not have authority to file Powers of Attorney on behalf of other Advisory Clients. On occasion, the Investment Manager may wish to attend and vote at a shareholder meeting in person. In such cases, the Proxy Group will use its best efforts to facilitate the attendance of the designated Franklin Templeton employee by coordinating with the relevant custodian bank. |
| 9. | The Proxy Group prepares reports for each Advisory Client that has requested a record of votes cast. The report specifies the proxy issues that have been voted for the Advisory Client during the requested period and the position taken with respect to each issue. The Proxy Group sends one copy to the Advisory Client, retains a copy in the Proxy Group’s files and forwards a copy to either the appropriate portfolio manager or the client service representative. While many Advisory Clients prefer quarterly or annual reports, the Proxy Group will provide reports for any timeframe requested by an Advisory Client. |
| 10. | If the Franklin Templeton Services, LLC Global Trade Services learns of a vote that may affect a security on loan from a proprietary registered investment company, Global Trade Services will notify the Investment Manager. If the Investment Manager decides that the vote is material and it would be in the best interests of shareholders to recall the security, the Investment Manager will advise Global Trade Services to contact the lending agent in an effort to retrieve the security. If so requested by the Investment Manager, Global Trade Services shall use its best efforts to recall any security on loan and will use other practicable and legally enforceable means to ensure that the Investment Manager is able to fulfill its fiduciary duty to vote proxies for proprietary registered investment companies with respect to such loaned securities. However, there can be no guarantee that the securities can be retrieved for such purposes. Global Trade Services will advise the Proxy Group of all recalled securities. Many Advisory Clients have entered into securities lending arrangements with agent lenders to generate additional revenue. Under normal circumstances, the Investment Manager will not make efforts to recall any security on loan for voting purposes on behalf of other Advisory Clients, or notify such clients or their custodians that the Investment Manager or its affiliates have learned of such a vote. |
| 11. | The Proxy Group participates in Franklin Templeton Investment’s Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness programs. The Proxy Group will conduct disaster recovery testing on a periodic basis in an effort to ensure continued operations of the Proxy Group in the event of a disaster. Should the Proxy Group not be fully operational, then the Proxy Group may instruct ISS to vote all meetings immediately due per the recommendations of the appropriate third-party proxy voting service provider. |
| 12. | The Proxy Group, in conjunction with Legal Staff responsible for coordinating Fund disclosure, on a timely basis, will file all required Form N-PXs, with respect to proprietary U.S. registered investment companies, disclose that each fund’s proxy voting record is available on the Franklin Templeton web site, and will make available the information disclosed in each fund’s Form N-PX as soon as is reasonably practicable after filing Form N-PX with the SEC. |
143
| 13. | The Proxy Group, in conjunction with Legal Staff responsible for coordinating Fund disclosure, will ensure that all required disclosure about proxy voting of the proprietary U.S. registered investment companies is made in such clients’ disclosure documents. |
| 14. | The Proxy Group is subject to periodic review by Internal Audit, compliance groups, and external auditors. |
| 15. | The Investment Manager will review the guidelines of each Proxy Service, with special emphasis on the factors they use with respect to proxy voting recommendations. |
| 16. | The Proxy Group will update the proxy voting policies and procedures as necessary for review and approval by legal, compliance, investment officers, and/or other relevant staff. |
| 17. | The Proxy Group will familiarize itself with the procedures of ISS that govern the transmission of proxy voting information from the Proxy Group to ISS and periodically review how well this process is functioning. The Proxy Group, in conjunction with the compliance department, will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of each Proxy Service via on-site visits or by written questionnaires. As part of the periodic due diligence process, the Investment Manager assesses the adequacy and quality of each Proxy Service’s staffing and personnel to ensure each Proxy Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues and the ability to make proxy voting recommendations based on material accurate information. In the event the Investment Manager discovers an error in the research or voting recommendations provided by a Proxy Service, it will take reasonable steps to investigate the error and seek to determine whether the Proxy Service is taking reasonable steps to reduce similar errors in the future. In addition, the Investment Manager assesses the robustness of Proxy Service’s policies regarding (1) ensuring proxy voting recommendations are based on current and accurate information, and (2) identifying and addressing any conflicts of interest. To the extent enhanced disclosure of conflicts is required of Proxy Services, the Proxy Group will seek to ensure that each Proxy Service complies with such disclosure obligations and review the conflicts disclosed. The Investment Manager also considers the independence of each Proxy Service on an on-going basis. |
| 18. | The Proxy Group will investigate, or cause others to investigate, any and all instances where these Procedures have been violated or there is evidence that they are not being followed. Based upon the findings of these investigations, the Proxy Group, if practicable, will recommend amendments to these Procedures to minimize the likelihood of the reoccurrence of non-compliance. |
| 19. | At least annually, the Proxy Group will verify that: |
| a. | A sampling of proxies received by Franklin Templeton Investments has been voted in a manner consistent with the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; |
| b. | A sampling of proxies received by Franklin Templeton Investments has been voted in accordance with the instructions of the Investment Manager; |
| c. | Adequate disclosure has been made to clients and fund shareholders about the procedures and how proxies were voted in markets where such disclosures are required by law or regulation; and |
| d. | Timely filings were made with applicable regulators, as required by law or regulation, related to proxy voting. |
The Proxy Group is responsible for
maintaining appropriate proxy voting records. Such records will include, but are not limited to, a copy of all materials returned to the issuer and/or its agent, the documentation described above, listings of proxies
voted by issuer and by client, each written client request for proxy voting policies/records and the Investment Manager’s written response to any client request for such records, and any other relevant
information. The Proxy Group may use an outside service such as ISS to support this recordkeeping function. All records will be retained in either hard copy or electronic format for at least five years, the first two
of which will be on-site. Advisory Clients may request copies of their proxy voting records by calling the Proxy Group collect at 1-954-527-7678, or by sending a written request to: Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC,
300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, Attention: Proxy Group. The Investment Manager does not disclose to third parties (other than ISS) the proxy voting records of its Advisory Clients, except to the extent
such disclosure is required by applicable law or regulation or court order. Advisory Clients may review the Investment Manager's proxy voting policies and procedures on-line at www.franklintempleton.com and may
request additional copies by calling the number above. For U.S. proprietary registered investment companies, an annual proxy voting record for the period ending June 30 of each year will be posted to
www.franklintempleton.com no later than August 31 of each year. For proprietary Canadian mutual fund products, an annual proxy voting record for the period ending June 30 of each year will be posted to
www.franklintempleton.ca no later than August 31 of each year. The Proxy Group will periodically review the web site posting and update
144
the posting when necessary. In addition, the Proxy
Group is responsible for ensuring that the proxy voting policies, procedures and records of the Investment Manager are available as required by law and is responsible for overseeing the filing of such U.S. registered
investment company voting records with the SEC.
PROCEDURES FOR MEETINGS INVOLVING
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES
From time to time, certain
custodians may process events for fixed income securities through their proxy voting channels rather than corporate action channels for administrative convenience. In such cases, the Proxy Group will receive ballots
for such events on the ISS voting platform. The Proxy Group will solicit voting instructions from the Investment Manager for each account or fund involved. If the Proxy Group does not receive voting instructions from
the Investment Manager, the Proxy Group will take no action on the event. The Investment Manager may be unable to vote a proxy for a fixed income security, or may choose not to vote a proxy, for the reasons described
under the section entitled “Proxy Procedures.”
The Proxy Group will monitor such
meetings involving fixed income securities for conflicts of interest in accordance with these procedures for fixed income securities. If a fixed income issuer is flagged as a potential conflict of interest, the
Investment Manager may nonetheless vote as it deems in the best interests of its Advisory Clients. The Investment Manager will report such decisions on an annual basis to Advisory Clients as may be required.
As of February
2017
* Rule 38a-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”) (together the “Compliance Rule”) require registered investment
companies and registered investment advisers to, among other things, adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws (“Compliance Rule
Policies and Procedures”).
1
For purposes of this section, a “client” does not include underlying investors in a collective investment trust, Canadian pooled fund, or other pooled investment
vehicle managed by the Investment Manager or its affiliates. Sponsors of funds sub-advised by the Investment Manager or its affiliates will be considered a “client.”
2 The top 50 vendors will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
3 The top 40 distributors (based on aggregate gross sales) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest. In addition, any insurance company that has entered into a participation agreement with a Franklin Templeton entity to distribute the Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust or other variable products will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
4 The top 40 executing broker-dealers (based on gross brokerage commissions and client commissions) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
5 “Access Person” shall have the meaning provided under the current Code of Ethics of Franklin Resources, Inc.
6 The term “immediate family member” means a person’s spouse; child residing in the person’s household (including step and adoptive children); and any dependent of the person, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 152).
2 The top 50 vendors will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
3 The top 40 distributors (based on aggregate gross sales) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest. In addition, any insurance company that has entered into a participation agreement with a Franklin Templeton entity to distribute the Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust or other variable products will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
4 The top 40 executing broker-dealers (based on gross brokerage commissions and client commissions) will be considered to present a potential conflict of interest.
5 “Access Person” shall have the meaning provided under the current Code of Ethics of Franklin Resources, Inc.
6 The term “immediate family member” means a person’s spouse; child residing in the person’s household (including step and adoptive children); and any dependent of the person, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 152).
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT
(“GSAM”)*
GSAM Global Proxy Voting Policy,
Procedures and Guidelines
2017 Edition
March 2017
Table of Contents
Part I: Policy and Procedures
A. Guiding Principles
B. The Proxy Voting Process
C. Implementation
D. Conflicts of Interest
Part II: GSAM Proxy Voting
Guidelines Summary
A. U.S. Proxy Items
145
Guidelines
B. Non-U.S. Proxy Items
Guidelines
Part I
A. Guiding Principles
Proxy voting and the analysis of
corporate governance issues in general are important elements of the portfolio management services we provide to our advisory clients who have authorized us to address these matters on their behalf. Our guiding
principles in performing proxy voting are to make decisions that favor proposals that in GSAM’s view maximize a company’s shareholder value and are not influenced by conflicts of interest. These principles
reflect GSAM’s belief that sound corporate governance will create a framework within which a company can be managed in the interests of its shareholders.
GSAM has adopted the policies and
procedures set out below regarding the voting of proxies (the “Policy”). GSAM periodically reviews this Policy to ensure it continues to be consistent with our guiding principles.
B. The Proxy Voting Process
Public Equity Investments
To implement these guiding
principles for investments in publicly traded equities for which we have voting power on any record date, we follow customized proxy voting guidelines that have been developed by GSAM portfolio management (the
“GSAM Guidelines”). The GSAM Guidelines embody the positions and factors GSAM generally considers important in casting proxy votes. They address a wide variety of individual topics, including, among other
matters, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations, mergers, issues of corporate social responsibility and
various shareholder proposals. Recognizing the complexity and fact-specific nature of many corporate governance issues, the GSAM Guidelines identify factors we consider in determining how the vote should be cast. A
summary of the GSAM Guidelines is attached as Part II.
The principles and positions
reflected in this Policy are designed to guide us in voting proxies, and not necessarily in making investment decisions. GSAM portfolio management teams (each, a “Portfolio Management Team”) base their
determinations of whether to invest in a particular company on a variety of factors, and while corporate governance may be one such factor, it may not be the primary consideration.
Fundamental Equity and GS
Investment Strategies Portfolio Management Teams
The Fundamental Equity and GS
Investment Strategies Portfolio Management Teams view the analysis of corporate governance practices as an integral part of the investment research and stock valuation process. In forming their views on particular
matters, these Portfolio Management Teams may consider applicable regional rules and practices, including codes of conduct and other guides, regarding proxy voting, in addition to the GSAM Guidelines and
Recommendations (as defined below).
Quantitative Investment Strategies
Portfolio Management Teams
The Quantitative Investment
Strategies Portfolio Management Teams have decided to generally follow the GSAM Guidelines and Recommendations based on such Portfolio Management Teams’ investment philosophy and approach to portfolio
construction, as well as their participation in the creation of the GSAM Guidelines. The Quantitative Investment Strategies Portfolio Management Teams may from time to time, however, review and individually assess any
specific shareholder vote.
Fixed Income and Private
Investments
Voting decisions with respect to
client investments in fixed income securities and the securities of privately held issuers generally will be made by the relevant Portfolio Management Teams based on their assessment of the particular transactions or
other matters at issue. Those Portfolio Management Teams may also adopt policies related to the fixed income or private investments they make that supplement this Policy.
Alternative Investment and Manager
Selection (“AIMS”) and Externally Managed Strategies
146
Where GSAM places client assets
with managers outside of GSAM, for example within GSAM’s AIMS business unit, such external managers generally will be responsible for voting proxies in accordance with the managers’ own policies. AIMS may,
however, retain proxy voting responsibilities where it deems appropriate or necessary under prevailing circumstances. To the extent AIMS portfolio managers assume proxy voting responsibility with respect to publicly
traded equity securities they will follow the GSAM Guidelines and Recommendations as discussed below unless an override is requested. Any other voting decision will be conducted in accordance with AIMS’ policies
governing voting decisions with respect to non-publicly traded equity securities held by their clients.
C. Implementation
GSAM has retained a third-party
proxy voting service (the “Proxy Service”) to assist in the implementation of certain proxy voting-related functions, including, without limitation, operational, recordkeeping and reporting services. Among
its responsibilities, the Proxy Service prepares a written analysis and recommendation (a “Recommendation”) of each proxy vote that reflects the Proxy Service’s application of the GSAM Guidelines to
the particular proxy issues. GSAM retains the responsibility for proxy voting decisions.
GSAM’s Portfolio Management
Teams generally cast proxy votes consistently with the GSAM Guidelines and the Recommendations. Each Portfolio Management Team, however, may on certain proxy votes seek approval to diverge from the GSAM Guidelines or
a Recommendation by following a process that seeks to ensure that override decisions are not influenced by any conflict of interest. As a result of the override process, different Portfolio Management Teams may vote
differently for particular votes for the same company.
GSAM clients who have delegated
voting responsibility to GSAM with respect to their account may from time to time contact their client representative if they would like to direct GSAM to vote in a particular manner for a particular solicitation.
GSAM will use commercially reasonable efforts to vote according to the client’s request in these circumstances, however, GSAM’s ability to implement such voting instruction will be dependent on operational
matters such as the timing of the request.
From time to time, GSAM’s
ability to vote proxies may be affected by regulatory requirements and compliance, legal or logistical considerations. As a result, GSAM, from time to time, may determine that it is not practicable or desirable to
vote proxies.
D. Conflicts of Interest
GSAM has implemented processes
designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing its proxy voting decisions. These processes include information barriers as well as the use of the GSAM Guidelines and Recommendations and the override
process described above in instances when a Portfolio Management Team is interested in voting in a manner that diverges from the initial Recommendation based on the GSAM Guidelines.
Part II
GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines
Summary
The following is a summary of the
material GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), which form the substantive basis of GSAM’s Policy and Procedures on Proxy Voting for Investment Advisory Clients (the “Policy”).
As described in the main body of the Policy, one or more GSAM Portfolio Management Teams may diverge from the Guidelines and a related Recommendation on any particular proxy vote or in connection with any individual
investment decision in accordance with the Policy.
A. US proxy items:
1. Operational Items
2. Board of Directors
3. Executive Compensation
4. Director Nominees and Proxy
Access
5. Shareholder Rights and
Defenses
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings
7. State of Incorporation
8. Capital Structure
147
9. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
B. Non-U.S. proxy items:
1. Operational Items
2. Board of Directors
3. Compensation
4. Board Structure
5. Capital Structure
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings & Other
7. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
U.S. Proxy Items
The following section is a summary
of the Guidelines, which form the substantive basis of the Policy with respect to U.S. public equity investments.
1. Operational Items
Auditor Ratification
Vote FOR proposals to ratify
auditors, unless any of the following apply within the last year:
| ■ | An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; |
| ■ | There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| ■ | Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a serious level of concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; or material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures; or |
| ■ | Fees for non-audit services are excessive (generally over 50% or more of the audit fees). |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder
proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services or asking for audit firm rotation.
2. Board of Directors
The board of directors should
promote the interests of shareholders by acting in an oversight and/or advisory role; the board should consist of a majority of independent directors and should be held accountable for actions and results related to
their responsibilities.
When evaluating board composition,
GSAM believes a diversity of ethnicity, gender and experience is an important consideration.
Classification of Directors
Where applicable, the New York
Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Listing Standards definition is to be used to classify directors as inside directors, affiliated outside directors, or independent outside directors.
Additionally, GSAM will consider
compensation committee interlocking directors to be affiliated (defined as CEOs who sit on each other’s compensation committees).
Voting on Director Nominees in
Uncontested Elections
Vote on director nominees should be
determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
individual directors who:
| ■ | Attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a disclosed valid excuse for each of the last two years; |
| ■ | Sit on more than five public operating and/or holding company boards; |
148
| ■ | Are CEOs or CFOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies besides their own—withhold only at their outside boards. |
Other items considered for an
AGAINST vote include specific concerns about the individual or the company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities, sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and
regulations, the presence of inappropriate related party transactions, or other issues related to improper business practices.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
inside directors and affiliated outside directors (per the Classification of Directors above) in the case of operating and/or holding companies when:
| ■ | The inside director or affiliated outside director serves on the Audit, Compensation or Nominating Committees; and |
| ■ | The company lacks an Audit, Compensation or Nominating Committee so that the full board functions as such committees and inside directors or affiliated outside directors are participating in voting on matters that independent committees should be voting on. |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from
members of the appropriate committee for the following reasons (or independent chairman or lead director in cases of a classified board and members of appropriate committee are not up for re-election). Extreme cases
may warrant a vote against the entire board.
| ■ | Material failures of governance, stewardship, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company; |
| ■ | Egregious actions related to the director(s)’ service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company; |
| ■ | At the previous board election, any director received more than 50% withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the underlying issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote (members of the Nominating or Governance Committees); |
| ■ | The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received approval of the majority of shares cast for the previous two consecutive years (a management proposal with other than a FOR recommendation by management will not be considered as sufficient action taken); an adopted proposal that is substantially similar to the original shareholder proposal will be deemed sufficient; (vote against members of the committee of the board that is responsible for the issue under consideration). If GSAM did not support the shareholder proposal in both years, GSAM will still vote against the committee member(s). |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the
members of the Audit Committee if:
| ■ | The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive (generally over 50% or more of the audit fees); |
| ■ | The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor and there is not clear evidence that the situation has been remedied; |
| ■ | There is persuasive evidence that the Audit Committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm; or |
| ■ | No members of the Audit Committee hold sufficient financial expertise. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the
Audit Committee and/or the full board if poor accounting practices, which rise to a level of serious concern are identified, such as fraud, misapplication of GAAP and material weaknesses identified in Section 404
disclosures.
Examine the severity, breadth,
chronological sequence and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions, in determining whether negative vote recommendations are warranted against the members of the Audit
Committee who are responsible for the poor accounting practices, or the entire board.
See section 3 on executive and
director compensation for reasons to withhold from members of the Compensation Committee.
In limited circumstances, GSAM may
vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees of the board of directors (except from new nominees who should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis and except as discussed below) if:
| ■ | The company’s poison pill has a dead-hand or modified dead-hand feature for two or more years. Vote against/withhold every year until this feature is removed; however, vote against the poison pill if there is one on the ballot with this feature rather than the director; |
| ■ | The board adopts or renews a poison pill without shareholder approval, does not commit to putting it to shareholder vote within 12 months of adoption (or in the case of an newly public company, does not commit to put the pill to a shareholder vote within 12 months following the IPO), or reneges on a commitment to put the pill to a vote, and has not yet received a withhold/against recommendation for this issue; |
| ■ | The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders tendered their shares; |
| ■ | If in an extreme situation the board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers. |
Shareholder proposal regarding
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
149
GSAM will generally recommend a
vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| ■ | Designated lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| ■ | Two-thirds independent board; |
| ■ | All independent “key” committees (audit, compensation and nominating committees); or |
| ■ | Established, disclosed governance guidelines. |
Shareholder proposal regarding
board declassification
GSAM will generally vote FOR
proposals requesting that the board adopt a declassified structure in the case of operating and holding companies.
Majority Vote Shareholder
Proposals
GSAM will vote FOR proposals
requesting that the board adopt majority voting in the election of directors provided it does not conflict with the state law where the company is incorporated. GSAM also looks for companies to adopt a post-election
policy outlining how the company will address the situation of a holdover director.
Cumulative Vote Shareholder
Proposals
GSAM will generally support
shareholder proposals to restore or provide cumulative voting in the case of operating and holding companies unless:
| ■ | The company has adopted (i) majority vote standard with a carve-out for plurality voting in situations where there are more nominees than seats and (ii) a director resignation policy to address failed elections. |
3. Executive Compensation
Pay Practices
Good pay practices should align
management’s interests with long-term shareholder value creation. Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is preferred; proof that companies follow the criteria should be evident and retroactive performance
target changes without proper disclosure is not viewed favorably. Compensation practices should allow a company to attract and retain proven talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: abnormally large bonus
payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/stock
appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites. A company should also have an appropriate balance of short-term vs. long-term metrics and the metrics should be aligned with business
goals and objectives.
If the company maintains
problematic or poor pay practices, generally vote:
| ■ | AGAINST Management Say on Pay (MSOP) Proposals; or |
| ■ | AGAINST an equity-based incentive plan proposal if excessive non-performance-based equity awards are the major contributor to a pay-for-performance misalignment. |
| ■ | If no MSOP or equity-based incentive plan proposal item is on the ballot, vote AGAINST/WITHHOLD from compensation committee members. |
Equity Compensation Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based
compensation plans. Evaluation takes into account potential plan cost, plan features and grant practices. While a negative combination of these factors could cause a vote AGAINST, other reasons to vote AGAINST the
equity plan could include the following factors:
| ■ | The plan permits the repricing of stock options/stock appreciation rights (SARs) without prior shareholder approval; or |
| ■ | There is more than one problematic material feature of the plan, which could include one of the following: unfavorable change-in-control features, presence of gross ups and options reload. |
Advisory Vote on Executive
Compensation (Say-on-Pay, MSOP) Management Proposals
Vote FOR annual frequency and
AGAINST all proposals asking for any frequency less than annual.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals for an advisory vote on executive compensation. For U.S. companies, consider the following factors in the context of each company’s specific circumstances and the board’s disclosed rationale for
its practices. In general more than one factor will need to be present in order to warrant a vote AGAINST.
