Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2018
Securities Act of 1933 File No. 002-80859
Investment Company Act of 1940 File No. 811-03651
 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ý
 
Pre-Effective Amendment No.  
Post-Effective Amendment No. 178

  and/or
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 ý
 
Amendment No. 178

 (Check appropriate box or boxes.)
 
TOUCHSTONE STRATEGIC TRUST
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 638-8194

Jill T. McGruder, 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
 
With Copies to:
Deborah Bielicke Eades, Esq.
Vedder Price P.C.
222 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 609-7661
 
Renee M. Hardt, Esq.
Vedder Price P.C.
222 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 609-7616
 
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
o immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
ý on March 30, 2018 pursuant to paragraph (b)
o 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)
o 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485.
o This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
 





March 30, 2018
Prospectus
 
Touchstone Strategic Trust
 
 
 
 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional 
Class
 
Class R6
 
Touchstone Balanced Fund
 
SEBLX
 
SBACX
 
SIBLX
 
 
 
 
 
Touchstone International Equity Fund
 
SWRLX
 
SWFCX
 
SIIEX
 
TOIIX
 
 
 
Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund
 
SENCX
 
SCSCX
 
SICWX
 
SCRLX
 
 
 
Touchstone Small Company Fund
 
SAGWX
 
SSCOX
 
SIGWX
 
TICSX
 
SSRRX
 

 
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



Table of Contents
 
Page
TOUCHSTONE BALANCED FUND SUMMARY

TOUCHSTONE INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND SUMMARY
9

TOUCHSTONE LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND SUMMARY
14

TOUCHSTONE SMALL COMPANY FUND SUMMARY
19

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

THE FUNDS’ MANAGEMENT

CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING ARRANGEMENTS

INVESTING WITH TOUCHSTONE

DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

APPENDIX A: INTERMEDIARY-SPECIFIC SALES CHARGE WAIVERS AND DISCOUNTS
 



TOUCHSTONE BALANCED FUND SUMMARY
 
The Fund’s Investment Goal
 
The Touchstone Balanced Fund (the “Fund”) seeks capital appreciation and current income.
 
The Fund’s Fees and Expenses
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional, in the section entitled “Choosing a Class of Shares” in the Fund’s prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") on page 34 and 53, respectively, and in Appendix A–Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts to the Fund's prospectus.

 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
 

 
 

 
 

 
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
 %
 
None

 
None

 
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or the amount redeemed, whichever is less)
None

 
1.00
 %
 
None

 
Wire Redemption Fee
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

 
 

 
 

 
Management Fees
0.53
 %
 
0.53
 %
 
0.53
%
 
Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
 %
 
1.00
 %
 
None

 
Other Expenses
0.26
 %
 
0.28
 %
 
0.27
%
 
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
0.02
 %
 
0.02
 %
 
0.02
%
 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (1)
1.06
 %
 
1.83
 %
 
0.82
%
 
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)
(0.03
)%
 
(0.03
)%
 
0.00
%
 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (1)(2)(3)
1.03
 %
 
1.80
 %
 
0.82
%
 
___________________________________________
(1) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Fund’s annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.
(2)  Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor" or "Touchstone Advisors") and Touchstone Strategic Trust (the "Trust") have entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement whereby Touchstone Advisors will waive a portion of its fees or reimburse certain Fund expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions and other transaction costs; portfolio transaction and investment related expenses, including expenses associated with the Fund's liquidity providers; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; the cost of “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses,” if any; and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) in order to limit annual Fund operating expenses to 1.01%, 1.78%, and 0.81% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, and Y shares, respectively.  This contractual expense limitation is effective through October 26, 2019. The terms of the contractual expense limitation agreement provide that Touchstone Advisors is entitled to recoup, subject to approval by the Board, such amounts waived or reimbursed for a period of up to three years from the date on which the Advisor reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Fund will make repayments to the Advisor only if such repayment does not cause the annual Fund operating expenses (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both (1) the expense cap in place when such amounts were waived or reimbursed and (2) the Fund’s current expense limitation. 
(3)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement differ from the ratio of net expenses to average net assets shown in the annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017 due to a contractual change in the Fund's expense limitation agreement that took effect October 27, 2017.
 
Example.  This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year,that

3


the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that all fee waivers or expense limits for the Fund will expire after one year. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
Assuming Redemption at End of Period
Assuming No Redemption
 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Class C
1 Year
$
674

 
$
283

 
$
84

 
$
183

3 Years
$
890

 
$
573

 
$
262

 
$
573

5 Years
$
1,123

 
$
988

 
$
455

 
$
988

10 Years
$
1,792

 
$
2,145

 
$
1,014

 
$
2,145

 
Portfolio Turnover.  The Fund pays transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 46% of the average value of its portfolio.
 
The Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies
 
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment goal by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of fixed-income and equity securities. The following table details, under normal circumstances, how the Fund generally expects to allocate its assets among equity and fixed-income, as of the date of this prospectus.

Allocations      Approximate Target Allocation
Equity          60%
Fixed-Income          40%

With respect to equities, the Fund invests primarily in issuers having a market capitalization, at the time of purchase, above $5 billion. Equity securities include common stock and preferred stock. These securities may be listed on an exchange or traded over-the-counter. Up to 35% of the Fund’s equity sleeve may be invested in securities of foreign issuers through the use of ordinary shares or depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may also invest in equity securities of emerging market countries.

With respect to fixed-income securities, the Fund will investment primarily in bonds, including mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities, government securities (both U.S. government securities and foreign sovereign debt), and corporate debt securities. Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., the Fund's sub-advisor ( the "Sub-Advisor"), primarily invests in investment-grade debt securities, but may invest up to 30% of the Fund's fixed-income sleeve in non-investment-grade debt securities rated as low as B by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”).  Non-investment-grade debt securities are often referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative.

The Fund may engage in frequent and active trading as part of its principal investment strategies. Additionally, in order to implement its investment strategy, the Fund may invest in mortgage dollar-roll transactions, and in derivatives, including forwards, futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swap agreements, and options. Mortgage “dollar rolls” are transactions in which mortgage-backed securities are sold for delivery in the current month and the seller simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. These investments may be used to gain or hedge market exposure, to adjust the Fund’s duration, to manage interest rate risk, and for any other purposes consistent with the Fund’s investment strategies and limitations.

The Sub-Advisor, subject to approval by the Fund’s Advisor, may change the Fund’s target allocation to each asset class (or to additional asset classes) without prior approval from or notice to shareholders.

The Fund’s Principal Risks
 
The Fund’s share price will fluctuate. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, and the Fund could also return less than other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks listed below.




4


Derivatives Risk: The use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. Risks associated with derivatives may include the risk that the derivative does not correlate well with the security, index, or currency to which it relates, the risk that the Fund will be unable to sell or close out the derivative due to an illiquid market, the risk that the counterparty may be unwilling or unable to meet its obligations, and the risk that the derivative could expose the Fund to the risk of magnified losses resulting from leverage. These additional risks could cause the Fund to experience losses to which it would otherwise not be subject.
 
Leverage Risk: Leverage occurs when the Fund uses borrowings, derivatives, or similar instruments or techniques to gain exposure to investments in an amount that exceeds the Fund's initial investment. The use of leverage magnifies changes in the Fund’s net asset value and thus may result in increased portfolio volatility and increased risk of loss. Leverage can create an interest expense that may lower the Fund’s overall returns. There can be no guarantee that a leveraging strategy will be successful.
 
Futures Contracts Risk:  The risks associated with the Fund's futures positions include liquidity and counterparty risks associated with derivative investments.

Options Risk: Options trading is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Sub-Advisor is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. Options, whether exchange traded or over-the-counter, may also be illiquid. The Fund will limit its investments in illiquid securities to no more than 15% of net assets.

Swap Agreements Risk: Swap agreements (“swaps”) are individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors. Swaps may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the investments of the Fund and its share price. The performance of swaps may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund. A swap can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.

Equity Securities Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by these companies may decline in response to such developments, which could result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s shares .

Large-Cap Risk:  Large-cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

Fixed-Income Risk: The market value of the Fund’s fixed-income securities responds to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to perceptions about the creditworthiness of individual issuers, including governments. Generally, the Fund’s fixed-income securities will decrease in value if interest rates rise and increase in value if interest rates fall. Normally, the longer the maturity or duration of the fixed-income securities the Fund owns, the more sensitive the value of the Fund’s shares will be to changes in interest rates.

Asset-Backed Securities Risk: Asset-backed securities are fixed-income securities backed by other assets such as credit card, automobile or consumer loan receivables, retail installment loans, or participations in pools of leases. The values of these securities are sensitive to changes in the credit quality of the underlying collateral, the credit strength of any credit enhancement feature, changes in interest rates, and, at times, the financial condition of the issuer.

Credit Risk: The fixed-income securities in the Fund’s portfolio are subject to the possibility that a deterioration, whether sudden or gradual, in the financial condition of an issuer, or a deterioration in general economic conditions, could cause an issuer to fail to make timely payments of principal or interest, when due. This may cause the issuer’s securities to decline in value.
 
Distressed Securities Risk:  Distressed securities are speculative and involve significant risks in addition to the risks generally applicable to non-investment grade debt securities.  Distressed securities bear a substantial risk of default, and may be in default at the time of investment.  The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on distressed securities, and there is a significant risk that principal will not be repaid, in full or at all.  Distressed securities will likely be illiquid and may be subject to restrictions on resale.
 

5


Interest Rate Risk: In general, when interest rates rise, the prices of debt securities fall, and when interest rates fall, the prices of debt securities rise. The price volatility of a debt security also depends on its maturity. Longer-term securities are generally more volatile, so the longer the average maturity or duration of these securities, the greater their price risk.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk:   Mortgage-backed securities are fixed-income securities representing an interest in a pool of underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities are sensitive to changes in interest rates, but may respond to these changes differently from other fixed-income securities due to the possibility of prepayment of the underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities may fluctuate in price based on deterioration in the value of the collateral underlying the pool of mortgage loans, which may result in the collateral being worth less than the remaining principal amount owed on the mortgages in the pool.
 
Non-Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk: Non-investment-grade debt securities are sometimes referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative with respect to their issuers’ ability to make payments of interest and principal. There is a high risk that the Fund could suffer a loss from investments in non-investment-grade debt securities caused by the default of an issuer of such securities. Non-investment-grade debt securities may also be less liquid than investment-grade debt securities .

Foreign Securities Risk: Investing in foreign securities poses additional risks since political and economic events unique in a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers, while such events may not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or issuers located in the United States. In addition, investments in foreign securities are generally denominated in foreign currency. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect (positively or negatively) the value of the Fund's investments. Foreign markets may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets and offer less protection to investors.

Depositary Receipts Risk:  Foreign receipts, which include ADRs, Global Depositary Receipts, and European Depositary Receipts, are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer. The risks of depositary receipts include many risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities.

Emerging Markets Risk:  Emerging markets may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than that of issuers in other countries.

Management Risk: In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Advisor engages one or more sub-advisors to make investment decisions for a portion of or the entire portfolio. There is a risk that the Advisor may be unable to identify and retain sub-advisors who achieve superior investment returns relative to other similar sub-advisors.

Mortgage Dollar Roll Risk: If the broker-dealer to whom the Fund sells the mortgage-backed security becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to repurchase the security may be restricted. Other risks involved in entering into mortgage dollar rolls include the risk that the value of the security may change adversely over the term of the mortgage dollar roll and that the security the Fund is required to repurchase may be worth less than the security that the Fund held.

Portfolio Turnover Risk: Frequent and active trading may result in greater expenses to the Fund, which may lower the Fund’s performance and may result in the realization of substantial capital gains, including net short-term capital gains. As a result, high portfolio turnover may reduce the Fund’s returns.
 
U.S. Government Agencies Securities Risk:   Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury while others are supported only by the credit of the issuer or instrumentality.  While the U.S. government is able to provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. 
 
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Fund’s investments and risks under the “Investment Strategies and Risks” section of the Fund’s prospectus.

The Fund’s Performance
 
Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Sentinel Balanced Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization on October 27, 2017 (the “Reorganization”). The performance information included prior to the Reorganization is that of the Predecessor Fund.


6


The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate some indication of the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the S&P 500 ® Index and the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. The performance table does reflect any applicable sales charges. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407 .


Touchstone Balanced Fund - Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
CHART-7F29D4256DC157C1988.JPG
Best Quarter: Second Quarter 2009 11.94%
 
Worst Quarter: Fourth Quarter 2008 (13.84)%

Average Annual Total Returns
For the periods ended December 31, 2017
 
 
1 Year
 
5 Years
 
10 Years
Touchstone Balanced Fund - Class A
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
9.88
%
 
8.47
%
 
6.09
%
Return after taxes on distributions
 
8.39
%
 
7.22
%
 
5.09
%
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares
 
6.81
%
 
6.52
%
 
4.73
%
Touchstone Balanced Fund - Class C
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
13.80
%
 
8.74
%
 
5.76
%
Touchstone Balanced Fund - Class Y*
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
15.99
%
 
9.85
%
 
6.73
%
S&P 500 ®  Index
 
 
 
 
 
 
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
21.83
%
 
15.79
%
 
8.50
%
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
 
 
 
 
 
 
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 
3.54
%
 
2.10
%
 
4.01
%
*Class Y shares of the Fund assumed the performance history of Class I shares of the Predecessor Fund.

After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after–tax returns may differ from those shown and depend on your tax situation. The after–tax returns do not apply to shares held in an individual retirement account ("IRA"), 401(k), or other tax–advantaged account. The after-tax returns shown in the table are for Class A shares only.  The after-tax returns for other classes of shares offered by the Fund will differ from the Class A shares' after-tax returns.



7


The Fund’s Management

Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
Sub-Advisor
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Investment Experience with the
Fund
 
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.

 
Timothy J. Policinski, CFA

 
Since inception in 2017
 
Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager

 
 
Daniel J. Carter, CFA
 
Since inception in 2017

 
Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Manager
 
 
James Wilhelm
 
Since inception in 2017

 
Managing Director, Head of Public Equities
 
 
Classes A,  C, and Y
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
Minimum Investment Requirements
 
Initial
Investment
 
Additional
Investment
Regular Account
 
$
2,500

 
$
50

Retirement Account or Custodial Account under the Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act
 
$
1,000

 
$
50

Investments through the Automatic Investment Plan
 
$
100

 
$
50

 
You may buy and sell shares in the Fund on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Existing Class A and C shareholders may purchase shares directly through Touchstone Funds via the transfer agent, BNY Mellon or through their financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Shares may be purchased or sold by writing to Touchstone Securities at P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, calling 1.800.543.0407, or visiting the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may only sell shares over the telephone or via the Internet if the value of the shares sold is less than or equal to $100,000. Shares held in qualified retirement plans cannot be sold via the Internet. If your shares are held by a processing organization or financial intermediary you will need to follow its purchase and redemption procedures.
 
Tax Information
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains except when shares are held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. Withdrawals from a tax-advantaged account, however, may be taxable.
 
Financial Intermediary Compensation
 
If you purchase shares in the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.



8


TOUCHSTONE INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND SUMMARY
 
The Fund’s Investment Goal
 
The Touchstone International Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks growth of capital.
 
The Fund’s Fees and Expenses
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional, in the section entitled “Choosing a Class of Shares” in the Fund’s prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") on page 34 and 53, respectively, and in Appendix A–Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts to the Fund's prospectus.

 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional
Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
 %
 
None

 
None

 
None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or the amount redeemed, whichever is less)
None

 
1.00
%
 
None

 
None

Wire Redemption Fee
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Management Fees
0.70
 %
 
0.70
%
 
0.70
 %
 
0.70
 %
Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
 %
 
1.00
%
 
None

 
None

Other Expenses
0.44
 %
 
0.79
%
 
0.33
 %
 
1,920.48
 %
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
0.01
 %
 
0.01
%
 
0.01
 %
 
0.01
 %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (1)
1.40
 %
 
2.50
%
 
1.04
 %
 
1,921.19
 %
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)
(0.03
)%
 
0.00
%
 
(0.04
)%
 
(1,920.29
)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)
1.37
 %
(3  
)  
2.50
%
(3)  
1.00
 %
(3  
)  
0.90
 %
___________________________________________
(1)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Fund’s annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.
(2) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor" or "Touchstone Advisors") and Touchstone Strategic Trust (the "Trust") have entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement whereby Touchstone Advisors will waive a portion of its fees or reimburse certain Fund expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions and other transaction costs; portfolio transaction and investment related expenses, including expenses associated with the Fund's liquidity providers; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; the cost of “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses,” if any; and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) in order to limit annual Fund operating expenses to 1.36%, 2.49%, 0.99% , and 0.89% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through October 26, 2019. The terms of the contractual expense limitation agreement provide that Touchstone Advisors is entitled to recoup, subject to approval by the Board, such amounts waived or reimbursed for a period of up to three years from the date on which the Advisor reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Fund will make repayments to the Advisor only if such repayment does not cause the annual fund operating expenses (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both (1) the expense cap in place when such amounts were waived or reimbursed and (2) the Fund’s current expense limitation. 
(3)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement differ from the ratio of net expenses to average net assets shown in the annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017 due to a contractual change in the expense limitation agreement.

Example.  This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that all fee waivers or expense limits for the Fund will expire after one year.  Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

9


 
Assuming Redemption at End of Period
 
Assuming No Redemption
 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional
Class
 
Class C
1 Year
$
706

 
$
353

 
$
102

 
$
92

 
$
253

3 Years
$
990

 
$
779

 
$
327

 
$
100,090

 
$
779

5 Years
$
1,294

 
$
1,331

 
$
570

 
$
100,090

 
$
1,331

10 Years
$
2,156

 
$
2,836

 
$
1,267

 
$
100,090

 
$
2,836


Portfolio Turnover.  The Fund pays transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.

The Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies
 
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities. The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of companies located in or that conduct their business mainly in one or more foreign countries, which may include emerging markets. The Fund will normally be invested in ten or more foreign countries and may invest up to 40% of its assets in any one country if Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., the Fund's sub-advisor (the "Sub-Advisor"), feels that economic and business conditions make it appropriate to do so. The Fund focuses its investments on developed foreign countries, but may invest up to 25% of its total assets in emerging markets. It normally will have substantial investments in European countries. Normally, at least 75% of the Fund's total assets are invested in securities of non-U.S. issuers selected by the Sub-Advisor mainly for their long-term capital growth prospects. The remaining 25% may be invested in companies organized in the United States that have at least 50% of their assets and/or revenues outside the United States. The Fund also expects to purchase American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") in bearer form, which are designed for use in non-U.S. securities markets.
 
The Fund’s Sub-Advisor employs a fundamental, bottom up approach to building its international equity portfolio. The process starts with a regular quantitative screening in order to narrow the investable universe, which seeks to identify businesses with high returns on capital, operating margins, and strong cash flow generation. Stocks are then analyzed based on the following five fundamental factors: business quality, valuation, growth, management, and balance sheet strength. The Fund generally may sell a security when there is a deterioration of one or more of the five factors described above or when the portfolio manager identifies a more favorable investment opportunity. The Fund may also sell a security to meet redemptions or for tax management purposes.

The Fund’s Principal Risks
 
The Fund’s share price will fluctuate. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund and the Fund could also return less than other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below.
 
Equity Securities Risk:  The Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time.  Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry or economic trends and developments.  The prices of securities issued by these companies may decline in response to developments, which could result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s shares.

Foreign Securities Risk : Investing in foreign securities poses additional risks since political and economic events unique in a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers, while such events may not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or issuers located in the United States. In addition, investments in foreign securities are generally denominated in foreign currency. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect (positively or negatively) the value of the Fund's investments. Foreign markets may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets and offer less protection to investors.

Depositary Receipts Risk:  Foreign receipts, which include ADRs, GDRs, and European Depositary Receipts, are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer. The risks of depositary receipts include many risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities.

Emerging Markets Risk:  Emerging markets may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than that of issuers in other countries.


10


Management Risk:  In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Advisor engages one or more sub-advisors to make investment decisions on a portion of or the entire portfolio.  There is a risk that the Advisor may be unable to identify and retain sub-advisors who achieve superior investment returns relative to other similar sub-advisors. 
 
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal.  You can find more information about the Fund’s investments and risks under the “Investment Strategies and Risks” section of the Fund’s prospectus.

The Fund’s Performance
 
Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Sentinel International Equity Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization on October 27, 2017 (the “Reorganization”). The performance information included prior to the Reorganization is that of the Predecessor Fund.

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate some indication of the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the MSCI EAFE Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. The performance table does reflect any applicable sales charges. Past performance of the Predecessor Fund (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407 .

Touchstone International Equity Fund - Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
CHART-E7C4B75AB93E56B5BD5.JPG
Best Quarter: Second Quarter 2009 24.26%
 
Worst Quarter: Third Quarter 2011 (21.09)%


11


Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
 
 
1 Year
 
5 Years
 
10 Years
Touchstone International Equity Fund - Class A
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
22.21
%
 
8.43
%
 
2.37
%
Return after taxes on distributions)
 
21.13
%
 
7.05
%
 
1.62
%
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares
 
13.88
%
 
6.45
%
 
1.76
%
Touchstone International Equity Fund - Class C
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
26.27
%
 
8.13
%
 
1.53
%
Touchstone International Equity Fund - Class Y *
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
29.15
%
 
10.03
%
 
3.31
%
Touchstone International Equity Fund - Institutional Class**
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
29.16
%
 
9.99
%
 
3.27
%
MSCI EAFE Index
 
 
 
 
 
 
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
25.03
%
 
7.90
%
 
1.94
%
*Class Y shares of the Fund assumed the performance history of Class I shares of the Predecessor Fund.
**Performance of Institutional Class shares of the Fund prior to October 30, 2017 (the inception date for Institutional Class shares) is based on the Fund's Class Y share performance.

After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after–tax returns may differ from those shown and depend on your tax situation. The after–tax returns do not apply to shares held in an individual retirement account ("IRA"), 401(k), or other tax–advantaged account. The after-tax returns shown in the table are for Class A shares only.  The after-tax returns for other classes of shares offered by the Fund will differ from the Class A shares' after-tax returns.

The Fund’s Management
 
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.

Sub-Advisor
Portfolio
Manager
 
Investment Experience with
the Fund
Primary Title with
Sub-Advisor
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
Andrew Boczek

 
Since inception in 2017; managed the Predecessor Fund from 2012 to 2017
Senior Portfolio Manager
 
Classes A, C, and Y
 
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
Minimum Investment Requirements
Initial
Investment
Additional Investment
Regular Account
 
$2,500
 
$50
 
Retirement Account or Custodial Account under the Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act
 
$1,000
 
$50
 
Investments through the Automatic Investment Plan
 
$100
 
$50
 

 
Institutional Class
 
 
Initial
Investment
 
Additional Investment
Regular Account
 
$500,000
 
$50
 

You may buy and sell shares in the Fund on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Existing Class  A, C and Institutional shareholders may purchase shares directly through Touchstone Funds via the transfer agent, BNY Mellon or

12


through their financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Shares may be purchased or sold by writing to Touchstone Securities at P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, calling 1.800.543.0407, or visiting the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may only sell shares over the telephone or via the Internet if the value of the shares sold is less than or equal to $100,000. Shares held in qualified retirement plans cannot be sold or via the Internet. If your shares are held by a processing organization or financial intermediary you will need to follow its purchase and redemption procedures.

Tax Information
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains except when shares are held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. Withdrawals from a tax-advantaged account, however, may be taxable.
 
Financial Intermediary Compensation
 
If you purchase shares in the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services.  These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.


13


TOUCHSTONE LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND SUMMARY
 
The Fund’s Investment Goal
 
The Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investors with capital appreciation.
 
The Fund’s Fees and Expenses
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional, in the section entitled “Choosing a Class of Shares” in the Fund’s prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") on page 34 and 53, respectively, and in Appendix A–Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts to the Fund's prospectus.

 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional
Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
 %
 
None

 
None

 
None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or the amount redeemed, whichever is less)
None

 
1.00
 %
 
None

 
None

Wire Redemption Fee
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Management Fees
0.58
 %
 
0.58
 %
 
0.58
 %
 
0.58
 %
Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
 %
 
1.00
 %
 
None

 
None

Other Expenses
0.19
 %
 
0.24
 %
 
0.17
 %
 
0.12
 %
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
0.01
 %
 
0.01
 %
 
0.01
 %
 
0.01
 %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (1)
1.03
 %
 
1.83
 %
 
0.76
 %
 
0.71
 %
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)
(0.02
)%
 
(0.03
)%
 
(0.03
)%
 
(0.05
)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)(3)
1.01
 %
 
1.80
 %
 
0.73
 %
 
0.66
 %
___________________________________________
(1)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Fund’s annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.
(2) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor" or "Touchstone Advisors") and Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) have entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement whereby Touchstone Advisors will waive a portion of its fees or reimburse certain Fund expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions and other transaction costs; portfolio transaction and investment related expenses, including expenses associated with the Fund's liquidity providers; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; the cost of “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses,” if any; and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) in order to limit annual Fund operating expenses to 1.00%, 1.79%, 0.72%, and 0.65% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through October 26, 2019. The terms of the contractual expense limitation agreement provide that Touchstone Advisors is entitled to recoup, subject to approval by the Board, such amounts waived or reimbursed for a period of up to three years from the date on which the Advisor reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Fund will make repayments to the Advisor only if such repayment does not cause the annual fund operating expenses (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both (1) the expense cap in place when such amounts were waived or reimbursed and (2) the Fund’s current expense limitation. 
(3)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement differ from the ratio of net expenses to average net assets shown in the annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017 due to a contractual change in the Fund's expense limitation agreement that took effect on October 27, 2017.


Example.  This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that all fee waivers or expense limits for the Fund will expire after one year. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

14


 
 
Assuming Redemption at End of Period
 
Assuming No Redemption
 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional
Class
 
Class C
1 Year
$
672

 
$
283

 
$
75

 
$
67

 
$
183

3 Years
$
882

 
$
573

 
$
240

 
$
222

 
$
573

5 Years
$
1,109

 
$
988

 
$
419

 
$
390

 
$
988

10 Years
$
1,760

 
$
2,145

 
$
939

 
$
878

 
$
2,145

 
Portfolio Turnover.  The Fund pays transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.
 
The Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies
 
The Fund invests, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in large capitalization equity securities. The Fund invests primarily in issuers having a market capitalization, at the time of purchase, above $5 billion. The Fund’s 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders. Equity securities include common stock and preferred stock. These securities may be listed on an exchange or traded over-the-counter.
 
In selecting securities for the Fund, the Fund’s sub-advisor, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (“Fort Washington” or the “Sub-Advisor”), seeks to invest in companies that:

Are trading below its estimate of the companies’ intrinsic value; and
Have a sustainable competitive advantage or a high barrier to entry in place. The barrier(s) to entry can be created through a cost advantage, economies of scale, high customer loyalty, or a government barrier (e.g., license or subsidy). Fort Washington believes that the strongest barrier to entry is the combination of economies of scale and higher customer loyalty.
 
The Fund will generally hold 25 to 40 companies, with residual cash and equivalents expected to represent less than 10% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund may, at times, hold fewer securities and a higher percentage of cash and equivalents when, among other reasons, Fort Washington cannot find a sufficient number of securities that meets its purchase requirements. Although the Fund may invest in any economic sector, at times it may emphasize one or more particular sectors.
 
The Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in securities of foreign issuers through the use of ordinary shares or depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may also invest in securities of emerging market countries.
 