150
Pay-for-Performance Disconnect:
| ■ | GSAM will consider there to be a disconnect based on a quantitative assessment of the following: CEO pay vs. TSR and peers, CEO pay as a percentage of the median peer group or CEO pay vs. shareholder return over time. |
Additional Factors Considered
Include:
| ■ | Board’s responsiveness if company received 70% or less shareholder support in the previous year’s MSOP vote; |
| ■ | Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure; |
| ■ | Egregious employment contracts; |
| ■ | Excessive perquisites or excessive severance and/or change in control provisions; |
| ■ | Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options without prior shareholder approval; |
| ■ | Excessive pledging or hedging of stock by executives; |
| ■ | Egregious pension/SERP (supplemental executive retirement plan) payouts; |
| ■ | Extraordinary relocation benefits; |
| ■ | Internal pay disparity; |
| ■ | Lack of transparent disclosure of compensation philosophy and goals and targets, including details on short-term and long-term performance incentives; and |
| ■ | Long-term equity-based compensation is 100% time-based. |
Other Compensation Proposals and
Policies
Employee Stock Purchase Plans
— Non-Qualified Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on nonqualified
employee stock purchase plans taking into account the following factors:
| ■ | Broad-based participation; |
| ■ | Limits on employee contributions; |
| ■ | Company matching contributions; and |
| ■ | Presence of a discount on the stock price on the date of purchase. |
Option Exchange Programs/Repricing
Options
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals seeking approval to exchange/reprice options, taking into consideration:
| ■ | Historic trading patterns—the stock price should not be so volatile that the options are likely to be back “in-the-money” over the near term; |
| ■ | Rationale for the re-pricing; |
| ■ | If it is a value-for-value exchange; |
| ■ | If surrendered stock options are added back to the plan reserve; |
| ■ | Option vesting; |
| ■ | Term of the option—the term should remain the same as that of the replaced option; |
| ■ | Exercise price—should be set at fair market or a premium to market; |
| ■ | Participants—executive officers and directors should be excluded. |
Vote FOR shareholder proposals to
put option repricings to a shareholder vote.
Other Shareholder Proposals on
Compensation
Advisory Vote on Executive
Compensation (Frequency on Pay)
Vote FOR annual frequency.
Stock retention holding period
Vote FOR shareholder proposals
asking for a policy requiring that senior executives retain a significant percentage of shares acquired through equity compensation programs if the policy requests retention for two years or less following the
termination of their employment (through retirement or otherwise) and a holding threshold percentage of 50% or less.
Also consider:
| ■ | Whether the company has any holding period, retention ratio, or officer ownership requirements in place and the terms/provisions of awards already granted. |
Elimination of accelerated vesting
in the event of a change in control
151
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals
seeking a policy eliminating the accelerated vesting of time-based equity awards in the event of a change-in-control.
Performance-based equity awards and
pay-for-superior-performance proposals
Generally support unless there is
sufficient evidence that the current compensation structure is already substantially performance-based. GSAM considers performance-based awards to include awards that are tied to shareholder return or other metrics
that are relevant to the business.
Say on Supplemental Executive
Retirement Plans (SERP)
Generally vote AGAINST proposals
asking for shareholder votes on SERP.
4. Director Nominees and Proxy
Access
Voting for Director Nominees
(Management or Shareholder)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election
of directors of operating and holding companies in contested elections, considering the following factors:
| ■ | Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry; |
| ■ | Management’s track record; |
| ■ | Background of the nomination, in cases where there is a shareholder nomination; |
| ■ | Qualifications of director nominee(s); |
| ■ | Strategic plan related to the nomination and quality of critique against management; |
| ■ | Number of boards on which the director nominee already serves; and |
| ■ | Likelihood that the board will be productive as a result. |
Proxy Access
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder or
management proposals asking for proxy access.
GSAM may support proxy access as an
important right for shareholders of operating and holding companies and as an alternative to costly proxy contests and as a method for GSAM to vote for directors on an individual basis, as appropriate, rather than
voting on one slate or the other. While this could be an important shareholder right, the following factors will be taken into account when evaluating the shareholder proposals:
| ■ | The ownership thresholds, percentage and duration proposed (GSAM generally will not support if the ownership threshold is less than 3%); |
| ■ | The maximum proportion of directors that shareholders may nominate each year (GSAM generally will not support if the proportion of directors is greater than 25%); and |
| ■ | Other restricting factors that when taken in combination could serve to materially limit the proxy access provision. |
When evaluating companies that
adopted proxy access either proactively or in response to a shareholder proposal, GSAM will take into account the factors listed above. A vote against governance committee members could result if provisions exist that
materially limit the right to proxy access.
Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation
Expenses
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to
reimburse proxy solicitation expenses. When voting in conjunction with support of a dissident slate, vote FOR the reimbursement of all appropriate proxy solicitation expenses associated with the election.
5. Shareholders Rights and
Defenses
Shareholder Ability to Act by
Written Consent
In the case of operating and
holding companies, generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to act by written consent, unless:
| ■ | The company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower; and |
| ■ | The company has a history of strong governance practices. |
Shareholder Ability to Call Special
Meetings
152
In the case of operating and
holding companies, generally vote FOR management proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings.
In the case of operating and
holding companies, generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower if the company currently does not give shareholders the
right to call special meetings. However, if a company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of at least 25%, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to further reduce the
threshold.
Advance Notice Requirements for
Shareholder Proposals/Nominations
In the case of operating and
holding companies, vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice proposals, giving support to proposals that allow shareholders to submit proposals/nominations reasonably close to the meeting date and within the broadest window
possible, recognizing the need to allow sufficient notice for company, regulatory and shareholder review.
Poison Pills
Vote FOR shareholder proposals
requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder vote or redeem it, unless the company has:
| ■ | a shareholder-approved poison pill in place; or |
| ■ | adopted a policy concerning the adoption of a pill in the future specifying certain shareholder friendly provisions. |
Vote FOR shareholder proposals
calling for poison pills to be put to a vote within a time period of less than one year after adoption.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management
proposals on poison pill ratification, focusing on the features of the shareholder rights plan.
In addition, the rationale for
adopting the pill should be thoroughly explained by the company. In examining the request for the pill, take into consideration the company’s existing governance structure, including: board independence,
existing takeover defenses, and any problematic governance concerns.
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and
acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| ■ | Valuation; |
| ■ | Market reaction; |
| ■ | Strategic rationale; |
| ■ | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
| ■ | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| ■ | Governance profile of the combined company. |
7. State of Incorporation
Reincorporation Proposals
GSAM may support management
proposals to reincorporate as long as the reincorporation would not substantially diminish shareholder rights. GSAM may not support shareholder proposals for reincorporation unless the current state of incorporation
is substantially less shareholder friendly than the proposed reincorporation, there is a strong economic case to reincorporate or the company has a history of making decisions that are not shareholder friendly.
Exclusive venue for shareholder
lawsuits
Generally vote FOR on exclusive
venue proposals, taking into account:
| ■ | Whether the company has been materially harmed by shareholder litigation outside its jurisdiction of incorporation, based on disclosure in the company's proxy statement; |
| ■ | Whether the company has the following good governance features: |
| ■ | Majority independent board; |
| ■ | Independent key committees; |
| ■ | An annually elected board; |
| ■ | A majority vote standard in uncontested director elections; |
| ■ | The absence of a poison pill, unless the pill was approved by shareholders; and/or |
| ■ | Separate Chairman CEO role or, if combined, an independent chairman with clearly delineated duties. |
153
8. Capital Structure
Common and Preferred Stock
Authorization
Generally vote FOR proposals to
increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance.
Generally vote FOR proposals to
increase the number of shares of preferred stock, as long as there is a commitment to not use the shares for anti-takeover purposes.
9. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
Overall Approach
GSAM recognizes that Environmental,
Social and Governance (ESG) factors can affect investment performance, expose potential investment risks and provide an indication of management excellence and leadership. When evaluating ESG proxy issues, GSAM
balances the purpose of a proposal with the overall benefit to shareholders.
Shareholder proposals considered
under this category could include, among others, reports on:
1) employee labor and safety
policies;
2) impact on the environment of the
company’s production or manufacturing operations;
3) societal impact of products
manufactured;
4) risks throughout the supply
chain or operations including labor practices, animal treatment practices within food production and conflict minerals; and
5) overall board structure,
including diversity.
When evaluating environmental and
social shareholder proposals, the following factors are generally considered:
| ■ | The company’s current level of publicly available disclosure, including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
| ■ | If the company has implemented or formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard; |
| ■ | Whether adoption of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; |
| ■ | Whether the information requested concerns business issues that relate to a meaningful percentage of the company’s business; |
| ■ | The degree to which the company’s stated position on the issues raised in the proposal could affect its reputation or sales, or leave it vulnerable to a boycott or selective purchasing; |
| ■ | Whether the company has already responded in some appropriate manner to the request embodied in the proposal; |
| ■ | What other companies in the relevant industry have done in response to the issue addressed in the proposal; |
| ■ | Whether the proposal itself is well framed and the cost of preparing the report is reasonable; |
| ■ | Whether the subject of the proposal is best left to the discretion of the board; |
| ■ | Whether the company has material fines or violations in the area and if so, if appropriate actions have already been taken to remedy going forward; |
| ■ | Whether providing this information would reveal proprietary or confidential information that would place the company at a competitive disadvantage. |
Environmental Sustainability,
climate change reporting
Generally vote FOR proposals
requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives and oversight mechanisms related to environmental sustainability, or how the company may be impacted by climate change. The following factors will be
considered:
| ■ | The company’s current level of publicly available disclosure including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
| ■ | If the company has formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard within a specified time frame; |
| ■ | If the company’s current level of disclosure is comparable to that of its industry peers; and |
| ■ | If there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company’s environmental performance. |
Establishing goals or targets for
emissions reduction
154
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals that
call for the adoption of Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) reduction goals from products and operations, taking into account:
| ■ | Overly prescriptive requests for the reduction in GHG emissions by specific amounts or within a specific time frame; |
| ■ | Whether the industry is a material contributor to global GHG emissions and company disclosure is lacking; |
| ■ | Whether company disclosure lags behind industry peers; |
| ■ | Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to GHG emissions; |
| ■ | The feasibility of reduction of GHGs given the company’s product line and current technology; and |
| ■ | Whether the company already provides meaningful disclosure on GHG emissions from its products and operations. |
Political Contributions and Trade
Association Spending/Lobbying Expenditures and Initiatives
GSAM generally believes that it is
the role of boards and management to determine the appropriate level of disclosure of all types of corporate political activity. When evaluating these proposals, GSAM considers the prescriptive nature of the proposal
and the overall benefit to shareholders along with a company’s current disclosure of policies, practices and oversight.
Generally vote AGAINST proposals
asking the company to affirm political nonpartisanship in the workplace so long as:
| ■ | There are no recent, significant controversies, fines or litigation regarding the company’s political contributions or trade association spending; and |
| ■ | The company has procedures in place to ensure that employee contributions to company-sponsored political action committees (PACs) are strictly voluntary and prohibits coercion. |
Vote AGAINST proposals requesting
increased disclosure of a company’s policies with respect to political contributions, lobbying and trade association spending as long as:
| ■ | There is no significant potential threat or actual harm to shareholders’ interests; |
| ■ | There are no recent significant controversies or litigation related to the company’s political contributions or governmental affairs; and |
| ■ | There is publicly available information to assess the company’s oversight related to such expenditures of corporate assets. |
GSAM generally will vote AGAINST
proposals asking for detailed disclosure of political contributions or trade association or lobbying expenditures.
Vote AGAINST proposals barring the
company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level and barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Gender Identity and Sexual
Orientation
A company should have a clear,
public Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement and/or diversity policy. Generally vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a company’s EEO statement or diversity policies to additionally prohibit discrimination
based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Labor and Human Rights Standards
Generally vote FOR proposals
requesting a report on company or company supplier labor and/or human rights standards and policies, or on the impact of its operations on society, unless such information is already publicly disclosed considering:
| ■ | The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed; |
| ■ | Whether or not existing relevant policies are consistent with internationally recognized standards; |
| ■ | Whether company facilities and those of its suppliers are monitored and how; |
| ■ | Company participation in fair labor organizations or other internationally recognized human rights initiatives; |
| ■ | Scope and nature of business conducted in markets known to have higher risk of workplace labor/human rights abuse; |
| ■ | Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human rights at the company or its suppliers; |
| ■ | The scope of the request; and |
| ■ | Deviation from industry sector peer company standards and practices. |
Non-U.S. Proxy Items
The following section is a broad
summary of the Guidelines, which form the basis of the Policy with respect to non-U.S. public equity investments. Applying these guidelines is subject to certain regional and country-specific exceptions and
modifications and is not inclusive of all considerations in each market.
1. Operational Items
155
Financial Results/Director and
Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial
statements and director and auditor reports, unless:
| ■ | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
| ■ | The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be publicly disclosed. |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor
Fees
Vote FOR the re-election of
auditors and proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
| ■ | There are serious concerns about the accounts presented, audit procedures used or audit opinion rendered; |
| ■ | There is reason to believe that the auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| ■ | Name of the proposed auditor has not been published; |
| ■ | The auditors are being changed without explanation; |
| ■ | Non-audit-related fees are substantial or are in excess of standard annual audit-related fees; or |
| ■ | The appointment of external auditors if they have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Appointment of Statutory
Auditors
Vote FOR the appointment or
re-election of statutory auditors, unless:
| ■ | There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures used; |
| ■ | Questions exist concerning any of the statutory auditors being appointed; or |
| ■ | The auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Allocation of Income
Vote FOR approval of the allocation
of income, unless:
| ■ | The dividend payout ratio has been consistently low without adequate explanation; or |
| ■ | The payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. |
Stock (Scrip) Dividend
Alternative
Vote FOR most stock (scrip)
dividend proposals.
Vote AGAINST proposals that do not
allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.
Amendments to Articles of
Association
Vote amendments to the articles of
association on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Change in Company Fiscal Term
Vote FOR resolutions to change a
company’s fiscal term unless a company’s motivation for the change is to postpone its annual general meeting.
Lower Disclosure Threshold for
Stock Ownership
Vote AGAINST resolutions to lower
the stock ownership disclosure threshold below 5% unless specific reasons exist to implement a lower threshold.
Amend Quorum Requirements
Vote proposals to amend quorum
requirements for shareholder meetings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Transact Other Business
Vote AGAINST other business when it
appears as a voting item.
2. Board of Directors
156
Director Elections
Vote FOR management nominees taking
into consideration the following:
| ■ | Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; or |
| ■ | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or |
| ■ | There have been questionable transactions or conflicts of interest; or |
| ■ | There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; or |
| ■ | The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards; or |
| ■ | There are reservations about: |
| ■ | Director terms |
| ■ | Bundling of proposals to elect directors |
| ■ | Board independence |
| ■ | Disclosure of named nominees |
| ■ | Combined Chairman/CEO |
| ■ | Election of former CEO as Chairman of the board |
| ■ | Overboarded directors |
| ■ | Composition of committees |
| ■ | Director independence |
| ■ | Number of directors on the board |
| ■ | Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or |
| ■ | Repeated absences at board meetings have not been explained (in countries where this information is disclosed); or |
| ■ | Unless there are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to service on other boards. |
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in
contested elections of directors, e.g., the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders.
The analysis will generally be
based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:
| ■ | Company performance relative to its peers; |
| ■ | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
| ■ | Independence of board candidates; |
| ■ | Experience and skills of board candidates; |
| ■ | Governance profile of the company; |
| ■ | Evidence of management entrenchment; |
| ■ | Responsiveness to shareholders; |
| ■ | Whether a takeover offer has been rebuffed; |
| ■ | Whether minority or majority representation is being sought. |
Vote FOR employee and/or labor
representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee and are required by law to be on those committees.
Vote AGAINST employee and/or labor
representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee, if they are not required to be on those committees.
Classification of directors
Executive Director
| ■ | Employee or executive of the company; |
| ■ | Any director who is classified as a non-executive, but receives salary, fees, bonus, and/or other benefits that are in line with the highest-paid executives of the company. |
Non-Independent Non-Executive
Director (NED)
| ■ | Any director who is attested by the board to be a non-independent NED; |
| ■ | Any director specifically designated as a representative of a significant shareholder of the company; |
| ■ | Any director who is also an employee or executive of a significant shareholder of the company; |
157
| ■ | Beneficial owner (direct or indirect) of at least 10% of the company’s stock, either in economic terms or in voting rights (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more than one member of a defined group, e.g., family members who beneficially own less than 10% individually, but collectively own more than 10%), unless market best practice dictates a lower ownership and/or disclosure threshold (and in other special market-specific circumstances); |
| ■ | Government representative; |
| ■ | Currently provides (or a relative provides) professional services to the company, to an affiliate of the company, or to an individual officer of the company or of one of its affiliates in excess of $10,000 per year; |
| ■ | Represents customer, supplier, creditor, banker, or other entity with which company maintains transactional/commercial relationship (unless company discloses information to apply a materiality test); |
| ■ | Any director who has conflicting or cross-directorships with executive directors or the chairman of the company; |
| ■ | Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates; |
| ■ | Relative of a former executive of the company or its affiliates; |
| ■ | A new appointee elected other than by a formal process through the General Meeting (such as a contractual appointment by a substantial shareholder); |
| ■ | Founder/co-founder/member of founding family but not currently an employee; |
| ■ | Former executive (5 year cooling off period); |
| ■ | Years of service is generally not a determining factor unless it is recommended best practice in a market and/or in extreme circumstances, in which case it may be considered; and |
| ■ | Any additional relationship or principle considered to compromise independence under local corporate governance best practice guidance. |
Independent NED
| ■ | No material connection, either directly or indirectly, to the company other than a board seat. |
Employee Representative
| ■ | Represents employees or employee shareholders of the company (classified as “employee representative” but considered a non-independent NED). |
Discharge of Directors
Generally vote FOR the discharge of
directors, including members of the management board and/or supervisory board, unless there is reliable information about significant and compelling controversies that the board is not fulfilling its fiduciary duties
warranted by:
| ■ | A lack of oversight or actions by board members which invoke shareholder distrust related to malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than in shareholder interest; or |
| ■ | Any legal issues (e.g., civil/criminal) aiming to hold the board responsible for breach of trust in the past or related to currently alleged actions yet to be confirmed (and not only the fiscal year in question), such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, and other illegal actions; or |
| ■ | Other egregious governance issues where shareholders may bring legal action against the company or its directors; or |
| ■ | Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis where a vote against other agenda items are deemed inappropriate. |
3. Compensation
Director Compensation
Vote FOR proposals to award cash
fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.
Vote non-executive director
compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote proposals that bundle
compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce
retirement benefits for non-executive directors.
Compensation Plans
Vote compensation plans on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Director, Officer, and Auditor
Indemnification and Liability Provisions
158
Vote proposals seeking
indemnification and liability protection for directors and officers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify
auditors.
4. Board Structure
Vote AGAINST the introduction of
classified boards and mandatory retirement ages for directors.
Vote AGAINST proposals to alter
board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of the company or the board.
Chairman CEO combined role (for
applicable markets)
GSAM will generally recommend a
vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| ■ | Two-thirds independent board, or majority in countries where employee representation is common practice; |
| ■ | A designated, or a rotating, lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| ■ | Fully independent key committees; and/or |
| ■ | Established, publicly disclosed, governance guidelines and director biographies/profiles. |
5. Capital Structure
Share Issuance Requests
General Issuances:
Vote FOR issuance requests with
preemptive rights to a maximum of 100% over currently issued capital.
Vote FOR issuance requests without
preemptive rights to a maximum of 20% of currently issued capital.
Specific Issuances:
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all
requests, with or without preemptive rights.
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote FOR non-specific proposals to
increase authorized capital up to 100% over the current authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding.
Vote FOR specific proposals to
increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:
| ■ | The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or |
| ■ | The increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances. |
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt
unlimited capital authorizations.
Reduction of Capital
Vote FOR proposals to reduce
capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are unfavorable to shareholders.
Vote proposals to reduce capital in
connection with corporate restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Capital Structures
Vote FOR resolutions that seek to
maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.
Vote AGAINST requests for the
creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the creation of new or additional super voting shares.
Preferred Stock
159
Vote FOR the creation of a new
class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of
convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote AGAINST the creation of a new
class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares.
Vote AGAINST the creation of blank
check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.
Vote proposals to increase blank
check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Debt Issuance Requests
Vote non-convertible debt issuance
requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with or without preemptive rights.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of
convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote FOR proposals to restructure
existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.
Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote proposals to approve increases
in a company's borrowing powers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Share Repurchase Plans
GSAM will generally recommend FOR
share repurchase programs taking into account whether:
| ■ | The share repurchase program can be used as a takeover defense; |
| ■ | There is clear evidence of historical abuse; |
| ■ | There is no safeguard in the share repurchase program against selective buybacks; |
| ■ | Pricing provisions and safeguards in the share repurchase program are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice. |
Reissuance of Repurchased Shares
Vote FOR requests to reissue any
repurchased shares unless there is clear evidence of abuse of this authority in the past.
Capitalization of Reserves for
Bonus Issues/Increase in Par Value
Vote FOR requests to capitalize
reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase par value.
6. Mergers and Corporate
Restructurings and Other
Reorganizations/Restructurings
Vote reorganizations and
restructurings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and
acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| ■ | Valuation; |
| ■ | Market reaction; |
| ■ | Strategic rationale; |
| ■ | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
| ■ | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| ■ | Governance profile of the combined company. |
Antitakeover Mechanisms
160
Generally vote AGAINST all
antitakeover proposals, unless they are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer.
Reincorporation Proposals
Vote reincorporation proposals on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Related-Party Transactions
Vote related-party transactions on
a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
| ■ | The parties on either side of the transaction; |
| ■ | The nature of the asset to be transferred/service to be provided; |
| ■ | The pricing of the transaction (and any associated professional valuation); |
| ■ | The views of independent directors (where provided); |
| ■ | The views of an independent financial adviser (where appointed); |
| ■ | Whether any entities party to the transaction (including advisers) is conflicted; and |
| ■ | The stated rationale for the transaction, including discussions of timing. |
Shareholder Proposals
Vote all shareholder proposals on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote FOR proposals that would
improve the company’s corporate governance or business profile at a reasonable cost.
Vote AGAINST proposals that limit
the company’s business activities or capabilities or result in significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.
7. Environmental, Social,
Governance (ESG) Issues
Please refer to page 12 for our
current approach to these important topics.
* For purposes of this Policy,
“GSAM” refers, collectively, to the following legal entities: Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management International; Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Strategies LLC; GS Investment
Strategies, LLC; GSAM Stable Value, LLC; Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Hong Kong) Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management Co. Ltd.; Beijing Gao Hua Securities
Company Limited; Goldman Sachs (China) L.L.C.; Goldman Sachs (India) Securities Private Limited; Goldman Sachs Asset Management (India) Private Limited; Goldman Sachs Participacoes Ltda ; Goldman Sachs Asset
Management Brasil LTDA; GS Investment Strategies Canada Inc.; Goldman Sachs Management (Ireland) Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Asset Management Australia Pty Ltd.; Goldman Sachs Trustee Company (India) Private Limited; Goldman
Sachs Global Advisory Products LLC.
JENNISON ASSOCIATES LLC.
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND
PROCEDURES
| I. | Policy |
Jennison (or the
“Company”) has adopted the following policy and related procedures to guide the voting of proxies in a manner that is consistent with Jennison’s fiduciary duties and the requirements of Rule 206(4)-6
under the Advisers Act.
In the absence of any written
delegation or when proxy voting authority has been delegated in writing to Jennison by clients, Jennison will exercise this voting authority in each client’s best interests. The Company will not consider its own
interests, or those of any affiliates, when voting proxies.
Unless otherwise specified by a
client, “best interest” means the client’s best economic interest over the long term, as determined by Jennison’s portfolio managers and analysts (“Investment Professionals”)
covering the issuer. Secondary consideration may be given to the public and social value of each issue, but absent specific client instructions, long term economic interests will be the primary basis for voting.
161
Jennison will disclose information
about its proxy voting policies and procedures to clients, and will provide a copy of these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures upon request. The Company will also inform clients how they may obtain information about
the votes cast on their behalf.
| II. | Procedures |
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Jennison has adopted proxy voting
guidelines (“Guidelines”) with respect to certain recurring issues. When Jennison is responsible for voting proxies, Jennison considers these guidelines except when Jennison accepts custom guidelines.
The Guidelines are reviewed as
necessary by the Company’s Proxy Voting Committee and Investment Professionals, and are revised when a change is appropriate. The Proxy Team maintains the Guidelines and distributes copies to the Investment
Professionals following any change. The Guidelines are meant to convey Jennison’s general approach to voting decisions on certain issues. Nevertheless, Investment Professionals are responsible for reviewing all
proposals related to fundamental strategies individually and making final decisions based on the merits of each voting opportunity.
If an Investment Professional
believes that Jennison should vote in a way that is different from the Guidelines, the Proxy Team is notified. In certain circumstances, an Investment Professional may conclude that different clients should vote in
different ways, or that it is in the best interests of some or all clients to abstain from voting.
The Proxy Team is responsible for
maintaining Investment Professionals’ reasons for deviating from the Guidelines.
Client-Specific Voting Mandates
Any client’s specific voting
instructions must be communicated or confirmed by the client in writing, either through a provision in the investment advisory contract or through other written correspondence. Such instructions may call for Jennison
to vote the client’s securities according to the client’s own voting guidelines, or may indicate that the Company is not responsible for voting the client’s proxies.
The Proxy Team reviews client
specific voting instructions and approves operational implementation, and certain instructions may only be implemented on a best efforts basis. The Proxy Team is responsible for communicating such instructions to the
third party vendor.
Use of a Third Party Voting Service
Jennison has engaged an independent
third party proxy voting vendor that provides research and analytical services, operational implementation and recordkeeping and reporting services. The proxy voting vendor will cast votes in accordance with the
Company’s Guidelines, unless instructed otherwise by the Investment Professionals.
Identifying and Addressing Potential Material Conflicts of Interest
There may be instances where
Jennison’s interests conflict materially, or appear to conflict materially, with the interests of clients in connection with a proxy vote (a “Material Conflict”). Examples of potential Material
Conflicts include, but are not limited to:
| ■ | Jennison managing the pension plan of the issuer. |
| ■ | Jennison or its affiliates have a material business relationship with the issuer. |
| ■ | Jennison investment professionals who are related to a person who is senior management or a director at a public company. |
If an Investment Professional or
any other employee perceives a Material Conflict, he or she must promptly report the matter to the Chief Compliance Officer.
When a potential conflict has been
identified, the Proxy Team will work with the Investment Professional covering the issuer to complete a
Proxy Voting for Conflicts Documentation Form
. The Proxy Team is responsible for retaining completed
Proxy Voting for Conflicts Documentation Forms
.
If the Proxy Voting Committee
determines that a Material Conflict is present and if the Investment Professional is recommending a vote that deviates from the Guidelines or there is no specific recommended Guideline vote and decisions are made on a
case-by-case basis, then the voting decision must be reviewed and approved by the Investment Professional’s supervisor and the Proxy Committee prior to casting the vote.
Jennison will not abstain from
voting a proxy for the purpose of avoiding a Material Conflict.
162
Quantitatively Derived Holdings and the Jennison Managed Accounts
In voting proxies for
non-fundamental strategies such as quantitatively derived holdings and Jennison Managed Accounts (i.e. “wrap”) where the securities are not held elsewhere in the firm, proxies will be voted utilizing the
Guidelines. Additionally, in those circumstances where no specific Guidelines exist, the Company will consider the recommendations of the proxy voting vendor.
International Holdings
Jennison will exercise
opportunities to vote on international holdings on a best efforts basis. Such votes will be cast based on the same principles that govern domestic holdings.
In some countries casting a proxy
vote can adversely affect a client, such as countries that restrict stock sales around the time of the proxy vote by requiring “share blocking” as part of the voting process. The Investment Professional
covering the issuer will weigh the expected benefits of voting proxies on international holdings against any anticipated costs or limitations, such as those associated with share blocking. Jennison may abstain from
voting if it anticipates that the costs or limitations associated with voting outweigh the benefits.
Securities Lending
Jennison may be unable to vote
proxies when the underlying securities have been lent out pursuant to a client’s securities lending program. The Company does not know when securities are on loan and are therefore not available to be voted. In
rare circumstances, Investment Professionals may ask the Proxy Team to work with the client’s custodian to recall the shares so that Jennison can vote. Efforts to recall loaned securities are not always
effective since such requests must be submitted prior to the record date for the upcoming proxy vote; therefore voting shares on loan is on a best efforts basis. In determining whether to call back securities that are
out on loan, the Investment Professional will consider whether the benefit to the client in voting the matter outweighs the benefit to the client in keeping the security out on loan.
Disclosure to Advisory Clients
Jennison will provide a copy of
these Policies and Procedures and the Guidelines to any client upon request. The Company will also provide any client with information about how Jennison has voted that client’s proxies upon request. Any such
requests should be forwarded to the Proxy Team, which is responsible for responding, and for documenting the correspondence.
Compliance Reporting for Investment Companies
Upon request, the Proxy Team will
provide to each investment company board of directors or trustees for which Jennison acts as sub-adviser reporting needed to satisfy their regulatory and board requirements, including, but not limited to, information
required for Form NP-X.
| III. | Internal Controls |
Supervisory Review
The Proxy Team periodically
notifies each Investment Professional’s supervisor of any Guideline overrides authorized by that Investment Professional. The supervisor reviews the overrides to confirm that they appear to have been made based
on clients’ best interests, and that they were not influenced by any Material Conflict or other considerations.
The Proxy Voting Committee
The Proxy Voting Committee consists
of representatives from Operations, Operational Risk, Legal, and Compliance. It meets at least quarterly, and has the following responsibilities:
| ■ | Review potential Material Conflicts and decide whether a material conflict is present, and needs to be addressed according to these policies and procedures. |
| ■ | Review the Guidelines in consultation with the Investment Professionals and make revisions as appropriate. |
| ■ | Review these Policies and Procedures annually for accuracy and effectiveness, and recommend and adopt any necessary changes. |
| ■ | Review all Guideline overrides. |
| ■ | Review quarterly voting metrics and analysis published by the Proxy Team. |
| ■ | Review the performance of the proxy voting vendor and determine whether Jennison should continue to retain their services. |
Equity Trade Management Oversight Committee (“ETMOC”)
163
The ETMOC reviews all Guideline
overrides on a quarterly basis to ensure proper override procedures were followed. The ETMOC also reviews any changes to the Guidelines. The ETMOC is comprised of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer,
Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Head of Trading and the Head of Large Cap Growth.
| IV. | Escalating Concerns |
Any concerns about aspects of the
policy that lack specific escalation guidance may be reported to the reporting employee’s supervisor, the Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Ethics Officer, Chief Operating
Officer or Chief Executive Officer. Alternatively Jennison has an Ethics Reporting Hotline phone number and email address that enable employees to raise concerns anonymously. Information about the Ethics Reporting
Hotline phone number and email address can be found on the Jennison intranet’s “Ethics” web page.
| V. | Discipline and Sanctions |
All Jennison employees are
responsible for understanding and complying with the policies and procedures outlined in this policy. The procedures described in this policy are intended to ensure that Jennison and its employees act in full
compliance with the law. Violations of this policy and related procedures will be communicated to your supervisor and to senior management through Jennison’s Compliance Council, and may lead to disciplinary
action.
LONGFELLOW INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO.
LLC.
PROXY VOTING POLICY
Where the power to vote proxies has
been delegated to Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC. (LIM), LIM has the responsibility for voting in a manner that is in the best economic interests of the client. LIM shall consider only those factors that
relate to the client’s investment or dictated by the client’s written instructions, including how its vote will economically impact and affect the value of the client’s investment. In some instances
LIM may abstain from voting a client proxy, particularly when the effect on the client’s economic interest is insignificant or the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the benefit to the client’s portfolio.
In voting on each and every issue, LIM shall vote in a prudent and timely fashion and only after a careful evaluation of the issue(s) presented on the ballot. Proxy votes will generally be cast in support of
management on routine corporate matters and in support of any management proposal that is plainly in the interest of all shareholders. LIM would generally vote for proposals that increase shareholder value and
maintain or increase shareholder rights. LIM will generally vote for management proposals for merger or reorganization. LIM will generally vote for the selection of independent auditors. Where LIM perceives that the
proposal, if approved, would tend to limit or reduce the economic value of the client’s investment, LIM will generally vote against it. There may be instances where the interests of LIM may conflict or appear to
conflict with the interests of its clients. For example: a situation where a portfolio holding is a client or an affiliate of a client of LIM. In such situations LIM, consistent with its duty of care and duty of
loyalty, may engage an independent third party to determine how the proxy should be voted.
MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
September 2017
| I. | POLICY STATEMENT |
Morgan Stanley Investment
Management’s (“MSIM”) policy and procedures for voting proxies (“Policy”) with respect to securities held in the accounts of clients applies to those MSIM entities that provide
discretionary investment management services and for which an MSIM entity has authority to vote proxies. This Policy is reviewed and updated as necessary to address new and evolving proxy voting issues and
standards.
The MSIM entities covered by this
Policy currently include the following: Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company, Morgan Stanley
Investment Management (Japan) Co. Limited and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited (each a “MSIM Affiliate” and collectively referred to as the “MSIM Affiliates” or as
“we” below).
164
Each MSIM Affiliate will use its
best efforts to vote proxies as part of its authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets. With respect to the registered management investment companies sponsored, managed or advised by any MSIM
affiliate (the “MSIM Funds”), each MSIM Affiliate will vote proxies under this Policy pursuant to authority granted under its applicable investment advisory agreement or, in the absence of such authority,
as authorized by the Board of Directors/Trustees of the MSIM Funds. A MSIM Affiliate will not vote proxies unless the investment management or investment advisory agreement explicitly authorizes the MSIM Affiliate to
vote proxies.
MSIM Affiliates will vote proxies
in a prudent and diligent manner and in the best interests of clients, including beneficiaries of and participants in a client’s benefit plan(s) for which the MSIM Affiliates manage assets, consistent with the
objective of maximizing long-term investment returns (“Client Proxy Standard”). In addition to voting proxies at portfolio companies, MSIM routinely engages with the management or board of companies in
which we invest on a range of governance issues. Governance is a window into or proxy for management and board quality. MSIM engages with companies where we have larger positions, voting issues are material or where
we believe we can make a positive impact on the governance structure. MSIM’s engagement process, through private communication with companies, allows us to understand the governance structures at investee
companies and better inform our voting decisions. In certain situations, a client or its fiduciary may provide an MSIM Affiliate with a proxy voting policy. In these situations, the MSIM Affiliate will comply with the
client’s policy.
Retention and
Oversight of Proxy Advisory Firms – Institutional Shareholder Service (ISS) and Glass Lewis (together with other proxy research providers as we may retain from time to time, the “Research Providers”)
are independent advisers that specialize in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy-related services to institutional investment managers, plan sponsors, custodians, consultants, and other institutional
investors. The services provided include in-depth research, global issuer analysis, and voting recommendations.
MSIM has retained Research
Providers to analyze proxy issues and to make vote recommendations on those issues. While we may review and utilize the recommendations of one or more Research Providers in making proxy voting decisions, we are in no
way obligated to follow such recommendations. MSIM votes all proxies based on its own proxy voting policies in the best interests of each client. In addition to research, ISS provides vote execution, reporting, and
recordkeeping services to MSIM.
As part of MSIM’s ongoing
oversight of the Research Providers, MSIM performs periodic due diligence on the Research Providers. Topics of the reviews include, but are not limited to, conflicts of interest, methodologies for developing their
policies and vote recommendations, and resources.
Voting Proxies for Certain Non-U.S.
Companies - Voting proxies of companies located in some jurisdictions may involve several problems that can restrict or prevent the ability to vote such proxies or entail significant costs. These problems include, but
are not limited to: (i) proxy statements and ballots being written in a language other than English; (ii) untimely and/or inadequate notice of shareholder meetings; (iii) restrictions on the ability of holders outside
the issuer’s jurisdiction of organization to exercise votes; (iv) requirements to vote proxies in person; (v) the imposition of restrictions on the sale of the securities for a period of time in proximity to the
shareholder meeting; and (vi) requirements to provide local agents with power of attorney to facilitate our voting instructions. As a result, we vote clients’ non-U.S. proxies on a best efforts basis only, after
weighing the costs and benefits of voting such proxies, consistent with the Client Proxy Standard. ISS has been retained to provide assistance in connection with voting non-U.S. proxies.
Securities Lending - MSIM Funds or
any other investment vehicle sponsored, managed or advised by a MSIM affiliate may participate in a securities lending program through a third party provider. The voting rights for shares that are out on loan are
transferred to the borrower and therefore, the lender (i.e., a MSIM Fund or another investment vehicle sponsored, managed or advised by a MSIM affiliate) is not entitled to vote the lent shares at the company meeting.
In general, MSIM believes the revenue received from the lending program outweighs the ability to vote and we will not recall shares for the purpose of voting. However, in cases in which MSIM believes the right to vote
outweighs the revenue received, we reserve the right to recall the shares on loan on a best efforts basis.
| II. | GENERAL PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES |
To promote consistency in voting
proxies on behalf of our clients, we follow this Policy (subject to any exception set forth herein). The Policy addresses a broad range of issues, and provides general voting parameters on proposals that arise most
frequently. However, details of specific proposals vary, and those details affect particular voting decisions, as do factors specific to a given company. Pursuant to the procedures set forth herein, we may vote in a
manner that is not in accordance with the following general guidelines, provided the vote is approved by the Proxy Review Committee (see Section III for description) and is consistent with the Client Proxy Standard.
Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP will follow the procedures as described in Appendix A.
We endeavor to integrate governance
and proxy voting policy with investment goals, using the vote to encourage portfolio companies to enhance long-term shareholder value and to provide a high standard of transparency such that equity markets can value
corporate assets appropriately.
165
We seek to follow the Client Proxy
Standard for each client. At times, this may result in split votes, for example when different clients have varying economic interests in the outcome of a particular voting matter (such as a case in which varied
ownership interests in two companies involved in a merger result in different stakes in the outcome). We also may split votes at times based on differing views of portfolio managers.
We may abstain on matters for which
disclosure is inadequate.
| A. | Routine Matters. |
We generally support routine
management proposals. The following are examples of routine management proposals:
| ■ | Approval of financial statements and auditor reports if delivered with an unqualified auditor’s opinion. |
| ■ | General updating/corrective amendments to the charter, articles of association or bylaws, unless we believe that such amendments would diminish shareholder rights. |
| ■ | Most proposals related to the conduct of the annual meeting, with the following exceptions. We generally oppose proposals that relate to “the transaction of such other business which may come before the meeting,” and open-ended requests for adjournment. However, where management specifically states the reason for requesting an adjournment and the requested adjournment would facilitate passage of a proposal that would otherwise be supported under this Policy (i.e., an uncontested corporate transaction), the adjournment request will be supported. We do not support proposals that allow companies to call a special meeting with a short (generally two weeks or less) time frame for review. |
We generally support shareholder
proposals advocating confidential voting procedures and independent tabulation of voting results.
| B. | Board of Directors. |
| 1. | Election of directors: Votes on board nominees can involve balancing a variety of considerations. In vote decisions, we may take into consideration whether the company has a majority voting policy in place that we believe makes the director vote more meaningful. In the absence of a proxy contest, we generally support the board’s nominees for director except as follows: |
| a. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee if we believe a direct conflict exists between the interests of the nominee and the public shareholders, including failure to meet fiduciary standards of care and/or loyalty. We may oppose directors where we conclude that actions of directors are unlawful, unethical or negligent. We consider opposing individual board members or an entire slate if we believe the board is entrenched and/or dealing inadequately with performance problems; if we believe the board is acting with insufficient independence between the board and management; or if we believe the board has not been sufficiently forthcoming with information on key governance or other material matters. |
| b. | We consider withholding support from or voting against interested directors if the company’s board does not meet market standards for director independence, or if otherwise we believe board independence is insufficient. We refer to prevalent market standards as promulgated by a stock exchange or other authority within a given market (e.g., New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq rules for most U.S. companies, and The Combined Code on Corporate Governance in the United Kingdom). Thus, for an NYSE company with no controlling shareholder, we would expect that at a minimum a majority of directors should be independent as defined by NYSE. Where we view market standards as inadequate, we may withhold votes based on stronger independence standards. Market standards notwithstanding, we generally do not view long board tenure alone as a basis to classify a director as non-independent. |
At a company with a shareholder or
group that controls the company by virtue of a majority economic interest in the company, we have a reduced expectation for board independence, although we believe the presence of independent directors can be helpful,
particularly in staffing the audit committee, and at times we may withhold support from or vote against a nominee on the view the board or its committees are not sufficiently independent. In markets where board
independence is not the norm (e.g. Japan), however, we consider factors including whether a board of a controlled company includes independent members who can be expected to look out for interests of minority
holders.
We consider withholding support
from or voting against a nominee if he or she is affiliated with a major shareholder that has representation on a board disproportionate to its economic interest.
| c. | Depending on market standards, we consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who is interested and who is standing for election as a member of the company’s compensation/remuneration, nominating/governance or audit committee. |
| d. | We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if the term for which they are nominated is excessive. We consider this issue on a market-specific basis. |
| e. | We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if in our view there has been insufficient board renewal |
166
| (turnover), particularly in the context of extended poor company performance. | |
| f. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee standing for election if the board has not taken action to implement generally accepted governance practices for which there is a “bright line” test. For example, in the context of the U.S. market, failure to eliminate a dead hand or slow hand poison pill would be seen as a basis for opposing one or more incumbent nominees. |
| g. | In markets that encourage designated audit committee financial experts, we consider voting against members of an audit committee if no members are designated as such. We also consider voting against the audit committee members if the company has faced financial reporting issues and/or does not put the auditor up for ratification by shareholders. |
| h. | We believe investors should have the ability to vote on individual nominees, and may abstain or vote against a slate of nominees where we are not given the opportunity to vote on individual nominees. |
| i. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who has failed to attend at least 75% of the nominee’s board and board committee meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance. |
| j. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who appears overcommitted, particularly through service on an excessive number of boards. Market expectations are incorporated into this analysis; for U.S. boards, we generally oppose election of a nominee who serves on more than five public company boards (excluding investment companies), or public company CEOs that serve on more than two outside boards given level of time commitment required in their primary job. |
| k. | We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee where we believe executive remuneration practices are poor, particularly if the company does not offer shareholders a separate “say-on-pay” advisory vote on pay. |
2. Discharge of directors’ duties
: In markets where an annual discharge of directors' responsibility is a routine agenda item, we generally support such discharge.
However, we may vote against discharge or abstain from voting where there are serious findings of fraud or other unethical behavior for which the individual bears responsibility. The annual discharge of responsibility
represents shareholder approval of disclosed actions taken by the board during the year and may make future shareholder action against the board difficult to pursue.
3. Board independence
: We generally support U.S. shareholder proposals requiring that a certain percentage (up to 66⅔%) of the company’s board members be
independent directors, and promoting all-independent audit, compensation and nominating/governance committees.
4. Board diversity
: We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals urging diversity of board membership with respect to gender, race or other factors.
5. Majority voting
: We generally support proposals requesting or requiring majority voting policies in election of directors, so long as there is a carve-out for plurality
voting in the case of contested elections.
6. Proxy access
: We consider proposals on procedures for inclusion of shareholder nominees and to have those nominees included in the company’s proxy statement and on
the company’s proxy ballot on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include ownership thresholds, holding periods, the number of directors that shareholders may nominate and any restrictions on forming a
group.
7. Reimbursement for dissident nominees
: We generally support well-crafted U.S. shareholder proposals that would provide for reimbursement of dissident nominees elected to a
board, as the cost to shareholders in electing such nominees can be factored into the voting decision on those nominees.
8. Proposals to elect directors more frequently
: In the U.S. public company context, we usually support shareholder and management proposals to elect all directors annually
(to “declassify” the board), although we make an exception to this policy where we believe that long-term shareholder value may be harmed by this change given particular circumstances at the company at the
time of the vote on such proposal. As indicated above, outside the United States we generally support greater accountability to shareholders that comes through more frequent director elections, but recognize that many
markets embrace longer term lengths, sometimes for valid reasons given other aspects of the legal context in electing boards.
167
9. Cumulative voting
: We generally support proposals to eliminate cumulative voting in the U.S. market context. (Cumulative voting provides that shareholders may concentrate
their votes for one or a handful of candidates, a system that can enable a minority bloc to place representation on a board.) U.S. proposals to establish cumulative voting in the election of directors generally will
not be supported.
10. Separation of Chairman and CEO positions
: We vote on shareholder proposals to separate the Chairman and CEO positions and/or to appoint an independent Chairman based in
part on prevailing practice in particular markets, since the context for such a practice varies. In many non-U.S. markets, we view separation of the roles as a market standard practice, and support division of the
roles in that context. In the United States, we consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, considering, among other things, the existing board leadership structure, company performance, and any evidence of
entrenchment or perceived risk that power is overly concentrated in a single individual.
11. Director retirement age and term limits
: Proposals setting or recommending director retirement ages or director term limits are voted on a case-by-case basis that includes
consideration of company performance, the rate of board renewal, evidence of effective individual director evaluation processes, and any indications of entrenchment.
12. Proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or broaden indemnification of officers and directors
: Generally, we will support such proposals provided that an
individual is eligible only if he or she has not acted in bad faith, with gross negligence or with reckless disregard of their duties.
| C. | Statutory auditor boards. The statutory auditor board, which is separate from the main board of directors, plays a role in corporate governance in several markets. These boards are elected by shareholders to provide assurance on compliance with legal and accounting standards and the company’s articles of association. We generally vote for statutory auditor nominees if they meet independence standards. In markets that require disclosure on attendance by internal statutory auditors, however, we consider voting against nominees for these positions who failed to attend at least 75% of meetings in the previous year. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance. |
| D. | Corporate transactions and proxy fights. We examine proposals relating to mergers, acquisitions and other special corporate transactions (i.e., takeovers, spin-offs, sales of assets, reorganizations, restructurings and recapitalizations) on a case-by-case basis in the interests of each fund or other account. Proposals for mergers or other significant transactions that are friendly and approved by the Research Providers usually are supported if there is no portfolio manager objection. We also analyze proxy contests on a case-by-case basis. |
| E. | Changes in capital structure. |
1. We generally support the
following:
| ■ | Management and shareholder proposals aimed at eliminating unequal voting rights, assuming fair economic treatment of classes of shares we hold. |
| ■ | U.S. management proposals to increase the authorization of existing classes of common stock (or securities convertible into common stock) if: (i) a clear business purpose is stated that we can support and the number of shares requested is reasonable in relation to the purpose for which authorization is requested; and/or (ii) the authorization does not exceed 100% of shares currently authorized and at least 30% of the total new authorization will be outstanding. (We consider proposals that do not meet these criteria on a case-by-case basis.) |
| ■ | U.S. management proposals to create a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital, unless we have concerns about use of the authority for anti-takeover purposes. |
| ■ | Proposals in non-U.S. markets that in our view appropriately limit potential dilution of existing shareholders. A major consideration is whether existing shareholders would have preemptive rights for any issuance under a proposal for standing share issuance authority. We generally consider market-specific guidance in making these decisions; for example, in the U.K. market we usually follow Association of British Insurers’ (“ABI”) guidance, although company-specific factors may be considered and for example, may sometimes lead us to voting against share authorization proposals even if they meet ABI guidance. |
| ■ | Management proposals to authorize share repurchase plans, except in some cases in which we believe there are insufficient protections against use of an authorization for anti-takeover purposes. |
| ■ | Management proposals to reduce the number of authorized shares of common or preferred stock, or to eliminate classes of preferred stock. |
| ■ | Management proposals to effect stock splits. |
| ■ | Management proposals to effect reverse stock splits if management proportionately reduces the authorized share amount set forth in the corporate charter. Reverse stock splits that do not adjust proportionately to the authorized share amount generally will be approved if the resulting increase in authorized shares coincides with the proxy guidelines set forth above for common stock increases. |
| ■ | Management dividend payout proposals, except where we perceive company payouts to shareholders as inadequate. |
168
2. We generally oppose the
following (notwithstanding management support):
| ■ | Proposals to add classes of stock that would substantially dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders. |
| ■ | Proposals to increase the authorized or issued number of shares of existing classes of stock that are unreasonably dilutive, particularly if there are no preemptive rights for existing shareholders. However, depending on market practices, we consider voting for proposals giving general authorization for issuance of shares not subject to pre-emptive rights if the authority is limited. |
| ■ | Proposals that authorize share issuance at a discount to market rates, except where authority for such issuance is de minimis, or if there is a special situation that we believe justifies such authorization (as may be the case, for example, at a company under severe stress and risk of bankruptcy). |
| ■ | Proposals relating to changes in capitalization by 100% or more. |
We consider on a case-by-case basis
shareholder proposals to increase dividend payout ratios, in light of market practice and perceived market weaknesses, as well as individual company payout history and current circumstances. For example, currently we
perceive low payouts to shareholders as a concern at some Japanese companies, but may deem a low payout ratio as appropriate for a growth company making good use of its cash, notwithstanding the broader market
concern.
| F. | Takeover Defenses and Shareholder Rights. |
1. Shareholder rights plans
: We generally support proposals to require shareholder approval or ratification of shareholder rights plans (poison pills). In voting on rights
plans or similar takeover defenses, we consider on a case-by-case basis whether the company has demonstrated a need for the defense in the context of promoting long-term share value; whether provisions of the defense
are in line with generally accepted governance principles in the market (and specifically the presence of an adequate qualified offer provision that would exempt offers meeting certain conditions from the pill); and
the specific context if the proposal is made in the midst of a takeover bid or contest for control.
2. Supermajority voting requirements
: We generally oppose requirements for supermajority votes to amend the charter or bylaws, unless the provisions protect minority
shareholders where there is a large shareholder. In line with this view, in the absence of a large shareholder we support reasonable shareholder proposals to limit such supermajority voting requirements. Also, we
oppose provisions that do not allow shareholders any right to amend the charter or bylaws.
3. Shareholders right to call a special meeting
: We consider proposals to enhance a shareholder’s rights to call meetings on a case-by-case basis. At large-cap U.S.
companies, we generally support efforts to establish the right of holders of 10% or more of shares to call special meetings, unless the board or state law has set a policy or law establishing such rights at a
threshold that we believe to be acceptable.
4. Written consent rights
: In the U.S. context, we examine proposals for shareholder written consent rights on a case-by-case basis.
5. Reincorporation
: We consider management and shareholder proposals to reincorporate to a different jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. We oppose such proposals if we
believe the main purpose is to take advantage of laws or judicial precedents that reduce shareholder rights.
6. Anti-greenmail provisions
: Proposals relating to the adoption of anti-greenmail provisions will be supported, provided that the proposal: (i) defines greenmail; (ii)
prohibits buyback offers to large block holders (holders of at least 1% of the outstanding shares and in certain cases, a greater amount) not made to all shareholders or not approved by disinterested shareholders; and
(iii) contains no anti-takeover measures or other provisions restricting the rights of shareholders.
7. Bundled proposals
: We may consider opposing or abstaining on proposals if disparate issues are “bundled” and presented for a single vote.
| G. | Auditors. We generally support management proposals for selection or ratification of independent auditors. However, we may consider opposing such proposals with reference to incumbent audit firms if the company has suffered from serious accounting irregularities and we believe rotation of the audit firm is appropriate, or if fees paid to the auditor for non-audit-related services are excessive. Generally, to determine if non-audit fees are excessive, a 50% test will be applied (i.e., non-audit-related fees should be less than 50% of the total fees paid to the auditor). We generally vote against proposals to indemnify auditors. |
| H. | Executive and Director Remuneration. |
1. We generally support the
following:
169
| ■ | Proposals for employee equity compensation plans and other employee ownership plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest. Such approval may be against shareholder interest if it authorizes excessive dilution and shareholder cost, particularly in the context of high usage (“run rate”) of equity compensation in the recent past; or if there are objectionable plan design and provisions. |
| ■ | Proposals relating to fees to outside directors, provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry, and provided that the structure is appropriate within the market context. While stock-based compensation to outside directors is positive if moderate and appropriately structured, we are wary of significant stock option awards or other performance-based awards for outside directors, as well as provisions that could result in significant forfeiture of value on a director’s decision to resign from a board (such forfeiture can undercut director independence). |
| ■ | Proposals for employee stock purchase plans that permit discounts, but only for grants that are part of a broad-based employee plan, including all non-executive employees, and only if the discounts are limited to a reasonable market standard or less. |
| ■ | Proposals for the establishment of employee retirement and severance plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest. |
2. We generally oppose retirement
plans and bonuses for non-executive directors and independent statutory auditors.
3. In the U.S. context, we
generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring shareholder approval of all severance agreements, but we generally support proposals that require shareholder approval for agreements in excess of three times the
annual compensation (salary and bonus) or proposals that require companies to adopt a provision requiring an executive to receive accelerated vesting of equity awards if there is a change of control
and
the executive is terminated. We generally oppose shareholder proposals that would establish arbitrary caps on pay. We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder
proposals that seek to limit Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), but support such shareholder proposals where we consider SERPs excessive.
4. Shareholder proposals advocating
stronger and/or particular pay-for-performance models will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with consideration of the merits of the individual proposal within the context of the particular company and its labor
markets, and the company’s current and past practices. While we generally support emphasis on long-term components of senior executive pay and strong linkage of pay to performance, we consider factors including
whether a proposal may be overly prescriptive, and the impact of the proposal, if implemented as written, on recruitment and retention.
5.We generally support proposals
advocating reasonable senior executive and director stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements for shares gained in executive equity compensation programs.
6. We generally support shareholder
proposals for reasonable “claw-back” provisions that provide for company recovery of senior executive bonuses to the extent they were based on achieving financial benchmarks that were not actually met in
light of subsequent restatements.
7.Management proposals effectively
to re-price stock options are considered on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include the company’s reasons and justifications for a re-pricing, the company’s competitive position, whether senior
executives and outside directors are excluded, potential cost to shareholders, whether the re-pricing or share exchange is on a value-for-value basis, and whether vesting requirements are extended.
8.
Say-on-Pay: We consider proposals relating to an advisory vote on remuneration on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include a review of the relationship between executive remuneration
and performance based on operating trends and total shareholder return over multiple performance periods. In addition, we review remuneration structures and potential poor pay practices, including relative magnitude
of pay, discretionary bonus awards, tax gross ups, change-in-control features, internal pay equity and peer group construction. As long-term investors, we support remuneration policies that align with long-term
shareholder returns.
| I. | Social and Environmental Issues. Shareholders in the United States and certain other markets submit proposals encouraging changes in company disclosure and practices related to particular social and environmental matters. We consider how to vote on the proposals on a case-by-case basis to determine likely impacts on shareholder value. We seek to balance concerns on reputational and other risks that lie behind a proposal against costs of implementation, while considering appropriate shareholder and management prerogatives. We may abstain from voting on proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value. We support proposals that if implemented would enhance useful disclosure, but we generally vote against proposals requesting reports that we believe are duplicative, related to matters not material to the business, or that would impose unnecessary or excessive costs. We believe that certain social and environmental shareholder proposals may intrude excessively on management prerogatives, which can lead us to oppose them. |
| J. | Funds of Funds. Certain MSIM Funds advised by an MSIM Affiliate invest only in other MSIM Funds. If an underlying fund has a shareholder meeting, in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest, such proposals will be voted in the same proportion as the |
170
| votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee. In markets where proportional voting is not available we will not vote at the meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee. Other MSIM Funds invest in unaffiliated funds. If an unaffiliated underlying fund has a shareholder meeting and the MSIM Fund owns more than 25% of the voting shares of the underlying fund, the MSIM Fund will vote its shares in the unaffiliated underlying fund in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund to the extent possible. |
| III. | ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY |
The MSIM Proxy Review Committee
(the “Committee”) has overall responsibility for the Policy. The Committee consists of investment professionals who represent the different investment disciplines and geographic locations of the firm, and
is chaired by the director of the Corporate Governance Team (“CGT”). Because proxy voting is an investment responsibility and impacts shareholder value, and because of their knowledge of companies and
markets, portfolio managers and other members of investment staff play a key role in proxy voting, although the Committee has final authority over proxy votes.
The CGT Director is responsible for
identifying issues that require Committee deliberation or ratification. The CGT, working with advice of investment teams and the Committee, is responsible for voting on routine items and on matters that can be
addressed in line with these Policy guidelines. The CGT has responsibility for voting case-by-case where guidelines and precedent provide adequate guidance.
The Committee will periodically
review and have the authority to amend, as necessary, the Policy and establish and direct voting positions consistent with the Client Proxy Standard.
CGT and members of the Committee
may take into account Research Providers’ recommendations and research as well as any other relevant information they may request or receive, including portfolio manager and/or analyst comments and research, as
applicable. Generally, proxies related to securities held in accounts that are managed pursuant to quantitative, index or index-like strategies (“Index Strategies”) will be voted in the same manner as
those held in actively managed accounts, unless economic interests of the accounts differ. Because accounts managed using Index Strategies are passively managed accounts, research from portfolio managers and/or
analysts related to securities held in these accounts may not be available. If the affected securities are held only in accounts that are managed pursuant to Index Strategies, and the proxy relates to a matter that is
not described in this Policy, the CGT will consider all available information from the Research Providers, and to the extent that the holdings are significant, from the portfolio managers and/or analysts.
| A. | Committee Procedures |
The Committee meets at least
quarterly, and reviews and considers changes to the Policy at least annually. Through meetings and/or written communications, the Committee is responsible for monitoring and ratifying “split votes” (i.e.,
allowing certain shares of the same issuer that are the subject of the same proxy solicitation and held by one or more MSIM portfolios to be voted differently than other shares) and/or “override voting”
(i.e., voting all MSIM portfolio shares in a manner contrary to the Policy). The Committee will review developing issues and approve upcoming votes, as appropriate, for matters as requested by CGT.
The Committee reserves the right to
review voting decisions at any time and to make voting decisions as necessary to ensure the independence and integrity of the votes.
B. Material Conflicts of
Interest
In addition tothe
procedures discussed above, if the CGT Director determines that an issue raises a material conflict of interest, the CGT Director may request a special committee to review, and recommend a course of action with
respect to, the conflict(s) in question (“Special Committee”).
A potential material conflict of
interest could exist in the following situations, among others:
| ■ | The issuer soliciting the vote is a client of MSIM or an affiliate of MSIM and the vote is on a matter that materially affects the issuer. |
| ■ | The proxy relates to Morgan Stanley common stock or any other security issued by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates except if echo voting is used, as with MSIM Funds, as described herein. |
| ■ | Morgan Stanley has a material pecuniary interest in the matter submitted for a vote (e.g., acting as a financial advisor to a party to a merger or acquisition for which Morgan Stanley will be paid a success fee if completed). |
| ■ | One of Morgan Stanley’s independent directors or one of MSIM Funds’ directors also serves on the board of directors or is a nominee for election to the board of directors of a company held by a MSIM Fund or affiliate. |
If the CGT Director determines that
an issue raises a potential material conflict of interest, depending on the facts and circumstances, the issue will be addressed as follows:
171
| ■ | If the matter relates to a topic that is discussed in this Policy, the proposal will be voted as per the Policy. |
| ■ | If the matter is not discussed in this Policy or the Policy indicates that the issue is to be decided case-by-case, the proposal will be voted in a manner consistent with the Research Providers, provided that all the Research Providers consulted have the same recommendation, no portfolio manager objects to that vote, and the vote is consistent with MSIM’s Client Proxy Standard. |
| ■ | If the Research Providers’ recommendations differ, the CGT Director will refer the matter to a Special Committee to vote on the proposal, as appropriate. |
Any Special Committee shall be
comprised of the CGT Director, and at least two portfolio managers (preferably members of the Committee), as approved by the Committee. The CGT Director may request non-voting participation by MSIM’s General
Counsel or his/her designee and the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. In addition to the research provided by Research Providers, the Special Committee may request analysis from MSIM Affiliate investment
professionals and outside sources to the extent it deems appropriate.
| C. | Proxy Voting Reporting |
The CGT will document in writing
all Committee and Special Committee decisions and actions, which documentation will be maintained by the CGT for a period of at least six years. To the extent these decisions relate to a security held by an MSIM Fund,
the CGT will report the decisions to each applicable Board of Trustees/Directors of those Funds at each Board’s next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The report will contain information concerning decisions
made during the most recently ended calendar quarter immediately preceding the Board meeting.
MSIM will promptly provide a copy
of this Policy to any client requesting it. MSIM will also, upon client request, promptly provide a report indicating how each proxy was voted with respect to securities held in that client’s account.
MSIM’s Legal Department is
responsible for filing an annual Form N-PX on behalf of each MSIM Fund for which such filing is required, indicating how all proxies were voted with respect to such Fund’s holdings.
APPENDIX A
Appendix A applies to the following
accounts managed by Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP (i) closed-end funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (ii) discretionary separate accounts; (iii) unregistered funds; and (iv)
non-discretionary accounts offered in connection with AIP’s Custom Advisory Portfolio Solutions service. Generally, AIP will follow the guidelines set forth in Section II of MSIM’s Proxy Voting Policy and
Procedures. To the extent that such guidelines do not provide specific direction, or AIP determines that consistent with the Client Proxy Standard, the guidelines should not be followed, the Proxy Review Committee has
delegated the voting authority to vote securities held by accounts managed by AIP to the Fund of Hedge Funds investment team, the Private Equity Fund of Funds investment team the Private Equity Real Estate Fund of
Funds investment team or the Portfolio Solutions team of AIP. A summary of decisions made by the applicable investment teams will be made available to the Proxy Review Committee for its information at the next
scheduled meeting of the Proxy Review Committee.
In certain cases, AIP may determine
to abstain from determining (or recommending) how a proxy should be voted (and therefore abstain from voting such proxy or recommending how such proxy should be voted), such as where the expected cost of giving due
consideration to the proxy does not justify the potential benefits to the affected account(s) that might result from adopting or rejecting (as the case may be) the measure in question.
Waiver of Voting Rights
For regulatory reasons, AIP may
either 1) invest in a class of securities of an underlying fund (the “Fund”) that does not provide for voting rights; or 2) waive 100% of its voting rights with respect to the following:
Any rights with respect to the
removal or replacement of a director, general partner, managing member or other person acting in a similar capacity for or on behalf of the Fund (each individually a “Designated Person,” and collectively,
the “Designated Persons”), which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the election or removal of a Designated Person in the event of such Designated Person’s death, disability, insolvency,
bankruptcy, incapacity, or other event requiring a vote of interest holders of the Fund to remove or replace a Designated Person; and
172
Any rights in connection with a determination to
renew, dissolve, liquidate, or otherwise terminate or continue the Fund, which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the renewal, dissolution, liquidation, termination or continuance of the Fund upon the
occurrence of an event described in the Fund’s organizational documents;
provided
,
however
, that, if the Fund’s organizational documents require the consent of the Fund’s general partner or manager, as the case may be, for any such termination or
continuation of the Fund to be effective, then AIP may exercise its voting rights with respect to such matter.
NEUBERGER BERMAN INVESTMENT ADVISERS
LLC
Proxy Summary.
Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (Neuberger Berman) has implemented written Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (Proxy Voting Policy) that are designed to reasonably ensure that
Neuberger Berman votes proxies prudently and in the best interest of its advisory clients for whom Neuberger Berman has voting authority. The Proxy Voting Policy also describes how Neuberger Berman addresses any
conflicts that may arise between its interests and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting.
Neuberger Berman's Proxy Committee
is responsible for developing, authorizing, implementing and updating the Proxy Voting Policy, overseeing the proxy voting process, and engaging and overseeing any independent third-party vendors as voting delegate to
review, monitor and/or vote proxies. In order to apply the Proxy Voting Policy noted above in a timely and consistent manner, Neuberger Berman utilizes Glass, Lewis Co. LLC (Glass Lewis) to vote proxies in accordance
with Neuberger Berman's voting guidelines.
For non-socially responsive
clients, Neuberger Berman's guidelines adopt the voting recommendations of Glass Lewis. Neuberger Berman retains final authority and fiduciary responsibility for proxy voting. Neuberger Berman believes that this
process is reasonably designed to address material conflicts of interest that may arise between Neuberger Berman and a client as to how proxies are voted.
In the event that an investment
professional at Neuberger Berman believes that it is in the best interest of a client or clients to vote proxies in a manner inconsistent with Neuberger Berman's proxy voting guidelines or in a manner inconsistent
with Glass Lewis recommendations, the Proxy Committee will review information submitted by the investment professional to determine that there is no material conflict of interest between Neuberger Berman and the
client with respect to the voting of the proxy in that manner.
If the Proxy Committee determines
that the voting of a proxy as recommended by the investment professional presents a material conflict of interest between Neuberger Berman and the client or clients with respect to the voting of the proxy, the proxy
Committee shall: (i) take no further action, in which case Glass Lewis shall vote such proxy in accordance with the proxy voting guidelines or as Glass Lewis recommends; (ii) disclose such conflict to the client or
clients and obtain written direction from the client as to how to vote the proxy; (iii) suggest that the client or clients engage another party to determine how to vote the proxy; or (iv) engage another independent
third party to determine how to vote the proxy.
PGIM, INC. (PGIM)
The policy of each of PGIM's asset
management units is to vote proxies in the best interests of their respective clients based on the clients’ priorities. Client interests are placed ahead of any potential interest of PGIM or its asset management
units.
Because the various asset
management units manage distinct classes of assets with differing management styles, some units will consider each proxy on its individual merits while other units may adopt a predetermined set of voting guidelines.
The specific voting approach of each unit is noted below.
Relevant members of management and
regulatory personnel oversee the proxy voting process and monitor potential conflicts of interests. In addition, should the need arise, senior members of management, as advised by Compliance and Law, are authorized to
address any proxy matter involving an actual or apparent conflict of interest that cannot be resolved at the level of an individual asset management business unit.
PGIM FIXED INCOME
. PGIM Fixed Income’s policy is to vote proxies in the best economic interest of its clients. In the case of pooled accounts, the policy is to vote proxies in the best economic
interest of the pooled account. The proxy voting policy contains detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect PGIM Fixed Income’s judgment
of how to further the best economic interest of its clients through the shareholder or debt-holder voting process.
PGIM Fixed Income
invests primarily in debt securities, thus there are few traditional proxies voted by it. PGIM Fixed Income generally votes with management on routine matters such as the appointment of accountants or the election of
directors. From time to time, ballot issues arise that are not addressed by the policy or circumstances may suggest a vote not in accordance with the established guidelines. In these cases, voting decisions are made
on a case-by-case basis by the applicable portfolio manager taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal. Not all ballots are received by PGIM Fixed Income in advance of voting deadlines,
but when ballots are received in a timely fashion, PGIM Fixed Income strives to meet its voting obligations. It cannot, however, guarantee that every proxy will be voted prior to its deadline.
173
With respect to non-U.S. holdings,
PGIM Fixed Income takes into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair its ability to trade those securities or have other potentially adverse economic consequences. PGIM Fixed Income
generally votes non-U.S. securities on a best efforts basis if it determines that voting is in the best economic interest of its clients.
Occasionally, a
conflict of interest may arise in connection with proxy voting. For example, the issuer of the securities being voted may also be a client of PGIM Fixed Income. When PGIM Fixed Income identifies an actual or potential
material conflict of interest between the firm and its clients with respect to proxy voting, the matter is presented to senior management who will resolve such issue in consultation with the compliance and legal
departments.
Any client may obtain a copy of
PGIM Fixed Income’s proxy voting policy, guidelines and procedures, as well as the proxy voting records for that client’s securities, by contacting the client service representative responsible for the
client’s account.
PGIM REAL ESTATE.
PGIM Real Estate's proxy voting policy contains detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect PGIM Real Estate's
judgment of how to further the best long-range economic interest of our clients (i.e. the mutual interest of clients in seeing the appreciation in value of a common investment over time) through the shareholder voting
process. PGIM Real Estate's policy is generally to vote proxies on social or political issues on a case by case basis. Additionally, where issues are not addressed by our policy, or when circumstances suggest a vote
not in accordance with our established guidelines, voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal. With respect to international holdings, we
take into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair our ability to trade those securities or have other potentially adverse economic consequences, and generally vote foreign securities on a
best efforts basis in accordance with the recommendations of the issuer's management if we determine that voting is in the best economic interest of our clients.