The Fund will generally sell a security if it reaches Fort Washington’s estimate of fair value, if a more attractive investment opportunity is available, or if a structural change has taken place and Fort Washington cannot reliably estimate the impact of the change on the business fundamentals.
 
The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of a single company.
 
The Fund’s Principal Risks
 
The Fund’s share price will fluctuate. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, and the Fund could also return less than other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks listed below.

Equity Securities Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by these companies may decline in response to such developments, which could result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s shares.


15


Large-Cap Risk: Large-cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

Foreign Securities Risk : Investing in foreign securities poses additional risks since political and economic events unique in a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers, while such events may not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or issuers located in the United States. In addition, investments in foreign securities are generally denominated in foreign currency. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect (positively or negatively) the value of the Fund's investments. Foreign markets may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets and offer less protection to investors.

Depositary Receipts Risk:  Foreign receipts, which include ADRs, GDRs, and European Depositary Receipts, are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer. The risks of depositary receipts include many risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities.

Emerging Markets Risk:  Emerging markets may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than that of issuers in other countries.

Management Risk: In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Advisor engages one or more sub-advisors to make investment decisions for a portion of or the entire portfolio. There is a risk that the Advisor may be unable to identify and retain sub-advisors who achieve superior investment returns relative to other similar sub-advisors.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets than a diversified mutual fund in the securities of a limited number of issuers. The use of a non-diversified investment strategy may increase the volatility of the Fund’s investment performance, as the Fund may be more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political, or regulatory event than a diversified fund.

Sector Focus Risk:  The Fund may invest a high percentage of its assets in specific sectors of the market in order to achieve a potentially greater investment return. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, and regulatory developments in a particular sector of the market, positive or negative than a fund that does not invest a high percentage of its assets in specific sectors.

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Fund’s investments and risks under the “Investment Strategies and Risks” section of the Fund’s prospectus.

The Fund’s Performance
 
Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Sentinel Common Stock Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization on October 27, 2017 (the “Reorganization”). The performance information included prior to the Reorganization is that of the Predecessor Fund.

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate some indication of the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the S&P 500 ® Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. The performance table does reflect any applicable sales charges. Past performance of the Predecessor Fund (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407 .












16


Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund - Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31

CHART-9CF9B36736D75C32AEE.JPG
Best Quarter: Second Quarter 2009 17.55%
 
Worst Quarter: Fourth Quarter 2008 (21.75)%

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
 
 
1 Year
 
5 Years
 
10 Years
Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund - Class A
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
16.91
%
 
13.51
%
 
7.63
%
Return after taxes on distributions
 
12.74
%
 
11.09
%
 
6.32
%
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares
 
12.99
%
 
10.50
%
 
6.02
%
Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund - Class C
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
21.11
%
 
13.78
%
 
7.28
%
Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund - Class Y*
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
23.43
%
 
15.01
%
 
8.54
%
Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund - Institutional Class**
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
23.57
%
 
14.94
%
 
8.30
%
S&P 500 ®  Index
 
 
 
 
 
 
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
21.83
%
 
15.79
%
 
8.50
%
*Class Y shares of the Fund assumed the performance history of Class I shares of the Predecessor Fund.
**Institutional Class shares of the Fund assumed the performance history of Class R6 shares of the Predecessor Fund. Performance of Class R6 shares of the Predecessor Fund prior to December 23, 2014 (the inception date for Class R6 shares) is based on the Predecessor Fund's Class A share performance.

After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after–tax returns may differ from those shown and depend on your tax situation. The after–tax returns do not apply to shares held in an individual retirement account ("IRA"), 401(k), or other tax–advantaged account. The after-tax returns shown in the table are for Class A shares only.  The after-tax returns for other classes of shares offered by the Fund will differ from the Class A shares' after-tax returns.








17


The Fund’s Management
Investment Advisor
 
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
Sub-Advisor
 
Portfolio
Manager
 
Investment Experience
with the Fund
 
Primary Title with
Sub-Advisor
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
 
James Wilhelm
 
Since inception in 2017
 
Managing Director, Head of Public Equities

 
 
 
Classes A, C, and Y
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
Minimum Investment Requirements
 
Initial
Investment
 
Additional
Investment
Regular Account
 
$
2,500

 
$
50

Retirement Account or Custodial Account under the Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act
 
$
1,000

 
$
50

Investments through the Automatic Investment Plan
 
$
100

 
$
50

 
 
 
Institutional Class
 
 
Initial
Investment
 
Additional
Investment
Regular Account
 
$
500,000

 
$
50


You may buy and sell shares in the Fund on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Existing Class A, C and Institutional shareholders shareholders may purchase shares directly through Touchstone Funds via the transfer agent, BNY Mellon or through their financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through your financial intermediary. Shares may be purchased or sold through Touchstone Securities by writing to it at P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, calling 1.800.543.0407, or visiting the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may only sell shares over the telephone or via the Internet if the amount is less than or equal to $100,000. Shares held in qualified retirement plans cannot be sold via the Internet. If your shares are held by a financial intermediary you will need to follow its purchase and redemption procedures.
 
Tax Information
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains except when shares are held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. Withdrawals from a tax-advantaged account, however, may be taxable.
 
Financial Intermediary Compensation
 
If you purchase shares in the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

18


TOUCHSTONE SMALL COMPANY FUND SUMMARY
 
The Fund’s Investment Goal
 
The Touchstone Small Company Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investors with growth of capital.
 
The Fund’s Fees and Expenses
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional, in the section entitled “Choosing a Class of Shares” in the Fund’s prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") on page 34 and 53, respectively, and in Appendix A–Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts to the Fund's prospectus .

 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional
Class
 
Class R6 (4)
 
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
 
None

 
None

 
None

 
None

 
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or the amount redeemed, whichever is less)
None

 
1.00
%
 
None

 
None

 
None

 
Wire Redemption Fee
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Up to $15

 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
Management Fees
0.64
%
 
0.64
%
 
0.64
%
 
0.64
 %
 
0.64
 %
 
Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
 
1.00
%
 
None

 
None

 
None

 
Other Expenses
0.29
%
 
0.28
%
 
0.21
%
 
2,068.51
 %
 
0.13
 %
 
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
0.01
%
 
0.01
%
 
0.01
%
 
0.01
 %
 
0.01
 %
 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (1)
1.19
%
 
1.93
%
 
0.86
%
 
2,069.16
 %
 
0.78
 %
 
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)
0.00
%
 
0.00
%
 
0.00
%
 
(2,068.36
)%
 
(0.04
)%
 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement (2)
1.19
%
 
1.93
%
 
0.86
%
 
0.80
 %
 
0.74
 %
(3  
)  
___________________________________________
(1)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Fund’s annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.
(2) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor" or "Touchstone Advisors") and Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) have entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement whereby Touchstone Advisors will waive a portion of its fees or reimburse certain Fund expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions and other transaction costs; portfolio transaction and investment related expenses, including expenses associated with the Fund's liquidity providers; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; the cost of “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses,” if any; and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) in order to limit annual Fund operating expenses to 1.22%, 1.95%, 0.89%, 0.79%, and 0.73% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y, Institutional Class, and Class R6 shares, respectively.  This contractual expense limitation is effective through October 26, 2019. The terms of the contractual expense limitation agreement provide that Touchstone Advisors is entitled to recoup, subject to approval by the Board, such amounts waived or reimbursed for a period of up to three years from the date on which the Advisor reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Fund will make repayments to the Advisor only if such repayment does not cause the annual fund operating expenses (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both (1) the expense cap in place when such amounts were waived or reimbursed and (2) the Fund’s current expense limitation. 
(3)  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement differ from the ratio of net expenses to average net assets shown in the annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017 due to a contractual change in the Fund's expense limitation agreement that took effect on October 27, 2017.
(4) An investor transacting in Class R6 shares, which do not have any front-end sales charge, contingent deferred sales charge, or other asset-based fee for sales or distribution, may be required to pay a commission to a broker for effecting such transactions on an agency basis. Such commissions are not reflected in the table or in the "Example" below.
 

19


Example. This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that all fee waivers or expense limits for the Fund will expire after one year. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
Assuming Redemption at End of Period
 
Assuming No Redemption
 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional
Class
 
Class R6
 
Class C
1 Year
$
689

 
$
296

 
$
88

 
$
82

 
$
76

 
$
196

3 Years
$
931

 
$
606

 
$
274

 
$
107,885

 
$
245

 
$
606

5 Years
$
1,192

 
$
1,042

 
$
477

 
$
107,885

 
$
429

 
$
1,042

10 Years
$
1,935

 
$
2,254

 
$
1,061

 
$
107,885

 
$
962

 
$
2,254

 
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 82% of the average value of its portfolio.
 
The Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies
 
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in small–capitalization companies. For this purpose, small capitalization companies are companies that have market capitalizations within the range represented in the Russell 2000 ® Index (between approximately $22 million and $9.4 billion as of December 31, 2017). The market cap range of the Russell 2000 ® Index will change with market conditions. For these purposes the market cap is determined at the time of purchase. The Fund seeks to invest primarily in common stocks of small-capitalization companies that Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., the Fund's sub-advisor, believes are high quality, have superior business models, solid management teams, sustainable growth potential and are attractively valued. The Fund may invest without limitation in foreign securities, although only where the securities are trading in the U.S. or Canada and only where trading is denominated in U.S. or Canadian dollars.

Up to 25% of the Fund's assets may be invested in securities within a single industry. Although the Fund may invest in any economic sector, at times it may emphasize one or more particular sectors. At times the Fund may have less than 80% of its investments in companies within the market cap range of the Russell 2000 ® Index due to market appreciation.

The Fund would typically sell a security if the portfolio managers believe it is overvalued, if the original investment premise is no longer true, if the holding size exceeds the portfolio managers' company or sector weighting guidelines and/or to take advantage of a more attractive investment opportunity. The Fund may also sell a partial position in a security in order to manage the size of the position. A security may also be sold to meet redemptions.

The Fund’s Principal Risks
 
The Fund’s share price will fluctuate. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, and the Fund could also return less than other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks listed below.

Equity Securities Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by these companies may decline in response to such developments, which could result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s shares.
 
Small-Cap Risk: Stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group.
 
Foreign Securities Risk: Investing in foreign securities poses additional risks since political and economic events unique in a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers, while such events may not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or issuers located in the United States. In addition, investments in foreign securities are generally denominated in foreign currency.

20


As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect (positively or negatively) the value of the Fund's investments. Foreign markets may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets and offer less protection to investors.
 
Management Risk: In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Advisor engages one or more sub-advisors to make investment decisions for a portion of or the entire portfolio. There is a risk that the Advisor may be unable to identify and retain sub-advisors who achieve superior investment returns relative to other similar sub-advisors.
 
Sector and Industry Focus Risk:  The Fund may invest a high percentage of its assets in specific sectors and/or industries of the market in order to achieve a potentially greater investment return. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, and regulatory developments in a particular sector or industry of the market, positive or negative, than a fund that does not invest a high percentage of its assets in specific sectors or industries.

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Fund’s investments and risks under the “Investment Strategies and Risks” section of the Fund’s prospectus.
 
The Fund’s Performance
 
Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Sentinel Small Company Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization on October 27, 2017 (the “Reorganization”). The performance information included prior to the Reorganization is that of the Predecessor Fund.

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate some indication of the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the Russell 2000 ® Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. The performance table does reflect any applicable sales charges. Past performance of the Predecessor Fund (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407 .

Touchstone Small Company Fund - Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31

CHART-2BD345C41AA65191A3D.JPG
Best Quarter: Third Quarter 2009 15.93%
 
Worst Quarter: Fourth Quarter 2008 (24.08)%










21


Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017 
 
 
1 Year
 
5 Years
 
10 Years
Touchstone Small Company Fund - Class A
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
11.36
%
 
13.38
%
 
8.55
%
Return after taxes on distributions
 
8.95
%
 
8.98
%
 
5.93
%
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares
 
8.02
%
 
9.77
%
 
6.48
%
Touchstone Small Company Fund - Class C
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
15.55
%
 
13.76
%
 
8.32
%
Touchstone Small Company Fund - Class Y*
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
17.59
%
 
14.94
%
 
9.52
%
Touchstone Small Company Fund - Institutional Class**
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
17.55
%
 
14.89
%
 
9.48
%
Touchstone Small Company Fund - Class R6***
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return before taxes
 
17.94
%
 
14.91
%
 
9.27
%
Russell 2000 ®  Index
 
 
 
 
 
 
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
14.65
%
 
14.12
%
 
8.71
%
*Class Y shares of the Fund assumed the performance history of Class I shares of the Predecessor Fund.
**Performance of Institutional Class shares of the Fund prior to October 30, 2017 (the inception date for Institutional Class shares) is based on the Fund's Class Y share performance.
***Performance of Class R6 shares of the Predecessor Fund prior to December 23, 2014 (the inception date for Class R6 shares) is based on the Predecessor Fund's Class A share performance. An investor transacting in Class R6 shares may be required to pay a commission to a broker for effecting such transactions on an agency basis. Such commissions are not reflected in the table.

After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after–tax returns may differ from those shown and depend on your tax situation. The after–tax returns do not apply to shares held in an individual retirement account ("IRA"), 401(k), or other tax–advantaged account. The after-tax returns shown in the table are for Class A shares only.  The after-tax returns for other classes of shares offered by the Fund will differ from the Class A shares' after-tax returns.
 
The Fund’s Management
 
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
Sub-
Advisor
 
Portfolio
Manager
 
Investment Experience with
the Fund
 
Primary Title with
Sub-Advisor
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
 
Jason Ronovech

 
Since inception in 2017; managed the Predecessor Fund from 2013 to 2017
 
Senior Portfolio Manager
 
 
Classes A, C, and Y
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
Minimum Investment Requirements
 
Initial
Investment
 
Additional
Investment
Regular Account
 
$
2,500

 
$
50

Retirement Account or Custodial Account under the Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act
 
$
1,000

 
$
50

Investments through the Automatic Investment Plan
 
$
100

 
$
50

 
 
 
Institutional Class
 
 
Initial
Investment
 
Additional
Investment
Regular Account
 
$
500,000

 
$
50


22


 
Class R6 shares are available to certain employer sponsored group retirement and group 529 college savings plans, registered investment companies, foundations, and certain fee–based advisory programs, in each case with a $50,000 initial investment minimum and $50 additional investment minimum.

You may buy and sell shares in the Fund on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Existing Class A and C, Institutional and R6 shareholders may purchase shares directly through Touchstone Funds via the transfer agent, BNY Mellon or through their financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Shares may be purchased or sold by writing to Touchstone Securities at P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, calling 1.800.543.0407, or visiting the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may only sell shares over the telephone or via the Internet if the value of the shares sold is less than or equal to $100,000. Shares held in qualified retirement plans cannot be soldvia the Internet. If your shares are held by a processing organization or financial intermediary you will need to follow its purchase and redemption procedures.
 
Tax Information
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains except when shares are held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. Withdrawals from a tax-advantaged account, however, may be taxable.
 
Financial Intermediary Compensation
 
If you purchase shares in the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

23


INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
 
This prospectus applies to the Touchstone Balanced Fund (the "Balanced Fund"), the Touchstone International Equity Fund (the "International Equity Fund"), the Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund (the "Large Cap Focused Fund"), and the Touchstone Small Company Fund (the "Small Company Fund") (each a “Fund”, and collectively, the “Funds”).
 
How Do The Funds Implement Their Investment Goal?

Each Fund's investment goal and strategies are described above in the "Principal Investment Strategies" summary sections.

Balanced Fund. With respect to equities, the Fund invests primarily in issuers having a market capitalization, at the time of purchase, above $5 billion. Equity securities include common stock and preferred stock. These securities may be listed on an exchange or traded over-the-counter. Up to 35% of the Fund’s equity sleeve may be invested in securities of foreign issuers through the use of ordinary shares or depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may also invest in equity securities of emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are generally countries that are included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (“MSCI”) Emerging Markets Index. As of February 28, 2018, the countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index included: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Qatar, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. The country composition of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index can change over time.

With respect to fixed-income securities, the Fund will investment primarily in bonds, including mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities, government securities (both U.S. government securities and foreign sovereign debt), and corporate loans. The Sub-Advisor primarily invests in investment-grade debt securities, but may invest up to 30% of the Fund's fixed-income sleeve in non-investment-grade debt securities rated as low as B by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”).  Non-investment-grade debt securities are often referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative.

The Fund may engage in frequent and active trading as part of its principal investment strategies. Additionally, in order to implement its investment strategy, the Fund may invest in mortgage dollar-roll transactions and reverse repurchase agreements, and in derivatives, including forwards, futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swap agreements, and options. Mortgage “dollar rolls” are transactions in which mortgage-backed securities are sold for delivery in the current month and the seller simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. These investments may be used to gain or hedge market exposure, to adjust the Fund’s duration, to manage interest rate risk, and for any other purposes consistent with the Fund’s investment strategies and limitations.

International Equity Fund. As a part of its principal investment strategy, t he Fund may invest in convertible or debt securities rated Baa or higher by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or BBB or higher by Standard & Poor's. Convertible securities are corporate securities that are exchangeable for a set number of another security at a pre-stated price. Convertible securities typically have characteristics of both fixed-income and equity securities. Because of the conversion feature, the market value of a convertible security tends to move with the market value of the underlying stock. The value of a convertible security is also affected by prevailing interest rates, the credit quality of the issuer and any call provisions.

The Fund’s Sub-Advisor, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. ("Fort Washington") employs a fundamental, bottom up approach to building its international equity portfolio. The process starts with a regular quantitative screening in order to narrow the investable universe, which seeks to identify businesses with high returns on capital, operating margins, and strong cash flow generation. Stocks are then analyzed based on the following five fundamental factors: business quality, valuation, growth, management, and balance sheet strength. The Fund generally may sell a security when there is a deterioration of one or more of the five factors described above or when the portfolio manager identifies a more favorable investment opportunity. The Fund may also sell a security to meet redemptions or for tax management purposes.

Large Cap Focused Fund . In selecting securities for the Fund, the Fort Wasington seeks to invest in companies that:

Are trading below its estimate of the companies’ intrinsic value; and
Have a sustainable competitive advantage or a high barrier to entry in place. The barrier(s) to entry can be created through a cost advantage, economies of scale, high customer loyalty, or a government barrier (e.g., license or subsidy). Fort Washington believes that the strongest barrier to entry is the combination of economies of scale and higher customer loyalty.
 

24


The Fund will generally hold 25 to 40 companies, with residual cash and equivalents expected to represent less than 10% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund may, at times, hold fewer securities and a higher percentage of cash and equivalents when, among other reasons, Fort Washington cannot find a sufficient number of securities that meets its purchase requirements.
 
The Fund will generally sell a security if it reaches Fort Washington’s estimate of fair value, if a more attractive investment opportunity is available, or if a structural change has taken place and Fort Washington cannot reliably estimate the impact of the change on the business fundamentals.
 
Small Company Fund. The Fund would typically sell a security if the portfolio managers believe it is overvalued, if the original investment premise is no longer true, if the holding size exceeds the portfolio managers' company or sector weighting guidelines and/or to take advantage of a more attractive investment opportunity. The Fund may also sell a partial position in a security in order to manage the size of the position. A security may also be sold to meet redemptions.

Can a Fund Depart From its Principal Investment Strategies?

In addition to the investments and strategies described in this prospectus, each Fund also may invest in other securities, use other strategies and engage in other investment practices. These investments and strategies are described in detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
 
Each Fund’s investment goal is non-fundamental, and may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified at least 60 days before any change takes effect.
 
The investments and strategies described throughout this prospectus are those that the Funds use under normal conditions. For temporary defensive purposes (e.g., attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions), each Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, repurchase agreements, and short-term obligations (i.e., fixed and variable rate securities and high quality debt securities of corporate and government issuers) that would not ordinarily be consistent with the Funds’ goals. This defensive investing may increase a Fund’s taxable income, and when a Fund is invested defensively, it may not achieve its investment goal. A Fund will do so only if the Fund’s sub-advisor believes that the risk of loss in using the Fund’s normal strategies and investments outweighs the opportunity for gains. Of course, there can be no guarantee that any Fund will achieve its investment goal.
 
80% Investment Policy. Certain Funds have adopted a policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its “assets” in certain types of investments suggested by its name (the “80% Policy”). For purposes of this 80% Policy, the term “assets” means net assets plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes. A Fund must comply with its 80% Policy at the time the Fund invests its assets. Accordingly, when a Fund no longer meets the 80% requirement as a result of circumstances beyond its control, such as changes in the value of portfolio holdings, it would not have to sell its holdings but would have to make any new investments in such a way as to comply with the 80% Policy. This is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by a Fund upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.
 
Change in Market Capitalization. A Fund may specify in its principal investment strategy a market capitalization range for acquiring portfolio securities. If a security that is within the range for a Fund at the time of purchase later falls outside the range, which is most likely to happen because of market fluctuation, the Fund may continue to hold the security if, in the sub-advisor’s judgment, the security remains otherwise consistent with the Fund’s investment goal and strategies. However, this change in market capitalization could affect the Fund’s flexibility in making new investments.

The following Funds have specified a market capitalization range: the Balanced Fund, Large Cap Focused Fund and Small Company Fund.
 
Other Investment Companies (All Funds). A Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), the rules thereunder and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) staff interpretations thereof. Investment companies include open- and closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and any other pooled investment vehicle that meets the definition of an investment company under the 1940 Act, whether such companies are required to register under the 1940 Act or not. 
 
Lending of Portfolio Securities (All Funds). The Funds may lend their portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and financial institutions under guidelines adopted by the Board, including a requirement that a Fund must receive collateral equal to no less than 100% of the market value of the securities loaned. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In determining whether to lend securities,

25


Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”) will consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower. More information on securities lending is available in the SAI.

ReFlow Liquidity Program. The Funds may participate in the ReFlow liquidity program, which is designed to provide an alternative liquidity source for mutual funds experiencing net redemptions of their shares. Pursuant to the program, ReFlow Fund, LLC (“ReFlow”) provides participating mutual funds with a source of cash to meet net shareholder redemptions by standing ready each business day to purchase fund shares up to the value of the net shares redeemed by other shareholders that are to settle the next business day. Following purchases of Fund shares, ReFlow then generally redeems those shares when the Fund experiences net sales, at the end of a maximum holding period determined by ReFlow, or at other times at ReFlow’s discretion. While ReFlow holds Fund shares, it will have the same rights and privileges with respect to those shares as any other shareholder. In the event the Fund uses the ReFlow service, the Fund will pay a fee to ReFlow each time ReFlow purchases Fund shares, calculated by applying to the purchase amount a fee rate determined through an automated daily auction among participating mutual funds. ReFlow’s purchases of Fund shares through the liquidity program are made on an investment-blind basis without regard to the Fund’s objective, policies or anticipated performance. In accordance with federal securities laws, ReFlow is prohibited from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund.
 
What are the Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds?
 
The risks that may apply to your investment in a Fund are listed below in a table of principal risks followed by a description of each risk. Further information about investment risks is available in the Funds’ SAI. The table below is not intended to provide shareholders with any indication of the Funds’ relative risk/return profiles. Shareholders should instead refer to the narrative descriptions of the Funds’ principal risks that follow the table below.
 

26


Risks
 
Balanced
Fund
 
International Equity Fund
 
Large Cap Focused Fund
 
Small Company Fund
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Depositary Receipts Risk
 
X
 
X
 
X
 
 
Derivatives Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Distressed Securities Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Emerging Markets Risk
 
X
 
X
 
X
 
 
Equity Securities Risk
 
X
 
X
 
X
 
X
Fixed-Income Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Foreign Securities Risk
 
X
 
X
 
X
 
X
Futures Contracts Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest Rate Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Large-Cap Risk
 
X
 
 
 
X
 
 
Leverage Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Management Risk
 
X
 
X
 
X
 
X
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mortgage Dollar-Roll Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-Diversification Risk
 
 
 
 
 
X
 
 
Non-Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Options Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Portfolio Turnover Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sector/Industry Focus Risk
 
 
 
 
 
X
 
X
Small-Cap Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X
Swap Agreements Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Government Agencies Securities Risk
 
X
 
 
 
 
 
 

Derivatives Risk: In general terms, a derivative instrument is one whose value depends on (or is derived from) the value of an underlying asset, interest rate or index. The use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. Risks associated with derivatives may include correlation risk, which is the risk that the derivative does not correlate well with the security, index, or currency to which it relates. Other risks include liquidity risk, which is the risk that the Fund may be unable to sell or close out the derivative due to an illiquid market, counterparty risk, which is the risk that the counterparty to a derivative instrument may be unwilling or unable to make required payments or otherwise meet its obligations, and leverage risk, which is the risk that a derivative could expose the Fund to magnified losses resulting from leverage. The use of derivatives for hedging purposes may result in losses that partially or completely offset gains in portfolio positions. Using derivatives can increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price. For some derivatives, it is possible for the Fund to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative instrument. Derivatives may, for federal income tax purposes, affect the character of gain and loss realized by the Fund, accelerate recognition of income to the Fund, affect the holding periods for certain of the Fund’s assets and defer recognition of certain of the Fund’s losses. The Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives may be restricted by certain provisions of the federal income tax laws relating to the Fund’s qualification as a regulated investment company (“RIC”). These additional risks could cause the Fund to experience losses to which it would otherwise not be subject.
 
Leverage Risk: Leverage occurs when the Fund uses borrowings, derivatives, or similar instruments or techniques to gain exposure to investments in an amount that exceeds the Fund's initial investment. The use of leverage magnifies changes in the Fund’s net asset value and thus may result in increased portfolio volatility and increased risk of loss. Leverage can create an interest expense that may lower the Fund’s overall returns. There can be no guarantee that a leveraging strategy will be successful.

27



Futures Contracts Risk:  Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security at a specified future time and at a specified price. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. There are risks associated with these activities, including the following: (1) the success of a hedging strategy may depend on an ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the securities held by a Fund and the prices of futures and options on futures; (3) there may not be a liquid secondary market for a futures contract or option; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts and futures options.

Options Risk:  Options trading is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Sub-Advisor is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. The successful use of options for hedging purposes also depends in part on the ability of the Sub-Advisor to predict future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets. When options are purchased over the counter, the Fund bears counterparty risk, which is the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. Such options may also be illiquid, and in such cases, the Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. The Fund will limit its investments in illiquid securities to no more than 15% of net assets.
 
Swap Agreements Risk: Swap agreements (“swaps”) are individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors, such as interest rates, foreign currency rates, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, security prices, indexes or inflation rates. Swaps may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the investments of the Fund and its share price. The performance of swaps may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund. If a swap calls for payments by the Fund, the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. Additionally, if the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap may decline. If the counterparty is unable to meet its obligations under the contract, declares bankruptcy, defaults, or becomes insolvent, the Fund may not be able to recoup the money it expected to receive under the contract. Finally, a swap can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.
 
Equity Securities Risk: A Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by these companies may decline in response to such developments, which could result in a decline in the value of the Funds’ shares. These factors contribute to price volatility. In addition, common stocks represent a share of ownership in a company, and rank after bonds and preferred stock in their claim on the company’s assets in the event of liquidation.
 
Large-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small- and mid-sized companies. Large-cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

Small-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that small capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group. In addition, small-cap stocks typically are traded in lower volume, and their issuers typically are subject to greater degrees of changes in their earnings and prospects.

Fixed-Income Risk: The market value of fixed-income securities changes in response to fluctuations in interest rates and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of fixed-income securities generally rise and during periods of rising interest rates, the values of those securities generally fall. While securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the prices of longer maturity securities are also subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. Duration is a measure of the sensitivity of the security’s price to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the maturity or duration of the fixed-income securities the Fund owns, the more sensitive the Fund will be to changes in interest rates.