PGIM Real Estate utilizes the
services of a third party proxy voting facilitator, and upon receipt of proxies will direct the voting facilitator to vote in a manner consistent with PGIM Real Estate's established proxy voting guidelines described
above (assuming timely receipt of proxy materials from issuers and custodians). In accordance with its obligations under the Advisers Act, PGIM Real Estate provides full disclosure of its proxy voting policy,
guidelines and procedures to its clients upon their request, and will also provide to any client, upon request, the proxy voting records for that client's securities.
QUANTITATIVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES
LLC
It is the policy
of Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA) to vote proxies on client securities in the best long-term economic interest of its clients (i.e., the mutual interests of clients in seeing the appreciation in value of
a common investment over time). In the case of pooled accounts, QMA’s policy is to vote proxies on securities in such account in the best long-term economic interest of the pooled account. In the event of any
actual or apparent material conflict between its clients' interest and QMA’s own, QMA’s policy is to act solely in its clients' interest. To this end, the proxy voting policy and procedures adopted by QMA
include procedures to address potential material conflicts of interest arising in connection with the voting of proxies.
QMA's proxy voting policy contains
detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect QMA's judgment of how to further the best long-range economic interest of its clients through the
shareholder voting process. QMA may consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors in its voting decisions. Where issues are not addressed by its policy, or when circumstances suggest a vote not in
accordance with its established guidelines, voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal as well as any circumstances that may result in
restrictions on trading the security. With respect to non-U.S. holdings, QMA takes into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair its ability to trade those securities or have other
potentially adverse economic consequences, and generally vote foreign securities on a best efforts basis if QMA determines that voting is in the best economic interest of its clients. QMA may be unable to vote proxies
in countries where clients or their custodians do not have the ability to cast votes due to lack of documentation or operational capacity, or otherwise. The Fund determines whether fund securities out on loan are to
be recalled for voting purposes and QMA is not involved in any such decision. QMA’s proxy voting committee includes representatives of QMA’s investment, operations, compliance, risk and legal teams.
QMA’s proxy voting committee is responsible for interpreting the proxy voting policy, identifying conflicts of interest, and periodically assessing the effectiveness of the policies and procedures.
QMA utilizes the services of a
third party proxy voting facilitator, and has directed the voting facilitator, upon receipt of proxies will direct the voting facilitator to vote in a manner consistent with QMA's established proxy voting guidelines
described above (assuming timely receipt of proxy materials from issuers and custodians). In accordance with its obligations under the Advisers Act, QMA provides full disclosure of its proxy voting policy, guidelines
and procedures to its clients upon their request, and will also provide to any client, upon request, the proxy voting records for that client's securities.
174
QS INVESTORS
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures Policy
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures Policy
Introduction
QS Investors has
adopted and implemented policies and procedures, which it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best economic interest of its clients and in accordance with its fiduciary duties and
applicable regulations. This Policy shall apply to all accounts managed by QS Investors. In addition, QS Investors’ Proxy Policy reflects the fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts managed
by QS Investors.
Responsibilities
Proxy votes are
the property of QS Investors’ advisory clients.
1
As such, QS Investors’ authority and responsibility to vote such proxies depends upon its contractual relationships
with its clients. QS Investors has delegated responsibility for effecting its advisory clients’ proxy votes to Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), an independent third-party proxy voting specialist. ISS
votes QS Investors’ advisory clients’ proxies in accordance with their (ISS’) proxy guidelines or, in extremely limited circumstances, QS Investors’ specific instructions. Where a client has
given specific instructions as to how a proxy should be voted, QS Investors will notify and direct ISS to carry out those instructions. Where no specific instruction exists, QS Investors will follow the procedures set
forth in this document and vote such proxies in accordance with ISS’ guidelines. Certain Taft-Hartley clients may direct QS Investors to have ISS vote their proxies in accordance with ISS’ (or other
specific) Taft Hartley U.S. Voting Guidelines.
Alternatively, clients may elect to
retain proxy voting authority and responsibility. These and other proxy-related instructions must be outlined in the investment management agreement or other contractual arrangements with each client.
Clients may in certain instances
contract with their custodial agent and notify QS Investors that they wish to engage in securities lending transactions. QS Investors will not vote proxies relating to securities in client accounts that are on loan.
In such cases, it is the responsibility of the custodian to deduct the number of shares that are on loan to ensure they are not voted by multiple parties.
Policies
Proxy voting activities are conducted
in the best economic interest of clients.
QS Investors works with ISS to
ensure that all proxies are voted in accordance with what we believe to be the best economic interest of QS Investors’ clients. In addition to proxy voting services provided by ISS, QS Investors has also
contracted with ISS to provide proxy advisory services. These services include research and other activities designed to gain insight into ballot decisions and make informed voting recommendations consistent with our
fiduciary duty to our clients. ISS has developed and maintains Proxy Voting Guidelines (the Guidelines) consisting of standard voting positions on a comprehensive list of common proxy voting matters. ISS updates these
Guidelines based on consideration of current corporate governance principles, industry standards, client feedback, and a number of other relevant factors. Changes to these Guidelines are communicated to QS Investors
upon implementation.
While ISS has been instructed to
vote our clients’ proxies in accordance with the Guidelines, QS Investors and our clients retain the right to instruct ISS to vote differently.
Underlying Funds
Certain QS Investors client
accounts, including clients that are “Funds of Funds,” invest in underlying investment funds, including U.S. registered investment companies (Underlying Funds). Proxy voting with respect to shares, units
or interests in Underlying Funds present diverse and complex policy issues that make the establishment of standard proxy voting guidelines impractical. To the extent that QS Investors has proxy voting authority with
respect to shares, units or interests in Underlying Funds, QS Investors shall vote such shares, units or interests in the best interest of client accounts and subject to the general fiduciary principles set forth
above rather than in accordance with the Guidelines.
QS
Investors’ proxy voting authority on behalf of client accounts (including Fund of Funds) with respect to shares, units or interests in Underlying Funds is subject to the provisions below in
Proxy Voting of Underlying Funds
.
Manager of Manager Arrangements
175
QS Investors advises certain client
accounts that are structured as “Manager of Managers” arrangements in which various segments of the accounts are individually managed by a number of underlying investment advisers (Underlying Managers). In
such arrangements, QS Investors generally does not exercise any proxy voting authority with respect to securities held in the client’s account. Proxy voting authority in such arrangements is typically assigned
to the Underlying Managers.
Management Oversight
Management is
responsible for overseeing QS Investors’ proxy voting activities, including reviewing and monitoring the Guidelines that outline how ISS will generally vote proxies on behalf of QS Investors clients no less
frequently than annually. Compliance is responsible for coordinating with ISS to administer the proxy voting process and overseeing ISS’ proxy responsibilities. Compliance monitors voting activity to ensure that
votes are cast in accordance with the Guidelines or client-specific guidelines and/or any applicable regulatory requirements.
Availability of Proxy Voting Policies
and Procedures and Proxy Voting Record
Copies of this
Policy, as it may be updated from time to time, are made available to clients as required by law and otherwise at QS Investors’ discretion. Clients may also obtain information on how their proxies were voted by
QS Investors as required by law and otherwise at QS Investors’ discretion; however, QS Investors must not selectively disclose its investment company clients’ proxy voting records. QS Investors will make
proxy voting reports available to advisory clients upon request.
ISS’ current Guidelines,
summaries, amendments, and other pertinent information can be accessed by visiting their website at the following address: http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.
Procedures
Proxy Voting Guidelines
QS Investors will
review ISS’ Guidelines as necessary to support the best economic interests of QS Investors’ clients but generally no less frequently than annually. QS Investors will choose to re-adopt or amend portions of
or the entirety of the Guidelines, whether as a result of the annual review or otherwise, taking solely into account the best economic interests of QS Investors’ clients. Before re-adopting or amending the
Guidelines, Compliance, in consultation with Management, will thoroughly review and evaluate the proposed change(s) and rationale to evaluate potential conflicts with client or employee interests. Rationale for any
decisions not to re-adopt ISS’ Guidelines will be fully documented.
Proxy Voting of Underlying Funds
Proxy Voting of Affiliated Funds
With respect to proxy voting for a
client account (including a Fund of Funds) investing in shares, units or interests of Underlying Funds advised by QS Investors or an affiliate of QS Investors (including ETFs, open-end mutual funds and closed-end
investment companies), proxies relating to any of such affiliated Underlying Funds generally will be voted in accordance with an echo voting procedure under which such proxies are voted in the same proportion as the
votes from other shareholders of such affiliated Underlying Fund. QS Investors may vote such proxies in accordance with other voting procedures approved by Management and Compliance, provided such procedures comply
with applicable law and/or regulatory requirements.
Proxy Voting of Unaffiliated Funds
With respect to
proxy voting for a client account (including a Fund of Funds) investing in shares, units or interests of an Underlying Fund advised by an adviser which is unaffiliated with QS Investors (including ETFs, open-end
mutual funds and closed-end investment companies), QS Investors will vote such proxies in accordance with the general fiduciary principles set forth above; provided that QS Investors: (i) will vote proxies relating to
shares of ETFs in accordance with an echo voting procedure to the extent required by QS Investors’ Procedures Relating to Compliance with ETF Exemptive Orders under Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act
of 1940, and (ii) will vote proxies relating to shares of open-end mutual funds and closed-end investment companies in accordance with an echo voting procedure to the extent required in order to comply with Section
12(d)(1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and rules thereunder. Voting procedures are intended to be in the best interest of client accounts and subject to the general fiduciary principles set
forth above, and such procedures are subject to review by management and Compliance.
Specific proxy voting decisions made
by Management
176
Proxy proposals (i) that are not
covered by specific client instructions or the Guidelines; or (ii) that, according to the Guidelines, should be evaluated and voted on a case-by-case basis will be referred to Management and Portfolio Management for
review and to provide a voting instruction.
Certain proxy votes may not be
cast
In extremely limited cases, QS
Investors may determine that it is in the best economic interests of its clients not to vote certain proxies. QS Investors will abstain from voting if:
| ■ | Neither the Guidelines nor specific client instructions cover an issue; |
| ■ | ISS does not make a recommendation on the issue; and |
| ■ | QS Investors cannot make a good faith determination as to what would be in the client’s best interest (e.g., material conflict cannot be mitigated). |
In other cases, it may not be
possible to vote certain proxies, despite good faith efforts to do so. Examples may include:
| ■ | Proxy ballot was not received from the custodian; |
| ■ | Meeting notice was not received with adequate time for processing; or |
| ■ | Legal restrictions, including share blocking, that may restrict liquidity or otherwise limit trading. |
ISS will coordinate with Compliance
regarding any specific proxies and any categories of proxies that will not or cannot be voted. The reasons for not voting any proxy shall be documented.
Conflict of Interest Procedures
QS Investors seeks to mitigate
conflicts inherent in proxy voting and maintain independence by partnering with ISS for voting and administration of all client ballots. These conflicts may include:
| ■ | The issuer is a client of QS Investors; |
| ■ | The issuer is a material business partner of QS Investors; or |
| ■ | An employee, or an immediate family member of an employee, of QS Investors serves as an officer or director of the issuer. |
QS Investors believes that this
Policy and our reliance on ISS for independent proxy decision-making reasonably ensure that these and other potential material conflicts are minimized, consistent with our fiduciary duty. Accordingly, proxies that
will be voted in accordance with the Guidelines or in accordance with specific client instructions are not subject to the conflicts of interest procedures described below for items that are referred to QS Investors by
ISS.
As a general matter, QS Investors
takes the position that relationships between a non-QS Investors Legg Mason business unit and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for QS Investors in voting proxies with respect to such issuer because QS
Investors operates as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units and because of the existence of informational barriers between QS Investors and such business units.
Procedures to Address Conflicts of Interest and Improper Influence
Note: This section addresses the
limited circumstances in which items that are referred to QS Investors by ISS.
Overriding Principle
: ISS will vote all proxies in accordance with the Guidelines. In the limited circumstances where ISS refers items to QS Investors for input or a voting decision, QS Investors will vote
those proxies in accordance with what it, in good faith, determines to be the best economic interests of QS Investors’ clients.
2
Independence
: Compensation for all employees, particularly those with the ability to influence proxy voting in these limited circumstances, cannot be based upon their contribution to any business
activity outside of QS Investors without prior approval from Management. Furthermore, they may not discuss proxy votes with any person outside of QS Investors (and within QS Investors only on a need to know
basis).
Conflict Review Procedures
: For items that are referred to QS Investors from ISS, Compliance will monitor for potential material conflicts of interest in connection with proxy proposals. Promptly upon a determination
that a conflict exists in connection with a proxy proposal, the vote shall be escalated to Management. Management will collect and review any information deemed reasonably appropriate to evaluate, in its reasonable
judgment, if QS Investors or any person participating in the proxy voting process has, or has the appearance of, a material conflict of interest. For the purposes of this policy, a conflict of interest shall be
considered “material” to the extent that a reasonable person could expect the conflict to influence, or appear to influence, QS Investors’ decision on the particular vote at issue.
177
The information considered may
include without limitation information regarding (i) client relationships; (ii) any relevant personal conflict known or brought to their attention; (iii) and any communications with members of the Firm and any person
or entity outside of the organization that identifies itself as a QS Investors advisory client regarding the vote at issue.
If notified that QS Investors has a
material conflict of interest, the Firm will obtain instructions as to how the proxies should be voted, if time permits, from the affected clients. If notified that certain individuals should be recused from the proxy
vote at issue, QS Investors shall do so in accordance with the procedures set forth below.
Note: Any QS Investors employee who
becomes aware of a potential material conflict of interest in respect of any proxy vote to be made on behalf of clients shall notify Management and Compliance to evaluate such conflict and determine a recommended
course of action.
At the beginning of any discussion
regarding how to vote any proxy, Compliance will inquire as to whether any employee or any person participating in the proxy voting process has a personal conflict of interest or has actual knowledge of an actual or
apparent conflict that has not been reported to Management and/or Compliance.
Compliance also will inquire of
these same parties whether they have actual knowledge regarding whether any director, officer or employee outside of QS Investors that identifies itself as a QS Investors advisory client, has: (i) requested that QS
Investors vote a particular proxy in a certain manner; (ii) attempted to influence QS Investors in connection with proxy voting activities; or (iii) otherwise communicated with the Firm regarding the particular proxy
vote at issue, and which incident has not yet been reported to management and/or Compliance.
Compliance will determine whether
anyone should be recused from the proxy voting process, or whether QS Investors should seek instructions as to how to vote the proxy at issue if time permits, from the affected clients. These inquiries and discussions
will be properly documented.
Duty to Report
: Any QS Investors employee that is aware of any actual or apparent conflict of interest relevant to, or any attempt by any person outside of organization or any entity that identifies
itself as a QS Investors advisory client to influence, how QS Investors votes its proxies has a duty to disclose the existence of the situation to their manager and the details of the matter to Compliance. In the case
of any person participating in the deliberations on a specific vote, such disclosure should be made before engaging in any activities or participating in any discussion pertaining to that vote.
Recusal of Members
: Compliance will recuse any employee from participating in a specific proxy vote referred to QS Investors if he/she (i) is personally involved in a material conflict of interest; or (ii) as
determined by Management and Compliance, has actual knowledge of a circumstance or fact that could affect their independent judgment, in respect of such vote. Management will also exclude from consideration the views
of any person (whether requested or volunteered) if Management knows, or if Compliance has determined that such other person has a material conflict of interest with respect to the particular proxy, or has attempted
to influence the vote in any manner prohibited by these policies.
Other Procedures That Limit Conflicts of Interest
QS Investors has adopted a number
of policies, procedures and internal controls that are designed to avoid various conflicts of interest, including those that may arise in connection with proxy voting, including but not limited to the Confidential
Information Policy and the Code of Ethics. The Firm expects that these policies, procedures and internal controls will greatly reduce the chance that the Firm (or, its employees) would be involved in, aware of or
influenced by, an actual or apparent conflict of interest.
Recordkeeping
QS Investors will retain records of
client requests for proxy voting information and any written responses thereto provided by QS Investors, and will retain any documents the Firm or Compliance prepared that were material to making a voting decision or
that memorialized the basis for a proxy voting decision.
QS Investors also will create and
maintain appropriate records documenting its compliance with this Policy, including records of its deliberations and decisions regarding conflicts of interest and their resolution.
With respect to QS Investors’
investment company clients, ISS will create and maintain such records as are necessary to allow such investment company clients to comply with their recordkeeping, reporting and disclosure obligations under applicable
law.
QS Investors will also maintain the
following records relating to proxy voting:
| ■ | The name of the issuer of the portfolio security; |
178
| ■ | The exchange ticker symbol of the portfolio security (if symbol is available through reasonably practicable means); |
| ■ | The Council on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures number for the portfolio security (if the number is available through reasonably practicable means); |
| ■ | The shareholder meeting date; |
| ■ | A copy of each proxy statement received by QS Investors; |
| ■ | A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
| ■ | Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a security holder; |
| ■ | Whether QS Investors cast its vote on the matter; |
| ■ | How QS Investors cast its vote (e.g., for or against proposal, or abstain; for or withhold regarding election of directors); and |
| ■ | Whether QS Investors cast its vote for or against management. |
In lieu of keeping copies of proxy
statements, QS Investors may rely on proxy statements filed on the EDGAR system. QS Investors also may rely on third party records of proxy statements and votes cast by QS Investors if the third party provides an
undertaking to QS Investors to provide such records promptly upon request.
_________________________
1
For purposes of these Policies and Procedures, “clients” refers to persons or entities: for which QS Investors serves as investment adviser or sub-adviser; for
which QS Investors votes proxies; and that have an economic or beneficial ownership interest in the portfolio securities of issuers soliciting such proxies.
2
Any contact from external parties interested in a particular vote that attempts to exert improper pressure or influence shall be reported to Compliance.
T. ROWE PRICE
ASSOCIATES, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE (CANADA), INC
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED
T. ROWE PRICE SINGAPORE PRIVATE LTD.
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL LTD
T. ROWE PRICE (CANADA), INC
T. ROWE PRICE HONG KONG LIMITED
T. ROWE PRICE SINGAPORE PRIVATE LTD.
T. ROWE PRICE JAPAN, INC.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE PROXIES
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., T.
Rowe Price International Ltd, T. Rowe Price (Canada), Inc., T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited, and T. Rowe Price Singapore Private Ltd.
(
collectively,
“T. Rowe Price”)
recognize and adhere to the principle that one of the privileges of owning stock in a company is the right to vote in the election of the company’s
directors and on matters affecting certain important aspects of the company’s structure and operations that are submitted to shareholder vote. As an investment adviser with a fiduciary responsibility to its
clients, T. Rowe Price analyzes the proxy statements of issuers whose stock is owned by the U.S.-registered investment companies which it sponsors and serves as investment adviser (“
Price Funds
”) and by common trust funds, offshore funds, institutional and private counsel clients who have requested that T. Rowe Price be involved in the proxy process. T. Rowe
Price has assumed the responsibility for voting proxies on behalf of the T. Rowe Price Funds and certain counsel clients who have delegated such responsibility to T. Rowe Price. In addition, T. Rowe Price makes
recommendations regarding proxy voting to counsel clients who have not delegated the voting responsibility but who have requested voting advice. T. Rowe Price reserves the right to decline to vote proxies in
accordance with client-specific voting guidelines.
T. Rowe Price has adopted these
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“
Policies and Procedures”
) for the purpose of establishing formal policies and procedures for performing and documenting its fiduciary duty with regard to the voting of client
proxies. This document is updated annually.
Fiduciary Considerations.
It is the policy of T. Rowe Price that decisions with respect to proxy issues will be made in light of the anticipated impact of the issue on the desirability of investing in the portfolio
company from the viewpoint of the particular client or Price Fund. Proxies are voted solely in the interests of the client, Price Fund shareholders or, where employee benefit plan assets are involved, in the interests
of plan participants and beneficiaries. Our intent has always been to vote proxies, where possible to do so, in a manner consistent with our fiduciary obligations and responsibilities. Practicalities and costs
involved with international investing may make it impossible at times, and at other times disadvantageous, to vote proxies in every instance.
179
Other
Considerations.
One of the primary factors T. Rowe Price considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular company is the quality and depth of its management. We recognize that a
company’s management is entrusted with the day-to-day operations of the company, as well as its long-term direction and strategic planning, subject to the oversight of the company’s board of directors.
Accordingly, our proxy voting guidelines are not intended to substitute our judgment for management’s with respect to the company’s day-to-day operations. Rather, our proxy voting guidelines are designed
to promote accountability of a company’s management and board of directors to its shareholders; to align the interests of management with those of shareholders; and to encourage companies to adopt best practices
in terms of their corporate governance. In addition to our proxy voting guidelines, we rely on a company’s disclosures, its board’s recommendations, a company’s track record, country-specific best
practices codes, our research providers and, most importantly, our investment professionals’ views, in making voting decisions.
ADMINISTRATION OF POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
Proxy Committee.
T. Rowe Price’s Proxy Committee
(“Proxy Committee”)
is responsible for establishing positions with respect to corporate governance and other proxy issues, including those involving corporate social responsibility issues. Certain delegated
members of the Proxy Committee also review questions and respond to inquiries from clients and mutual fund shareholders pertaining to proxy issues. While the Proxy Committee sets voting guidelines and serves as a
resource for T. Rowe Price portfolio management, it does not have proxy voting authority for any Price Fund or counsel client. Rather, this responsibility is held by the Chairperson of the Price Fund’s
Investment Advisory Committee or counsel client’s portfolio manager.
Proxy Services Group.
The Proxy Services Group is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in the Policies and Procedures.
Head of Corporate
Governance.
Our Head of Corporate Governance is responsible for reviewing the proxy agendas for all upcoming meetings and making company-specific recommendations to our global industry analysts and
portfolio managers with regard to the voting decisions in their portfolios.
HOW PROXIES ARE REVIEWED, PROCESSED
AND VOTED
In order to
facilitate the proxy voting process, T. Rowe Price has retained Institutional Shareholder Services
(“ISS”)
as an expert in the proxy voting and corporate governance area. ISS specializes in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy advisory and voting services. These
services include voting recommendations as well as vote execution and reporting for the handling of proxy voting responsibility. In order to reflect T. Rowe Price’s issue-by-issue voting guidelines as approved
each year by the Proxy Committee, ISS maintains and implements a custom voting policy for the Price Funds and other client accounts.
Meeting Notification
T. Rowe Price
utilizes ISS’ voting agent services to notify us of upcoming shareholder meetings for portfolio companies held in client accounts and to transmit votes to the various custodian banks of our clients. ISS tracks
and reconciles T. Rowe Price holdings against incoming proxy ballots. If ballots do not arrive on time, ISS procures them from the appropriate custodian or proxy distribution agent. Meeting and record date information
is updated daily, and transmitted to T. Rowe Price through ProxyExchange, ISS’ web-based application.
Vote Determination
Each day, ISS
delivers into T. Rowe Price’s proprietary proxy research platform a comprehensive summary of upcoming meetings, proxy proposals, publications discussing key proxy voting issues, and custom vote recommendations
to assist us with proxy research and processing. The final authority and responsibility for proxy voting decisions remains with T. Rowe Price. Decisions with respect to proxy matters are made primarily in light of the
anticipated impact of the issue on the desirability of investing in the company from the perspective of our clients.
Portfolio managers may decide to
vote their proxies consistent with the guidelines, as set by the Proxy Committee, and instruct the Proxy Services Group to vote all proxies accordingly. Alternatively, portfolio managers may request to review the vote
recommendations and sign off on all proxies before the votes are cast, or they may choose only to sign off on those votes cast against management. The portfolio managers are also given the option of reviewing and
determining the votes on all proxies without utilizing the vote guidelines of the Proxy Committee. In all cases, the portfolio managers may elect to receive current reports summarizing all proxy votes in their client
accounts. Portfolio managers who vote their proxies inconsistent with T. Rowe Price guidelines are required to document the rationale for their votes. The Proxy Services Group is responsible for maintaining this
documentation and assuring that it adequately reflects the basis for any vote which is cast contrary to our proxy voting guidelines.
180
T. Rowe Price Voting Policies
Specific proxy voting guidelines
have been adopted by the Proxy Committee for all regularly occurring categories of management and shareholder proposals. A detailed set of proxy voting guidelines is available on the T. Rowe Price website,
www.troweprice.com. The following is a summary of our guidelines on the most significant proxy voting topics:
Election of
Directors
– For U.S. companies, T. Rowe Price generally supports slates with a majority of independent directors. However, T. Rowe Price may vote against outside directors who do not meet our
criteria relating to their independence, particularly when they serve on key board committees, such as compensation and nominating committees, for which we believe that all directors should be independent. Outside of
the U.S., we expect companies to adhere to the minimum independence standard established by regional corporate governance codes. At a minimum, however, we believe boards in all regions should include a blend of
executive and non-executive members, and we are likely to vote against senior executives at companies with insufficient representation by independent directors. We also vote against directors who are unable to
dedicate sufficient time to their board duties due to their commitments to other boards. We may vote against certain directors who have served on company boards where we believe there has been a gross failure in
governance or oversight. Additionally, we may vote against compensation committee members who approve excessive executive compensation or severance arrangements. We support efforts to elect all board members annually
because boards with staggered terms lessen directors’ accountability to shareholders and act as deterrents to takeover proposals. To strengthen boards’ accountability, T. Rowe Price supports proposals
calling for a majority vote threshold for the election of directors and we may withhold votes from an entire board if they fail to implement shareholder proposals that receive majority support.
Anti-Takeover, Capital Structure
and Corporate Governance Issues
– T. Rowe Price generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they adversely impact shareholder rights and limit the ability of shareholders to act on potential value-enhancing
transactions. Such anti-takeover mechanisms include classified boards, supermajority voting requirements, dual share classes, and poison pills. When voting on capital structure proposals, T. Rowe Price will consider
the dilutive impact to shareholders and the effect on shareholder rights. We may support shareholder proposals that call for the separation of the Chairman and CEO positions if we determine that insufficient
governance safeguards are in place at the company.
Executive
Compensation Issues
– T. Rowe Price’s goal is to assure that a company’s equity-based compensation plan is aligned with shareholders’ long-term interests. We evaluate plans on a
case-by-case basis, using a number of factors, including dilution to shareholders, problematic plan features, burn rate, and the equity compensation mix. Plans that are constructed to effectively and fairly align
executives’ and shareholders’ incentives generally earn our approval. Conversely, we oppose compensation packages that provide what we view as excessive awards to few senior executives or contain the
potential for excessive dilution relative to the company’s peers. We also may oppose equity plans at any company where we deem the overall compensation practices to be problematic. We generally oppose efforts to
reprice options in the event of a decline in value of the underlying stock unless such plans appropriately balance shareholder and employee interests. For companies with particularly egregious pay practices such as
excessive severance packages, executives with outsized pledged/hedged stock positions, executive perks, and bonuses that are not adequately linked to performance, we may vote against compensation committee members. We
analyze management proposals requesting ratification of a company’s executive compensation practices (
“Say-on-Pay”
proposals) on a case-by-case basis, using a screen that assesses the long-term linkage between executive compensation and company performance as well as the presence of objectionable
structural features in compensation plans. With respect to the frequency in which companies should seek advisory votes on compensation, in most cases we believe shareholders should be offered the opportunity to vote
annually. Finally, we may oppose compensation committee members or even the entire board if we have cast votes against a company’s “Say-on-Pay” vote in consecutive years.
Mergers and Acquisitions
– T. Rowe Price considers takeover offers, mergers, and other extraordinary corporate transactions on a case-by-case basis to determine if they are beneficial to shareholders’
current and future earnings stream and to ensure that our Price Funds and clients are receiving fair consideration for their securities. We oppose a high proportion of proposals for the ratification of executive
severance packages (
“Say on Golden Parachute”
proposals) in conjunction with merger transactions if we conclude these arrangements reduce the alignment of executives’ incentives with shareholders’ interests.
Corporate Social
Responsibility Issues
– Vote recommendations for corporate responsibility issues are generated by the Head of Corporate Governance using ISS’ proxy research and company reports. T. Rowe Price
generally votes with a company’s management on social, environmental and corporate responsibility issues unless the issue has substantial investment implications for the company’s business or operations
which have not been adequately addressed by management. T. Rowe Price supports well-targeted shareholder proposals on environmental and other public policy issues that are particularly relevant to a company’s
businesses.
Global Portfolio Companies
– ISS applies a two-tier approach to determining and applying global proxy voting policies. The first tier establishes baseline policy guidelines for the most fundamental issues, which
span the corporate governance spectrum without regard to a company’s domicile. The second tier takes into account various idiosyncrasies of different countries, making allowances for standard
181
market practices,
as long as they do not violate the fundamental goals of good corporate governance. The goal is to enhance shareholder value through effective use of the shareholder franchise, recognizing that application of policies
developed for U.S. corporate governance issues are not appropriate for all markets. The Proxy Committee has reviewed ISS’ general global policies and has developed custom international proxy voting guidelines
based on those recommendations and our own views as investors in these markets.
Fixed Income, Index and Passively
Managed Accounts
– Proxy voting for fixed income, index and other passively-managed portfolios is administered by the Proxy Services Group using T. Rowe Price’s guidelines as set by the Proxy
Committee. If a portfolio company is held in both an actively managed account and an index account, the index account will default to the vote as determined by the actively managed proxy voting process. In addition,
fixed income accounts will generally follow the proxy vote determinations on security holdings held by our equity accounts unless the matter is specific to a particular fixed income security (i.e., consents,
restructurings, reorganization proposals).
Divided Votes
– In situations where a decision is made which is contrary to the policies established by the Proxy Committee, or differs from the vote for any other client or Price Fund, the Proxy
Services Group advises the portfolio managers involved of the divided vote. The persons representing opposing views often confer to discuss their positions
because in most
cases our votes reflect consensus across the Price Funds and other
accounts.
Shareblocking
– Shareblocking is the practice in certain foreign countries of “freezing” shares for trading purposes in order to vote proxies relating to those shares. In markets where
shareblocking applies, the custodian or sub-custodian automatically freezes shares prior to a shareholder meeting once a proxy has been voted. Shareblocking typically takes place between one and fifteen (15) days
before the shareholder meeting, depending on the market. In markets where shareblocking applies, there is a potential for a pending trade to fail if trade settlement takes place during the blocking period. T. Rowe
Price’s policy is generally to refrain from voting shares in shareblocking countries unless the matter has compelling economic consequences that outweigh the loss of liquidity in the blocked shares.
Securities on
Loan
– The Price Funds and our institutional clients may participate in securities lending programs to generate income. Generally, the voting rights pass with the securities on loan;
however, lending agreements give the lender the right to terminate the loan and pull back the loaned shares provided sufficient notice is given to the custodian bank in advance of the applicable deadline. T. Rowe
Price’s policy is generally not to vote securities on loan unless we determine there is a material voting event that could affect the value of the loaned securities. In this event, we have the discretion to pull
back the loaned securities in order to cast a vote at an upcoming shareholder meeting.
Monitoring and Resolving Conflicts of
Interest
The Proxy Committee is also
responsible for monitoring and resolving potential material conflicts between the interests of T. Rowe Price and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting. We have adopted safeguards to ensure that our proxy
voting is not influenced by interests other than those of our fund shareholders. While membership on the Proxy Committee is diverse, it does not include individuals whose primary duties relate to client relationship
management, marketing, or sales. Since T. Rowe Price’s voting guidelines are predetermined by the Proxy Committee, application of the guidelines by fund portfolio managers to vote fund proxies should in most
instances adequately address any potential conflicts of interest. However, consistent with the terms of the Policies and Procedures, which allow portfolio managers to vote proxies opposite our general voting
guidelines, the Proxy Committee regularly reviews all such proxy votes that are inconsistent with the proxy voting guidelines to determine whether the portfolio manager’s voting rationale appears reasonable. The
Proxy Committee also assesses whether any business or other material relationships between T. Rowe Price and a portfolio company (unrelated to the ownership of the portfolio company’s securities) could have
influenced an inconsistent vote on that company’s proxy.
Issues raising potential conflicts
of interest are referred to designated members of the Proxy Committee for immediate resolution prior to the time T. Rowe Price casts its vote. With respect to personal conflicts of interest, T. Rowe Price’s Code
of Ethics and Conduct requires all employees to avoid placing themselves in a “compromising position” in which their interests may conflict with those of our clients and restrict their ability to engage in
certain outside business activities. Portfolio managers or Proxy Committee members with a personal conflict of interest regarding a particular proxy vote must recuse themselves and not participate in the voting
decisions with respect to that proxy.
Specific Conflict of Interest
Situations
- Voting of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. common stock (sym: TROW) by certain T. Rowe Price Index Funds will be done in all instances in accordance with T. Rowe Price policy, and votes
inconsistent with policy will not be permitted. In the event that there is no previously established guideline for a specific voting issue appearing on the T. Rowe Price Group proxy, the Price Funds will abstain on
that voting item. In addition, T. Rowe Price has voting authority for proxies of the holdings of certain Price
182
Funds that invest in other Price Funds. In cases
where the underlying fund of an investing Price Fund, including a fund-of-funds, holds a proxy vote, T. Rowe Price will mirror vote the fund shares held by the upper-tier fund in the same proportion as the votes cast
by the shareholders of the underlying funds (other than the T. Rowe Price Reserve Investment Funds).
Limitations on Voting Proxies of
Banks
T. Rowe Price has obtained relief
from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board (the
“FRB Relief”
) which permits, subject to a number of conditions, T. Rowe Price to acquire in the aggregate on behalf of its clients, 10% or more of the total voting stock of
a bank, bank holding company, savings and loan holding company or savings association (each a
“Bank”
), not to exceed a 15% aggregate beneficial ownership maximum in such Bank. One such condition affects the manner in which T. Rowe Price will vote its clients’
shares of a Bank in excess of 10% of the Bank’s total voting stock (
“Excess Shares”
). The FRB Relief requires that T. Rowe Price use its best efforts to vote the Excess Shares in the same proportion as all other shares voted, a practice
generally referred to as “mirror voting,” or in the event that such efforts to mirror vote are unsuccessful, Excess Shares will not be voted. With respect to a shareholder vote for a Bank of which T. Rowe
Price has aggregate beneficial ownership of greater than 10% on behalf of its clients, T. Rowe Price will determine which of its clients’ shares are Excess Shares on a pro rata basis across all of its
clients’ portfolios for which T. Rowe Price has the power to vote proxies.
REPORTING, RECORD RETENTION AND
OVERSIGHT
The Proxy Committee, and certain
personnel under the direction of the Proxy Committee, perform the following oversight and assurance functions, among others, over T. Rowe Price’s proxy voting: (1) periodically samples proxy votes to ensure that
they were cast in compliance with T. Rowe Price’s proxy voting guidelines; (2) reviews, no less frequently than annually, the adequacy of the Policies and Procedures to make sure that they have been implemented
effectively, including whether they continue to be reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of our clients; (3) performs due diligence on whether a retained proxy advisory firm has
the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues, including the adequacy and quality of the proxy advisory firm’s staffing and personnel and its policies; and (4) oversees any retained proxy
advisory firms and their procedures regarding their capabilities to (i) produce proxy research that is based on current and accurate information and (ii) identify and address any conflicts of interest and any other
considerations that we believe would be appropriate in considering the nature and quality of the services provided by the proxy advisory firm.
Vote Summary Reports will be
generated for each client that requests T. Rowe Price to furnish proxy voting records. The report specifies the portfolio companies, meeting dates, proxy proposals, and votes which have been cast for the client during
the period and the position taken with respect to each issue. Reports normally cover quarterly or annual periods and are provided to clients upon request.
T. Rowe Price retains proxy
solicitation materials, memoranda regarding votes cast in opposition to the position of a company’s management, and documentation on shares voted differently. In addition, any document which is material to a
proxy voting decision such as the T. Rowe Price proxy voting guidelines, Proxy Committee meeting materials, and other internal research relating to voting decisions will be kept. All proxy voting materials and
supporting documentation are retained for six years (except for proxy statements available on the SEC’s EDGAR database).
WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLP
Global Proxy Voting Guidelines.
INTRODUCTION.
Wellington Management has adopted
and implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best economic interests of clients for whom it exercises proxy-voting discretion.
Wellington Management’s Proxy
Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) set forth broad guidelines and positions on common proxy issues that Wellington Management uses in voting on proxies. In addition, Wellington Management also considers
each proposal in the context of the issuer, industry and country or countries in which the issuer’s business is conducted. The Guidelines are not rigid rules and the merits of a particular proposal may cause
Wellington Management to enter a vote that differs from the Guidelines.
STATEMENT OF POLICY.
Wellington Management
:
1) Votes client proxies for which
clients have affirmatively delegated proxy-voting authority, in writing, unless it determines that it is in the best interest of one or more clients to refrain from voting a given proxy.
183
2) Votes all proxies in the best
interests of the client for whom it is voting, i.e., to maximize economic value.
3) Identifies and resolves all
material proxy-related conflicts of interest between the firm and its clients in the best interests of the client.
RESPONSIBILITY AND OVERSIGHT.
Investor and Counterparty Services
(“ICS”) monitors regulatory requirements with respect to proxy voting and works with the firm’s Legal and Compliance Group and the Corporate Governance Committee to develop practices that implement
those requirements. Day-to-day administration of the proxy voting process is the responsibility of ICS, which also acts as a resource for portfolio managers and research analysts on proxy matters, as needed. The
Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for oversight of the implementation of the Global Proxy Policy and Procedures, review and approval of the Guidelines and for providing advice and guidance on specific
proxy votes for individual issuers.
PROCEDURES.
Use of Third-Party Voting Agent.
Wellington Management uses the services of a third-party voting agent to manage the administrative aspects of proxy voting. The voting agent processes proxies for client accounts, casts
votes based on the Guidelines and maintains records of proxies voted.
Receipt of Proxy.
If a client requests that Wellington Management votes proxies on its behalf, the client must instruct its custodian bank to deliver all relevant voting material to Wellington Management or
its voting agent.
Reconciliation.
Each public security proxy received by electronic means is matched to the securities eligible to be voted and a reminder is sent to any custodian or trustee that has not forwarded the
proxies as due. Although proxies received for private securities, as well as those received in non-electronic format, are voted as received, Wellington Management is not able to reconcile these proxies to holdings,
nor does it notify custodians of non-receipt.
Research
. In addition to proprietary investment research undertaken by Wellington Management investment professionals, ICS conducts proxy research internally, and uses the resources of a number of
external sources to keep abreast of developments in corporate governance and of current practices of specific companies.
Proxy Voting.
Following the reconciliation
process, each proxy is compared against the Guidelines, and handled as follows:
| ■ | Generally, issues for which explicit proxy voting guidance is provided in the Guidelines (i.e., “For”, “Against”, “Abstain”) are reviewed by ICS and voted in accordance with the Guidelines. |
| ■ | Issues identified as “case-by-case” in the Guidelines are further reviewed by ICS. In certain circumstances, further |
| ■ | input is needed, so the issues are forwarded to the relevant research analyst and/or portfolio manager(s) for their input. |
| ■ | Absent a material conflict of interest, the portfolio manager has the authority to decide the final vote. Different |
| ■ | portfolio managers holding the same securities may arrive at different voting conclusions for their clients’ proxies. |
Wellington Management reviews
regularly the voting record to ensure that proxies are voted in accordance with these
Global Proxy Policy and Procedures
and the Guidelines; and ensures that documentation and reports, for clients and for internal purposes, relating to the voting of proxies are
promptly and properly prepared and disseminated.
Material Conflict of Interest
Identification and Resolution Processes.
Wellington Management’s broadly diversified client base and functional lines of responsibility serve to minimize the number of, but not prevent, material conflicts of interest it faces
in voting proxies. Annually, the Corporate Governance Committee sets standards for identifying material conflicts based on client, vendor, and lender relationships, and publishes those standards to individuals
involved in the proxy voting process. In addition, the Corporate Governance Committee encourages all personnel to contact ICS about apparent conflicts of interest, even if the apparent conflict does not meet the
published materiality criteria. Apparent conflicts are reviewed by designated members of the Corporate Governance Committee to determine if there is a conflict and if so whether the conflict is material.
If a proxy is identified as
presenting a material conflict of interest, the matter must be reviewed by designated members of the Corporate Governance Committee, who will resolve the conflict and direct the vote. In certain circumstances, the
designated members may determine that the full Corporate Governance Committee should convene.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
184
In certain instances, Wellington
Management may be unable to vote or may determine not to vote a proxy on behalf of one or more clients. While not exhaustive, the following are potential instances in which a proxy vote might not be entered.
Securities Lending.
In general, Wellington Management does not know when securities have been lent out pursuant to a client’s securities lending program and are therefore unavailable to be voted. Efforts
to recall loaned securities are not always effective, but, in rare circumstances, Wellington Management may recommend that a client attempt to have its custodian recall the security to permit voting of related
proxies.
Share Blocking and
Re-registration.
Certain countries impose trading restrictions or requirements regarding re-registration of securities held in omnibus accounts in order for shareholders to vote a proxy. The potential impact
of such requirements is evaluated when determining whether to vote such proxies.
Lack of Adequate Information,
Untimely Receipt of Proxy Materials, or Excessive Costs.
Wellington Management may abstain from voting a proxy when the proxy statement or other available information is inadequate to allow for an informed vote, when the proxy materials are not
delivered in a timely fashion or when, in Wellington Management’s judgment, the costs exceed the expected benefits to clients (such as when powers of attorney or consularization are required).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Wellington Management maintains
records related to proxies pursuant to Rule 204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and
other applicable laws.
Wellington Management provides
clients with a copy of its
Global Proxy Policy and Procedures
, including the Guidelines, upon written request. In addition, Wellington Management will make specific client information relating to proxy voting
available to a client upon reasonable written request.
Dated: 1 January 2015
Global Proxy Voting Guidelines.
INTRODUCTION.
Upon a client’s written request, Wellington Management Company LLP (“Wellington Management”) votes securities that are held in the client’s account in response to
proxies solicited by the issuers of such securities. Wellington Management established these Global Proxy Voting Guidelines to document positions generally taken on common proxy issues voted on behalf of
clients.
These guidelines are based on
Wellington Management’s fiduciary obligation to act in the best economic interest of its clients as shareholders. Hence, Wellington Management examines and votes each proposal so that the long-term effect of the
vote will ultimately increase shareholder value for our clients. Because ethical considerations can have an impact on the long-term value of assets, our voting practices are also attentive to these issues, and votes
will be cast against unlawful and unethical activity. Further, Wellington Management’s experience in voting proposals has shown that similar proposals often have different consequences for different companies.
Moreover, while these Global Proxy Voting Guidelines are written to apply globally, differences in local practice and law make universal application impractical. Therefore, each proposal is evaluated on its merits,
taking into account its effects on the specific company in question and on the company within its industry. It should be noted that the following are guidelines, and not rigid rules, and Wellington Management reserves
the right in all cases to vote contrary to guidelines where doing so is judged to represent the best economic interest of its clients.
Following is a list of common
proposals and the guidelines on how Wellington Management anticipates voting on these proposals. The “(SP)” after a proposal indicates that the proposal is usually presented as a shareholder proposal.
VOTING GUIDELINES.
Composition and Role of the Board
of Directors.
| ■ | Election of Directors: Case-by-Case. We believe that shareholders' ability to elect directors annually is the most important right shareholders have. We generally support management nominees, but will withhold votes from any director who is demonstrated to have acted contrary to the best economic interest of shareholders. We may also withhold votes from directors who failed to implement shareholder proposals that received majority support, implemented dead-hand or no-hand poison pills, or failed to attend at least 75% of scheduled board meetings. |
| ■ | Classify Board of Directors: Against. We will also vote in favor of shareholder proposals seeking to declassify boards. |
| ■ | Adopt Director Tenure/Retirement Age (SP): Against |
185
| ■ | Adopt Director & Officer Indemnification: For. We generally support director and officer indemnification as critical to the attraction and retention of qualified candidates to the board. Such proposals must incorporate the duty of care. |
| ■ | Allow Special Interest Representation to Board (SP): Against |
| ■ | Require Board Independence: For. We believe that, in the absence of a compelling counter-argument or prevailing market norms, at least 65% of a board should be composed of independent directors, with independence defined by the local market regulatory authority. Our support for this level of independence may include withholding approval for non-independent directors, as well as votes in support of shareholder proposals calling for independence. |
| ■ | Require Key Board Committees to be Independent. For. Key board committees are the Nominating, Audit, and Compensation Committees. Exceptions will be made, as above, in respect of local market conventions. |
| ■ | Require a Separation of Chair and CEO or Require a For Lead Director: Case-by-Case. We will generally support management proposals to separate the chair and CEO or establish a lead director. |
| ■ | Approve Directors' Fees: For |
| ■ | Approve Bonuses for Retiring Directors: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Elect Supervisory Board/Corporate Assembly: For |
| ■ | Elect/Establish Board Committee: For |
| ■ | Adopt Shareholder Access/Majority Vote on Election of Directors (SP): Case-by-Case. We believe that the election of directors by a majority of votes cast is the appropriate standard for companies to adopt and therefore generally will support those proposals that seek to adopt such a standard. Our support for such proposals will extend typically to situations where the relevant company has an existing resignation policy in place for directors that receive a majority of “withhold” votes. We believe that it is important for majority voting to be defined within the company's charter and not simply within the company's corporate governance policy. |
Generally we will not support
proposals that fail to provide for the exceptional use of a plurality standard in the case of contested elections. Further, we will not support proposals that seek to adopt a majority of votes outstanding (i.e., total
votes eligible to be cast as opposed to actually cast) standard.