Asset-Backed Securities Risk: Asset-backed securities are fixed income securities backed by other assets such as credit card, automobile or consumer loan receivables, retail installment loans, or participations in pools of leases. Credit support for these securities may be based on the structural features such as subordination or overcollateralization and/or provided

28


through credit enhancements by a third party. Even with a credit enhancement by a third party, there is still risk of loss. There could be inadequate collateral or no collateral for asset-backed securities. The values of these securities are sensitive to changes in the credit quality of the underlying collateral, the credit strength of the credit enhancement, changes in interest rates, and, at times, the financial condition of the issuer. Some asset-backed securities also may receive prepayments that can change the securities’ effective durations.

Credit Risk: The fixed-income securities in the Fund’s portfolio are subject to the possibility that a deterioration, whether sudden or gradual, in the financial condition of an issuer, or a deterioration in general economic conditions, could cause an issuer to fail to make timely payments of principal or interest when due. This may cause the issuer’s securities to decline in value. Credit risk is particularly relevant to those portfolios that invest a significant amount of their assets in non-investment grade (or "junk") bonds or lower-rated securities.

Distressed Securities Risk:  Distressed securities are speculative and involve significant risks in addition to the risks generally applicable to non-investment grade debt securities.  Distressed securities bear a substantial risk of default, and may be in default at the time of investment.  The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on distressed securities, and there is a significant risk that principal will not be repaid, in full or at all.  The Fund may incur costs to protect its investment in distressed securities, which may include seeking recovery from the issuer in bankruptcy.  In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to the issuer of distressed securities, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment.  Distressed securities, and any securities received in exchange for distressed securities, will likely be illiquid and may be subject to restrictions on resale.
 
Interest Rate Risk: As interest rates rise, the value of fixed-income securities the Fund owns will likely decrease. The price of debt securities is generally linked to prevailing market interest rates. In general, when interest rates rise, the prices of debt securities fall, and when interest rates fall, the prices of debt securities rise. The price volatility of a debt security also depends on its maturity. Longer-term securities are generally more volatile, so the longer the average maturity or duration of these securities, the greater their price risk. Duration is a measure of the expected life, taking into account any prepayment or call features, of a security that is used to determine the price sensitivity of the security for a given change in interest rates. Specifically, duration is the change in the value of a fixed-income security that will result from a 1% change in interest rates, and generally is stated in years. For example, as a general rule a 1% rise in interest rates means a 1% fall in value for every year of duration. Maturity, on the other hand, is the date on which a fixed-income security becomes due for payment of principal. There may be less governmental intervention in the securities markets in the near future. The negative impact on fixed-income securities if interest rates increase as a result could negatively impact the Fund’s net asset value.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk: Mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities representing an interest in a pool of underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities are sensitive to changes in interest rates, but may respond to these changes differently from other fixed income securities due to the possibility of prepayment of the underlying mortgage loans. As a result, it may not be possible to determine in advance the actual maturity date or average life of a mortgage-backed security. Rising interest rates tend to discourage re-financings, with the result that the average life and volatility of the security will increase, exacerbating its decrease in market price. When interest rates fall, however, mortgage-backed securities may not gain as much in market value because of the expectation of additional mortgage prepayments that must be reinvested at lower interest rates. Prepayment risk may make it difficult to calculate the average duration of the Fund’s mortgage-backed securities and, therefore, to fully assess the interest rate risk of the Fund. An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of mortgage-backed securities and could result in losses to the Fund. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the cases of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. Subprime mortgages refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with lower capacity to make timely payments on their mortgages. In addition, mortgage-backed securities may fluctuate in price based on deterioration in the perceived or actual value of the collateral underlying the pool of mortgage loans, typically residential or commercial real estate, which may result in negative amortization or negative equity meaning that the value of the collateral would be worth less than the remaining principal amount owed on the mortgages in the pool.

Non-Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk: Non-investment-grade debt securities are sometimes referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative with respect to their issuers’ ability to make payments of interest and principal. There is a high risk that the Fund could suffer a loss from investments in non-investment-grade debt securities caused by the default of an issuer of such securities. Part of the reason for this high risk is that non-investment grade debt securities are generally unsecured and therefore, in the event of a default or bankruptcy, holders of non-investment-grade debt securities generally will not receive payments until the holders of all other debt have been paid. In addition, the market

29


for non-investment-grade debt securities has, in the past, had more frequent and larger price changes than the markets for other securities. Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than is the case with higher-grade securities. Non-investment-grade debt securities can also be more difficult to sell for good value. These securities are often thinly traded and can be more difficult to sell and value accurately than investment-grade securities. Because objective pricing data may be less readily available, judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process.

Foreign Securities Risk: Investing in foreign securities poses additional risks since political and economic events unique in a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers, while such events may not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or issuers located in the United States. In addition, investments in foreign securities are generally denominated in foreign currency. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. These currency movements may happen separately from, or in response to, events that do not otherwise affect the value of the security in the issuer’s home country. There is a risk that issuers of foreign securities may not be subject to accounting standards or governmental supervision comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject and that less public information about their operations may exist. There is risk associated with the clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. markets, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions and may cause delays. Foreign markets may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets and offer less protection to investors. Over-the-counter securities may also be less liquid than exchange-traded securities. Investments in securities of foreign issuers may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. In addition, it may be more difficult and costly for the Fund to seek recovery from an issuer located outside the United States in the event of a default on a portfolio security or an issuer’s insolvency proceeding. To the extent a Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.

In addition, there are risks relating to ongoing concerns regarding the economies of certain European countries and their sovereign debt, as well as the potential for one or more countries to leave the European Union. In June 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum resulting in a vote in favor of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. These circumstances and potential future developments could have a negative effect on the United Kingdom’s and other European countries’ economies and may result in greater volatility in global financial and currency markets.

Depositary Receipts Risk: Foreign receipts, which include American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary Receipts, and European Depositary Receipts, are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer. The risks of depositary receipts include many risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, such as individual country risk and liquidity risk.  Unsponsored ADRs, which are issued by a depositary bank without the participation or consent of the issuer, involve additional risks because U.S. reporting requirements do not apply, and the issuing bank will recover shareholder distribution costs from movement of share prices and payment of dividends.

Emerging Markets Risk: Emerging markets may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than that of issuers in other countries. As a result, there will tend to be an increased risk of price volatility associated with the Fund’s investments in securities of issuers located in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.
 
Management Risk: In managing a Fund’s portfolio, the Advisor engages one or more sub-advisors to make investment decisions for a portion of or the entire portfolio. There is a risk that the Advisor may be unable to identify and retain sub-advisors who achieve superior investment returns relative to other similar sub-advisors. The value of your investment may decrease if the sub-advisor incorrectly judges the attractiveness, value, or market trends affecting a particular security, issuer, industry, or sector.

Mortgage Dollar-Roll Risk : Mortgage “dollar rolls” are transactions in which mortgage-backed securities are sold for delivery in the current month and the seller simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. The difference between the sale price and the purchase price (plus any interest earned on the cash proceeds of the sale) is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. If the broker-dealer to whom the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to repurchase the security may be restricted. Other risks involved in entering into mortgage dollar rolls include the risk that the value of the security may change adversely over the term of the mortgage dollar roll and that the security the Fund is required to repurchase may be worth less than the security that the Fund originally held.


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Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or limited number of issuers.  As a result, the Fund may be more sensitive to economic, political, and regulatory developments relating to the issuer or group of issuers in which it invests than a diversified fund.  This may increase the volatility of the Fund’s investment performance.
 
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Each Fund may sell its portfolio securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, if the sub-advisor determines that it would be in the Fund’s best interest to do so. It may be appropriate to buy or sell portfolio securities due to economic, market, or other factors that are not within the sub-advisor’s control. These transactions will increase a Fund’s “portfolio turnover.”  A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur if all of the securities in the Fund were replaced during a given period. Frequent and active trading may result in greater expenses to the Fund, which may lower the Fund’s performance and may result in the realization of substantial capital gains, including net short-term capital gains. As a result, high portfolio turnover may reduce the Fund’s returns.
 
Sector/Industry Focus Risk: The Fund may invest a high percentage of its assets in specific sectors and/or industries of the market in order to achieve a potentially greater investment return. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, and regulatory developments in a particular sector or industry of the market, positive or negative, and may experience increased volatility of the Fund’s net asset value with a magnified effect on the total return.
 
U.S. Government Agencies Securities Risk: Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury while others are supported only by the credit of the issuer or instrumentality. While the U.S. government is able to provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. Such securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.

Where Can I Find Information About the Funds’ Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies?
 
A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures for disclosing portfolio securities to any person is available in the SAI and can also be found on the Funds’ website at TouchstoneInvestments.com.
 
THE FUNDS’ MANAGEMENT
 
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
 
Touchstone Advisors has been a registered investment advisor since 1994. As of February 28, 2018, Touchstone Advisors had approximately $19.5 billion in assets under management. As the Funds’ investment advisor, Touchstone Advisors reviews, supervises and administers the Funds’ investment programs and also ensures compliance with the Funds’ investment policies and guidelines.
 
Touchstone Advisors is responsible for selecting each Fund’s sub-advisor(s), subject to approval by the Board. Touchstone Advisors selects a sub-advisor that has shown good investment performance in its areas of expertise. Touchstone Advisors considers various factors in evaluating a sub-advisor, including:
 
Level of knowledge and skill;
Performance as compared to its peers or benchmark;
Consistency of performance over 5 years or more;
Level of compliance with investment rules and strategies;
Employees’ facilities and financial strength; and
Quality of service.
 
Touchstone Advisors will also continually monitor each sub-advisor’s performance through various analyses and through in-person, telephone and written consultations with a sub-advisor. Touchstone Advisors discusses its expectations for performance with each sub-advisor and provides evaluations and recommendations to the Board of Trustees, including whether or not a sub-advisor’s contract should be renewed, modified or terminated.
 
The SEC has granted an exemptive order that permits Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”), of which each Fund described in this prospectus is a series, or Touchstone Advisors, under certain conditions, to select or change unaffiliated sub-advisors, enter into new sub-advisory agreements or amend existing sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval. The Funds must still obtain shareholder approval of any sub-advisory agreement with a sub-advisor affiliated with the Trust or

31


Touchstone Advisors other than by reason of serving as a sub-advisor to one or more Funds. Shareholders of a Fund will be notified of any changes in the Fund's sub-advisory arrangements.
 
Two or more sub-advisors may manage a Fund, from time to time, with each managing a portion of the Fund’s assets. If a Fund has more than one sub-advisor, Touchstone Advisors allocates how much of a Fund’s assets are managed by each sub-advisor. Touchstone Advisors may change these allocations from time to time, often based upon the results of its evaluations of the sub-advisors.

Touchstone Advisors is also responsible for running all of the operations of the Funds, except those that are subcontracted to a sub-advisor, custodian, transfer agent, sub-administrative agent or other parties. For its services, Touchstone Advisors is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee from each Fund at an annualized rate, based on the average daily net assets of the Fund Touchstone Advisors pays sub-advisory fees to each sub-advisor from its advisory fee. 

Fund                  Average Daily Net Assets          Investment Advisory Fee Rate
(Annualized)

Balanced Fund            First $200 million             0.55%
Next $200 million             0.50%
Next $600 million             0.45%
Next $1 billion                 0.40%
Assets over $2 billion             0.35%

International Equity Fund        First $500 million            0.70%
Next $300 million             0.65%
Next $200 million             0.60%
Next $1 billion                 0.50%
Assets over $2 billion             0.40%


Large Cap Focused Fund        First $500 million             0.70%
Next $300 million             0.65%
Next $200 million             0.60%
Next $1 billion                 0.50%
Assets over $2 billion             0.40%

Small Company Fund        First $500 million             0.70%
Next $300 million             0.65%
Next $200 million             0.60%
Next $1 billion                 0.50%
Assets over $2 billion             0.40%


Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreement Approval. A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of the Funds' advisory and sub-advisory agreements can be found in the Trust’s annual report for the period ending November 30, 2017.

Additional Information

The Trustees of the Trust oversee generally the operations of each Fund and the Trust. The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Funds' investment advisor, custodian, transfer agent, accountants and distributor, who provide services to each Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third-party”) beneficiaries of, any of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce the terms of the contractual arrangements against the service providers or to seek any remedy under the contractual arrangements against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.

This prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Funds that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of a Fund. The Funds may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this prospectus, the SAI or any document filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, is intended to, nor does it, give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or a Fund and its shareholder, or give rise to any contract or other rights in any individual shareholder,

32


group of shareholders or other person other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.
 
Sub-Advisor and Portfolio Managers
 
Listed below is the Sub-Advisor and its portfolio managers that have responsibility for the day-to-day management of each Fund. A brief biographical description of each portfolio manager is also provided. The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ investments in the Fund or Funds that they manage, a description of their compensation structure, and information regarding other accounts that they manage.

Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (“Fort Washington” or the "Sub-Advisor"), an SEC-registered investment advisor located at 303 Broadway, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, serves as the sub-advisor to the Funds. As the sub-advisor, Fort Washington makes investment decisions for each Fund and also ensures compliance with the Fund’s investment policies and guidelines. As of December 31, 2017, Fort Washington managed approximately $56.3 billion in assets , which includes assets under management by Fort Washington of $52.7 billion and $3.6 billion in commitments managed by Fort Washington Capital Partners Group (FW Capital), a division, and Peppertree Partners LLC, a subsidiary.
 
Balanced Fund

Timothy J. Policinski, CFA, is the primary manager of the Balanced Fund.  Mr. Policinski is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager.  He has worked at Fort Washington since 2001.  Mr. Policinski has over 20 years of fixed income management experience. 

Daniel J. Carter,   CFA, began as an Assistant Portfolio Manager of Fort Washington in 2000 and has been an Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Manager since 2007. Mr. Carter has co-managed the Balanced Fund since its inception in 2017.

James Wilhelm, Managing Director, Head of Public Equities, joined Fort Washington in 2002. Mr. Wilhelm has investment experience dating back to 1993. He began as a Senior Equity Analyst in 2002 and was named Portfolio Manager in 2005. He became Assistant Vice President in 2007, Vice President in 2008, Managing Director in 2014, and Head of Public Equities in 2015. He has co-managed the Balanced Fund since its inception in 2017.

International Equity Fund

Andrew Boczek is the portfolio manager of the International Equity Fund and joined Fort Washington in 2017. Mr. Boczek served as the portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund, which was managed by Sentinel Asset Management, Inc. ("Sentinel"), from 2012 to 2017. Prior to joining Sentinel, from 2006 to 2012, Mr. Boczek served as an analyst with Legend Capital Management, LLC. Prior to Legend Capital, Mr. Boczek served as an analyst on the International Value team at Artisan Partners LP from 2002 to 2006.

Large Cap Focused Fund

James Wilhelm, Managing Director, Head of Public Equities, joined Fort Washington in 2002. He has investment experience dating back to 1993. He began as a Senior Equity Analyst in 2002 and was named Portfolio Manager in 2005. He became Assistant Vice President in 2007, Vice President in 2008, Managing Director in 2014, and Head of Public Equities in 2015. He has managed the Large Cap Focused Fund since its inception in 2017.

Prior Performance for Similar Accounts Managed by the Sub-Advisor
 
The following table sets forth composite performance data relating to the historical performance of all accounts managed by the Sub-Advisor for the periods indicated with investment objectives, policies, strategies, and risks substantially similar to those of the Large Cap Focused Fund. The data is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Sub-Advisor in managing substantially similar accounts as measured against market indices and does not represent the performance of the Fund.
 







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Average Annual Total Returns
For the period ended December 31, 2017
 
1 Year
 
3 Years
 
Since Inception*
Fort Washington Large Cap Focused Equity Strategy
16.60%
 
11.34
%
 
13.29
%
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
21.83%
 
11.41
%
 
13.88
%
*The inception date of the Composite is October 1, 2013.
 
The Fort Washington Large Cap Focused Equity Composite (the “Composite”), which is managed by Fort Washington, represents the investment performance track record of Fort Washington’s large cap focused equity strategy, which is the strategy that will be used to manage the Large Cap Focused Fund, in two accounts — one affiliated account and one unaffiliated account. The accounts comprising the Composite are not subject to the same types of expenses to which the Fund is subject, certain investment limitations, diversification requirements, and other restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Thus, the performance results for the accounts could have been adversely affected if the accounts had been regulated as investment companies under federal securities and tax laws.
 
The Composite’s returns are net of actual fees and expenses and reflect the reinvestment of all income. Actual fees are not reflective of the expenses of the Touchstone Funds and may vary depending on, among other things, the applicable fee schedule and portfolio size. All returns are expressed in U.S. dollars. Past performance of the Composite is not indicative of future results. As with any investment there is always the potential for gains as well as the possibility of losses.

Small Company Fund

Jason Ronovech is portfolio manager of the Small Company Fund and joined Fort Washington in 2017. Mr. Ronovech served as the portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund, which was managed by Sentinel, from 2013 to 2017. Prior to joining Sentinel, Mr. Ronovech was a portfolio manager with Paradigm Capital Management, where he co–managed the firm’s flagship Small Cap and Smid Cap portfolios. In addition to his management responsibilities, Mr. Ronovech built and led Paradigm’s equity research team and served as lead analyst for the technology, consumer and health care sectors over the course of his 12 years with the firm.

CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES
 
Share Class Offerings. Each class of shares has different sales charges and distribution fees. The amount of sales charges and distribution fees you pay will depend on which class of shares you decide to purchase. In addition, certain intermediaries may provide different sales charge discounts and waivers. These sales charge variations and the applicable intermediaries are described in Appendix A – Intermediary–Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts to this prospectus. Please see the section of the Funds' SAI entitled "Other Purchase and Redemption Information" for additional information.
 
Class A Shares (All Funds)
 
The offering price of Class A shares of each Fund is equal to its net asset value (“NAV”) plus a front-end sales charge that you pay when you buy your shares. The front-end sales charge is generally deducted from the amount of your investment. Class A shares are subject to a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets allocable to Class A shares.

Class A Sales Charge. The following table shows the amount of front-end sales charge you will pay on purchases of Class A shares for the Funds. The amount of front-end sales charge is shown as a percentage of  offering price and the net amount invested after the charge has been subtracted. Note that the front-end sales charge gets lower as your investment amount gets larger.
Amount of Your Investment
 
Sales Charge as % of
Offering Price
 
Sales Charge as % of
Net Amount Invested
 
Dealer Reallowance as %
of Offering Price
Under $50,000
 
5.75
%
 
6.10
%
 
5.00
%
$50,000 but less than $100,000
 
4.50
%
 
4.71
%
 
3.75
%
$100,000 but less than $250,000
 
3.50
%
 
3.63
%
 
2.75
%
$250,000 but less than $500,000
 
2.95
%
 
3.04
%
 
2.25
%
$500,000 but less than $1 million
 
2.25
%
 
2.30
%
 
1.75
%
$1 million or more
 
0.00
%
 
0.00
%
 
None

 

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Waiver of Class A Sales Charge*. There is no front-end sales charge if you invest $1 million or more in Class A shares of a Fund. If you redeem shares that were part of the $1 million breakpoint purchase within one year of that purchase, you may pay a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of up to 1% on the shares redeemed, if a commission was paid by Touchstone Securities, Inc. (the "Distributor" or "Touchstone Securities") to a participating unaffiliated broker dealer. There is no front-end sales charge on exchanges between Funds with the same load schedule or from a higher load schedule to a lower load schedule. In addition, there is no front-end sales charge on the following purchases:
 
Purchases by registered representatives or other employees** (and their immediate family members***) of financial intermediaries having selling agreements with Touchstone Securities.
Purchases in accounts as to which a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary charges an asset management fee economically comparable to a sales charge, provided the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary has a selling agreement with Touchstone Securities.
Purchases by a trust department of any financial intermediary serving in a fiduciary capacity as trustee to any trust over which it has discretionary trading authority.
Purchases through a financial intermediary that has agreements with Touchstone Securities, or whose programs are available through financial intermediaries that have agreements with Touchstone Securities relating to mutual fund supermarket programs, fee-based wrap, or asset allocation programs.
Purchases by an employee benefit plan having more than 25 eligible employees or a minimum of $250,000 in plan assets. This waiver applies to any investing employee benefit plan meeting the minimum eligibility requirements and whose transactions are executed through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with Touchstone Securities to use the Touchstone Funds in connection with the plan’s accounts. The term “employee benefit plan” applies to qualified pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit plans.
Purchases by an employee benefit plan that is provided administrative services by a third party administrator that has entered into a special service arrangement with Touchstone Securities.
Reinvestment of redemption proceeds from Class A shares of any Touchstone Fund if the reinvestment occurs within 90 days of redemption.

*Please see Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts for a description of variations in sales charges and waivers for Fund shares purchased through Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch").
** The term “employee” is deemed to include current and retired employees.
***      Immediate family members are defined as the parents, mother-in-law or father-in-law, spouse, brother or sister, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, son-in-law or daughter-in-law and children of a registered representative or employee, and any other individual to whom the registered representative or employee provides material support.

Touchstone Securities has agreed to waive the Class A sales charge for clients of financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with Touchstone Securities to offer shares to self–directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to their customers. As of the date of this Statement of Additional information, this arrangement applies to shareholders purchasing Fund shares through platforms at the following intermediaries:
Merrill Lynch
RBC
JP Morgan
Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  for a description of variations in sales charges and waivers for Fund shares purchased through Merrill Lynch. You should ask your financial intermediary if it offers and you are eligible to participate in such a mutual fund program and whether participation in the program is consistent with your investment goals.  The intermediaries sponsoring or participating in these mutual fund programs may also offer their clients other classes of shares of the Fund and investors may receive different levels of services or pay different fees depending upon the class of shares included in the program.  Investors should carefully consider any separate transaction fee or other fees charged by these programs in connection with investing in each available share class before selecting a share class.

Sales charge waivers must be satisfied at the time of purchase. For direct purchases through Touchstone Securities you may apply for a waiver by marking the appropriate section on the investment application and completing the “Special Account Options” form. You can obtain the application and form by calling Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407 or by visiting the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. Purchases at NAV may be made for investment only, and the shares may not be resold except through redemption by or on behalf of the Fund. At the option of the Fund, the front-end sales charge may be included on future purchases.
 

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Reduced Class A Sales Charge. You may also purchase Class A shares of a Fund at the reduced sales charges shown in the table above through the Rights of Accumulation Program or by signing a Letter of Intent. The following purchasers (“Qualified Purchasers”) may qualify for a reduced sales charge under the Rights of Accumulation Program or Letter of Intent:
 
an individual, an individual’s spouse, or an individual’s children under the age of 21; or
a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing shares for a single fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved.
 
The following accounts (“Qualified Accounts”) held in any Touchstone Fund may be grouped together to qualify for the reduced sales charge under the Rights of Accumulation Program or Letter of Intent:
 
Individual accounts
Joint tenant with rights of survivorship accounts
Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act (“UGTMA”) accounts
Trust accounts
Estate accounts
Guardian/Conservator accounts
Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”), including Traditional, Roth, Simplified Employee Pension Plans (“SEP”), and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (“SIMPLE”)
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (“Education IRAs”)
 
Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  for a description of variations in sales charges and waivers for Fund shares purchased through certain intermediaries. Please also see the section of the Funds' SAI entitled "Other Purchase and Redemption Information" for additional information.

Rights of Accumulation Program. Under the Rights of Accumulation Program, you may qualify for a reduced sales charge by aggregating all of your investments held in a Qualified Account. You or your dealer must notify Touchstone Securities at the time of purchase that a purchase qualifies for a reduced sales charge under the Rights of Accumulation Program and must provide either a list of account numbers or copies of account statements verifying your qualification. If your shares are held directly in a Touchstone Fund or through a dealer, you may combine the historical cost or current NAV (whichever is higher) of your existing shares of any Touchstone Fund with the amount of your current purchase in order to take advantage of the reduced sales charge. Historical cost is the price you actually paid for the shares you own, plus your reinvested dividends and capital gains. If you are using historical cost to qualify for a reduced sales charge, you should retain any records to substantiate your historical costs since the Fund, its transfer agent or your broker-dealer may not maintain this information.
 
If your shares are held through financial intermediaries you may combine the current NAV of your existing shares of any Touchstone Fund sold with a front-end sales charge with the amount of your current purchase in order to take advantage of the reduced sales charge. You or your financial intermediary must notify Touchstone at the time of purchase that a purchase qualifies for a reduced sales charge under the Rights of Accumulation Program and must provide copies of account statements dated within three months of your current purchase verifying your qualification.
 
Upon receipt of the above referenced supporting documentation, Touchstone Securities will calculate the combined value of all of the Qualified Purchaser’s Qualified Accounts to determine if the current purchase is eligible for a reduced sales charge. Purchases made for nominee or street name accounts (securities held in the name of a dealer or another nominee such as a bank trust department instead of the customer) may not be aggregated with purchases for other accounts and may not be aggregated with other nominee or street name accounts unless otherwise qualified as described above.
 
Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  for variations in Rights of Accumulation for Fund shares purchased through certain intermediaries.

Letter of Intent. If you plan to invest at least $50,000 (excluding any reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions) during the next 13 months in Class A shares of any Touchstone Fund sold with a front-end sales charge, you may qualify for a reduced sales charge by completing the Letter of Intent section of your account application. A Letter of Intent indicates your intent to purchase at least $50,000 in Class A shares of any Touchstone Fund sold with a front-end sales charge over the next 13 months in exchange for a reduced sales charge indicated on the above chart. The minimum initial investment under a Letter of Intent is $10,000. You are not obligated to purchase additional shares if you complete a Letter of Intent. If you do not buy enough shares to qualify for the projected level of sales charge by the end of the 13-month period (or when you sell your shares, if earlier), your sales charge will be recalculated to reflect your actual purchase level. During the term of the Letter of Intent, shares representing 5% of your intended purchase will be held in escrow. If you do not purchase enough shares during the 13-month period to qualify for the projected reduced sales charge, the additional sales charge will be deducted from your escrow account. If you have purchased

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Class A shares of any Touchstone Fund sold with a front-end sales charge within 90 days prior to signing a Letter of Intent, they may be included as part of your intended purchase, however, previous purchase transactions will not be recalculated with the proposed new breakpoint. You must provide either a list of account numbers or copies of account statements verifying your purchases within the past 90 days.

Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  for variations in Letter of Intent terms for Fund shares purchased through certain intermediaries.

Other Information. Information about sales charges and breakpoints is also available in a clear and prominent format on the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You can access this information by selecting “Sales Charges and Breakpoints” under the “Pricing and Performance” link. For more information about qualifying for a reduced or waived sales charge, contact your financial intermediary or contact Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407.

Class C Shares (All Funds)
 
Class C shares of the Funds are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge so that the full amount of your purchase payment may be immediately invested in the Funds. Class C shares are subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. A CDSC of 1.00% will be charged on Class C shares redeemed within 1 year after you purchased them. In most cases it is more advantageous to purchase Class A shares for amounts of $1 million or more. Therefore a request to purchase Class C shares for $1 million or more will be considered as a purchase request for Class A shares or declined.
 
Class Y Shares (All Funds)
 
Class Y shares of the Funds are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge so that the full amount of your purchase payment may be immediately invested in the Funds. Class Y shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee or CDSC. In addition, Class Y shares may be purchased through certain mutual fund programs sponsored by qualified intermediaries, such as broker-dealers and investment advisors. In each case, the intermediary has entered into an agreement with Touchstone Securities to include the Touchstone Funds in their program where the intermediary provides investors participating in their program with additional services, including advisory, asset allocation, recordkeeping or other services. You should ask your financial institution if it offers and you are eligible to participate in such a mutual fund program and whether participation in the program is consistent with your investment goals. The intermediaries sponsoring or participating in these mutual fund programs may also offer their clients other classes of shares of the funds and investors may receive different levels of services or pay different fees depending upon the class of shares included in the program. Investors should carefully consider any separate transaction fee or other fees charged by these programs in connection with investing in each available share class before selecting a share class.
 
Institutional Class Shares (All Funds, except Balanced Fund)
 
Institutional Class shares of the Funds are sold at NAV, without an initial sales charge so that the full amount of your purchase payment may be immediately invested in the Funds. Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee or CDSC.

Class R6 Shares (Small Company Fund only)

No dealer compensation is paid from the sale of Class R6 shares of a Fund. Class R6 shares of the Fund are sold at NAV and do not pay a sales charge, Rule 12b-1 fee, impose a CDSC, or make payments to financial intermediaries/broker-dealers for assisting the Distributor in promoting the sales of a Fund's shares. In addition, neither the Fund nor its affiliates make any type of administrative, service, relationship, or revenue sharing payments in connection with Class R6 shares.

Class R6 shares may be available on brokerage platforms of firms that have agreements with the Fund’s Distributor to offer such shares solely when acting as an agent for the investor. An investor transacting in Class R6 shares in these programs may be required to pay a commission to the broker. Shares of the Small Company Fund are available in other share classes that have different fees and expenses.

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING ARRANGEMENTS
 
Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plans. Each Fund offering Class A shares and Class C shares has adopted a distribution plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act. The plans allow each Fund to pay distribution and other fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to shareholders. Under the Class A plan, the Funds pay an annual fee of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets that are attributable to Class A shares. Under the Class C plan, the Funds pay an annual fee of up to 1.00% of average daily net assets that are attributable to Class C shares (of which up to 0.75% is a distribution fee and up to 0.25% is a shareholder

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servicing fee). Because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, they will increase the cost of your investment and over time may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
 
Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries. Touchstone Securities, the Trust’s principal underwriter, at its own expense (from a designated percentage of its income) currently provides additional compensation to certain dealers. Touchstone Securities pursues a focused distribution strategy with a limited number of dealers who have sold shares of a Fund or other Touchstone Funds. Touchstone Securities reviews and makes changes to the focused distribution strategy on a periodic basis. These payments are generally based on a pro rata share of a dealer’s sales. Touchstone Securities may also provide compensation in connection with conferences, sales, or training programs for employees, seminars for the public, advertising, and other dealer-sponsored programs.
 
Touchstone Advisors, at its own expense, may also provide additional compensation to certain affiliated and unaffiliated dealers, financial intermediaries or service providers for certain services including distribution, administrative, sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency or shareholder servicing activities. These additional cash payments to a financial intermediary are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration, and sub-transfer agency fees). These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary bears certain costs in connection with providing shareholder services to Fund shareholders. Touchstone Advisors may also reimburse Touchstone Securities for making these payments.
 
Touchstone Advisors and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders’ fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold. The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and Touchstone Advisors or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of Funds’ shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend a Fund’s shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial intermediary. Although the Funds may use financial firms that sell the Funds’ shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Funds, the Funds and Touchstone Advisors will not consider the sale of a Fund’s shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions. For more information on payment arrangements, please see the section entitled “Touchstone Securities” in the SAI.
 
INVESTING WITH TOUCHSTONE
 
Choosing the Appropriate Investments to Match Your Goals. Investing well requires a plan. We recommend that you meet with your financial advisor to plan a strategy that will best meet your financial goals.
 
Purchasing Your Shares
 
Please read this prospectus carefully and then determine how much you want to invest.
 
Existing shareholders of all classes may purchase directly through Touchstone Securities, Inc. or your financial advisor.
Class Y shares are only available through a financial intermediary or financial institutions such as retirement plans or fee based platforms, which may impose charges in addition to those described in this prospectus.

In order to open an account you must complete an investment application. You can obtain an investment application from Touchstone Securities, your financial advisor or other financial intermediary, or by visiting the Touchstone Funds' website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may purchase shares in the Fund on a day when the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading (“Business Day”). For more information about how to purchase shares, call Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407.
 
Investor Alert: Each Touchstone Fund reserves the right to restrict or reject any purchase request, including exchanges from other Touchstone Funds which it regards as disruptive to efficient portfolio management. For example, a purchase request could be rejected because of the timing of the investment or because of a history of excessive trading by the investor. (See “Market Timing Policy” in this prospectus.) Touchstone Securities may change applicable initial and additional investment minimums at any time.




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Opening an Account

Important Information About Procedures for Opening an Account . Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, residential address, date of birth, government identification number and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents. If we do not receive these required pieces of information, there will be a delay in processing your investment request, which could subject your investment to market risk. If we are unable to immediately verify your identity, the Fund may restrict further investment until your identity is verified. However, if we are unable to completely verify your identity through our verification process, the Fund reserves the right to close your account without notice and return your investment to you at the price determined at the end of business (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time), on the day that your account is closed. If we close your account because we are unable to completely verify your identity, your investment will be subject to market fluctuation, which could result in a loss of a portion of your principal investment.
 
Investing in the Funds
 
By mail or through your financial advisor
 
Please make your check (drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. dollars) payable to Touchstone Funds. We do not accept third-party checks for initial investments.
Send your check with the completed investment application by regular mail to Touchstone Investments, P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, or by overnight mail to Touchstone Investments, c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01581.
Your application will be processed subject to your check clearing. If your check is returned for insufficient funds or uncollected funds, you may be charged a fee and you will be responsible for any resulting loss to the Fund.
You may also open an account through your financial advisor.
 
By wire or Automated Clearing House (“ACH”)
 
You may open an account by purchasing shares by wire or ACH transfer. Call Touchstone Investments at 1.800.543.0407 for wire or ACH instructions.
Touchstone Securities will not process wire or ACH purchases until it receives a completed investment application.
There is no charge imposed by the Funds to make a wire or ACH purchase. Your bank, financial intermediary or processing organization may charge a fee to send a wire or ACH purchase to Touchstone Securities.
 
Through your financial intermediary
 
You may invest in certain share classes by establishing an account through financial intermediaries that have appropriate selling agreements with Touchstone Securities.
Your financial intermediary will act as the shareholder of record of your shares.
Financial intermediaries may set different minimum initial and additional investment requirements, may impose other restrictions or may charge you fees for their services.
Financial intermediaries may designate intermediaries to accept purchase and sales orders on the Funds’ behalf.
Your financial intermediary may receive compensation from the Funds, Touchstone Securities, Touchstone Advisors, or their affiliates.
Before investing in the Funds through your financial intermediary, you should read any materials provided by your financial intermediary together with this prospectus.
 
By exchange. Touchstone Funds may be exchanged pursuant to the exchange rules outlined below:
 
Class A shares may be exchanged into Class A shares of any other Touchstone Fund at NAV, although Touchstone Funds that are closed to new investors may not accept exchanges.
Class C shares may be exchanged into Class C shares of any other Touchstone Fund although Touchstone Funds that are closed to new investors may not accept exchanges.
Class Y shares of the Funds are exchangeable for Class Y shares of any other Touchstone Fund, respectively, as long as investment minimums and proper selling agreement requirements are met. Class Y shares may be available through financial intermediaries that have appropriate selling agreements with Touchstone Securities, or through “processing organizations” (e.g., mutual fund supermarkets) that purchase shares for their customers.  Touchstone Funds that are closed to new investors may not accept exchanges.

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Institutional Class shares of the Funds are exchangeable for Institutional Class shares of any other Touchstone Fund as long as investment minimums and proper selling agreement requirements are met, although Touchstone Funds that are closed to new investors may not accept exchanges.
Class A, C, Y, and R6 shareholders who are eligible to invest in Institutional Class shares are eligible to exchange their Class A shares, Class C shares, and Class Y shares and Class R6 shares for Institutional Class shares of the same Fund, if offered in their state, and such an exchange can be accommodated by their financial intermediary. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for more information under “Choosing a Class of Shares”.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT EXCHANGES:  Shares otherwise subject to a CDSC will not be charged a CDSC in an exchange.  However, when you redeem the shares acquired through the exchange, the shares you redeem may be subject to a CDSC, depending on when you originally purchased the exchanged shares.  For purposes of computing the CDSC, the length of time you have owned your shares will be measured from the date of original purchase and will not be affected by any exchange

Before making an exchange of your Fund shares, you should carefully review the disclosure provided in the prospectus relating to the Fund into which you are exchanging. Touchstone Funds that are closed to new investors may not accept exchanges. You do not have to pay any exchange fee for your exchange, but if you exchange from a fund with a lower load schedule to a fund with a higher load schedule you may be charged the load differential.

You may realize a taxable gain if you exchange shares of a Fund for shares of another Fund. See “Distributions and Taxes - Federal Income Tax Information” for more information and the federal income tax consequences of such an exchange.
 
Through retirement plans. You may invest in certain Funds through various retirement plans. These include individual retirement plans and employer sponsored retirement plans.
 
Individual Retirement Plans
 
Traditional IRAs
SIMPLE IRAs
Spousal IRAs
Roth IRAs
Education IRAs
SEP IRAs

Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans
 
Defined benefit plans
Defined contribution plans (including 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans and money purchase plans)
457 plans
 
To determine which type of retirement plan is appropriate for you, please contact your tax advisor.
 
For further information about any of the plans, agreements, applications and annual fees, contact Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407 or contact your financial intermediary.
 
Through a processing organization. You may also purchase shares of the Funds through a “processing organization,” (e.g., a mutual fund supermarket) which is a broker-dealer, bank, or other financial institution that purchases shares for its customers. Some of the Touchstone Funds have authorized certain processing organizations (“Authorized Processing Organizations”) to receive purchase and sales orders on their behalf. Before investing in the Funds through a processing organization, you should read any materials provided by the processing organization together with this prospectus. You should also ask the processing organization if they are authorized by Touchstone Securities to receive purchase and sales orders on their behalf. If the processing organization is not authorized, then your purchase order could be rejected which could subject your investment to market risk. When shares are purchased through an Authorized Processing Organization, there may be various differences compared to investing directly with Touchstone Securities. The Authorized Processing Organization may:
 
Charge a fee for its services;
Act as the shareholder of record of the shares;
Set different minimum initial and additional investment requirements;
Impose other charges and restrictions; or
Designate intermediaries to accept purchase and sales orders on the Funds’ behalf

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Touchstone Securities considers a purchase or sales order as received when an Authorized Processing Organization, or its authorized designee, receives the order in proper form.
 
Shares held through an Authorized Processing Organization may be transferred into your name following procedures established by your Authorized Processing Organization and Touchstone Securities. Certain Authorized Processing Organizations may receive compensation from the Funds, Touchstone Securities, Touchstone Advisors, or their affiliates. It is the responsibility of an Authorized Processing Organization to transmit properly completed orders so that they will be received by Touchstone Securities in a timely manner.

Pricing of Purchases
 
Purchase orders received in proper form by Touchstone Securities, an Authorized Processing Organization, or a financial intermediary, by the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, are processed at that day’s public offering price (NAV plus any applicable sales charge). Purchase orders received after the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE are processed at the public offering price determined on the following business day. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or Authorized Processing Organization to transmit orders that will be received by Touchstone Securities in proper form and in a timely manner.
 
Adding to Your Account
 
By check
 
Complete the investment form provided with a recent account statement.
Make your check (drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. dollars) payable to Touchstone Funds.
Write your account number on the check.
Either: mail the check with the investment form to (1) Touchstone Securities; or (2) to your financial intermediary at the address printed on your account statement. Your financial advisor or financial intermediary is responsible for forwarding payment promptly to Touchstone Securities.
If your check is returned for insufficient funds or uncollected funds, you may be charged a fee and you will be responsible for any resulting loss to the Fund.
 
Through Touchstone Securities - By telephone or Internet
 
You can exchange your shares over the telephone by calling Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407, unless you have specifically declined this option. If you do not wish to have this ability, you must mark the appropriate section of the investment application.
You may also exchange your shares online via the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may only sell shares over the telephone or via the Internet if the value of the shares sold is less than $100,000.
In order to protect your investment, Touchstone Securities will only follow instructions received by telephone that it reasonably believes to be genuine. However, there is no guarantee that the instructions relied upon will always be genuine and Touchstone Securities will not be liable, in those cases. Touchstone Securities has certain procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine. If it does not follow such procedures in a particular case, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Some of these procedures may include:
Requiring personal identification.
Making checks payable only to the owner(s) of the account shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
Mailing checks only to the account address shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
Directing wires only to the bank account shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
Providing written confirmation for transactions requested by telephone.
Digitally recording instructions received by telephone.
 
By wire or ACH
 
Contact your bank and ask it to wire or ACH funds to Touchstone Securities. Specify your name and account number when remitting the funds.
Your bank may charge a fee for handling wire transfers. ACH transactions take 2-3 business days but can be transferred from most banks without a fee.

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If you hold your shares directly with Touchstone Securities and have ACH instructions on file for your non-retirement individual or joint account you may initiate a purchase transaction through the Touchstone Funds’ website at TouchstoneInvestments.com.
Purchases in the Funds will be processed at that day’s NAV (or public offering price, if applicable) if Touchstone Securities receives a properly executed wire or ACH by the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on a day when the NYSE is open for regular trading.
Contact Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary for further instructions.
 
By exchange
 
You may add to your account by exchanging shares from another Touchstone Fund.
For information about how to exchange shares among the Touchstone Funds, see “Investing in the Funds - By exchange” in this prospectus.
Exchange transactions can also be initiated for non-retirement individual or joint accounts via the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com.
 
Purchases with Securities
 
Shares may be purchased by tendering payment in-kind in the form of marketable securities, including but not limited to, shares of common stock, provided the acquisition of such securities is consistent with the applicable Fund’s investment goal and is otherwise acceptable to Touchstone Advisors. Transactions of this type are generally taxable transactions. Shareholders should consult with their personal tax advisor regarding their particular tax situation.
 
Automatic Investment Options
 
The various ways that you can automatically invest in the Funds are outlined below. Touchstone Securities does not charge any fees for these services. For further details about these services, call Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407. If you hold your shares through a financial intermediary or Authorized Processing Organization, please contact them for further details on automatic investment options.
 
Automatic Investment Plan. You can pre-authorize monthly investments in a Fund of $50 or more to be processed electronically from a checking or savings account. You will need to complete the appropriate section in the investment application or special account options form to do this. Amounts that are automatically invested in a Fund will not be available for redemption until three business days after the automatic reinvestment.
 
Reinvestment/Cross Reinvestment. Dividends and capital gains can be automatically reinvested in the Fund that pays them or in another Touchstone Fund within the same class of shares without a fee or sales charge. Dividends and capital gains will be reinvested in the Fund that pays them, unless you indicate otherwise on your investment application. You may also choose to have your dividends or capital gains paid to you in cash if such amounts are greater than $25; lesser amounts will be automatically reinvested in the Fund. Dividends are taxable for federal income tax purposes whether you reinvest such dividends in additional shares of a Fund or choose to receive cash. If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash and the payment (1) is returned and marked as “undeliverable” or (2) is not cashed for six months, your cash election will be changed automatically and future dividends will be reinvested in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the date of payment. In addition, any undeliverable checks from non–retirement accounts will be deposited into an account for potential escheatment to your state of residence. Checks from open non-retirement accounts that are not cashed for six months will be cancelled and then reinvested in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the date of cancellation. Otherwise, no action will be taken regarding undeliverable or uncashed checks. 

Direct Deposit Purchase Plan. You may automatically invest Social Security checks, private payroll checks, pension payouts or any other pre-authorized government or private recurring payments in our Funds.
 
Dollar Cost Averaging. Our dollar cost averaging program allows you to diversify your investments by investing the same amount on a regular basis. You can set up periodic automatic exchanges of at least $50 from one Touchstone Fund to any other. The applicable sales charge, if any, will be assessed.
 
Selling Your Shares
 
If you elect to receive your redemption proceeds in cash and the payment is not cashed for six months, your account will be coded as a lost shareholder account and correspondence will be sent to you requesting that you contact the Fund in order to remove this

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coding. If the Fund does not hear from you within 30 days of the mailing of this notice, the redemption check will be cancelled and then reinvested in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the date of cancellation.
 
Through Touchstone Securities - By telephone or Internet
 
You can sell your shares over the telephone by calling Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407, unless you have specifically declined this option. If you do not wish to have this ability, you must mark the appropriate section of the investment application.
You may also sell your shares online via the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com.
You may sell shares over the telephone or via Internet only if the value of the shares sold is less than or equal to $100,000.
Shares held in qualified retirement plans cannot be sold via Internet.
If we receive your sale request by the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on a day when the NYSE is open for regular trading, the sale of your shares will be processed at the next determined NAV on that Business Day. Otherwise it will occur on the next Business Day.
Interruptions in telephone or Internet service could prevent you from selling your shares when you want to. When you have difficulty making telephone or Internet sales, you should mail to Touchstone Securities (or send by overnight delivery) a written request for the sale of your shares.
In order to protect your investment, Touchstone Securities will only follow instructions received by telephone that it reasonably believes to be genuine. However, there is no guarantee that the instructions relied upon will always be genuine and Touchstone Securities will not be liable, in those cases. Touchstone Securities has certain procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine. If it does not follow such procedures in a particular case, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Some of these procedures may include:
Requiring personal identification.
Making checks payable only to the owner(s) of the account shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
Mailing checks only to the account address shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
Directing wires only to the bank account shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
Providing written confirmation for transactions requested by telephone.
Digitally recording instructions received by telephone.

Through Touchstone Securities - By mail
 
Write to Touchstone Securities, P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940.
Indicate the number of shares or dollar amount to be sold.
Include your name and account number.
Sign your request exactly as your name appears on your investment application.
You may be required to have your signature guaranteed. (See “Signature Guarantees” in this prospectus for more information).
 
Through Touchstone Securities - By wire
 
Complete the appropriate information on the investment application.
If your proceeds are $1,000 or more, you may request that Touchstone Securities wire them to your bank account.
You may be charged a fee of up to $15 by a Fund or a Fund’s Authorized Processing Organization for wiring redemption proceeds. You may also be charged a fee by your bank. Certain institutional shareholders who trade daily are not charged wire redemption fees.
Your redemption proceeds may be deposited directly into your bank account through an ACH transaction. There is no fee imposed by the Funds for ACH transactions, however, you may be charged a fee by your bank to receive an ACH transaction. Contact Touchstone Securities for more information.
If you hold your shares directly with Touchstone Securities and have ACH or wire instructions on file for your non-retirement account you may transact through the Touchstone Funds’ website: TouchstoneInvestments.com.
 
Through Touchstone Securities - Through a systematic withdrawal plan
 
You may elect to receive, or send to a third party, systemic withdrawals of $50 or more if your account value is at least $5,000.
Systemic withdrawals can be made monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually.
There is no fee for this service.
There is no minimum account balance required for retirement plans.


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Through your financial intermediary or Authorized Processing Organization
 
You may also sell shares by contacting your financial intermediary or Authorized Processing Organization, which may charge you a fee for this service. Shares held in street name must be sold through your financial intermediary or, if applicable, the Authorized Processing Organization.
Your financial intermediary or Authorized Processing Organization is responsible for making sure that sale requests are transmitted to Touchstone Securities in proper form and in a timely manner.
Your financial intermediary may charge you a fee for selling your shares.
Redemption proceeds will only be wired to your account at the financial intermediary.
 
Investor Alert: Unless otherwise specified, proceeds will be sent to the record owner at the address shown on Touchstone Securities’ records.
 
Pricing of Redemptions
 
Redemption orders received in proper form by Touchstone Securities, an Authorized Processing Organization, or a financial intermediary, by the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, are processed at that day’s NAV. Redemption orders received after the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE are processed at the NAV determined on the following business day. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or Authorized Processing Organization to transmit orders that will be received by Touchstone Securities in proper form and in a timely manner.
 
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (“CDSC”)
 
If you purchase $1 million or more in Class A shares at NAV and a commission was paid by Touchstone Securities to a participating unaffiliated dealer, a CDSC of up to 1.00% may be charged on redemptions made within 1 year of your purchase. Additionally, when an upfront commission is paid to a participating dealer on transactions of $1 million or more in Class A Shares, the Fund will withhold any 12b-1 fee for the first 12 months following the purchase date. If you redeem Class C shares within 12 months of your purchase, a CDSC of 1.00% will be charged.
 
The CDSC will not apply to redemptions of shares you received through reinvested dividends or capital gains distributions and may be waived under certain circumstances described below. The CDSC will be assessed on the lesser of your shares’ NAV at the time of redemption or the time of purchase. The CDSC is paid to Touchstone Securities to reimburse expenses incurred in providing distribution-related services to the Funds.
 
All sales charges imposed on redemptions are paid to Touchstone Securities. In determining whether the CDSC is payable, it is assumed that shares not subject to the CDSC are the first redeemed followed by other shares held for the longest period of time. The CDSC will not be imposed upon shares representing reinvested dividends or capital gains distributions, or upon amounts representing share appreciation.
 
No CDSC is applied if:
 
The redemption is due to the death or post-purchase disability of a shareholder. Touchstone Securities may require documentation prior to waiver of the charge.
Any partial or complete redemption following death or disability (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) of a shareholder (including one who owns the shares with his or her spouse as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship) from an account in which the deceased or disabled is named. Touchstone Securities may require documentation prior to waiver of the charge, including death certificates, physicians’ certificates, etc.
Redemptions from a systematic withdrawal plan . If the systematic withdrawal plan is based on a fixed dollar amount or number of shares or systematic withdrawal redemptions are limited to no more than 10% of your account value or number of shares per year, as of the date the transfer agent receives your request. If the systematic withdrawal plan is based on a fixed percentage of your account value, each redemption is limited to an amount that would not exceed 10% of your annual account value at the time of withdrawal.
Redemptions from retirement plans qualified under Section 401 of the Code . The CDSC will be waived for benefit payments made by Touchstone Securities directly to plan participants. Benefit payments will include, but are not limited to, payments resulting from death, disability, retirement, separation from service, required minimum distributions (as described under Section 401(a)(9) of the Code), in-service distributions, hardships, loans, and qualified domestic relations orders. The CDSC waiver will not apply in the event of termination of the plan or transfer of the plan to another financial intermediary.
The redemption is for a mandatory withdrawal from a traditional IRA account after age 70 ½.

44


Shareholders of Class A shares and Class C shares that were received pursuant to the October 27, 2017 reorganization of series of Sentinel Group Funds, Inc. (“Sentinel Funds”) will not be assessed a CDSC upon redemption of their shares.
 
The above-mentioned CDSC waivers do not apply to redemptions made within one year for purchases of $1 million or more in Class A shares of the Touchstone Funds where a commission was paid by Touchstone Securities to a participating broker-dealer. The SAI contains further details about the CDSC and the conditions for waiving the CDSC. Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary–Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  for variations in CDSC waivers for shares purchased through certain intermediaries.
 
Signature Guarantees
 
Some circumstances require that your request to sell shares be made in writing accompanied by an original Medallion Signature Guarantee. A Medallion Signature Guarantee helps protect you against fraud. You can obtain one from most banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. Each Fund reserves the right to require a signature guarantee for any request related to your account including, but not limited to:
 
Proceeds to be paid when information on your account has been changed within the last 30 days (including a change in your name or your address, or the name or address of a payee).
Proceeds are being sent to an address other than the address of record.
Proceeds or shares are being sent/transferred from unlike registrations such as a joint account to an individual’s account.
Sending proceeds via wire or ACH when bank instructions have been added or changed within 30 days of your redemption request.
Proceeds or shares are being sent/transferred between accounts with different account registrations.
 
Market Timing Policy
 
Market timing or excessive trading in accounts that you own or control may disrupt portfolio investment strategies, may increase brokerage and administrative costs, and may negatively impact investment returns for all shareholders, including long-term shareholders who do not generate these costs. The Funds will take reasonable steps to discourage excessive short-term trading and will not knowingly accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by shareholders. The Board of Trustees has adopted the following policies and procedures with respect to market timing of the Funds by shareholders. The Funds will monitor selected trades on a daily basis in an effort to deter excessive short-term trading. If a Fund has reason to believe that a shareholder has engaged in excessive short-term trading, the Fund may ask the shareholder to stop such activities, or restrict or refuse to process purchases or exchanges in the shareholder’s accounts. While a Fund cannot assure the prevention of all excessive trading and market timing, by making these judgments the Fund believes it is acting in a manner that is in the best interests of its shareholders. However, because the Funds cannot prevent all market timing, shareholders may be subject to the risks described above.
 
Generally, a shareholder may be considered a market timer if he or she has (i) requested an exchange or redemption out of any of the Touchstone Funds within two weeks of an earlier purchase or exchange request into any Touchstone Fund, or (ii) made more than two “round-trip” exchanges within a rolling 90 day period. A “round-trip” exchange occurs when a shareholder exchanges from one Touchstone Fund to another Touchstone Fund and back to the original Touchstone Fund. If a shareholder exceeds these limits, the Funds may restrict or suspend that shareholder’s exchange privileges and subsequent exchange requests during the suspension will not be processed. The Funds may also restrict or refuse to process purchases by the shareholder. These exchange limits and excessive trading policies generally do not apply to systematic purchases and redemptions.
 
Financial intermediaries (such as investment advisors and broker-dealers) often establish omnibus accounts in the Funds for their customers through which transactions are placed. If a Fund identifies excessive trading in such an account, the Fund may instruct the intermediary to restrict the investor responsible for the excessive trading from further trading in the Fund. In accordance with Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act, the Funds have entered into information sharing agreements with certain financial intermediaries. Under these agreements, a financial intermediary is obligated to: (1) enforce during the term of the agreement, the Funds’ market-timing policy; (2) furnish the Funds, upon their request, with information regarding customer trading activities in shares of the Funds; and (3) enforce the Funds’ market-timing policy with respect to customers identified by the Funds as having engaged in market timing. When information regarding transactions in the Funds’ shares is requested by a Fund and such information is in the possession of a person that is itself a financial intermediary to a financial intermediary (an “indirect intermediary”), any financial intermediary with whom the Funds have an information sharing agreement is obligated to obtain transaction information from the indirect intermediary or, if directed by the Funds, to restrict or prohibit the indirect intermediary from purchasing shares of the Funds on behalf of other persons. The Funds apply these policies and procedures uniformly to all shareholders believed to be engaged in market timing or excessive trading. The Funds have no arrangements to permit any investor to trade frequently in shares of the Funds, nor will they enter into any such arrangements in the future.

45



Householding Policy (Only applicable for shares held directly through Touchstone Securities)
 
Each Fund you invest in will send one copy of its prospectuses and shareholder reports to households containing multiple shareholders with the same last name. This process, known as “householding”, reduces costs and provides a convenience to shareholders. If you share the same last name and address with another shareholder and you prefer to receive separate prospectuses and shareholder reports, call Touchstone Investments at 1.800.543.0407 and we will begin separate mailings to you within 30 days of your request. If you or others in your household invest in the Funds through a financial intermediary, you may receive separate prospectuses and shareholder reports, regardless of whether or not you have consented to householding on your investment application.

In addition, eDelivery is available for statements, confirms and regulatory documents (annual and semi-annual reports, prospectuses, information statements and proxy materials) for shareholders holding accounts directly with Touchstone Securities, please contact Shareholder Services at 1.800.534.0407 for more information. If you hold your account through a broker-dealer or financial intermediary, please contact them directly to inquire about eDelivery opportunities.

Receiving Sale Proceeds
 
Touchstone Securities will forward the proceeds of your sale to you (or to your financial intermediary) within 7 days (normally within 3 business days) after receipt of a proper request. Under normal conditions, each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests through the use of the Fund's holdings of cash or cash equivalents, lines of credit, an interfund loan (as discussed in the SAI) or by selling other Fund assets. A redemption–in–kind may be used under unusual circumstances and is discussed below in more detail.

Proceeds Sent to Financial Intermediaries or Authorized Processing Organizations. Proceeds that are sent to your Authorized Processing Organization or financial intermediary will not usually be reinvested for you unless you provide specific instructions to do so. Therefore, the financial advisor, Authorized Processing Organization or financial intermediary may benefit from the use of your money.
 
Fund Shares Purchased by Check (Only applicable for shares held directly through Touchstone Securities). We may delay the processing and payment of redemption proceeds for shares you recently purchased by check until your check clears, which may take up to 15 days. If you believe you may need your money sooner, you should purchase shares by bank wire.
 
Reinstatement Privilege (Classes A and C shares only) . You may, within 90 days of redemption, including redemption proceeds reinvested from an unaffiliated money market fund, reinvest all or part of your sale proceeds by sending a written request and a check to Touchstone Securities. If the redemption proceeds were from the sale of Class A shares and the sales load that you incurred on the initial purchase is less than the sales charge for the Fund in which you are reinvesting, you will incur a sales charge representing the difference. If the redemption proceeds were from the sale of your Class A shares, and the sales load that you incurred on the initial purchase is equal to or more than the sales charge for the Fund in which you are reinvesting you can reinvest into Class A shares of any applicable Touchstone Fund at NAV. If the redemption proceeds were from the sale of Class A shares and the sales load that you incurred on the initial purchase is less than the sales charge for the Fund in which you are reinvesting, you will incur a sales charge representing the difference. Reinvestment will be at the NAV next calculated after Touchstone Securities receives your request. If the reinvestment proceeds were from the sale of your Class C shares, you can reinvest those proceeds into Class C shares of any Touchstone Fund. If you paid a CDSC on the reinstated amount, that CDSC will be reimbursed to you upon reinvestment. For federal income tax purposes, an exchange of Fund shares is treated as the sale of the shares of one Fund and the purchase of the shares of the other Fund. As a result, the exchange may result in a tax consequence if you have a capital gain or loss in the Fund shares you are selling/exchanging.

Low Account Balances (Only applicable for shares held directly through Touchstone Securities). If your balance falls below the minimum amount required for your account, based on actual amounts you have invested (as opposed to a reduction from market changes), Touchstone Securities may sell your shares and send the proceeds to you. This involuntary sale does not apply to retirement accounts or custodian accounts under the UGTMA. Touchstone Securities will notify you if your shares are about to be sold and you will have 30 days to increase your account balance to the minimum amount.
 
Delay of Payment. It is possible that the payment of your sale proceeds could be postponed or your right to sell your shares could be suspended during certain circumstances. These circumstances can occur:
 
When the NYSE is closed on days other than customary weekends and holidays;
When trading on the NYSE is restricted; or

46


During any other time when the SEC, by order, permits.
 
Redemption in Kind. Under unusual circumstances, (such as a market emergency), when the Board deems it appropriate, a Fund may make payment for shares redeemed in portfolio securities of the Fund taken at current value in order to meet redemption requests. Shareholders may incur transaction and brokerage costs when they sell these portfolio securities. Until such time as the shareholder sells the securities they receive in-kind, the securities are subject to market risk. Redemptions in kind are taxable for federal income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions for cash. The Funds may also use redemption in-kind for certain Fund shares held by ReFlow.
 
Pricing of Fund Shares
 
Each Fund’s share price (also called “NAV”) and public offering price (NAV plus a sales charge, if applicable) is determined as of the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) every day the NYSE is open. Each Fund calculates its NAV per share for each class, generally using market prices, by dividing the total value of its net assets by the number of shares outstanding.
 
The Funds’ equity investments are valued based on market value or, if no market value is available, based on fair value as determined by the Board (or under its direction). The Funds may use pricing services to determine market value for investments. Some specific pricing strategies follow:
 
All short-term dollar-denominated investments that mature in 60 days or less may be valued on the basis of amortized cost which the Board has determined as fair value.
Securities mainly traded on a U.S. exchange are valued at the last sale price on that exchange or, if no sales occurred during the day, at the last quoted bid price.
 
Any foreign securities held by a Fund will be priced as follows:
 
All assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currency values will be converted into U.S. dollar values.
Securities mainly traded on a non-U.S. exchange are generally valued according to the preceding closing values on that exchange. However, if an event that may change the value of a security occurs after the time that the closing value on the non-U.S. exchange was determined, but before the close of regular trading on the NYSE, the security may be priced based on fair value. This may cause the value of the security on the books of the Fund to be significantly different from the closing value on the non-U.S. exchange and may affect the calculation of the NAV.
Because portfolio securities that are primarily listed on a non-U.S. exchange may trade on weekends or other days when a Fund does not price its shares, a Fund’s NAV may change on days when shareholders will not be able to buy or sell shares.
 
Securities held by a Fund that do not have readily available market quotations, are priced at their fair value using procedures approved by the Board. Any debt securities held by a Fund for which market quotations are not readily available are generally priced at their most recent bid prices as obtained from one or more of the major market makers for such securities. The Funds may use fair value pricing under the following circumstances, among others:

If the value of a security has been materially affected by events occurring before the Fund’s pricing time but after the close of the primary markets on which the security is traded.
If a security is so thinly traded that reliable market quotations are unavailable due to infrequent trading.
If the exchange on which a portfolio security is principally traded closes early or if trading in a particular portfolio security was halted during the day and did not resume prior to the Fund’s NAV calculation.
If the validity of market quotations is not reliable.
 
The use of fair value pricing has the effect of valuing a security based upon the price a Fund might reasonably expect to receive if it sold that security but does not guarantee that the security can be sold at the fair value price. The Funds have established fair value policies and procedures that delegate fair value responsibilities to the Advisor. These policies and procedures outline the fair value method for the Advisor. The Advisor’s determination of a security’s fair value price often involves the consideration of a number of subjective factors established by the Board, and is therefore subject to the unavoidable risk that the value that the Fund assigns to a security may be higher or lower than the security’s value would be if a reliable market quotation for the security was readily available. With respect to any portion of a Fund’s assets that is invested in other mutual funds, that portion of the Fund’s NAV is calculated based on the NAV of that mutual fund. The prospectus for the other mutual fund explains the circumstances and effects of fair value pricing for that fund.
 

47


DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
 
Each Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its net investment income and capital gains. Dividends, if any, of net investment income are declared and paid annually by all Funds except the Balanced Fund. Dividends, if any, of net investment income are declared and paid quarterly by the Balanced Fund. Each Fund makes distributions of capital gains, if any, at least annually. If you own shares on a Fund’s distribution record date, you will be entitled to receive the distribution.
 
You will receive income dividends and distributions of capital gains in the form of additional Fund shares unless you elect to receive payment in cash. Cash payments will only be made for amounts equal to or exceeding $25; for amounts less than $25, the dividends and distributions will be automatically reinvested in the paying Fund and class. To elect cash payments, you must notify the Funds in writing or by phone prior to the date of distribution. Your election will be effective for dividends and distributions paid after we receive your notice. To cancel your election, simply send written notice to Touchstone Investments, P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, or by overnight mail to Touchstone Investments, c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01581, or call Touchstone Securities at 1.800.543.0407. If you hold your shares through a financial institution, you must contact the institution to elect cash payment. If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash and the payment (1) is returned and marked as “undeliverable” or (2) is not cashed for six months, your cash election will be changed automatically and future dividends will be reinvested in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the date of cancellation.
 
A Fund’s dividends and other distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by a Fund, has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend or distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income taxes.
 
For most shareholders, a statement will be sent to you within 75 days after the end of each year detailing the federal income tax status of your distributions. Please see “Federal Income Tax Information” below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by a Fund.

Federal Income Tax Information
 
The tax information in this prospectus is provided only for general information purposes for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.
 
General. The Funds intend to qualify annually to be treated as regulated investment companies (“RICs”) under the Code. As such, the Funds will not be subject to federal income taxes on the earnings they distribute to shareholders provided they satisfy certain requirements and restrictions of the Code, one of which is to distribute to a Fund’s shareholders substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income and net short-term capital gains each year. If for any taxable year a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and thus will be subject to federal income tax at the corporate tax rate; and (2) distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and for “qualified dividend income” treatment for non-corporate shareholders.
 
Distributions. The Funds will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, foreign, state, and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash. Taxable Fund distributions are taxable to a shareholder even if the distributions are paid from income or gains earned by a Fund prior to the shareholder’s investment and, thus, were included in the price the shareholder paid for the shares. For example, a shareholder who purchases shares on or just before the record date of a Fund distribution will pay full price for the shares and may receive a portion of the investment back as a taxable distribution. Distributions declared by a Fund during October, November or December to shareholders of record during such month and paid by January 31 of the following year are treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders and paid by the Fund on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared.
 
Ordinary Income. Net investment income, except for qualified dividend income and income designated as tax-exempt, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by a Fund as “qualified dividend income” are eligible for the long-term capital gains rate, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.
 

48


Net Capital Gains. Net capital gains (i.e ., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.
 
Sale or Exchange of Shares. It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of a Fund or exchange shares of a Fund for shares of another Touchstone Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell or exchange, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of a Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of exempt-interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.
 
Returns of Capital.  If a Fund makes a distribution in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his or her shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s basis in his or her shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares.
 
Backup Withholding. A Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all distributions and sales proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) that they are subject to backup withholding.
 
Medicare Tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including dividends and distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.
 
Foreign Taxes. Income received by a Fund or underlying Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. If a Fund qualifies (by having more than 50% of the value of its total assets at the close of the taxable year consist of stock or securities in foreign corporations or by being a qualified fund of funds) and elects to pass through foreign taxes paid on its investments during the year, such taxes will be reported to you as income. You may, however, be able to claim an offsetting tax credit or deduction on your federal income tax return, depending on your particular circumstances and provided you meet certain holding period and other requirements. Tax-exempt holders of Fund shares, such as qualified tax-advantaged retirement plans, will not benefit from such a deduction or credit.
 
Non-U.S. Shareholders. Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in a Fund. This prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in a Fund. Accordingly, non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisors as to the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of an investment in a Fund.
 
Statements and Notices. You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes paid by a Fund during the prior taxable year.
 
Important Tax Reporting Considerations.   The Funds are required to report cost basis and holding period information to both the IRS and shareholders for gross proceeds from the sales of Fund shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012 ("covered shares"). This information is reported on Form 1099-B. The average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of covered shares unless the shareholder instructs a Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HIFO)). If the shareholder designates SLID as the shareholder’s tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, a Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals. If you hold shares of a Fund through a financial intermediary, the financial intermediary will be responsible for this reporting and the financial intermediary’s default cost basis method may apply. Please consult your tax adviser for additional information regarding cost basis reporting and your situation.
 
Redemptions by S corporations of covered shares are required to be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-B. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

49


 
This section is only a summary of some important federal income tax considerations that may affect your investment in a Fund. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Funds’ SAI. You are urged and advised to consult your own tax advisor regarding the effects of an investment in a Fund on your tax situation, including the application of foreign, state, local, and other tax laws to your particular situation.

50


FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Fund’s financial performance for the past five years, or if shorter, the period of each Fund’s operations.  Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions.  The financial highlights for each Fund for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017 were audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with each Fund’s financial statements and related notes, is included in the Funds' November 30, 2017 annual report. The financial highlights for the Predecessor Funds for the fiscal years ended 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm. You can obtain the annual report at no charge by calling 1.800.543.0407 or by downloading a copy from the Touchstone Investments website at: TouchstoneInvestments.com/home/formslit/.

















































51


Touchstone Balanced Fund—Class A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
   
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
   
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
19.68

 
$
19.87

 
 
 
$
20.98

 
 
 
$
20.23

 
 
 
$
18.03

 
   
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
   
Net investment income
 
0.21

 
0.23

 
(A)  
 
0.43

 
(A)  
 
0.26

 
(A)  
 
0.23

 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
2.89

 
0.66

 
 
 
(0.35
)
 
 
 
1.50

 
 
 
2.91

 
   
Total from investment operations
 
3.10

 
0.89

 
 
 
0.08

 
 
 
1.76

 
 
 
3.14

 
   
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
   
Net investment income
 
(0.25
)
 
(0.44
)
 
 
 
(0.30
)
 
 
 
(0.26
)
 
 
 
(0.26
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.13
)
 
(0.64
)
 
 
 
(0.89
)
 
 
 
(0.75
)
 
 
 
(0.68
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(0.38
)
 
(1.08
)
 
 
 
(1.19
)
 
 
 
(1.01
)
 
 
 
(0.94
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
22.40

 
$
19.68

 
 
 
$
19.87

 
 
 
$
20.98

 
 
 
$
20.23

 
   
Total return (B)
 
15.95
%
 
4.75
%
 
 
 
0.56
%
 
 
 
9.10
%
 
 
 
18.15
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
   
Net assets at end of period (000's)
 
$
258,279

 
$
264,910

 
 
 
$
263,276

 
 
 
$
278,385

 
 
 
$
267,627

 
   
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
   
Net expenses
 
1.03
%
 
1.01
%
 
 
 
1.04
%
 
 
 
1.07
%
 
 
 
1.06
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.04
%
 
1.01
%
 
 
 
1.04
%
 
 
 
1.07
%
 
 
 
1.06
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
0.99
%
 
1.20
%
 
 
 
2.17
%
 
(C)  
 
1.29
%
 
 
 
1.22
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
46
%
 
45
%
 
 
 
86
%
 
 
 
94
%
 
 
 
154
%
 
 
(A)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B)
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Class A shares by 0.86% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.



























52


Touchstone Balanced Fund—Class C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
19.73

 
$
19.93

 
 
 
$
21.04

 
 
 
$
20.27

 
 
 
$
18.07

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.04

 
0.08

 
(A)  
 
0.28

 
(A)  
 
0.11

 
(A)  
 
0.08

 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
2.91

 
0.66

 
 
 
(0.35
)
 
 
 
1.51

 
 
 
2.91

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
2.95

 
0.74

 
 
 
(0.07
)
 
 
 
1.62

 
 
 
2.99

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.09
)
 
(0.30
)
 
 
 
(0.15
)
 
 
 
(0.10
)
 
 
 
(0.11
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.13
)
 
(0.64
)
 
 
 
(0.89
)
 
 
 
(0.75
)
 
 
 
(0.68
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(0.22
)
 
(0.94
)
 
 
 
(1.04
)
 
 
 
(0.85
)
 
 
 
(0.79
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
22.46

 
$
19.73

 
 
 
$
19.93

 
 
 
$
21.04

 
 
 
$
20.27

 
 
Total return (B)
 
15.09
%
 
3.91
%
 
 
 
(0.23
)%
 
 
 
8.34
%
 
 
 
17.19
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000's)
 
$
42,800

 
$
43,066

 
 
 
$
35,344

 
 
 
$
32,002

 
 
 
$
30,647

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.79
%
 
1.78
%
 
 
 
1.82
 %
 
 
 
1.82
%
 
 
 
1.86
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.81
%
 
1.78
%
 
 
 
1.82
 %
 
 
 
1.82
%
 
 
 
1.86
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
0.23
%
 
0.43
%
 
 
 
1.39
 %
 
(C)  
 
0.53
%
 
 
 
0.42
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
46
%
 
45
%
 
 
 
86
 %
 
 
 
94
%
 
 
 
154
%
 
 
(A)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B)
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Class C shares by 0.86% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.


 
























53


Touchstone Balanced Fund— Class Y (A)  
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
19.57

 
$
19.78

 
 
 
$
20.90

 
 
 
$
20.15

 
 
 
$
17.95

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.28

 
0.27

 
(B)  
 
0.47

 
(B)  
 
0.31

 
(B)  
 
0.28

 
(B)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
2.84

 
0.65

 
 
 
(0.34
)
 
 
 
1.50

 
 
 
2.89

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
3.12

 
0.92

 
 
 
0.13

 
 
 
1.81

 
 
 
3.17

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.30
)
 
(0.49
)
 
 
 
(0.36
)
 
 
 
(0.31
)
 
 
 
(0.29
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.13
)
 
(0.64
)
 
 
 
(0.89
)
 
 
 
(0.75
)
 
 
 
(0.68
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(0.43
)
 
(1.13
)
 
 
 
(1.25
)
 
 
 
(1.06
)
 
 
 
(0.97
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
22.26

 
$
19.57

 
 
 
$
19.78

 
 
 
$
20.90

 
 
 
$
20.15

 
 
Total return
 
16.20
%
 
4.94
%
 
 
 
0.79
%
 
 
 
9.43
%
 
 
 
18.46
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
31,215

 
$
14,477

 
 
 
$
12,589

 
 
 
$
17,062

 
 
 
$
20,468

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
0.78
%
 
0.81
%
 
 
 
0.81
%
 
 
 
0.80
%
 
 
 
0.77
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
0.80
%
 
0.81
%
 
 
 
0.81
%
 
 
 
0.80
%
 
 
 
0.77
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
1.25
%
 
1.41
%
 
 
 
2.39
%
 
(C)  
 
1.55
%
 
 
 
1.50
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
46
%
 
45
%
 
 
 
86
%
 
 
 
94
%
 
 
 
154
%
 
 
(A)
Effective October 28, 2017, Class I shares of the Sentinel Balanced Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were reorganized into Class Y shares of the Fund.
(B)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Class Y shares by 0.86% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
























 

54


Touchstone International Equity Fund—Class A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
15.52

 
$
16.92

 
 
 
$
19.61

 
 
 
$
20.18

 
 
 
$
16.03

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.17

 
0.18

 
(A)  
 
0.13

 
(A)  
 
0.25

 
(A)  
 
0.16

 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
4.05

 
(0.97
)
 
 
 
0.47

 
 
 
(0.61
)
 
 
 
4.13

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
4.22

 
(0.79
)
 
 
 
0.60

 
 
 
(0.36
)
 
 
 
4.29

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.10
)
 
(0.12
)
 
 
 
(0.34
)
 
 
 
(0.21
)
 
 
 
(0.14
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 

 
(0.49
)
 
 
 
(2.95
)
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
Total distributions
 
(0.10
)
 
(0.61
)
 
 
 
(3.29
)
 
 
 
(0.21
)
 
 
 
(0.14
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
19.64

 
$
15.52

 
 
 
$
16.92

 
 
 
$
19.61

 
 
 
$
20.18

 
 
Total return (B)
 
27.39
%
 
(4.81
)%
 
 
 
4.49
%
 
 
 
(1.81
)%
 
 
 
26.93
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
129,139

 
$
114,616

 
 
 
$
113,212

 
 
 
$
115,216

 
 
 
$
122,646

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.37
%
 
1.36
 %
 
 
 
1.41
%
 
 
 
1.41
 %
 
 
 
1.44
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.39
%
 
1.36
 %
 
 
 
1.41
%
 
 
 
1.41
 %
 
 
 
1.44
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
0.92
%
 
1.11
 %
 
 
 
0.76
%
 
 
 
1.22
 %
 
 
 
0.91
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
37
%
 
36
 %
 
 
 
55
%
 
 
 
50
 %
 
 
 
52
%
 
 
Touchstone International Equity Fund— Class C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
14.66

 
$
16.06

 
 
 
$
18.71

 
 
 
$
19.34

 
 
 
$
15.49

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment loss
 
(0.06
)
 
(0.01
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.10
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.04
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.11
)
 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
3.86

 
(0.90
)
 
 
 
0.47

 
 
 
(0.59
)
 
 
 
3.97

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
3.80

 
(0.91
)
 
 
 
0.37

 
 
 
(0.63
)
 
 
 
3.86

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 

 

 
 
 
(0.07
)
 
 
 

 
 
 
(0.01
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 

 
(0.49
)
 
 
 
(2.95
)
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
Total distributions
 

 
(0.49
)
 
 
 
(3.02
)
 
 
 

 
 
 
(0.01
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
18.46

 
$
14.66

 
 
 
$
16.06

 
 
 
$
18.71

 
 
 
$
19.34

 
 
Total return (B)
 
25.92
 %
 
(5.82
)%
 
 
 
3.14
 %
 
 
 
(3.26
)%
 
 
 
24.92
 %
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
6,924

 
$
5,876

 
 
 
$
4,732

 
 
 
$
3,581

 
 
 
$
3,634

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
2.45
 %
 
2.49
 %
 
 
 
2.70
 %
 
 
 
2.86
 %
 
 
 
3.04
 %
 
 
Gross expenses
 
2.49
 %
 
2.49
 %
 
 
 
2.70
 %
 
 
 
2.86
 %
 
 
 
3.04
 %
 
 
Net investment loss
 
(0.16
)%
 
(0.04
)%
 
 
 
(0.60
)%
 
 
 
(0.23
)%
 
 
 
(0.66
)%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
37
 %
 
36
 %
 
 
 
55
 %
 
 
 
50
 %
 
 
 
52
 %
 
 
(A)
The net investment income (loss) per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B)
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.

 

55


Touchstone International Equity Fund—Class Y (A)  
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
15.40

 
$
16.79

 
 
 
$
19.53

 
 
 
$
20.13

 
 
 
$
15.99

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.25

 
0.23

 
(B)  
 
0.18

 
(B)  
 
0.38

 
(B)  
 
0.26

 
(B)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
3.98

 
(0.95
)
 
 
 
0.47

 
 
 
(0.65
)
 
 
 
4.11

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
4.23

 
(0.72
)
 
 
 
0.65

 
 
 
(0.27
)
 
 
 
4.37

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.18
)
 
(0.18
)
 
 
 
(0.44
)
 
 
 
(0.33
)
 
 
 
(0.23
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 

 
(0.49
)
 
 
 
(2.95
)
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
Total distributions
 
(0.18
)
 
(0.67
)
 
 
 
(3.39
)
 
 
 
(0.33
)
 
 
 
(0.23
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
19.45

 
$
15.40

 
 
 
$
16.79

 
 
 
$
19.53

 
 
 
$
20.13

 
 
Total return
 
27.78
%
 
(4.41
)%
 
 
 
4.89
%
 
 
 
(1.39
)%
 
 
 
27.64
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
63,320

 
$
40,528

 
 
 
$
14,967

 
 
 
$
10,997

 
 
 
$
34,561

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.01
%
 
0.99
 %
 
 
 
1.02
%
 
 
 
0.92
 %
 
 
 
0.89
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.03
%
 
0.99
 %
 
 
 
1.02
%
 
 
 
0.92
 %
 
 
 
0.89
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
1.28
%
 
1.45
 %
 
 
 
1.05
%
 
 
 
1.91
 %
 
 
 
1.48
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
37
%
 
36
 %
 
 
 
55
%
 
 
 
50
 %
 
 
 
52
%
 
 
Touchstone International Equity Fund—Institutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout The Period  
 
 
Period Ended
November 30,
2017 (C)
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
18.91

 
 
Income from investment operations:
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.02

 
 
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments
 
0.53

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
0.55

 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
19.46

 
 
Total return
 
2.91
%
 
(D)  
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
3

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
0.89
%
 
(E)  
Gross expenses
 
1,921.18
%
 
(E)  
Net investment income
 
1.40
%
 
(E)  
Portfolio turnover rate
 
37
%
 
 
(A)
Effective October 28, 2017, Class I shares of the Sentinel International Equity Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were reorganized into Class Y shares of the Fund.
(B)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C)
Represents the period from commencement of operations (October 30, 2017) through November 30, 2017.
(D)
Not annualized.
(E)
Annualized.




56


Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund—Class A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
 
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
42.28

 
 
 
$
43.08

 
 
 
$
42.79

 
 
 
$
43.31

 
 
 
$
34.84

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.45

 
 
 
0.53

 
(A)  
 
1.01

 
(A)  
 
0.56

 
(A)  
 
0.44

 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
8.99

 
 
 
2.43

 
 
 
(0.25
)
 
 
 
4.97

 
 
 
9.50

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
9.44

 
 
 
2.96

 
 
 
0.76

 
 
 
5.53

 
 
 
9.94

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.51
)
 
 
 
(1.08
)
 
 
 
(0.45
)
 
 
 
(0.58
)
 
 
 
(0.43
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(2.46
)
 
 
 
(2.68
)
 
 
 
(0.02
)
 
 
 
(5.47
)
 
 
 
(1.04
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(2.97
)
 
 
 
(3.76
)
 
 
 
(0.47
)
 
 
 
(6.05
)
 
 
 
(1.47
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
48.75

 
 
 
$
42.28

 
 
 
$
43.08

 
 
 
$
42.79

 
 
 
$
43.31

 
 
Total return (B)
 
23.67
%
 
 
 
7.53
%
 
 
 
1.79
%
 
 
 
13.30
%
 
 
 
29.53
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
1,321,506

 
 
 
$
1,350,861

 
 
 
$
1,416,147

 
 
 
$
1,577,546

 
 
 
$
1,454,446

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.02
%
 
 
 
1.00
%
 
 
 
0.99
%
 
 
 
1.00
%
 
 
 
1.03
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.02
%
 
 
 
1.00
%
 
 
 
0.99
%
 
 
 
1.00
%
 
 
 
1.03
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
0.98
%
 
 
 
1.32
%
 
 
 
2.36
%
 
(C)  
 
1.28
%
 
 
 
1.15
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
12
%
 
(D)  
 
8
%
 
 
 
11
%
 
 
 
19
%
 
 
 
12
%
 
 
(A)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B)
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Class A shares by 1.22% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
(D)
Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered from processing a redemption-in-kind.

























57


Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund—Class C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
 
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
40.44

 
 
 
$
41.36

 
 
 
$
41.15

 
 
 
$
41.82

 
 
 
$
33.70

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 

 
(E)  
 
0.21

 
(A)  
 
0.64

 
(A)  
 
0.21

 
(A)  
 
0.12

 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
8.67

 
 
 
2.33

 
 
 
(0.24
)
 
 
 
4.78

 
 
 
9.18

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
8.67

 
 
 
2.54

 
 
 
0.40

 
 
 
4.99

 
 
 
9.30

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.17
)
 
 
 
(0.78
)
 
 
 
(0.17
)
 
 
 
(0.19
)
 
 
 
(0.14
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(2.46
)
 
 
 
(2.68
)
 
 
 
(0.02
)
 
 
 
(5.47
)
 
 
 
(1.04
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(2.63
)
 
 
 
(3.46
)
 
 
 
(0.19
)
 
 
 
(5.66
)
 
 
 
(1.18
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
46.48

 
 
 
$
40.44

 
 
 
$
41.36

 
 
 
$
41.15

 
 
 
$
41.82

 
 
Total return (B)
 
22.69
%
 
 
 
6.71
%
 
 
 
0.98
%
 
 
 
12.40
%
 
 
 
28.47
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
74,122

 
 
 
$
83,246

 
 
 
$
89,890

 
 
 
$
90,784

 
 
 
$
78,259

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.82
%
 
 
 
1.79
%
 
 
 
1.78
%
 
 
 
1.79
%
 
 
 
1.84
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.82
%
 
 
 
1.79
%
 
 
 
1.78
%
 
 
 
1.79
%
 
 
 
1.84
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
0.18
%
 
 
 
0.54
%
 
 
 
1.57
%
 
(C)  
 
0.50
%
 
 
 
0.32
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
12
%
 
(D)  
 
8
%
 
 
 
11
%
 
 
 
19
%
 
 
 
12
%
 
 
(A)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B)
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Class C shares by 1.22% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
(D)
Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered from processing a redemption-in-kind.
(E)
Represents less than $0.005 per share.

 























58


Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund—Class Y (A)   
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
 
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
42.26

 
 
 
$
43.06

 
 
 
$
42.76

 
 
 
$
43.31

 
 
 
$
34.85

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.56

 
 
 
0.64

 
(B)  
 
1.12

 
(B)  
 
0.68

 
(B)  
 
0.56

 
(B)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
8.99

 
 
 
2.43

 
 
 
(0.25
)
 
 
 
4.97

 
 
 
9.50

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
9.55

 
 
 
3.07

 
 
 
0.87

 
 
 
5.65

 
 
 
10.06

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.63
)
 
 
 
(1.19
)
 
 
 
(0.55
)
 
 
 
(0.73
)
 
 
 
(0.56
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(2.46
)
 
 
 
(2.68
)
 
 
 
(0.02
)
 
 
 
(5.47
)
 
 
 
(1.04
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(3.09
)
 
 
 
(3.87
)
 
 
 
(0.57
)
 
 
 
(6.20
)
 
 
 
(1.60
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
48.72

 
 
 
$
42.26

 
 
 
$
43.06

 
 
 
$
42.76

 
 
 
$
43.31

 
 
Total return
 
24.03
%
 
 
 
7.84
%
 
 
 
2.07
%
 
 
 
13.61
%
 
 
 
29.93
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
438,732

 
 
 
$
552,611

 
 
 
$
689,502

 
 
 
$
932,941

 
 
 
$
941,223

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
0.74
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
 
0.71
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
0.75
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
 
0.71
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
Net investment income
 
1.26
%
 
 
 
1.60
%
 
 
 
2.63
%
 
(C)  
 
1.55
%
 
 
 
1.45
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
12
%
 
(D)  
 
8
%
 
 
 
11
%
 
 
 
19
%
 
 
 
12
%
 
 
(A)
Effective October 28, 2017, Class I shares of the Sentinel Common Stock Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were reorganized into Class Y shares of the Fund.
(B)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Class Y shares by 1.22% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
(D)
Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered from processing a redemption-in-kind.
























59


Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund— Institutional Class (A)  
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Period Ended
November
 
 
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
 
30,
 
 
 
 
2017
 
 
 
2016
 
 
 
2015 (E)
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
42.32

 
 
 
$
43.11

 
 
 
$
43.01

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
0.61

 
 
 
0.70

 
(B)  
 
1.07

 
(B)  
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
 
9.01

 
 
 
2.41

 
 
 
(0.51
)
 
 
Total from investment operations
 
9.62

 
 
 
3.11

 
 
 
0.56

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 
(0.67
)
 
 
 
(1.22
)
 
 
 
(0.46
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(2.46
)
 
 
 
(2.68
)
 
 
 

 
 
Total distributions
 
(3.13
)
 
 
 
(3.90
)
 
 
 
(0.46
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
48.81

 
 
 
$
42.32

 
 
 
$
43.11

 
 
Total return
 
24.14
%
 
 
 
7.92
%
 
 
 
1.31
%
 
(F)  
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
44,738

 
 
 
$
29,927

 
 
 
$
18,225

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses
 
0.68
%
 
 
 
0.65
%
 
 
 
0.61
%
 
(G)  
Gross expenses
 
0.70
%
 
 
 
0.72
%
 
 
 
1.76
%
 
(G)  
Net investment income
 
1.32
%
 
 
 
1.72
%
 
 
 
2.65
%
 
(C)(G)  
Portfolio turnover rate
 
12
%
 
(D)  
 
8
%
 
 
 
11
%
 
 
(A)
Effective October 30, 2017, Class R6 shares of the Predecessor Fund were reorganized into Institutional Class shares of the Fund.
(B)
The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C)
Includes the impact of special dividends resulting from an acquisition of Covidien plc by Medtronic, Inc. on January 26, 2015 through the formation of a new holding company, Medtronic plc, incorporated in Ireland. These special dividends enhanced the ratios of net investment income for Institutional Class shares by 1.30% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
(D)
Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered from processing a redemption-in-kind.
(E)
Represents the period from commencement of operations (December 23, 2014) through November 30, 2015.
(F)
Not annualized.
(G)
Annualized.

 

















60



Touchstone Small Company Fund—Class A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
5.19

 
$
5.58

 
 
 
$
7.19

 
 
 
$
8.52

 
 
 
$
7.96

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income (loss)
 
(0.02
)
 
(0.02
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.03
)
 
(A)  
 

 
(A)(B)  
 
(0.02
)
 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments
 
0.89

 
0.57

 
 
 
0.26

 
 
 
0.38

 
 
 
2.25

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
0.87

 
0.55

 
 
 
0.23

 
 
 
0.38

 
 
 
2.23

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.42
)
 
(0.94
)
 
 
 
(1.84
)
 
 
 
(1.71
)
 
 
 
(1.67
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
5.64

 
$
5.19

 
 
 
$
5.58

 
 
 
$
7.19

 
 
 
$
8.52

 
 
Total return (C)
 
17.95
 %
 
12.52
 %
 
 
 
5.32
 %
 
 
 
5.40
%
 
 
 
34.79
 %
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
677,055

 
$
685,807

 
 
 
$
596,864

 
 
 
$
682,481

 
 
 
$
808,145

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.18
 %
 
1.22
 %
 
 
 
1.25
 %
 
 
 
1.20
%
 
 
 
1.21
 %
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.18
 %
 
1.22
 %
 
 
 
1.25
 %
 
 
 
1.20
%
 
 
 
1.21
 %
 
 
Net investment income (loss)
 
(0.49
)%
 
(0.38
)%
 
 
 
(0.61
)%
 
 
 
0.06
%
 
 
 
(0.24
)%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
82
 %
 
61
 %
 
 
 
70
 %
 
 
 
59
%
 
 
 
23
 %
 
 
Touchstone Small Company Fund—Class C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
3.39

 
$
4.01

 
 
 
$
5.72

 
 
 
$
7.17

 
 
 
$
6.99

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment loss
 
(0.10
)
 
(0.03
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.05
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.04
)
 
(A)  
 
(0.06
)
 
(A)  
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments
 
0.63

 
0.35

 
 
 
0.18

 
 
 
0.30

 
 
 
1.91

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
0.53

 
0.32

 
 
 
0.13

 
 
 
0.26

 
 
 
1.85

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.42
)
 
(0.94
)
 
 
 
(1.84
)
 
 
 
(1.71
)
 
 
 
(1.67
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
3.50

 
$
3.39

 
 
 
$
4.01

 
 
 
$
5.72

 
 
 
$
7.17

 
 
Total return (C)
 
17.36
 %
 
11.48
 %
 
 
 
4.72
 %
 
 
 
4.55
 %
 
 
 
33.94
 %
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
104,051

 
$
110,842

 
 
 
$
108,192

 
 
 
$
115,642

 
 
 
$
128,521

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
1.92
 %
 
1.95
 %
 
 
 
1.94
 %
 
 
 
1.91
 %
 
 
 
1.93
 %
 
 
Gross expenses
 
1.92
 %
 
1.95
 %
 
 
 
1.94
 %
 
 
 
1.91
 %
 
 
 
1.93
 %
 
 
Net investment loss
 
(1.23
)%
 
(1.10
)%
 
 
 
(1.30
)%
 
 
 
(0.66
)%
 
 
 
(0.97
)%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
82
 %
 
61
 %
 
 
 
70
 %
 
 
 
59
 %
 
 
 
23
 %
 
 
(A)
The net investment income (loss) per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B)
Less than $0.005 per share.
(C)
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.



 

61


Touchstone Small Company Fund—Class Y (A)  
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
 
2015
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
2013
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
5.56

 
$
5.89

 
 
 
$
7.48

 
 
 
$
8.78

 
 
 
$
8.16

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income (loss)
 
(0.06
)
 

 
(B)(C)  
 
(0.01
)
 
(B)  
 
0.03

 
(B)  
 
0.01

 
(B)  
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments
 
1.02

 
0.61

 
 
 
0.28

 
 
 
0.38

 
 
 
2.32

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
0.96

 
0.61

 
 
 
0.27

 
 
 
0.41

 
 
 
2.33

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income
 

 

 
 
 
(0.02
)
 
 
 

 
 
 
(0.04
)
 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.42
)
 
(0.94
)
 
 
 
(1.84
)
 
 
 
(1.71
)
 
 
 
(1.67
)
 
 
Total distributions
 
(0.42
)
 
(0.94
)
 
 
 
(1.86
)
 
 
 
(1.71
)
 
 
 
(1.71
)
 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
6.10

 
$
5.56

 
 
 
$
5.89

 
 
 
$
7.48

 
 
 
$
8.78

 
 
Total return
 
18.41
 %
 
12.95
 %
 
 
 
5.71
 %
 
 
 
5.62
%
 
 
 
35.40
%
 
 
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
388,404

 
$
257,483

 
 
 
$
220,543

 
 
 
$
247,639

 
 
 
$
385,692

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
0.85
 %
 
0.89
 %
 
 
 
0.87
 %
 
 
 
0.85
%
 
 
 
0.81
%
 
 
Gross expenses
 
0.85
 %
 
0.89
 %
 
 
 
0.87
 %
 
 
 
0.85
%
 
 
 
0.81
%
 
 
Net investment income (loss)
 
(0.16
)%
 
(0.04
)%
 
 
 
(0.24
)%
 
 
 
0.46
%
 
 
 
0.17
%
 
 
Portfolio turnover rate
 
82
 %
 
61
 %
 
 
 
70
 %
 
 
 
59
%
 
 
 
23
%
 
 
Touchstone Small Company Fund— Institutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout The Period
 
 
Period Ended
November
30,
2017 (D)
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
5.80

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 
Net investment loss
 
(—)

 
(C)  
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments
 
0.30

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
0.30

 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
6.10

 
 
Total return
 
5.17
 %
 
(E)  
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
3

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
0.79
 %
 
(F)  
Gross expenses
 
2,069.15
 %
 
(F)  
Net investment loss
 
(0.70
)%
 
(F)  
Portfolio turnover rate
 
82
 %
 
 
(A)
Effective October 28, 2017, Class I shares of the Sentinel Small Company Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) were reorganized into Class Y shares of the Fund.
(B)
The net investment income (loss) per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C)
Less than $0.005 per share.
(D)
Represents the period from commencement of operations (October 30, 2017) through November 30, 2017.
(E)
Not annualized.
(F)
Annualized.

62


Touchstone Small Company Fund—Class R6
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Period Ended
November
 
 
 
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
30,
 
 
 
 
2017

 
2016

 
 
 
2015 (A)
 
 
Net asset value at beginning of period
 
$
5.24

 
$
5.60

 
 
 
$
5.44

 
 
Income (loss) from investment operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net investment income (loss)
 
(0.03
)
 
0.01

 
(B)  
 
(0.01
)
 
(B)  
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments
 
0.94

 
0.57

 
 
 
0.17

 
 
Total from investment operations
 
0.91

 
0.58

 
 
 
0.16

 
 
Distributions from:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Realized capital gains
 
(0.42
)
 
(0.94
)
 
 
 

 
 
Net asset value at end of period
 
$
5.73

 
$
5.24

 
 
 
$
5.60

 
 
Total return
 
18.58
 %
 
13.07
%
 
 
 
2.94
 %
 
(C)  
Ratios and supplemental data:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
 
$
67,052

 
$
13,000

 
 
 
$
599

 
 
Ratio to average net assets:
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Net expenses
 
0.75
 %
 
0.73
%
 
 
 
0.73
 %
 
(D)  
Gross expenses
 
0.77
 %
 
0.99
%
 
 
 
2.96
 %
 
(D)  
Net investment income (loss)
 
(0.07
)%
 
0.16
%
 
 
 
(0.18
)%
 
(D)  
Portfolio turnover rate
 
82
 %
 
61
%
 
 
 
70
 %
 
 
(A)
Represents the period from commencement of operations (December 23, 2014) through November 30, 2015.
(B)
The net investment income (loss) per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C)
Not annualized.
(D)
Annualized.



63


TOUCHSTONE INVESTMENTS*
 
DISTRIBUTOR
Touchstone Securities, Inc.*
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4203
1.800.638.8194
TouchstoneInvestments.com
 
INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.*
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4203
 
TRANSFER AGENT
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01581
 
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
1.800.543.0407
 

*A Member of Western & Southern Financial Group
 
The following are federal trademark registrations and applications owned by IFS Financial Services, Inc., a member of Western & Southern Financial Group: Touchstone, Touchstone Funds, Touchstone Investments, Touchstone Family of Funds and Touchstone Select.

64


TOUCHSTONELOGOA32.JPG

303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4203
 
Go paperless, sign up today at:
TouchstoneInvestments.com/home
 
For investors who want more information about the Funds, the following documents are available free upon request:
 
Appendix A Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  is a separate document that provides additional information about the availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts and is incorporated into this prospectus, which means it is legally a part of this prospectus.

Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”): The SAI provides more detailed information about the Funds and is incorporated herein by reference, which means it is legally a part of this prospectus.
 
Annual/Semiannual Reports (“Financial Reports”): The Funds’ Financial Reports provide additional information about the Funds’ investments. In the annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected a Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
 
You can get free copies of Appendix A, the SAI, the Financial Reports, other information and answers to your questions about the Funds by contacting your financial advisor or by contacting Touchstone Investments at 1.800.543.0407. Appendix A, the SAI and Financial Reports are also available on the Touchstone Investments website at: TouchstoneInvestments.com/home/formslit/.
 
Information about the Funds (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You can receive information about the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1.202.551.8090.
 
Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR database of the SEC’s internet site at http://www.sec.gov. For a fee, you can get text-only copies of reports and other information by writing to the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by sending an e-mail request to: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Investment Company Act File No. 811-03651










TSF-54BB-TST-SENT-1803







65


Appendix A to Prospectus for Balanced Fund, International Equity Fund, Large Cap Focused Fund, and Small Company Fund

Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts

As noted in the Funds' prospectus, the availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from a Fund or through a financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load (“CDSC”) waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. The sales charge waivers and discounts described in this Appendix A are available only if you purchase shares through the designated intermediary. The information disclosed in this Appendix A is part of, and incorporated in, the Funds' prospectus.

* * * * * *

Shareholders Purchasing Fund Shares Through Merrill Lynch

The following information is provided by Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch"): Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Funds' prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Merrill Lynch
•    Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan
•    Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan
•    Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program
•    Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch’s platform
•    Shares purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform
•    Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)
•    Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date
•    Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members
•    Trustees of the Fund, and employees of Touchstone Advisors or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus
•    Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the Touchstone family of mutual funds, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as rights of reinstatement)
 
CDSC Waivers on Class A Shares and Class C Shares Available at Merrill Lynch
•    Death or disability of the shareholder
•    Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus
•    Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account
•    Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½
•    Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initialed by Merrill Lynch
•    Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement
•    Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to certain fee based accounts or platforms (applicable to Class A shares and Class C shares only)




66


Front-end Load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation, and Letters of Intent
•    Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus
•    Rights of Accumulation (ROA), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
•    Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable)
 


67
 



TOUCHSTONE STRATEGIC TRUST
 
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
March 30, 2018
 
 
 
 
Class A
 
Class C
 
Class Y
 
Institutional 
Class
 
Class R6
 
Touchstone Balanced Fund
 
SEBLX
 
SBACX
 
SIBLX
 
 
 
 
 
Touchstone International Equity Fund
 
SWRLX
 
SWFCX
 
SIIEX
 
TOIIX
 
 
 
Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund
 
SENCX
 
SCSCX
 
SICWX
 
SCRLX
 
 
 
Touchstone Small Company Fund
 
SAGWX
 
SSCOX
 
SIGWX
 
TICSX
 
SSRRX
 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and relates only to the above-referenced funds (the “Funds”).  It is intended to provide additional information regarding the activities and operations of Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) and should be read in conjunction with the Funds' prospectus dated March 30, 2018, as may be amended. The Trust’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, including the notes thereto and the report of Ernst & Young LLP thereon, included in the annual report to shareholders (the “Annual Report”), are hereby incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Trust's prospectus and Annual Report may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust at P.O. Box 9878, Providence, Rhode Island 02940, by calling 1.800.543.0407, or by downloading a copy at TouchstoneInvestments.com.





TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
 
PAGE
THE TRUST

PERMITTED INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
28

THE ADVISOR

THE SUB-ADVISOR AND PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

THE ADMINISTRATOR
40

TOUCHSTONE SECURITIES

DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

PROXY VOTING

CODE OF ETHICS
46

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITY HOLDERS
49

CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES

OTHER PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

DISTRIBUTIONS
57

FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
58

CUSTODIAN
67

LEGAL COUNSEL
67

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
67

TRANSFER AND SUB-ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
67

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
68

APPENDIX A-DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
69

APPENDIX B-PROXY VOTING POLICIES
74



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THE TRUST
 
Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company, was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on November 18, 1982. This SAI relates to the following separate series of the Trust: Touchstone Balanced Fund (the "Balanced Fund"), Touchstone International Equity Fund (the "International Equity Fund"), Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund (the "Large Cap Focused Fund"), and Touchstone Small Company Fund (the "Small Company Fund") (each a “Fund”, and collectively, the “Funds”). Each of the Balanced Fund, International Equity Fund, and Small Company Fund is a diversified open-end management investment company. The Large Cap Focused Fund is a non-diversified open-end management investment company.
 
Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”) is the investment advisor and administrator for each Fund. The Advisor has selected one or more sub-advisor(s) to manage, on a daily basis, the assets of each Fund. The Advisor has sub-contracted certain of the Trust complex's administrative and accounting services to The Bank of New York and transfer agent services to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (collectively referred to herein as "BNY Mellon"). Touchstone Securities, Inc. (“Touchstone Securities” or the “Distributor”) is the principal distributor of the Funds’ shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Advisor.
 
The Funds offer five separate classes of shares: Classes A, C, Y, Institutional, and R6. The shares of a Fund represent an interest in the same assets of that Fund. The shares have the same rights and are identical in all material respects except that (i) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (ii) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales charges; (iii) certain other class specific expenses will be borne solely by the class to which such expenses are attributable, including transfer agent fees attributable to a specific class of shares, printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials to current shareholders of a specific class, registration fees incurred by a specific class of shares, the expenses of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class, litigation or other legal expenses relating to a class of shares, Trustees’ fees or expenses incurred as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares; (iv) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements; and (v) certain classes offer different features and services to shareholders and may have different investment minimums. The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may classify and reclassify the shares of a Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date.

The Trust's classes that are offered in the prospectus and this related SAI are listed below:

Funds
Class A
Class C
Class Y
Institutional Class
Class R6
Balanced Fund
X
X
X
 
 
International Equity Fund
X
X
X
X
 
Large Cap Focused Fund
X
X
X
X
 
Small Company Fund
X
X
X
X
X

Under Massachusetts law, under certain circumstances, shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust could be deemed to have the same type of personal liability for the obligations of the Trust as does a partner of a partnership. However, numerous investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) have been formed as Massachusetts business trusts and the Trust is not aware of an instance where such a result has occurred. In addition, the Trust’s Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides for the indemnification out of the Trust property for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Moreover, it provides that the Trust will, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon. As a result, and particularly because the Trust assets are readily marketable and ordinarily substantially exceed liabilities, management believes that the risk of shareholder liability is slight and limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Management believes that, in view of the above, the risk of personal liability is remote.
 
History of the Funds
 
On October 27, 2017, all of the assets and liabilities of the predecessor funds listed below (together, the "Predecessor Funds") were acquired by the corresponding Fund in tax-free reorganizations as set forth in an agreement and plan of reorganization between the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, and Sentinel Group Funds, Inc., on behalf of each Predecessor Fund (the "Reorganizations"). As a result of the Reorganizations, the performance and accounting history of each Predecessor Fund was assumed by the corresponding Fund.  Financial and performance information included prior to October 27, 2017 is that of the Predecessor Funds. The Funds did not operate prior to the Reorganizations.

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Predecessor Funds
 
Funds
Sentinel Balanced Fund
 
Balanced Fund
Sentinel International Equity Fund
 
International Equity Fund
Sentinel Common Stock Fund
 
Large Cap Focused Fund
Sentinel Small Company Fund
 
Small Company Fund

PERMITTED INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS
 
Each Fund’s principal investment strategies and principal risks are described in the Funds’ prospectus. The following supplements the information contained in the prospectus concerning each Fund’s principal investment strategies and principal risks. In addition, although not principal strategies of the Funds, the Funds may invest in other types of securities and engage in other investment practices as described in the prospectus or in this SAI. Unless otherwise indicated, each Fund is permitted to invest in each of the investments listed below, or engage in each of the investment techniques listed below consistent with the Funds’ investment goals, investment limitations, policies and strategies. In addition to the investment limitations set forth under the section of this SAI entitled "Investment Limitations", the investment limitations below are considered to be non-fundamental policies, which may be changed at any time by a vote of the Trust’s Board, unless designated as a “Fundamental” policy. In addition, any stated percentage limitations are measured at the time of the purchase of a security.
 
ADRs, ADSs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts typically issued by domestic banks or trust companies that represent the deposit with those entities of securities of a foreign issuer. They are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), which are sometimes referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts (“CDRs”), and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) may also be purchased by the Funds. EDRs, CDRs and GDRs are generally issued by foreign banks and evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. Certain institutions issuing ADRs, ADSs, GDRs or EDRs may not be sponsored by the issuer of the underlying foreign securities. A non-sponsored depositary may not provide the same shareholder information that a sponsored depositary is required to provide under its contractual arrangements with the issuer of the underlying foreign securities. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through to the holders of the receipts voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

Asset-Backed Securities (“ABS”). Asset-backed securities are secured by assets such as company receivables, truck and auto loans, leases and credit card receivables. Such securities are generally issued as pass-through certificates, which represent undivided fractional ownership interests in the underlying pools of assets. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Covered bonds are a type of asset backed security that is created from public sector loans or mortgage loans where the security is backed by a separate group of loans. Covered bonds typically carry a two to ten year maturity rate and enjoy relatively high credit ratings, depending on the quality of the pool of loans backing the bond.
 
The credit quality of an asset-backed security transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. ABS can be structured with various forms of credit enhancement to address the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans. Some ABS are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.
 
Borrowing. Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value (“NAV”) of a Fund’s shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Although the principal of any borrowing will be fixed, a Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. The Funds may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to any borrowing. The Funds may be required to earmark or segregate liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet their obligations in connection with such borrowings. In an interest rate arbitrage transaction, a Fund borrows money at one interest rate and lends the proceeds at another, higher interest rate. These transactions involve a number of

4


risks; including the risk that the borrower will fail or otherwise become insolvent or that there will be a significant change in prevailing interest rates. The Funds have adopted fundamental limitations and non-fundamental limitations which restrict circumstances in which and degree to which the Funds can engage in borrowing. See the section entitled “Investment Limitations,” below.
 
Collateralized Loan Obligations (“CLOs”). A CLO is a type of asset-backed security that is an obligation of a trust typically collateralized by pools of loans, which may include domestic and foreign senior secured and unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade, or equivalent unrated loans. The cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, which vary in risk and yield. The riskier portion is the residual, or “equity,” tranche, which bears some or all of the risk of default by the loans in the trust, and therefore protects the other more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche of a CLO trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection provided by the equity tranche, senior CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default, the total loss of the equity tranche due to losses in the collateral, market anticipation of defaults, fraud by the trust, and the illiquidity of CLO securities.

The risks of an investment in a CLO largely depend on the type of underlying collateral securities and the tranche in which the a Fund invests. Typically, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, the Fund may characterize its investments in CLOs as illiquid, unless an active dealer market for a particular CLO allows the CLO to be purchased and sold in Rule 144A transactions. CLOs are subject to the typical risks associated with debt instruments (i.e., interest rate risk and credit risk). Additional risks of CLOs include (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will be insufficient to make interest or other payments, (ii) a decline in the quality of the collateral, and (iii) the possibility that the Fund may invest in a subordinate tranche of a CLO. In addition, due to the complex nature of a CLO, an investment in a CLO may not perform as expected. An investment in a CLO also is subject to the risk that the issuer and the investors may interpret the terms of the instrument differently, giving rise to disputes.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Regulation. Certain Funds within the Trust complex and the Advisor have claimed exclusion or exemption from the requirement to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). The Funds comply with Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”), which allows a mutual fund to be conditionally excluded from the definition of the term “commodity pool.”  Similarly, so long as the Funds satisfy this conditional exclusion, the Advisor intends to comply with Rule 4.5, which allows the Advisor to be conditionally excluded from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”), and Rule 4.14(a)(5), which provides a conditional exemption from registering as a “commodity trading advisor.”  The Advisor, on behalf of certain Funds within the Trust complex and itself, has filed a claim with the CFTC claiming the CPO exemption.  Therefore, neither the Funds nor the Advisor expect to become subject to registration under the CEA.

Common Stocks. Common stocks are securities that represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the board of directors of the issuing company.
 
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are corporate securities that are exchangeable for a set number of another security at a pre-stated price. Convertible securities typically have characteristics of both fixed income and equity securities. Because of the conversion feature, the market value of a convertible security tends to move with the market value of the underlying stock. The value of a convertible security is also affected by prevailing interest rates, the credit quality of the issuer and any call provisions.

A synthetic convertible security is a combination investment in which a Fund purchases both (i) high-grade cash equivalents or a high grade debt obligation of an issuer or U.S. government securities and (ii) call options or warrants on the common stock of the same or different issuer with some or all of the anticipated interest income from the associated debt obligation that is earned over the holding period of the option or warrant.

While providing a fixed income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar non-convertible security), a convertible security also affords a shareholder the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation attendant upon a market price advance in the convertible security’s underlying common stock. A synthetic convertible position has similar investment characteristics, but may differ with respect to credit quality, time to maturity, trading characteristics and other factors. Because a Fund will create synthetic convertible positions only out of high grade fixed income securities, the credit rating associated with a Fund’s synthetic convertible investments is generally expected to be higher than that of the average convertible security, many of which are rated below high grade. However, because the options used to create synthetic convertible positions will generally have expirations between one month and three years of the time of purchase, the maturity of these positions will generally be shorter than average for convertible securities. Since the option component of a convertible security or synthetic convertible position is a wasting asset (in the sense of losing “time

5


value” as maturity approaches), a synthetic convertible position may lose such value more rapidly than a convertible security of longer maturity; however, the gain in option value due to appreciation of the underlying stock may exceed such time value loss. The market price of the option component generally reflects these differences in maturities, and the Advisor and applicable sub-advisor take such differences into account when evaluating such positions. When a synthetic convertible position “matures” because of the expiration of the associated option, a Fund may extend the maturity by investing in a new option with longer maturity on the common stock of the same or different issuer. If a Fund does not so extend the maturity of a position, it may continue to hold the associated fixed income security.
 
Corporate Bonds. Corporations issue bonds and notes to raise money for working capital or for capital expenditures such as plant construction, equipment purchases and expansion. In return for the money loaned to the corporation by investors, the corporation promises to pay investors interest, and repay the principal amount of the bond or note.
 
Cyber Security Risk.   The Funds and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber security breaches. Cyber security breaches may result from deliberate cyber attacks, although unintentional events may have effects similar to those caused by cyber attacks. Cyber attacks may include the stealing or corrupting of data maintained online or digitally, denial-of-service attacks on Fund websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or other operational disruption. Successful cyber attacks against, or security breaches of, a Fund or the Advisor, a sub-advisor, the Funds’ distributor, custodians, the transfer agent, selling agents and/or other third party service providers may adversely impact the Fund or its shareholders.  Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities or other instruments in which the Funds invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Funds’ investment therein to lose value.
 
Derivatives. The Funds may invest in various instruments that are commonly known as derivatives.  Generally, a derivative is a financial arrangement, the value of which is based on, or “derived” from, a traditional security, asset, or market index.  There are many different types of derivatives and many different ways to use them, and there is a range of risks associated with those uses.  Futures and options are commonly used both for traditional hedging purposes to attempt to limit exposure to changing interest rates, securities prices, or currency exchange rates and as a method of gaining exposure to a particular security, securities index or other financial instrument without investing directly in those instruments.  Some uses of derivatives may have the effect of creating leverage, which tends to magnify the portfolio effects of the underlying instrument’s price changes as market conditions change.  Leverage involves the use of a small amount of money to control a large amount of financial assets, and can lead to significant losses.  A sub-advisor will use derivatives only in circumstances where the sub-advisor believes they offer the most economic means of improving the risk/reward profile of the Fund.  Derivatives will not be used to acquire exposure to changes in the value of assets or indexes that by themselves would not be purchased for the Funds.  The use of derivatives for non-hedging purposes may be considered speculative.  A description of the specific derivatives that the Funds may use and some of their associated risks is discussed below under the captions “Foreign Securities-Forward Foreign Currency Contracts,” “Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts,” “Leveraging,” “Options” and “Swap Agreements.”
 
Equity-Linked Notes. A Fund may purchase equity-linked notes (“ELNs”). The principal or coupon payment on an ELN is linked to the performance of an underlying security or index. ELNs may be used, among other things, to provide a Fund with exposure to international markets while providing a mechanism to reduce foreign tax or regulatory restrictions imposed on foreign investors. The risks associated with purchasing ELNs include the creditworthiness of the issuer and the risk of counterparty default. Further, a Fund’s ability to dispose of an ELN will depend on the availability of liquid markets in the instruments. The purchase and sale of an ELN is also subject to the risks regarding adverse market movements, possible intervention by governmental authorities, and the effects of other political and economic events.

Equity-Linked Warrants. Equity-linked warrants provide a way for investors to access markets where entry is difficult and time consuming due to regulation. Typically, a broker issues warrants to an investor and then purchases shares in the local market and issues a call warrant hedged on the underlying holding. If the investor exercises his call and closes his position, the shares are sold and the warrant is redeemed with the proceeds.

Each warrant represents one share of the underlying stock. Therefore, the price, performance and liquidity of the warrant are all directly linked to the underlying stock. The warrants can be redeemed for 100% of the value of the underlying stock (less transaction costs). Being American style warrants, they can be exercised at any time. The warrants are U.S. dollar denominated and priced daily on several international stock exchanges.
 
Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). An ETF is a fund that holds a portfolio of common stocks designed to track the performance of a particular securities index or sector of an index, like the S&P 500 or NASDAQ, or a portfolio of bonds that may be designed to track a bond index. Because they may be traded like stocks on a securities exchange (e.g., the New York Stock Exchange; the NYSE MKT or the NASDAQ Stock Market), ETFs may be purchased and sold throughout the trading day based on their market

6


price. Each share of an ETF represents an undivided ownership interest in the portfolio held by an ETF. ETFs that track indices or sectors of indices hold either:

shares of all of the companies (or, for a fixed-income ETF, bonds) that are represented by a particular index in the same proportion that is represented in the index itself; or
shares of a sampling of the companies (or, for a fixed-income ETF, bonds) that are represented by a particular index in a proportion meant to track the performance of the entire index.

ETFs are generally registered as investment companies and issue large blocks of shares (typically 50,000) called “creation units” in exchange for a specified portfolio of the ETF’s underlying securities, plus a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit. Creation units are redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF’s NAV), together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. As investment companies, ETFs incur fees and expenses such as trustee fees, operating expenses, licensing fees, registration fees, and marketing expenses, each of which will be reflected in the NAV of ETFs. Accordingly, ETF shareholders pay their proportionate share of these expenses.
 
Foreign Securities. A Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers and in sponsored and unsponsored ADRs and other depositary receipts. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers may subject the Fund to investment risks that differ in some respects from those related to investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Such risks include future adverse political and economic developments, possible imposition of withholding taxes on income, possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of foreign deposits, possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source or greater fluctuation in value due to changes in exchange rates. Foreign issuers of securities often engage in business practices different from those of domestic issuers of similar securities, and there may be less information publicly available about foreign issuers. In addition, foreign issuers are, generally speaking, subject to less government supervision and regulation than are those in the United States. Investments in securities of foreign issuers are frequently denominated in foreign currencies and the value of a Fund’s assets measured in U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and in exchange control regulations, and the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies.

In addition, there are risks relating to ongoing concerns regarding the economies of certain European countries and their sovereign debt, as well as the potential for one or more countries to leave the European Union. In June 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum resulting in a vote in favor of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. These circumstances and potential future developments could have a negative effect on the United Kingdom’s and other European countries’ economies and may result in greater volatility in global financial and currency markets.
 
Foreign Market Risk. The Funds may be 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 a Fund 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. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as 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 Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer a Fund’s assets or income back into the United States or otherwise adversely affect a Fund’s operations. Other potential foreign market risks include exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social conditions, such as diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation, limitation on the removal of funds or assets or imposition of (or change in) exchange control regulations. 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. In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or adversely affect a Fund’s operations.
 
Public Availability of Information. In general, less information is publicly available with respect to foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Most foreign companies are also not subject to the uniform accounting and financial reporting requirements applicable to issuers in the United States. While the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock exchanges has increased in recent years, it remains appreciably below that of the New York Stock Exchange. Accordingly, a Fund’s foreign investments may be less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than comparable investments in securities in U.S. companies. In addition, there is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries than 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

7


securities) not typically generated by the settlement of U.S. investments. Communications between the United States and certain non-U.S. countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates in markets that still rely on physical settlement. 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 Fund to carry out transactions. If a Fund 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 Fund 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; a Fund 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 taxes on income from sources in such countries.
 
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 U.S. 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. In addition, the U.S. government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors. 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 U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for a Fund to completely and accurately determine a company’s financial condition. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the United States. This reduces the amount a Fund can earn on its investments.

Foreign Currency Risk . While each Fund’s net assets are valued in U.S. dollars, the securities of foreign companies are frequently denominated in foreign currencies. Thus, a change in the value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in value of securities denominated in that currency. Some of the factors that may impair the investments denominated in a foreign currency are: (1) it may be expensive to convert foreign currencies into U.S. dollars and vice versa; (2) complex political and economic factors may significantly affect the values of various currencies, including U.S. dollars, and their exchange rates; (3) government intervention may increase risks involved in purchasing or selling foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts, since exchange rates may not be free to fluctuate in response to other market forces; (4) there may be no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies or regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis; (5) available quotation information is generally representative of very large round-lot transactions in the inter-bank market and thus may not reflect exchange rates for smaller odd-lot transactions (less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable; and (6) the inter-bank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that a market is closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, certain markets may not always reflect significant price and rate movements.

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts . A Fund may enter into forward foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency exposure and as a hedge against possible variations in foreign exchange rates. A Fund may enter into forward foreign currency contracts to hedge a specific security transaction or to hedge a portfolio position. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect a Fund, to some degree, against possible losses resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. A Fund also may invest in foreign currency futures and in options on currencies. A forward contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency amount at a future date, agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. A Fund may enter into a contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars or other appropriate currency, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of a Fund’s securities denominated in such foreign currency.

By entering into forward foreign currency contracts, a Fund will seek to protect the value of its investment securities against a decline in the value of a currency. However, these forward foreign currency contracts will not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. Rather, they simply establish a rate of exchange which one can obtain at some future point in time. Although such contracts tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase. At the maturity of a forward contract, a Fund may either sell a portfolio 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. A Fund may realize a gain or loss from currency transactions.

When entering into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security in a foreign currency, a Fund may enter into a forward foreign currency contract for the amount of the purchase or sale price to protect against variations, between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received, in the value of the foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other foreign currency.


8


Also, when a Fund’s portfolio manager anticipates that a particular foreign currency may decline substantially relative to the U.S. dollar or other leading currencies, in order to reduce risk, a Fund may enter into a forward contract to sell, for a fixed amount, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of its securities denominated in such foreign currency. With respect to any such forward foreign currency contract, it will not generally be possible to match precisely the amount covered by that contract and the value of the securities involved due to changes in the values of such securities resulting from market movements between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. In addition, while forward foreign currency contracts may offer protection from losses resulting from declines in value of a particular foreign currency, they also limit potential gains which might result from increases in the value of such currency. A Fund will also incur costs in connection with forward foreign currency contracts and conversions of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars. A Fund will place assets in a segregated account or otherwise earmark assets as cover to assure that its obligations under forward foreign currency contracts are covered.
 
Emerging Market Securities. Emerging market countries are generally countries that are included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (“MSCI”) Emerging Markets Index, or otherwise excluded from the MSCI World Index. As of February 28, 2018, the countries in the MSCI World Index included: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The country composition of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index and the MSCI World Index can change over time. Frontier market countries, which are those emerging market countries that have the smallest, least mature economies and least developed capital markets, are generally countries that are included in the MSCI Frontier Markets Index.

Investments in the securities of issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks that do not generally apply to 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 U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments; (iv) national policies that may limit a Fund’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 capital gains taxes on foreign investors.

Political and economic structures in emerging market countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and these countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. In such a dynamic environment, there can be no assurance that any or all of these capital markets will continue to present viable investment opportunities for a Fund. Some of these countries may have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized or expropriated the assets of private companies. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that a Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. As a result, the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of investments in these countries and the availability to a Fund of additional investments. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain of these countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in these countries may make investments in the countries illiquid and more volatile than investments in Japan or most Western European countries.

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 U.S. 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 company shares may be held by a limited number of persons. This may adversely affect the timing and pricing of a Fund’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 Fund 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 Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation.


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Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security at a specified future time and at a specified price. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. A Fund may use futures contracts and related options for bona fide hedging purposes, to offset changes in the value of securities held or expected to be acquired or be disposed of, to minimize fluctuations in foreign currencies, or to gain exposure to a particular market or instrument. Some strategies reduce a Fund’s exposure to price fluctuations, while others tend to increase its exposure. A Fund will minimize the risk that it will be unable to close out a futures contract by only entering into futures contracts which are traded on national futures exchanges. In addition, a Fund will only sell covered futures contracts and options on futures contracts.

Stock and bond index futures are futures contracts for various stock and bond indices that are traded on registered securities exchanges. Stock and bond index futures contracts obligate the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take) an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times the difference between the value of a specific stock or bond index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the agreement is made.

Stock and bond index futures contracts are bilateral agreements pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between the stock or bond index value at the close of trading of the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. No physical delivery of the stocks or bonds comprising the index is made; generally contracts are closed out prior to the expiration date of the contracts.

No price is paid upon entering into futures contracts. Instead, a Fund would be required to deposit an amount of cash or U.S. Treasury securities known as “initial margin.”  Subsequent payments, called “variation margin,” to and from the broker, would be made on a daily basis as the value of the futures position varies (a process known as “marking to market”). The margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good-faith deposit on a futures contract.

There are risks associated with these activities, including the following: (1) the success of a hedging strategy may depend on an ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the securities held by a Fund and the prices of futures and options on futures; (3) there may not be a liquid secondary market for a futures contract or option; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts and futures options.

A Fund may buy and sell futures contracts and related options to manage its exposure to changing interest rates and securities prices. Some strategies reduce a Fund’s exposure to price fluctuations, while others tend to increase its market exposure. Futures and options on futures can be volatile instruments and involve certain risks that could negatively impact a Fund’s return. When a Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, or sells an option thereon, a Fund is required to “cover” its position in order to limit the risk associated with the use of leverage and other related risks. To cover its position, a Fund may maintain with its custodian bank (and marked-to-market on a daily basis), a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities that, when added to any amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract or otherwise “cover” its position in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder. If a Fund continues to engage in the described investment techniques and properly covers its investment in the manner described above, the segregated account or other form of coverage will function as a practical limit on the amount of leverage which a Fund may undertake and on the potential increase in the speculative character of a Funds’ outstanding investments. Additionally, such coverage will generally assure the availability of adequate funds to meet the obligations of a Fund arising from such investment activities.
 
Illiquid Securities. Subject to the limitations in the 1940 Act, the Funds may invest in illiquid securities. SEC guidance and a recently adopted SEC rule provide that an open-end investment company, such as each of the Funds, must limit its investments in illiquid securities to no more than 15% of net assets. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven business days at approximately the price at which they are being carried on a Fund’s books.

Illiquid securities include demand instruments with demand notice periods exceeding seven days, securities for which there is no active secondary market, and repurchase agreements with maturities of over seven days in length. The Funds may invest in securities that are neither listed on a stock exchange nor traded over-the-counter, including privately placed securities. Investing in such unlisted securities, including investments in new and early stage companies, may involve a high degree of business and financial risk that can result in substantial losses. As a result of the absence of a public trading market for these securities, they may be less liquid than publicly traded securities. Because these types of securities are thinly traded, if at all, and market prices for these types of securities are generally not readily available, a Fund typically determines the price for these types of securities in good faith in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Board. Although these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by a Fund, or less than what may be

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considered the fair value of such securities. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements which might be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. If such securities are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, a Fund may be required to bear the expenses of registration.

In addition, the Funds believe that carefully selected investments in joint ventures, cooperatives, partnerships, private placements, unlisted securities and other similar situations (collectively, “special situations”) could enhance the Funds’ capital appreciation potential. To the extent these investments are deemed illiquid, the Funds’ investment in them will be consistent with their applicable restriction on investment in illiquid securities. Investments in special situations and certain other instruments may be liquid, as determined by the Funds’ Advisor or sub-advisors based on criteria approved by the Board.
 
Interests in Publicly Traded Limited Partnerships. Interests in publicly traded limited partnerships (limited partnership interests or units) represent equity interests in the assets and earnings of the partnership’s trade or business. Unlike common stock in a corporation, limited partnership interests have limited or no voting rights. However, many of the risks of investing in common stocks are still applicable to investments in limited partnership interests. In addition, limited partnership interests are subject to risks not present in common stock. For example, income generated from limited partnerships deemed not to be “publicly traded” may not be considered “qualifying income” for purposes of the regulated investment company requirements under Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and may trigger adverse tax consequences (please refer to the “Taxes” section of this SAI for a discussion of relevant tax risks). Also, since publicly traded limited partnerships are a less common form of organizational structure than corporations, the limited partnership units may be less liquid than publicly traded common stock. Also, because of the difference in organizational structure, the fair value of limited partnership units in a Fund’s portfolio may be based either upon the current market price of such units, or if there is no current market price, upon the pro rata value of the underlying assets of the partnership. Limited partnership units also have the risk that the limited partnership might, under certain circumstances, be treated as a general partnership giving rise to broader liability exposure to the limited partners for activities of the partnership. Further, the general partners of a limited partnership may be able to significantly change the business or asset structure of a limited partnership without the limited partners having any ability to disapprove any such changes. In certain limited partnerships, limited partners may also be required to return distributions previously made in the event that excess distributions have been made by the partnership, or in the event that the general partners, or their affiliates, are entitled to indemnification.
 
Interfund Lending.  Each Fund’s investment restrictions and an SEC exemptive order permit the Fund to participate in an interfund lending program with other funds in the Touchstone family of funds, including the Funds. This program allows the Touchstone Funds to borrow money from, and lend money to, each other for temporary or emergency purposes, such as to satisfy redemption requests or to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls. A Fund may not borrow through the interfund lending program for leverage purposes. To the extent permitted by its investment objective, strategies, and policies, a Fund may (1) lend uninvested cash to other Touchstone Funds in an amount up to 15% of the lending Fund's net assets at the time of the loan (including lending up to 5% of its net assets to any single Touchstone Fund) and (2) borrow money from other Touchstone Funds provided that total outstanding borrowings from all sources do not exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets. A Fund may borrow through the interfund lending program on an unsecured basis (i.e., without posting collateral) if its aggregate borrowings from all sources immediately after the interfund borrowing represent 10% or less of the Fund’s total assets. However, if a Fund’s aggregate borrowings from all sources immediately after the interfund borrowing would exceed 10% of the Fund’s total assets, the Fund may borrow through the interfund lending program on a secured basis only. Any Fund that has outstanding interfund borrowings may not cause its outstanding borrowings, from all sources, to exceed 10% of its total assets without first securing each interfund loan. If a Fund has any outstanding secured borrowings from other sources, including another fund, at the time it requests an interfund loan, the Fund's interfund borrowing will be secured on at least an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value as any outstanding collateralized loan.

Any loan made through the interfund lending program is required to be more beneficial to a borrowing Fund (i.e., at a lower interest rate) than borrowing from a bank and more beneficial to a lending Fund (i.e., at a higher rate of return) than an alternative short-term investment. The term of an interfund loan is limited to the time required to obtain sufficient cash to repay the loan through either the sale of the Fund's portfolio securities or net sales of Fund shares, but in no event more than seven days. In addition, an interfund loan is callable with one business day’s notice.

The limitations discussed above, other conditions of the SEC exemptive order, and related policies and procedures implemented by Touchstone are designed to minimize the risks associated with interfund lending for both borrowing Funds and lending Funds. However, no borrowing or lending activity is without risk. When a Fund borrows money from another Touchstone Fund, there is a risk that the loan could be called on one business day’s notice or not renewed, in which case the Fund may need to borrow from a bank at higher rates if an interfund loan were not available from another Touchstone Fund. Furthermore, a delay in repayment to a lending Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional lending costs.


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Investment Company Shares. Investment companies include open- and closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and any other pooled investment vehicle that meets the definition of an investment company under the 1940 Act, whether such companies are required to register under the 1940 Act or not. As a shareholder of another company, a Fund would be subject to the same risks as any other investor in that investment company. A Fund’s purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying Fund expenses. Investments in registered investment company shares are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act and its rules, and applicable SEC staff interpretations or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. The 1940 Act currently provides, in part, that a Fund generally may not purchase shares of a registered investment company if (a) such a purchase would cause a Fund to own in the aggregate more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the investment company or (b) such a purchase would cause a Fund to have more than 5% of its total assets invested in the investment company or (c) more than 10% of a Fund’s total assets would be invested in the aggregate in all registered investment companies.

See also “Investment Limitations” and “Permitted Investments and Risk Factors - Exchange-Traded Funds.”
 
Leveraging. Leveraging a Fund through borrowing or other means (e.g., certain uses of derivatives) creates an opportunity for increased net income, but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leveraging may exaggerate changes in the NAV of a Fund’s shares and in the yield on a Fund’s portfolio. Although the principal amount of such borrowings will be fixed, a Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leveraging creates interest expenses for a Fund which could exceed the income from the assets retained. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest that a Fund will have to pay, a Fund’s net income will be greater than if leveraging were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets retained with borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of a Fund will be less than if leveraging were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to shareholders as dividends will be reduced. Because the SEC staff believes that, among other transactions, reverse repurchase agreements and dollar roll transactions are collateralized borrowings, the SEC staff believes that they create leverage. The requirement that such transactions be fully collateralized by assets segregated by a Funds’ custodian or otherwise subject to “covering” techniques imposes a practical limit on the leverage these transactions create.

Lower-Rated Securities. A Fund may invest in lower-rated bonds commonly referred to as “junk bonds” or high-yield/high-risk securities. Lower-rated securities are defined as securities rated below the fourth highest rating category by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by the Fund’s sub-advisor. Such obligations are speculative and may be in default. There may be no bottom limit on the ratings of high-yield securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund. Lower-rated or comparable unrated (i.e., high-yield) securities are more likely to react to developments affecting issuers than are more highly rated securities, which primarily react to movements in the general level of interest rates. The market values of fixed-income securities tend to vary inversely with the level of interest rates. Yields and market values of high-yield securities will fluctuate over time, reflecting not only changing interest rates but the market’s perception of credit quality and the outlook for economic growth. When economic conditions appear to be deteriorating, medium to lower-rated securities may decline in value due to heightened concern over credit quality, regardless of prevailing interest rates. Investors should carefully consider the relative risks of investing in high-yield securities and understand that such securities are not generally meant for short-term investing.

Adverse economic developments can disrupt the market for high-yield securities, and severely affect the ability of issuers, especially highly leveraged issuers, to service their debt obligations or to repay their obligations upon maturity which may lead to a higher incidence of default on such securities. In addition, the secondary market for high-yield securities, which is concentrated in relatively few market makers, may not be as liquid as the secondary market for more highly rated securities. As a result, a Fund could find it more difficult to sell these securities or may be able to sell the securities only at prices lower than if such securities were widely traded. Furthermore, a Fund may experience difficulty in valuing certain securities at certain times. Prices realized upon the sale of such lower-rated or unrated securities, under these circumstances, may be less than the prices used in calculating each Fund’s NAV.

Lower-rated or unrated debt obligations also present risks based on payment expectations. If an issuer calls the obligations for redemption, a Fund may have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. If a Fund experiences unexpected net redemptions, it may be forced to sell its higher rated securities, resulting in a decline in the overall credit quality of a Fund’s investment portfolio and increasing the exposure of a Fund to the risks of high-yield securities.
 
Growth of High-Yield, High-Risk Bond Market: The widespread expansion of government, consumer and corporate debt within the U.S. economy has made the corporate sector more vulnerable to economic downturns or increased interest rates. Further, an economic downturn could severely disrupt the market for lower-rated bonds and adversely affect the value of outstanding bonds

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and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. The market for lower-rated securities may be less active, causing market price volatility and limited liquidity in the secondary market. This may limit a Fund’s ability to sell such securities at their market value. In addition, the market for these securities may be adversely affected by legislative and regulatory developments. Credit quality in the junk bond market can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks imposed by a particular security.
 
Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes: Lower-rated bonds are very sensitive to adverse economic changes and corporate developments. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a bond defaulted on its obligations to pay interest or principal or entered into bankruptcy proceedings, a Fund may incur losses or expenses in seeking recovery of amounts owed to it. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high-yield, high-risk bonds and a Fund’s NAV.
 
Payment Expectations: High-yield, high-risk bonds may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercised these provisions in a declining interest rate market, a Fund would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. Conversely, a high-yield, high-risk bond’s value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of a Fund’s assets. If a Fund experiences significant unexpected net redemptions, this may force it to sell high-yield, high-risk bonds without regard to their investment merits, thereby decreasing the asset base upon which expenses can be spread and possibly reducing a Fund’s rate of return.

Taxes: A Fund may purchase debt securities (such as zero-coupon or pay-in-kind securities) that contain original issue discount. Original issue discount that accrues in a taxable year is treated as earned by a Fund and therefore is subject to the distribution requirements of the Code even though a Fund has not received any interest payments on such obligations during that period. Because the original issue discount earned by a Fund in a taxable year is not represented by cash, a Fund may have to dispose of other securities and use the proceeds to make distributions to shareholders. In the event a Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have received in the absence of such transactions. See “Taxes” for more information.
 
Special Considerations Concerning Distressed and Defaulted Securities:   Distressed securities are speculative and involve significant risks in addition to the risks generally applicable to high-yield, high-risk bonds.  Distressed securities bear a substantial risk of default, and may be in default at the time of investment.  The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on distressed securities, and there is a significant risk that principal will not be repaid, in full or at all.  The Fund may incur costs to protect its investment in distressed securities, which may include seeking recovery from the issuer in bankruptcy.  In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to the issuer of distressed securities, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment.  Distressed securities, and any securities received in exchange for distressed securities, will likely be illiquid and may be subject to restrictions on resale.
 
Money Market Instruments. Money market securities are high-quality, dollar-denominated, short-term debt instruments. They include: (i) bankers’ acceptances, certificates of deposits, notes and time deposits of highly-rated U.S. banks and U.S. branches of foreign banks; (ii) U.S. Treasury obligations and obligations issued or guaranteed by the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government; (iii) high-quality commercial paper issued by U.S. and foreign corporations; (iv) debt obligations with a maturity of one year or less issued by corporations with outstanding high-quality commercial paper ratings; and (v) repurchase agreements involving any of the foregoing obligations entered into with highly-rated banks and broker-dealers.

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities.

Asset-Backed Securities: Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are secured by non-mortgage assets such as company receivables, truck and auto loans, leases and credit card receivables. Such securities are generally issued as pass-through certificates, which represent undivided fractional ownership interests in the underlying pools of assets. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Covered bonds are a type of asset backed security that is created from public sector loans or mortgage loans where the security is backed by a separate group of loans. Covered bonds typically carry a 2 to 10 year maturity rate and enjoy relatively high credit ratings, depending on the quality of the pool of loans backing the bond.

The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. ABS can be structured with various forms of credit enhancement to address the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans. Some ABS are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the

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underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.
 
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities: Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) (“Ginnie Mae”)) are described as “modified pass-through.”  These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The residential mortgage market in the United States has experienced difficulties in recent years that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of a Fund’s mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Consequently, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.
 
Government Pass-Through Securities: Government pass-through securities are securities that are issued or guaranteed by a U.S. government agency representing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans. The primary issuers or guarantors of these mortgage-backed securities are Ginnie Mae, Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) (“Fannie Mae”), and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) (“Freddie Mac”). Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee timely distributions of interest to certificate holders. Ginnie Mae and Fannie Mae also guarantee timely distributions of scheduled principal. Freddie Mac generally guarantees only the ultimate collection of principal of the underlying mortgage loan. Certain federal agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, have been established as instrumentalities of the United States government to supervise and finance certain types of activities. Issues of these agencies, while not direct obligations of the United States government, are either backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (e.g., Ginnie Mae securities) or supported by the issuing agencies’ right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. The issues of other agencies are supported by the credit of the instrumentality (e.g., Fannie Mae securities). Government and private guarantees do not extend to the securities’ value, which is likely to vary inversely with fluctuations in interest rates.

There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue mortgage-backed securities and among the securities that they issue. Mortgage-related securities issued by Ginnie Mae include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs”) which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs are created by an “issuer,” which is a Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) approved mortgagee that also meets criteria imposed by Ginnie Mae. The issuer assembles a pool of FHA, Farmers’ Home Administration or Veterans’ Administration (“VA”) insured or guaranteed mortgages which are homogeneous as to interest rate, maturity and type of dwelling. Upon application by the issuer, and after approval by Ginnie Mae of the pool, Ginnie Mae provides its commitment to guarantee timely payment of principal and interest on the Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs backed by the mortgages included in the pool. The Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs, endorsed by Ginnie Mae, then are sold by the issuer through securities dealers. Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs bear a stated “coupon rate” which represents the effective FHA-VA mortgage rate at the time of issuance, less fees from Ginnie Mae and the issuer. Ginnie Mae is authorized under the National Housing Act to guarantee timely payment of principal and interest on Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs. This guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Ginnie

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Mae may borrow Treasury funds to the extent needed to make payments under its guarantee. When mortgages in the pool underlying a Ginnie Mae Pass-Through are prepaid by mortgagors or by result of foreclosure, such principal payments are passed through to the certificate holders. Accordingly, the life of the Ginnie Mae Pass-Through is likely to be substantially shorter than the stated maturity of the mortgages in the underlying pool. Because of such variation in prepayment rates, it is not possible to predict the life of a particular Ginnie Mae Pass-Through. Payments to holders of Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs consist of the monthly distributions of interest and principal less the fees of Ginnie Mae and the issuer. The actual yield to be earned by a holder of a Ginnie Mae Pass-Through is calculated by dividing interest payments by the purchase price paid for the Ginnie Mae Pass-Through (which may be at a premium or a discount from the face value of the certificate). Monthly distributions of interest, as contrasted to semi-annual distributions which are common for other fixed interest investments, have the effect of compounding and thereby raising the effective annual yield earned on Ginnie Mae Pass-Throughs.

Mortgage-related securities issued by Fannie Mae include Fannie Mae Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Fannie Mae Pass-Throughs”) that are solely the obligations of Fannie Mae and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States. Fannie Mae Pass-Throughs are guaranteed as to timely payment of the principal and interest by Fannie Mae.

Mortgage-related securities issued by Freddie Mac include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as “Freddie Mac PCs”). Freddie Mac PCs are not guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home Loan Banks and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home Loan Bank. Freddie Mac PCs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which is guaranteed by Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac guarantees either ultimate collection or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. When Freddie Mac does not guarantee timely payment of principal, Freddie Mac may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no event later than one year after it becomes payable.
 
Real Estate Investment Conduits (“REMICs”). REMICs are private entities formed for the purpose of holding a fixed pool of mortgages secured by interests in real property. For Freddie Mac REMIC certificates, Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest, and also guarantees the payment of principal as payments are required to be made on the underlying mortgage participation certificates. Fannie Mae REMIC certificates are issued and guaranteed as to timely distribution of principal and interest by Fannie Mae.
 
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”). A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, Freddie Mac, or Fannie Mae, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made on any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.
 
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (“CMBS”). CMBS include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. The market for CMBS developed more recently and in terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues is relatively small compared to the market for residential single-family mortgage-backed securities. Many of the risks of investing in CMBS reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. CMBS may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.
 
Mortgage Dollar Rolls. Mortgage “dollar rolls” are transactions in which mortgage-backed securities are sold for delivery in the current month and the seller simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. The difference between the sale price and the purchase price (plus any interest earned on the cash proceeds of the sale) is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with a Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Mortgage dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by a Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to whom a Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to repurchase the security may be restricted. Other risks involved in entering into mortgage dollar rolls include the risk that the value of the security may change adversely over the term of the mortgage dollar roll and that the security a Fund is required to

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repurchase may be worth less than the security that the Fund originally held. A Fund will place U.S. government or other liquid securities in a segregated account in an amount sufficient to cover its repurchase obligation or otherwise “cover” its position in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities (“SMBS”). SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal.

In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive the entire principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the assets underlying the interest-only securities experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, principal-only securities tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. The secondary market for SMBS may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other mortgage-backed securities, potentially limiting a Fund’s ability to buy or sell these securities at any particular time.
 
Municipal Securities. Municipal securities consist of (i) debt obligations issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to be used for various public facilities, for refunding outstanding obligations, for general operating expenses, and for lending such funds to other public institutions and facilities; and (ii) certain private activity and industrial development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide for the construction, equipment, repair, or improvement of privately operated facilities. Municipal notes include general obligation notes, tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, certificates of indebtedness, demand notes and construction loan notes and participation interests in municipal notes. Municipal bonds include general obligation bonds, revenue or special obligation bonds, private activity and industrial development bonds, and participation interests in municipal bonds. General obligation bonds are backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. Revenue bonds are backed by the revenues of a project or facility. The payment of principal and interest on private activity and industrial development bonds generally is dependent solely on the ability of the facility’s user to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property so financed as security for such payment. Yields on municipal securities are the product of a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and of the municipal bond and municipal note markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. Although the interest on municipal securities may be exempt from federal income tax, dividends paid by a Fund to its shareholders may not be tax-exempt.
 
General Obligation Securities. General Obligation Securities are backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality and are considered the safest type of municipal bond. The proceeds from general obligation securities are used to fund a wide range of public projects, including the construction or improvement of schools, highways and roads, and water and sewer systems.
 
Revenue or Special Obligation Securities. Revenue or Special Obligation Securities are backed by the revenues of a specific project or facility (e.g . , tolls from a toll bridge). The proceeds from revenue or special obligation securities are used to fund a wide variety of capital projects, including electric, gas, water and sewer systems; highways, bridges and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Many municipal issuers also establish a debt service reserve fund from which principal and interest payments are made. Further security may be available in the form of the state’s ability, without obligation, to make up deficits in the reserve fund.
 
Municipal Lease Obligations. Municipal Lease Obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sale contract issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities. Usually, a Fund will purchase a participation interest in a municipal lease obligation from a bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interest gives the holder a pro-rata, undivided interest in the total amount of the obligation.

Municipal leases frequently have risks distinct from those associated with general obligation or revenue bonds. The interest income from the lease obligation may become taxable if the lease is assigned. Also, to free the municipal issuer from constitutional or statutory debt issuance limitations, many leases and contracts include non-appropriation clauses providing that the municipality has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for that purpose by the municipality on a yearly or other periodic basis. Finally, the lease may be illiquid.


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Bond Anticipation Notes. Bond Anticipation Notes are normally issued to provide interim financing until long-term financing can be arranged. The long-term bonds then provide money for the repayment of the notes.
 
Tax Anticipation Notes. Tax Anticipation Notes finance working capital needs of municipalities and are issued in anticipation of various seasonal tax revenues, to be payable for these specific future taxes.
 
Revenue Anticipation Notes. Revenue Anticipation Notes are issued in expectation of receipt of other kinds of revenue, such as federal revenues available under the Federal Revenue Sharing Program.
 
Industrial Development Bonds (“IDBs”) and Private Activity Bonds (“PABs”). IDBs and PABs are specific types of revenue bonds issued on or behalf of public authorities to finance various privately operated facilities such as educational, hospital or housing facilities, local facilities for water supply, gas, electricity, sewage or solid waste disposal, and industrial or commercial facilities. PABs generally are such bonds issued after April 15, 1986. These obligations are included within the term “municipal bonds” if the interest paid on them is exempt from federal income tax in the opinion of the bond issuer’s counsel. IDBs and PABs are in most case revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit quality of the IDBs and PABs is usually directly related to the credit standing of the user of the facilities being financed, or some form of credit enhancement such as a letter of credit.

Resource Recovery Bonds. Resource Recovery Bonds are affected by a number of factors, which may affect the value and credit quality of these revenue or special obligations. These factors include the viability of the project being financed, environmental protection regulations and project operator tax incentives.
 
Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper and Short-Term Municipal Notes. Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper and Short-Term Municipal Notes provide for short-term capital needs and usually have maturities of one year or less. They include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes and construction loan notes.
 
Construction Loan Notes. Construction Loan Notes are sold to provide construction financing. After successful completion and acceptance, many projects receive permanent financing through the U.S. Federal Housing Administration by way of Fannie Mae or Ginnie Mae.
 
Put Bonds. Put Bonds are municipal bonds which give the holder the right to sell the bond back to the issuer or a third-party at a specified price and exercise date, which is typically well in advance of the bond’s maturity date.

Build America Bonds (“BABs”). BABs are taxable municipal bonds that carry special tax credits and federal subsidies for either the bond issuer or the bondholder. There are two types of BABs - Tax Credit BABs and Direct Payment BABs. Direct Payment BABs provide a federal subsidy of 35% of the interest paid on the bonds to the issuer. Tax Credit BABs provides a federal subsidy as a refundable tax credit directly to the bondholders. While the bondholder is the recipient of the tax credit through Tax Credit BABs, and the bond issuer is the recipient of the tax subsidy through Direct Payment BABs, both options reduce the cost of borrowing for the bond issuer in comparison to traditional taxable corporate bonds, and in many cases, it is more cost effective than issuing traditional tax-exempt bonds.

After purchase by a Fund, an issue of municipal securities may cease to be rated by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services (“S&P”), or another NRSRO, or the rating of such a security may be reduced below the minimum credit quality rating required for purchase by a Fund. Neither event would require a Fund to dispose of the security. To the extent that the ratings applied by Moody’s, S&P or another NRSRO to municipal securities may change as a result of changes in these rating systems, a Fund will attempt to use comparable credit quality ratings as standards for its investments in municipal securities.

A Fund may invest in municipal securities that are insured by financial insurance companies. If a Fund invests in municipal securities backed by insurance companies and other financial institutions, changes in the financial condition of these institutions could cause losses to a Fund and affect its share price.

A Fund may also invest in taxable municipal securities. Taxable municipal securities are debt securities issued by or on behalf of states and their political subdivisions, the District of Columbia, and possessions of the United States, the interest on which is not exempt from federal income tax.

The yields on municipal securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including general economic and monetary conditions, money market factors, conditions of the municipal securities market, size of a particular offering, and maturity and rating of the obligation. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those related to education,

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healthcare, transportation and various utilities, conditions in those sectors and the financial condition of an individual municipal issuer can affect the overall municipal market. The market values of the municipal securities held by a Fund will be affected by changes in the yields available on similar securities. If yields increase following the purchase of a municipal security, the market value of such municipal security will generally decrease. Conversely, if yields decrease, the market value of a municipal security will generally increase.
 
Obligations of Supranational Entities. Obligations of supranational entities are obligations of entities established through the joint participation of several governments, such as the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), African Development Bank, European Economic Community, European Investment Bank and the Nordic Investment Bank.

Options. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at any time during the option period. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security at any time during the option period. The premium paid to the writer is the consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract. The initial purchase (sale) of an option contract is an “opening transaction.”  In order to close out an option position, a Fund may enter into a “closing transaction,” which is simply the sale (purchase) of an option contract on the same security with the same exercise price and expiration date as the option contract originally opened. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to an option it has written, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or a Fund delivers the security upon exercise.

A Fund may purchase put and call options to protect against a decline in the market value of the securities in its portfolio or to anticipate an increase in the market value of securities that a Fund may seek to purchase in the future. A Fund will pay a premium when purchasing put and call options. If price movements in the underlying securities are such that exercise of the options would not be profitable for a Fund, loss of the premium paid may be offset by an increase in the value of a Fund’s securities or by a decrease in the cost of acquisition of securities by a Fund.

A Fund may write both covered call and put options. A Fund may write covered call options as a means of increasing the yield on its portfolio and as a means of providing limited protection against decreases in its market value. When a Fund sells an option, if the underlying securities do not increase or decrease to a price level that would make the exercise of the option profitable to the holder thereof, the option generally will expire without being exercised and a Fund will realize as profit the premium received for such option. When a call option written by a Fund is exercised, a Fund will be required to sell the underlying securities to the option holder at the strike price, and will not participate in any increase in the price of such securities above the strike price. When a put option written by a Fund is exercised, a Fund will be required to purchase the underlying securities at the strike price, which may be in excess of the market value of such securities.

A Fund may purchase and write options on an exchange or over-the-counter. Over-the-counter options (“OTC options”) differ from exchange-traded options in several respects. They are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation, and therefore entail the risk of non-performance by the dealer. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities and for a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices than are available for exchange-traded options. Because OTC options are not traded on an exchange, pricing is done normally by reference to information from a market maker. It is the position of the staff of the SEC that OTC options are generally illiquid.

A Fund may purchase and write put and call options on foreign currencies (traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges or over-the-counter markets) to manage its exposure to exchange rates. Call options on foreign currencies written by a Fund will be “covered,” which means that a Fund will own an equal amount of the underlying foreign currency. With respect to put options on foreign currency written by a Fund, a Fund will establish a segregated account with its custodian consisting of cash or liquid, high grade debt securities in an amount equal to the amount a Fund would be required to pay upon exercise of the put, earmark assets as cover or otherwise “cover” its position in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations.

Buyers and sellers of foreign currency options are subject to the same risks that apply to options generally. There are certain additional risks associated with foreign currency options. The markets in foreign currency options are relatively new, and a Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions on such options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid secondary market. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular option at any specific time. In addition, options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors that influence foreign exchange rates and investments generally.

The value of a foreign currency option depends upon the value of the underlying currency relative to the U.S. dollar. As a result, the price of the option position may vary with changes in the value of either or both currencies and may have no relationship to the investment merits of a foreign security. Because foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, investors may be disadvantaged

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by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.

There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies or any regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Available quotation information is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus may not reflect relatively smaller transactions (i.e., less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that the U.S. option markets are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, significant price and rate movements may take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets until they reopen.

A Fund may purchase and write put and call options on indices and enter into related closing transactions. Put and call options on indices are similar to options on securities except that options on an index give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than (or less than, in the case of puts) the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. Thus, unlike options on individual securities, all settlements are in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the particular market represented by the index generally, rather than the price movements in individual securities. A Fund may choose to terminate an option position by entering into a closing transaction. The ability of a Fund to enter into closing transactions depends upon the existence of a liquid secondary market for such transactions.

All options written on indices must be covered. When a Fund writes an option on an index, it will establish a segregated account containing cash or liquid securities with its custodian in an amount at least equal to the market value of the option and will maintain the account while the option is open or will otherwise cover the transaction.

A Fund will not engage in transactions involving interest rate futures contracts for speculation but only as a hedge against changes in the market values of debt securities held or intended to be purchased by a Fund and where the transactions are appropriate to reduce a Fund’s interest rate risks. There can be no assurance that hedging transactions will be successful. A Fund also could be exposed to risks if it cannot close out its futures or options positions because of any illiquid secondary market.

Futures and options have effective durations that, in general, are closely related to the effective duration of the securities that underlie them. Holding purchased futures or call option positions (backed by segregated cash or other liquid securities) will lengthen the duration of a Fund’s portfolio.

Risks associated with options transactions include: (1) the success of a hedging strategy may depend on an ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them; (3) there may not be a liquid secondary market for options; and (4) while a Fund will receive a premium when it writes covered call options, it may not participate fully in a rise in the market value of the underlying security.
 
Caps, Collars and Floors . Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options. In a typical cap or floor agreement, one party agrees to make payments only under specified circumstances, usually in return for payment of a fee by the other party. For example, the buyer of an interest rate cap obtains the right to receive payments to the extent that a specified interest rate exceeds an agreed-upon level. The seller of an interest rate floor is obligated to make payments to the extent that a specified interest rate falls below an agreed-upon level. An interest rate collar combines elements of buying a cap and selling a floor.
 
Inverse Floaters . A Fund may invest in inverse floaters. Inverse floaters are derivative securities whose interest rates vary inversely to changes in short-term interest rates and whose values fluctuate inversely to changes in long-term interest rates. The value of certain inverse floaters will fluctuate substantially more in response to a given change in long-term rates than would a traditional debt security. These securities have investment characteristics similar to leverage, in that interest rate changes have a magnified effect on the value of inverse floaters.
 
Ordinary Shares. Ordinary shares are shares of foreign issuers that are traded abroad and on a United States exchange. Ordinary shares may be purchased with and sold for U.S. dollars. Investing in foreign companies may involve risks not typically associated with investing in United States companies. See “Securities of Foreign Issuers.”
 
Over-The-Counter Stocks. A Fund may invest in over-the-counter stocks. In contrast to securities exchanges, the over-the-counter market is not a centralized facility that limits trading activity to securities of companies which initially satisfy certain defined standards. Generally, the volume of trading in an unlisted or over-the-counter common stock is less than the volume of trading in a listed stock. This means that the depth of market liquidity of some stocks in which each Fund invests may not be as great as that

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of other securities and, if a Funds were to dispose of such a stock, they might have to offer the shares at a discount from recent prices, or sell the shares in small lots over an extended period of time.

Receipts. Receipts are sold as zero coupon securities, which mean that they are sold at a substantial discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. This discount is accreted over the life of the security, and such accretion will constitute the income earned on a security for both accounting and federal income tax purposes. Because of these features, such securities may be subject to greater interest rate volatility than interest paying investments.
 
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). The Funds may invest in REITs, which pool investors’ money for investment in income producing commercial real estate or real estate related loans or interests.
 
A REIT is not subject to federal income tax on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income, and with a regulatory requirement that it distribute to its shareholders or unitholders at least 90% of its taxable income for each taxable year. Generally, REITs can be classified as Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents and capital gains from appreciation realized through property sales. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both Equity and Mortgage REITs. A shareholder in a Fund should realize that by investing in REITs indirectly through a Fund, he or she will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also indirectly, similar expenses of underlying REITs.
 
A Fund may be subject to certain risks associated with the direct investments of the REITs. REITs may be affected by changes in their underlying properties and by defaults by borrowers or tenants. Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the credit extended. Furthermore, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills. Some REITs may have limited diversification and may be subject to risks inherent in financing a limited number of properties. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders, and may be subject to defaults by borrowers and to self-liquidations. In addition, the performance of a REIT may be affected by its failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code or its failure to maintain exemption from registration under the 1940 Act.

ReFlow Liquidity Program (all Funds, except International Equity Fund). Certain Funds may participate in the ReFlow liquidity program, which is designed to provide an alternative liquidity source for mutual funds experiencing redemptions of their shares. In order to pay cash to shareholders who redeem their shares on a given day, a mutual fund typically must hold cash in its portfolio, liquidate portfolio securities, or borrow money, all of which impose certain costs on the fund. ReFlow Fund, LLC ("ReFlow") provides participating mutual funds with another source of cash by standing ready to purchase shares from a fund up to the amount of the fund’s net redemptions on a given day. ReFlow then generally redeems those shares when the fund experiences net sales. In return for this service, the Fund will pay a fee to ReFlow at a rate determined by a daily auction with other participating mutual funds. The costs to the Fund for participating in ReFlow are expected to be influenced by and comparable to the cost of other sources of liquidity, such as the Fund’s short-term lending arrangements or the costs of selling portfolio securities to meet redemptions. In accordance with federal securities laws, ReFlow is prohibited from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund.

There is no assurance that ReFlow will have sufficient funds available to meet the Funds' liquidity needs on a particular day. Investments in the Funds by ReFlow in connection with the ReFlow liquidity program are not subject to the market timing limitations described in the Funds' prospectus.

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are transactions by which a Fund purchases a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller at an agreed upon time and price, thereby determining the yield during the term of the agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller of a repurchase agreement, a Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. To minimize these possibilities, each Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with its custodian, with banks having assets in excess of $10 billion and with broker-dealers who are recognized as primary dealers in U.S. government obligations by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Collateral for repurchase agreements is held in safekeeping in the customer-only account of a Fund’s custodian at the Federal Reserve Bank. A Fund will not enter into a repurchase agreement not terminable within seven days if, as a result thereof, more than 15% of the value of its net assets would be invested in such securities and other illiquid securities.

Although the securities subject to a repurchase agreement might bear maturities exceeding one year, settlement for the repurchase would never be more than one year after a Fund’s acquisition of the securities and normally would be within a shorter period of time. The resale price will be in excess of the purchase price, reflecting an agreed upon market rate effective for the period of time a Fund’s money will be invested in the securities, and will not be related to the coupon rate of the purchased security. At the time

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a Fund enters into a repurchase agreement, the value of the underlying security, including accrued interest, will equal or exceed the value of the repurchase agreement, and in the case of a repurchase agreement exceeding one day, the seller will agree that the value of the underlying security, including accrued interest, will at all times equal or exceed the value of the repurchase agreement. The collateral securing the seller’s obligation must consist of cash or securities that are issued or guaranteed by the United States government or its agencies. The collateral will be held by the custodian or in the Federal Reserve Book Entry System.

For purposes of the 1940 Act, a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from a Fund to the seller subject to the repurchase agreement and is therefore subject to that Fund’s investment restriction applicable to loans. It is not clear whether a court would consider the securities purchased by a Fund subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by that Fund or as being collateral for a loan by a Fund to the seller. In the event of the commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the securities before repurchase of the security under a repurchase agreement, a Fund may encounter delays and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Delays may involve loss of interest or decline in price of the security. If a court characterized the transaction as a loan and a Fund has not perfected a security interest in the security, that Fund may be required to return the security to the seller’s estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, a Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the transaction. As with any unsecured debt obligation purchased for a Fund, the sub-advisor seeks to minimize the risk of loss through repurchase agreements by analyzing the creditworthiness of the obligor, in this case, the seller. Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the security, in which case a Fund may incur a loss if the proceeds to that Fund of the sale of the security to a third party are less than the repurchase price. However, if the market value of the securities subject to the repurchase agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including interest), a Fund involved will direct the seller of the security to deliver additional securities so that the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement will equal or exceed the repurchase price. It is possible that a Fund will be unsuccessful in seeking to enforce the seller’s contractual obligation to deliver additional securities.
 
Reverse Repurchase Agreement, Dollar Roll, and Reverse Dollar Roll Transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves a sale by a Fund of securities that it holds to a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution concurrently with an agreement by a Fund to repurchase the same securities at an agreed-upon price and date. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered borrowing by a Fund and are subject to a Fund’s limitations on borrowing. A dollar roll transaction involves a sale by a Fund of an eligible security to a financial institution concurrently with an agreement by a Fund to repurchase a similar eligible security from the institution at a later date at an agreed-upon price. A reverse dollar roll transaction involves a purchase by a Fund of an eligible security from a financial institution concurrently with an agreement by a Fund to resell a similar security to the institution at a later date at an agreed-upon price. Each Fund will fully collateralize its reverse repurchase agreements, dollar roll and reverse dollar roll transactions in an amount at least equal to a Fund’s obligations under the reverse repurchase agreement, dollar roll or reverse dollar roll transaction by segregating cash or other liquid securities, earmarking cash or other liquid securities or otherwise “covering” its position in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations.
 
Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A securities are securities exempt from registration on resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”). Rule 144A securities are traded in the institutional market pursuant to this registration exemption, and, as a result, may not be as liquid as exchange-traded securities since they may only be resold to certain qualified institutional investors. Due to the relatively limited size of this institutional market, these securities may affect the liquidity of Rule 144A securities to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing such securities. Nevertheless, Rule 144A securities may be treated as liquid securities pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board.

Sector Focus . If the Fund’s portfolio is overweighted in a certain sector or related sectors, any negative development affecting that sector will have a greater impact on the Fund than a fund that is not overweighted in that sector.

Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. Because companies in the consumer discretionary sector manufacture products and provide discretionary services directly to the consumer, the success of these companies is tied closely to the performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence. Success depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending. Changes in demographics and consumer tastes also can affect the demand for, and success of, consumer discretionary products in the marketplace.

Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The consumer staples sector may be affected by the permissibility of using various food additives and production methods, fads, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting consumer demand. In particular, tobacco companies may be adversely affected by new laws, regulations and litigation. The consumer staples sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors.

Energy Sector Risk. The profitability of companies in the energy sector is related to worldwide energy prices, exploration, and production spending. Such companies also are subject to risks of changes in exchange rates, government regulation, world events,

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depletion of resources and economic conditions, as well as market, economic and political risks of the countries where energy companies are located or do business. Oil and gas exploration and production can be significantly affected by natural disasters. Oil exploration and production companies may be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates, interest rates, government regulation, world events, and economic conditions. Oil exploration and production companies may be at risk for environmental damage claims.

Financial Sector Risk. The financial services industries are subject to extensive government regulation, can be subject to relatively rapid change due to increasingly blurred distinctions between service segments, and can be significantly affected by availability and cost of capital funds, changes in interest rates, the rate of corporate and consumer debt defaults, and price competition.

Healthcare Sector Risk. The profitability of companies in the healthcare sector may be affected by extensive government regulation, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on patent protection. The expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Many healthcare companies are subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Healthcare companies are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and costly.

Industrials Sector Risk . The stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulation, world events and economic conditions may affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be at risk for environmental damage and product liability claims.

Materials Sector Risk. Companies in the materials sector could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, exchange rates, import controls and increased competition. Production of industrial materials often exceeds demand as a result of overbuilding or economic downturns, leading to poor investment returns. Companies in the materials sector are at risk for environmental damage and product liability claims. Companies in the materials sector may be adversely affected by depletion of resources, technical progress, labor relations, and government regulations.

Technology Sector Risk. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Finally, while all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the information technology sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses. These risks are heightened for information technology companies in foreign markets.

Telecommunications Services Sector Risk. The telecommunications sector is subject to extensive government regulation. The costs of complying with governmental regulations, delays or failure to receive required regulatory approvals, or the enactment of new regulatory requirements may negatively affect the business of telecommunications companies. Government actions around the world, specifically in the area of pre-marketing clearance of products and prices, can be arbitrary and unpredictable. The domestic telecommunications market is characterized by increasing competition and regulation by various state and federal regulatory authorities. Companies in the telecommunications sector may encounter distressed cash flows due to the need to commit substantial capital to meet increasing competition, particularly in formulating new products and services using new technology. Technological innovations may make the products and services of certain telecommunications companies obsolete.

Securities Lending. In order to generate additional income, a Fund may lend its securities pursuant to agreements requiring that the loan be continuously secured by collateral consisting of: (1) cash in U.S. dollars; (2) securities issued or fully guaranteed by the United States government or issued and unconditionally guaranteed by any agencies thereof; or (3) irrevocable performance letters of credit issued by banks approved by each Fund. All collateral must equal at least 100% of the market value of the loaned securities. A Fund continues to receive interest on the loaned securities while simultaneously earning interest on the investment of cash collateral. Collateral is marked to market daily. There may be risks of delay in recovery of the securities or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially or become insolvent. In addition, cash collateral invested

22


by the lending Fund is subject to investment risk and a Fund may experience losses with respect to its collateral investments. The SEC currently requires that the following conditions must be met whenever a Fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (1) a Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral from the borrower; (2) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) a Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) a Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (5) a Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees approved by the Board in connection with the loan; (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, the Board must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, and (7) a Fund may not loan its portfolio securities so that the value of the loaned securities is more than one-third of its total asset value, including collateral received from such loans.

The dollar amounts of income and fees and compensation paid to all service providers related to the Funds that participated in
securities lending activities during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017 were as follows:
Fund Name
Investment Income
Premium Income
Compensation
Agency Fee
Admin Fee
Rebate Paid to Borrower
Indemnification Fee
Other Fee
Fees paid for Cash Collateral Management
Aggregate Fees
Net Income
Average on Loan Value
Balanced
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
International Equity
$109
N/A
$109
$8
N/A
$56
N/A
N/A
$188
$252
$(143)
$125,730
Large Cap Focused
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Small Company
$9,622
$2,881
$12,503
$1,327
N/A
$3,658
N/A
N/A
$16,842
$21,827
$(9,324)
$11,228,348

Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does not treat certain transactions as senior securities, such as certain borrowings, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment agreements and standby commitments, with appropriate earmarking or segregation of assets to cover such obligation.

Short Sales. In a short sale, a Fund sells a security, which it does not own, in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. To complete the sale, the Fund must borrow the security (generally from the broker through which the short sale is made) in order to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund must replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The Fund is said to have a “short position” in the securities sold until it delivers them to the broker. The period during which the Fund has a short position can range from one day to more than a year. Until the Fund replaces the security, the proceeds of the short sale are retained by the broker, and the Fund must pay to the broker a negotiated portion of any dividends or interest, which accrue during the period of the loan. A short sale is “against the box” if at all times during which the short position is open, a Fund owns at least an equal amount of the securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable without further consideration for, securities of the same issue as the securities that are sold short. A short sale against the box is a taxable transaction to the Fund with respect to the securities that are sold short. The lending of securities is considered a form of leverage that is included in a lending Fund’s investment limitation related to borrowings. See “Investment Limitations” below.

In the view of the SEC, a short sale involves the creation of a “senior security” as