Management Compensation.
| ■ | Adopt/Amend Stock Option Plans: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Adopt/Amend Employee Stock Purchase Plans: For |
| ■ | Approve/Amend Bonus plans: Case-by-Case. In the US, Bonus Plans are customarily presented for shareholder approval pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1992 (“OBRA”). OBRA stipulates that certain forms of compensation are not tax-deductible unless approved by shareholders and subject to performance criteria. Because OBRA does not prevent the payment of subject compensation, we generally vote “for” these proposals. Nevertheless, occasionally these proposals are presented in a bundled form seeking 162 (m) approval and approval of a stock option plan. In such cases, failure of the proposal prevents the awards from being granted. We will vote against these proposals where the grant portion of the proposal fails our guidelines for the evaluation of stock option plans. |
| ■ | Approve Remuneration Policy: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Approve compensation packages for named executive officers: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Determine whether the compensation vote will occur every one, two or three years: One year |
| ■ | Exchange Underwater Options: Case-by-Case. We may support value-neutral exchanges in which senior management is ineligible to participate. |
| ■ | Eliminate or Limit Severance Agreements (Golden Parachutes): Case-by-Case. We will oppose excessively generous arrangements, but may support agreements structured to encourage management to negotiate in shareholders' best economic interest. |
| ■ | Approve golden parachute arrangements in connection with certain corporate transactions: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Shareholder Approval of Future Severance Agreements Covering Senior Executives (SP): Case-by-Case. We believe that severance arrangements require special scrutiny, and are generally supportive of proposals that call for shareholder ratification thereof. But, we are also mindful of the board's need for flexibility in recruitment and retention and will therefore oppose limitations on board compensation policy where respect for industry practice and reasonable overall levels of compensation have been demonstrated. |
| ■ | Expense Future Stock Options (SP): For |
| ■ | Shareholder Approval of All Stock Option Plans (SP): For |
| ■ | Disclose All Executive Compensation (SP): For |
Reporting of Results.
| ■ | Approve Financial Statements: For |
| ■ | Set Dividends and Allocate Profits: For |
| ■ | Limit Non-Audit Services Provided by Auditors (SP): Case-by-Case. We follow the guidelines established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding permissible levels of non-audit fees payable to auditors. |
| ■ | Ratify Selection of Auditors and Set Their Fees: Case-by-Case. We will generally support management's choice of auditors, unless the auditors have demonstrated failure to act in shareholders' best economic interest. |
| ■ | Elect Statutory Auditors: Case-by-Case |
186
| ■ | Shareholder Approval of Auditors (SP): For |
Shareholder Voting Rights.
| ■ | Adopt Cumulative Voting (SP): Against. We are likely to support cumulative voting proposals at “controlled” companies (i.e., companies with a single majority shareholder), or at companies with two-tiered voting rights. |
| ■ | Shareholder Rights Plans: Case-by-Case. Also known as Poison Pills, these plans can enable boards of directors to negotiate higher takeover prices on behalf of shareholders. However, these plans also may be misused to entrench management. The following criteria are used to evaluate both management and shareholder proposals regarding shareholder rights plans. |
We generally support plans that
include:
| ■ | Shareholder approval requirement |
| ■ | Sunset provision |
| ■ | Permitted bid feature (i.e., bids that are made for all shares and demonstrate evidence of financing must be submitted to a shareholder vote). |
Because boards generally have the
authority to adopt shareholder rights plans without shareholder approval, we are equally vigilant in our assessment of requests for authorization of blank check preferred shares (see below).
| ■ | Authorize Blank Check Preferred Stock: Case-by-Case. We may support authorization requests that specifically proscribe the use of such shares for anti-takeover purposes. |
| ■ | Eliminate Right to Call a Special Meeting: Against |
| ■ | Establish Right to Call a Special Meeting or Lower Ownership Threshold to Call a Special Meeting (SP): Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Increase Supermajority Vote Requirement: Against. We likely will support shareholder and management proposals to remove existing supermajority vote requirements. |
| ■ | Adopt Anti-Greenmail Provision: For |
| ■ | Adopt Confidential Voting (SP): Case-by-Case. We require such proposals to include a provision to suspend confidential voting during contested elections so that management is not subject to constraints that do not apply to dissidents. |
| ■ | Remove Right to Act by Written Consent: Against |
Capital Structure.
| ■ | Increase Authorized Common Stock: Case-by-Case. We generally support requests for increases up to 100% of the shares currently authorized. Exceptions will be made when the company has clearly articulated a reasonable need for a greater increase. Conversely, at companies trading in less liquid markets, we may impose a lower threshold. |
| ■ | Approve Merger or Acquisition: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Approve Technical Amendments to Charter: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Opt Out of State Takeover Statutes: For |
| ■ | Authorize Share Repurchase: For |
| ■ | Authorize Trade in Company Stock: For |
| ■ | Approve Stock Splits: Case-by-Case. We approve stock splits and reverse stock splits that preserve the level of authorized, but unissued shares. |
| ■ | Approve Recapitalization/Restructuring: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Issue Stock with or without Preemptive Rights: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Issue Debt Instruments: Case-by-Case |
Environmental and Social Issues.
| ■ | We expect portfolio companies to comply with applicable laws and regulations with regards to environmental and social standards. We evaluate shareholder proposals related to environmental and social issues on a case-by-case basis: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Disclose Political and PAC Gifts (SP): Case-by-Case. |
| ■ | Report on Sustainability (SP): Case-by-Case |
Miscellaneous.
| ■ | Approve Other Business: Against |
| ■ | Approve Reincorporation: Case-by-Case |
| ■ | Approve Third-Party Transactions: Case-by-Case |
Dated: March 8, 2012
WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT
COMPANY/WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED (“WESTERN ASSET”)
BACKGROUND
187
An investment adviser is required
to adopt and implement policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). The authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents. In addition to SEC
requirements governing advisers, long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities have been established for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the
Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the investment manager.
POLICY
As a fixed income only manager, the
occasion to vote proxies is very rare. However, the Firm has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in
accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect
the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the
responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.
While the guidelines included in
the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the Firm’s contractual obligations to our clients and all
other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent the Firm deems appropriate).
In exercising its voting authority,
Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of its affiliates (other than Western Asset affiliated companies) regarding the voting of any
securities owned by its clients.
PROCEDURE
Responsibility and Oversight
The Western Asset Legal and
Compliance Department (“Compliance Department”) is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions area of
Investment Support (“Corporate Actions”). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained
in these procedures.
Client Authority
The Investment Management Agreement
for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents
assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.
Proxy Gathering
Registered owners of record, client
custodians, client banks and trustees (“Proxy Recipients”) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset
becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy
materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward
the materials to Corporate Actions.
Proxy Voting
Once proxy materials are received
by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:
| a. | Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted. |
| b. | Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority. |
| c. | Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest. (See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.) |
188
| d. | If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the client’s proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party. |
| e. | Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analyst’s or portfolio manager’s basis for their decision is documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department. |
| f. | Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (d) or (e) and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials. |
Timing
Western Asset personnel act in such
a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.
Recordkeeping
Western Asset maintains records of
proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL Bulletin 94-2. These records include:
| a. | A copy of Western Asset’s policies and procedures. |
| b. | Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities. |
| c. | A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies. |
| d. | Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Asset’s written response to both verbal and written client requests. |
| e. | A proxy log including: |
| 1. | Issuer name; |
| 2. | Exchange ticker symbol of the issuer’s shares to be voted; |
| 3. | Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) number for the shares to be voted; |
| 4. | A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
| 5. | Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer; |
| 6. | Whether a vote was cast on the matter; |
| 7. | A record of how the vote was cast; and |
| 8. | Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer’s management team. |
Records are maintained in an easily
accessible place for five years, the first two in Western Asset’s offices.
Disclosure
Western Asset’s proxy
policies are described in the firm’s Part 2A of Form ADV. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their
proxies have been voted.
Conflicts of Interest
189
All proxies are reviewed by the
Legal and Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:
| 1. | Whether Western (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company; |
| 2. | Whether Western or an officer or director of Western or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together, “Voting Persons”) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and |
| 3. | Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders. |
Voting Guidelines
Western Asset’s substantive
voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid
in the decision making process.
Guidelines are grouped according to
the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a company’s board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by
shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.
| I. | Board Approved Proposals |
The vast majority of matters
presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being
implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines related to certain board-approved proposals are as
follows:
Matters relating to the Board of
Directors
Western Asset votes proxies for the
election of the company’s nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:
| a. | Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors. |
| b. | Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director. |
| c. | Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without valid reasons for absences. |
| d. | Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors. |
| 2. | Matters relating to Executive Compensation |
Western Asset generally favors
compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a company’s long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as
follows:
| a. | Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution. |
| b. | Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater options. |
| c. | Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stock’s current market price. |
190
| d. | Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less. |
| 3. | Matters relating to Capitalization |
The management of a company’s
capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a company’s capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.
| a. | Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock. |
| b. | Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits). |
| c. | Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs. |
| 4. | Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions |
Western Asset votes these issues on
a case-by-case basis on board-approved transactions.
| 5. | Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures |
Western Asset votes against
board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:
| a. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans. |
| b. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions. |
| 6. | Other Business Matters |
Western Asset votes for
board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the company’s name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.
| a. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a company’s charter or bylaws. |
| b. | Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting. |
| II. | Shareholder Proposals |
SEC regulations permit shareholders
to submit proposals for inclusion in a company’s proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company’s corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business
operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company’s board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as follows:
| 1. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans. |
| 2. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Asset’s proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals. |
| 3. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors. |
| III. | Voting Shares of Investment Companies |
Western Asset may utilize shares of
open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are voted in accordance with
those guidelines.
| 1. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the role the fund plays in the clients’ portfolios. |
| 2. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt |
191
| 12b-1 plans, alter investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided. | |
| IV. | Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers |
In the event Western Asset is
required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers – i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock
market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for
foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.
| 1. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of management. |
| 2. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and compensation committees. |
| 3. | Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated. |
| 4. | Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights. |
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
For accounts subject to ERISA, as
well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued a bulletin that states that investment
managers have the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is
expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the DOL has determined that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.
In order to comply with the
DOL’s position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote proxies for its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right
to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western Asset is precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western
Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with any proxy voting guidelines provided by the client.
192
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits.
(a)(1) Second Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust of Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 57 to Registrant’s Registration Statement for Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-24962 and 811-5186) (the
“Registration Statement”), which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 27, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(a)(2) Amendment to
Declaration of Trust of Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 26, 2007, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(b) By-laws of Registrant.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 18, 2005, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(c) None
(d)(1)(a) Investment Management
Agreement among the Registrant, American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.) and Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) for the various
portfolios of the Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(1)(b) Amendment to Investment
Management Agreement. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 1, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(1)(b)(1) Amended Fee
Schedule to Investment Management Agreement among the Registrant, American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.) and Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM
Investments LLC).
Filed herewith.
(d)(1)(c) Contractual
investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for selected AST portfolios.
Filed herewith.
(d)(1)(d) Contractual
investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for selected AST portfolios. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via
EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(1)(e) Contractual
investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio, AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio and AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio. Filed
as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(2)(a) Investment Management
Agreement among the Registrant and Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR
on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(2)(a)(1) Amended Fee Schedule
to Investment Management Agreement among the Registrant and Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC).
Filed herewith.
1
(d)(2)(b) Contractual
investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for AST Bond Portfolio 2028. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via
EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(2)(c) Contractual
investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for selected AST portfolios.
Filed herewith.
(d)(2)(d) Contractual
investment management fee waiver and/or contractual expense cap for AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio and AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(2)(e) Contractual
investment management fee waiver and/or contractual expense cap for AST Bond Portfolio 2029. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR
on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(2)(f) Contractual investment
management fee waiver and/or contractual expense cap for AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio.
Filed herewith.
(d)(3) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc.
(now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Government Money Market Portfolio (formerly AST Money Market Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was
filed via EDGAR on April 28, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2018,
AST Bond Portfolio 2019, and the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008,
and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(b) Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2020. Filed
as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(c) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2017 and AST Bond
Portfolio 2021. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to Registration Statement which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 28, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(d) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2022. Filed as
an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 22, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(e) Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Prudential Core Bond
Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 90 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on October 5, 2011, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(f) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2023. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to the Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 23, 2011, and is incorporated herein by reference.
2
(d)(4)(g) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2024. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 107 to Registration Statement, which was filed via EDGAR on November 13, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(4)(h) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2025. Filed as
an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 30, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(5)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc. for the AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30,
2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(5)(b) Amendment to Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., for the AST T. Rowe Price Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(6) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
for the AST T. Rowe Price Natural Resources Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is
incorporated herein by reference
(d)(7) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and William Blair & Company LLC for the
AST International Growth Portfolio (formerly known as the AST William Blair International Growth Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was
filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(8)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and LSV Asset Management for the AST
International Value Portfolio (formerly known as the AST LSV International Value Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR
on February 18, 2005, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(8)(b) Amendment to Subadvisory
Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and LSV Asset Management for the AST
International Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 26, 2007, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(9)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and WEDGE Capital Management, L.L.P. for the
AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (now known as the AST WEDGE Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April
18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
3
(d)(9)(b) Amendment to Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and WEDGE Capital Management, L.L.P. for the AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (now known as the AST WEDGE
Capital Mid-Cap Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(10) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and J. P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc.
for the AST J.P. Morgan International Equity Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(11) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management LLC
for the AST Hotchkis & Wiley Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly the AST Large-Cap Value Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed
via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(12)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management for the AST
Goldman Sachs Small-Cap Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(12)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement, by and among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Goldman Sachs Asset Management for AST Goldman Sachs Small Cap Value Portfolio,
AST Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio, AST Goldman Sachs Large Cap Value Portfolio, and AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration
Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(13)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Cohen & Steers Capital
Management, Inc. for the AST Cohen & Steers Realty Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30,
2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(13)(b) Amendment to the
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. for the AST Cohen & Steers
Realty Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(14)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Neuberger Berman Management LLC (now known
as Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC) for the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (now known as the AST Neuberger Berman/LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by reference
(d)(14)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Neuberger Berman Management LLC (now known as Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC) for the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (now known as the AST Neuberger Berman /LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement,
which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
4
(d)(14)(c) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Neuberger Berman Management LLC (now known as Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers
LLC) for each of the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (now known as the AST Neuberger Berman /LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio) and the AST International Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(15) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and UBS Asset Management (Americas) Inc. for
the AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(16) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Massachusetts Financial Services Company
for the AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(17) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Massachusetts Financial Services Company
for the AST MFS Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(17)(a) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Massachusetts
Financial Services Company for the AST MFS Growth Portfolio.
Filed herewith.
(d)(18) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management for the AST
Goldman Sachs Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by
reference
(d)(19) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Lee Munder Investments, Ltd. (now known as
LMCG Investments, LLC) for the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 18, 2005, and
is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(20) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc.
for the AST Small-Cap Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 18, 2005, and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(d)(21) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Lord Abbett & Co. for the AST Lord
Abbett Bond-Debenture Portfolio (now known as the AST Lord Abbett Core Fixed Income Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via
EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.
5
(d)(22)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and LSV Asset Management for the AST
Advanced Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 57 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 27, 2006, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(22)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and LSV Asset Management
for the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 26, 2007, and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(d)(23) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and William Blair & Company LLC for the
AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 57 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 27, 2006, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(24)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. for
the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 57 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 27, 2006, and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(d)(24)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc. for the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(25)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Pacific Investment Management
Company LLC for the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 57 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 27, 2006, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(25)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC for the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(26) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Quantitative Management Associates, LLC, Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.), and
Jennison Associates, LLC for the AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23, 2009, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(27) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and each of Quantitative Management Associates LLC, Jennison Associates LLC, and Prudential Investment Management,
Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Balanced Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23, 2009,
and is incorporated herein by reference.
6
(d)(28) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and each of Quantitative Management Associates LLC, Jennison Associates LLC, and Prudential Investment Management,
Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Capital Growth Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23,
2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(29) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and each of Quantitative Management Associates LLC, Jennison Associates LLC, and Prudential Investment Management,
Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23,
2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(30)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. for the AST J.P. Morgan Strategic Opportunities
Portfolio (formerly the AST UBS Dynamic Alpha Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 81 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 19, 2010, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(30)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement dated October 1, 2015 among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. for the AST J.P. Morgan
Strategic Opportunities Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 21, 2015, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(31)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., for
the AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 26, 2007, and is incorporated
herein by reference.
(d)(31)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., PGIM Investments LLC and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., for the AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(32) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Western Asset Management Company Limited for the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(33) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Western Asset Management Company for the AST Western Asset Core Plus Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(34) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Real Estate Investors (now known as PGIM Real Estate) for the AST Global Real Estate Portfolio.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(35) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC for the AST Parametric Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
7
(d)(36) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Quantitative Management Associates LLC for the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(37) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and LSV Asset Management for the AST Neuberger Berman Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (now known as the AST Neuberger Berman /
LSV Mid-Cap Value Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 15, 2008, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(38) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and each of Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.), Jennison Associates LLC, Prudential
Bache Asset Management, and Quantitative Management Associates LLC for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration
Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(39) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 15, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(40) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and AlphaSimplex, LLC Group for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(41)(a) Subadvisory
Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and First Quadrant, L.P. for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as
an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(41)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and First Quadrant, L.P. for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as
an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(42) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Jennison Associates LLC, for AST Jennison Large-Cap Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 76 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on September 10, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(43) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Quantitative Management Associates LLC, for AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2011, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(44)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Wellington Management Company LLP, for AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2011, and is incorporated herein by reference.
8
(d)(44)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., PGIM Investments LLC, and Wellington Management Company LLP, for AST Wellington Management Hedged Equity Portfolio Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(45) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and C.S. McKee, LP, for AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(46) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and EARNEST Partners, LLC, for AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(47) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Epoch Investment Partners, Inc., for AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(48) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, for AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(49) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC, for AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(50) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust, for AST Small-Cap Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(51) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Jennison Associates LLC, for the AST International Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(52) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and CoreCommodity Management LLC for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(53) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. for the AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio. Filed as an Exhibit
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 25, 2012, as is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(54) Sub-subadvisory Agreement
among J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. and Security Capital Research & Management Incorporated for the AST J.P. Morgan Global Thematic Portfolio. Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.
106 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on October 31, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
9
(d)(55) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Western Asset Management Company for the AST Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 24, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(56) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Western Asset Management Company Limited for the AST Western Asset Emerging Market Debts Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.103 to Registration Statement which was filed via EDGAR on July 24, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(57) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Massachusetts Financial Services Company for the AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registration Statement which was filed via EDGAR on July 24, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(58) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Western Asset Management Company for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 1, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(59) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Western Asset Management Company Limited for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 1, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(60)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and ClearBridge Investments, LLC for the AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 6, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(60)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., PGIM Investments LLC and ClearBridge Investments, LLC for the AST ClearBridge Dividend Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(61) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and AQR Capital Management, LLC for the AST AQR Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 6, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(62) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Long Duration Bond Portfolio (now
known as AST Multi-Sector Fixed Income Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 6, 2013 and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(d)(63) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. for the AST Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Portfolio (formerly known as the AST
Horizon Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
10
(d)(64) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC for the AST RCM World Trends Portfolio (formerly known as the AST Moderate
Asset Allocation Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(65) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and each of Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) and Quantitative Management Associates
LLC for the Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio (formerly known as the AST First Trust Capital Appreciation Target Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement,
which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(66) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Franklin Advisers, Inc. for the AST Templeton Global Bond Portfolio (formerly known as the AST T. Rowe Price
Global Bond Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(67) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and AQR Capital Management, LLC for the AST AQR Large-Cap Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(68) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Quantitative Management Associates LLC for the AST QMA Large-Cap Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(69) Amended and Restated
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., T. Rowe Price International, Ltd., T. Rowe Price
International Ltd, Tokyo and T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited for the AST T. Rowe Price Growth Opportunities Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which
Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(70) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. for the AST BlackRock Multi-Asset Income Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(71) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and First Quadrant, L.P. for the AST FQ Absolute Return Currency Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(72) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), K2/D&S management Co., LLC, Templeton Global Advisers Limited and Franklin Advisers, Inc. for the AST Franklin
Templeton K2 Global Absolute Return Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
11
(d)(73) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. for the AST Goldman Sachs Global Growth Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(74) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. for the AST Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(75) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Jennison Associates, LLC for the AST Jennison Global Infrastructure Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(76) Amended and Restated
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation, LLC (now known as QS Legg Mason Global Asset
Allocation, LLC), Batterymarch Financial Management, Inc.; Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC; ClearBridge Investments, LLC, Western Asset Management Company and Western Asset Management Company Limited for
the AST Legg Mason Diversified Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated
herein by reference.
(d)(77) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Quantitative Management Associates, LLC for the AST Managed Equity Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(78) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Quantitative Management Associates, LLC for the AST Managed Fixed Income Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(79) Subadvisory Agreement
among Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Quantitative Management Associates, LLC, Jennison Associates, LLC and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the
AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(d)(80) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., T. Rowe Price International Ltd, T. Rowe Price International Ltd. – Tokyo
and T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Limited for the AST T. Rowe Price Diversified Real Growth Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR
on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(81) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Pyramis Global Advisors, LLC (now known as FIAM LLC) for the AST Fidelity Institutional AM
sm
Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis Quantitative Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(81)(a) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Pyramis Global Advisors, LLC (now known as FIAM LLC) for the AST Fidelity Institutional
AM
sm
Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis Quantitative Portfolio).
Filed herewith.
12
(d)(82) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC for the AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(83) Subadvisory Agreement
between AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Lazard Asset Management LLC for AST International Value Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement on Form N-14, which was filed via EDGAR on December 2, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(84) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for AST Bond Portfolio 2026. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 128 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 15, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(85) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Quantitative Management Associates, LLC for AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.
128 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 15, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(86) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments, LLC, AST Investment Services, and Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. for the AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(87) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments, LLC, AST Investment Services, and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. for the AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(88) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments, LLC, AST Investment Services, and BlackRock International Limited for the AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(89) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments, LLC, AST Investment Services, and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited for the AST BlackRock/Loomis Sayles Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(90)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. for the AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(90)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., PGIM Investments LLC and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. for the AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(91)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and BlackRock International Limited for the AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
13
(d)(91)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., PGIM Investments LLC and BlackRock International Limited for the AST BlackRock Global Strategies Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(92) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and Longfellow Investment Management Co., LLC for the AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(93) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and Boston Advisors, LLC for the AST New Discovery Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(94) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and Victory Capital Management Inc. for the AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(95) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and Wellington Management Company LLP for the AST Small-Cap Growth Opportunities Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(96) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and AllianceBernstein L.P. for the AST AB Global Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to Registration
Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(97) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. for the AST BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.
136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(98) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC for the AST Columbia Adaptive Risk Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(99) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Dana Investment Advisors, Inc. for the AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(100) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management International for the AST Goldman Sachs Global Income Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(101) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC for the AST Emerging Managers Diversified Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
14
(d)(102) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Inc. for the AST Morgan Stanley Multi-Asset Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(103) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Neuberger Berman Management LLC (now known as Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC) for the AST Neuberger Berman Long/Short Portfolio.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(104) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Wellington Management Company LLP for the AST Wellington Management Global Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.
136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(105)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Wellington Management Company LLP for the AST Wellington Real Total Return Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136
to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(105)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Wellington Management Company LLP for the AST Wellington Real Total Return Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(106) Sub-subadvisory Agreement
dated November 23, 2015 between Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) and Pramerica Investment Management Limited (now known as PGIM Limited) for the AST Prudential Core Bond Portfolio, AST
Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio, AST Advanced Strategies Portfolio, AST High Yield Portfolio and AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 21, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(107) Subadvisory Agreement
dated November 30, 2015 between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (now known as PGIM, Inc.) for the AST Bond Portfolio 2027. Filed as an exhibit
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 21, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(108) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. for the AST T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Value Portfolio (formerly AST Value Equity
Portfolio). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(109) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and PGIM, Inc. for the AST Bond Portfolio 2028. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which
Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(110) Subadvisory Agreement
among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. for AST Goldman Sachs Large-Cap Value Portfolio.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
15
(d)(111) Subadvisory Agreement
between Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AST Investment Services, and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an
exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(112)(a) Subadvisory Agreement
among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AQR Capital Management, LLC and CNH Partners,
LLC for the AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(112)(b) Amendment to
Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), AQR Capital Management, LLC and CNH Partners, LLC for the AST Academic Strategies Asset
Allocation Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(113) Subadvisory Agreement
between PGIM Investments LLC and PGIM, Inc. for the AST Bond Portfolio 2029. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8,
2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)(114) Subadvisory Agreement
between PGIM Investments LLC and Capital International, Inc. for the AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio.
Filed herewith.
(e)(1) Sales Agreement
between Registrant and American Skandia Life Assurance Corporation. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on March 2,
1998, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(e)(2) Sales Agreement
between Registrant and Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 24,
1996, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(e)(3) Distribution Agreement for
the shares of each Portfolio of the Registrant, between Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. and the Registrant.
Filed herewith.
(f) None.
(g)(1) Custodian Agreement
dated July 1, 2005 between the Registrant and PFPC Trust Company. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 28,
2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(g)(2)(a) Custody Agreement
between the Registrant and The Bank of New York dated November 7, 2002, as amended, incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to the Registration Statement on
Form N-1A of Dryden Municipal Bond Fund filed via EDGAR on July 1, 2005 (File No. 33-10649).
(g)(2)(b) Amendment to the Custody
Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon.
Filed herewith.
(g)(3)(a) Accounting and Services
Agreement among the Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. for the various portfolios of the Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to Registration Statement, which
Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
16
(g)(3)(b) Addition of AST Bond
Portfolio 2029 to the Accounting Services Agreement among the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon (as assigned from BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. f/k/a PFPC Inc.). Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(g)(3)(c) Addition of AST American
Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio to the Accounting Services Agreement among the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon (as assigned from BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. f/k/a PFPC Inc.).
Filed herewith.
(h)(1)(a) Amended and
Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between the Registrant and Prudential Mutual Fund Services, Inc., dated May 29, 2007. Incorporated by reference to the Dryden Municipal Bond Fund Post-Effective
Amendment No. 29 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed via EDGAR on July 1, 2007 (File No. 33-10649).
(h)(1)(b) Amendment to the
Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated May 29, 2007.
Filed herewith.
(h)(2) Service Agreement
between American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated and Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed
via EDGAR on February 28, 1997, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(3)(a) Amended and
Restated Participation Agreement dated June 8, 2005 among American Skandia Life Assurance Corporation (now Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation), American Skandia Trust (now Advanced Series Trust),
American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), American Skandia Marketing, Inc. (now Prudential Annuities
Distributors, Inc.), and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. Filed as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form N-14, which was filed via EDGAR on July 12, 2005, and is incorporated
herein by reference.
(h)(3)(b) Amendment dated February
25, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Participation Agreement dated June 8, 2005 among Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, Advanced Series Trust, AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments
LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement,
which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(4)(a) Amended and
Restated Participation Agreement dated June 8, 2005 among Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, American Skandia Trust (now Advanced Series Trust), American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now
AST Investment Services, Inc.)., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), American Skandia Marketing, Inc. (now Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc.), and Prudential Investment Management
Services LLC. Filed as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form N-14, which was filed via EDGAR on July 12, 2005, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(4)(b) Amendment dated February
25, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Participation Agreement dated June 8, 2005 among Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Advanced Series Trust, AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC
(now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc., and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which
Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(5)(a) Amended and
Restated Participation Agreement dated June 8, 2005 among Pruco Life Insurance Company, American Skandia Trust (now Advanced Series Trust), American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now AST Investment
Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments
17
LLC), American Skandia Marketing, Inc. (now
Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc.), and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. Filed as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form N-14, which was filed via EDGAR on July 12,
2005, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(5)(b) Amendment dated February
25, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Participation Agreement dated June 8, 2005 among Pruco Life Insurance Company, Advanced Series Trust, AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as
PGIM Investments LLC), Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc., and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was
filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(6) Participation
Agreement among Pramerica of Bermuda Insurance Company, American Skandia Trust (now Advanced Series Trust), American Skandia Investment Services, Inc. (now AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments
LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), American Skandia Marketing, Inc. (now Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc.), and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 74 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 23, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(7) Participation Agreement
among Prudential Retirement Insurance & Annuity Company, Advanced Series Trust, Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and AST Investment Services, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(h)(8) Participation Agreement
among the Prudential Insurance Company of America, Advanced Series Trust, Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and AST Investment Services, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 116 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(1) Opinion of Counsel for
the Registrant. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to the Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 29, 2005, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(2) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on March 23, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(3) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 25, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(4) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 107 to Registration Statement, which was filed via EDGAR on November 13, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(5) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to Registration Statement, which was filed via EDGAR on February 6, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(6) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 30, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(7) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
18
(i)(8) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 15, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(9) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on July 7, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(10) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 21, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(11) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(i)(13) Consent of Counsel for the
Registrant.
Filed herewith.
(j) Consent of Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm.
Filed herewith.
(k) None.
(l) Certificate re: initial
$100,000 capital. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on March 2, 1998, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(m)(1) Shareholder Services
and Distribution Plan.
Filed herewith.
(m)(2) Shareholder Services and
Distribution Fee (12b-1 Fee) contractual waiver for the following Portfolios of the Registrant: AST Bond Portfolio 2018, AST Bond Portfolio 2019, AST Bond Portfolio 2020, AST Bond Portfolio 2021, AST Bond Portfolio
2022, AST Bond Portfolio 2023, AST Bond Portfolio 2024, AST Bond Portfolio 2025, AST Bond Portfolio 2026, and AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 to
Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on June 25, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(m)(3) Shareholder Services and
Distribution Fee (12b-1 Fee) contractual waiver for the AST Bond Portfolio 2027.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 21, 2015, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(m)(4) Shareholder Services and
Distribution Fee (12b-1 Fee) contractual waiver for the AST Bond Portfolio 2028. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December
19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(m)(5) Shareholder Services and
Distribution Fee (12b-1 Fee) contractual waiver for the AST Bond Portfolio 2029. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December
8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(n) None.
(o) None.
(p)(1) Code of Ethics of the
Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Prudential Investment Portfolios, Inc. 14 Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A (file No. 002-82976), which was filed via EDGAR on June 21, 2016, and
is incorporated herein by reference.
19
(p)(2) Investment Adviser Code of
Ethics, dated January 9, 2017 and Personal Securities Trading Policy of Prudential, including the Manager and Distributor, Quantitative Management Associates, and PGIM Fixed Income, dated January 2018. Filed as an
exhibit to The Prudential Series Fund Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (file No. 002-80896), which was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2018, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(3) Code of Ethics of
Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(4) Code of Ethics of
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2001, and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(p)(5) Code of Ethics of
Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 30, 2004, and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(p)(6) Code of Ethics of J. P.
Morgan Investment Management, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(7) Code of Ethics of Lord,
Abbett & Co. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(8) Code of Ethics of
Massachusetts Financial Services Company dated October 31, 2016. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(9) Code of Ethics of Neuberger
Berman Management LLC (now known as Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.146 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on August 15, 2016,
and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(10) Code of Ethics of Pacific
Investment Management Company LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(11) Code of Ethics of T. Rowe
Price Associates, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(12) Code of Ethics of LSV
Asset Management dated October 17, 2016, as amended November 11, 2016. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and
is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(13) Code of Ethics of Lee
Munder Investments, Ltd. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 18, 2005, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(14) Code of Ethics of William
Blair & Company, LLC. Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to the Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 29, 2005, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
20
(p)(15) Code of Ethics of
ClearBridge Advisors, LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(16) Code of Ethics of Western
Asset Management Company and Western Asset Management Company Limited.
Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.146 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on August 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(17) Code of Ethics of
Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(18) Code of Ethics of WEDGE
Capital Management LLP. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(19) Code of Ethics of EARNEST
Partners LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 18, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(20) Code of Ethics of
AlphaSimplex Group, LLC.
Filed herewith.
(p)(21) Code of Ethics of First
Quadrant, L.P. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(22) Code of Ethics of Pyramis
Global Advisors, LLC (now known as FIAM LLC). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein
by reference.
(p)(23) Code of Ethics of Brown
Advisory, LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(24) Code of Ethics of C.S.
McKee, LP. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(25) Code of Ethics of Epoch
Investment Partners, Inc.
Filed herewith.
(p)(26) Code of Ethics of
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC dated October 31, 2016. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(27) Code of Ethics of Franklin
Advisers, Inc., Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC, and Templeton Global Advisors Limited. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on
December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(28) Code of Ethics of Emerald
Advisers Inc. and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to the Registration Statement of The Target Portfolio Trust on Form N-1A (File No. 33-50476) filed via EDGAR
on February 23, 2012.
(p)(29) Code of Ethics of
Jefferies Group Inc. (now CoreCommodity Management, LLC). Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2012, and is incorporated
herein by reference.
21
(p)(30) Code of Ethics of AQR
Capital Management, LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.146 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on August 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(31) Code of Ethics of
BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(32) Code of Ethics of
Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.146 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on August 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(33) Code of Ethics of QS Legg
Mason Global Asset Allocation, LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(34) Code of Ethics of QS
Batterymarch Financial Management, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 17, 2014, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(35) Code of Ethics of
Longfellow Investment Management Co., LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 15, 2015, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(36) Code of Ethics of
Wellington Management Company LLP. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(37) Code of Ethics of Victory
Capital Management, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(38) Code of Ethics of Lazard
Asset Management LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(39) Code of Ethics of Loomis,
Sayles & Company, L.P. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(40) Code of Ethics of
AllianceBernstein L.P. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.146 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on August 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(41) Code of Ethics of Columbia
Management Investment Advisers, LLC dated December 15, 2016. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is
incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(42) Code of Ethics of Dana
Investment Advisors, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(43) Code of Ethics of Morgan
Stanley Investment Management, Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.146 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on August 15, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
22
(p)(44) Code of Ethics for Allianz
Global Investors U.S. Holdings and its subsidiaries dated April 1, 2013, amended December 12, 2016. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via
EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(45) Code of Ethics of Affinity
Investment Advisors, LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 8, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(46) Code of Ethics of Boston
Advisors, LLC dated January 1, 2017. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 13, 2017, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(47) Code of Ethics of UBS
Asset Management (Americas) Inc. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by
reference.
(p)(48) Code of Ethics of Jennison
Associates LLC. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on December 19, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(p)(49) Code of Ethics of Capital
Group.
Filed herewith.
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or
under Common Control with the Registrant.
Registrant does not control any
person within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Registrant may be deemed to be under common control with its investment manager and its affiliates because a controlling interest in Registrant is held
of record by Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation. See Registrant’s Statement of Additional Information under “Management and Advisory Arrangements” and “Other Information.”
Item 30. Indemnification.
Section 5.2 of the
Registrant’s Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust provides as follows:
The Trust shall indemnify each of
its Trustees, Trustee Emeritus, officers, employees, and agents (including persons who serve at its request as directors, officers, employees, agents or trustees of another organization in which it has any interest as
a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and as counsel fees) reasonably incurred by him
in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened, while in office or thereafter, by
reason of his being or having been such a trustee, trustee emeritus, officer, employee or agent, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been adjudicated to be liable to the Trust or its
Shareholders by reason of having acted in bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties; provided, however, that as to any matter disposed of by a compromise payment by such
person, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless approved as in the best interests of the Trust, after notice that it
involves such indemnification, by at least a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) upon a determination,
based upon a review of readily available facts, that (i) such person acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust and (ii) is not liable to the
Trust or the Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties; or the trust shall have received a written opinion from independent legal counsel approved by
the Trustees to the effect that (x) if the matter of good faith and reasonable belief as to the best interests of the Trust, had been adjudicated, it would have been adjudicated in favor of such person, and
(y) based upon a review of readily available facts such trustee, officer, employee or agent did not engage in willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty. The rights accruing to any Person
under these provisions shall not exclude any other right to which he may be
23
lawfully entitled; provided that no Person may
satisfy any right of indemnity or reimbursement granted herein or in Section 5.1 or to which he may be otherwise entitled except out of the property of the Trust, and no Shareholder shall be personally liable to
any Person with respect to any claim for indemnity or reimbursement or otherwise.
The Trustees may make advance
payments in connection with indemnification under this Section 5.2, provided that the indemnified person shall have given a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust in the event it is subsequently determined
that he is not entitled to such indemnification and, provided further, that the Trust shall have obtained protection, satisfactory in the sole judgment of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that
a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter), against losses arising out of such advance payments or such Trustees, or independent legal counsel, in a written opinion, shall have
determined, based upon a review of readily available facts that there is reason to believe that such person will be found to be entitled to such indemnification.
With respect to liability of the
Investment Manager to Registrant or to shareholders of Registrant’s Portfolios under the Investment Management Agreements, reference is made to Section 13 or 14 of each Investment Management Agreement filed
herewith or incorporated by reference herein.
With respect to the
Sub-Advisors’ indemnification of the Investment Manager and its affiliated and controlling persons, and the Investment Manager’s indemnification of each Sub-advisor and its affiliated and controlling
persons, reference is made to Section 14 of each Sub-Advisory Agreement filed herewith or incorporated by reference herein. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933
may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
(other than the payment by the Registrant or expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business and other
Connections of the Investment Adviser.
AST Investment
Services, Incorporated (“ASTI”), One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484, and PGIM Investments LLC (“PGIM Investments”), 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, serve as the
co- investment managers to the Registrant. Information as to the business and other connections of the officers and directors of ASTI is included in ASTI’s Form ADV (File No. 801-40532), including the
amendments to such Form ADV filed with the Commission, and is incorporated herein by reference. Information as to the business and other connections of the officers and directors of PGIM Investments is included
in PGIM Investments’ Form ADV (File No. 801-3110), including the amendments to such Form ADV filed with the Commission, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 32. Principal Underwriters.
(a) Prudential Annuities
Distributors, Inc. (PAD), One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484 serves as the principal underwriter and distributor for shares of each Portfolio of Advanced Series Trust. PAD is a registered
broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The shares of each Portfolio of Advanced Series Trust are currently offered only to insurance company separate accounts as an investment
option for variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts.
(b) The following table sets forth
certain information regarding the directors and officers of PAD.
| Name and Principal Business Address | Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
|
James F. Mullery
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
President & CEO and Director |
24
| Name and Principal Business Address | Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
|
Wayne Chopus
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Senior Vice President and Director |
|
John Chieffo
213 Washington Street Newark, New Jersey 07102-2917 |
Senior Vice President and Director |
|
Dianne D. Bogoian
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Director
|
|
Elizabeth Guerrera
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Chief Operating Officer, Vice President and Director |
|
Timothy S. Cronin
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Senior Vice President |
|
Christopher J. Hagan
2101 Welsh Road Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025-5000 |
Vice President |
|
Francine B. Boucher
751 Broad Street Newark, New Jersey |
Chief Legal Officer, Vice President and Secretary |
|
Elizabeth Marin
751 Broad Street Newark, New Jersey 07102-3714 |
Treasurer |
|
Steven Weinreb
3 Gateway Center Newark, New Jersey 07102-4061 |
Chief Financial Officer and Controller
|
|
Michael B. McCauley
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |
|
Lynn K. Stone
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Vice President |
|
Michael A. Pignatella
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Vice President |
|
Douglas S. Morrin
One Corporate Drive Shelton, Connecticut 06484-6208 |
Vice President |
|
Charles H. Smith
751 Broad Street Newark, New Jersey 07102-2917 |
AML Officer |
Item 33. Location of Accounts and
Records.
All accounts, books and other
documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and the Rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BNY), 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York
10286, PGIM, Inc., 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, the Registrant, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, and Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC (PMFS), 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
Documents required by
Rules 31a-1(b) (4), (5), (6), (7), (9), (10) and (11) and 31a-1 (d) and (f) will be kept at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, and the remaining accounts, books and other
documents required by such other pertinent provisions of Section 31(a) and the Rules promulgated thereunder will be kept by BNY and PMFS.
25
Item 34. Management Services.
Other than as set forth under the
caption “How the Trust is Managed ” in the Prospectus and the caption “Management and Advisory Arrangements” in the SAI, constituting Parts A and B, respectively, of this Post-Effective
Amendment to the Registration Statement, Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.
Item 35. Undertakings.
Not applicable.
26
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of
the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act, the Fund certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under
the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Newark, and State of New Jersey, on the
17
th
day of April, 2018.
ADVANCED SERIES
TRUST
Timothy S.
Cronin*
Timothy S. Cronin
President
President
Pursuant to the requirements of
the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
|
Timothy S. Cronin*
Timothy S. Cronin |
President and Principal Executive Officer | |||
|
Susan Davenport Austin*
Susan Davenport Austin |
Trustee | |||
|
Sherry S. Barrat*
Sherry S. Barrat |
Trustee | |||
|
Kay Ryan Booth*
Kay Ryan Booth |
Trustee | |||
|
Stephen M. Chipman*
Stephen M. Chipman |
Trustee | |||
|
Robert F. Gunia*
Robert F. Gunia |
Trustee | |||
|
Thomas T. Mooney *
Thomas T. Mooney |
Trustee | |||
|
Thomas M. O’Brien*
Thomas M. O’Brien |
Trustee | |||
|
Jessica Bibliowicz*
Jessica Bibliowicz |
Trustee | |||
|
M. Sadiq Peshimam*
M. Sadiq Peshimam |
Treasurer, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer | |||
|
*By: /s/ Jonathan D. Shain
Jonathan D. Shain |
Attorney-in-Fact | April 17, 2018 |
27
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned, Susan Davenport
Austin, Sherry S. Barrat, Jessica M. Bibliowicz, Kay Ryan Booth, Stephen M. Chipman, Timothy S. Cronin, Robert F. Gunia, Thomas T. Mooney and Thomas M. O’Brien as directors/trustees of each of the registered
investment companies listed in Appendix A hereto, and M. Sadiq Peshimam, as treasurer and principal financial and accounting officer of each of the registered investment companies listed in Appendix A hereto, hereby
authorize Andrew French, Claudia DiGiacomo, Deborah A. Docs, Kathleen DeNicholas, Raymond A. O’Hara, Jonathan D. Shain and Melissa Gonzalez, or any of them, as attorney-in-fact, to sign on his or her behalf in
the capacities indicated (and not in such person’s personal individual capacity for personal financial or estate planning), the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed for such registered investment company
or any amendment thereto (including any pre-effective or post-effective amendments) and any and all supplements or other instruments in connection therewith, including Form N-PX, Forms 3, 4 and 5 for or on behalf of
each registered investment company listed in Appendix A or any current or future series thereof, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This Power of Attorney may be
executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but which taken together shall constitute one instrument.
|
/s/ Susan Davenport Austin
Susan Davenport Austin |
||
|
/s/ Sherry S. Barrat
Sherry S. Barrat |
||
|
/s/ Jessica Bibliowicz
Jessica Bibliowicz |
||
|
/s/ Kay Ryan Booth
Kay Ryan Booth |
||
|
/s/ Stephen M. Chipman
Stephen M. Chipman |
||
|
/s/ Timothy S. Cronin
Timothy S. Cronin |
||
|
/s/ Robert F. Gunia
Robert F. Gunia |
||
|
/s/ Thomas T. Mooney
Thomas T. Mooney |
||
|
/s/ Thomas M. O’Brien
Thomas M. O’Brien |
||
|
/s/ M. Sadiq Peshimam
M. Sadiq Peshimam |
||
| Dated: January 23, 2018 |
28
Advanced Series Trust
Exhibit Index
|
Item 28
Exhibit No. |
Description | |
| (d)(1)(b)(1) | Amended Fee Schedule to Investment Management Agreement among the Registrant, American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.) and Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC). | |
| (d)(1)(c) | Contractual investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for selected AST portfolios. | |
| (d)(2)(a)(1) | Amended Fee Schedule to Investment Management Agreement among the Registrant and Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC). | |
| (d)(2)(c) | Contractual investment management fee waivers and/or contractual expense caps for selected AST portfolios. | |
| (d)(2)(f) | Contractual investment management fee waiver and/or contractual expense cap for AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio. | |
| (d)(17)(a) | Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement among American Skandia Investment Services, Incorporated (now known as AST Investment Services, Inc.), Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC) and Massachusetts Financial Services Company for the AST MFS Growth Portfolio | |
| (d)(81)(a) | Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement among AST Investment Services, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC (now known as PGIM Investments LLC), Pyramis Global Advisors, LLC (now known as FIAM LLC) for the AST Fidelity Institutional AMsm Quantitative Portfolio (formerly, AST FI Pyramis Quantitative Portfolio). | |
| (d)(114) | Subadvisory Agreement between PGIM Investments LLC and Capital International, Inc. for the AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio. | |
| (e)(3) | Distribution Agreement for the shares of each Portfolio of the Registrant, between Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. and the Registrant. | |
| (g)(2)(b) | Amendment to the Custody Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon | |
| (g)(3)(c) | Addition of AST American Funds Growth Allocation Portfolio to the Accounting Services Agreement among the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon (as assigned from BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. f/k/a PFPC Inc.). | |
| (h)(1)(b) | Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated May 29, 2007. | |
| (i)(13) | Consent of Counsel for the Registrant. | |
| (j) | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | |
| (m)(1) | Shareholder Services and Distribution Plan. | |
| (p)(20) | Code of Ethics of AlphaSimplex Group, LLC. | |
| (p)(25) | Code of Ethics of Epoch Investment Partners, Inc. | |
| (p)(49) | Code of Ethics of Capital Group. |
30
I
have checked the following
box
because
I do
not have
an
outside business activity
and no
family members are employed
by a
publicly
traded company: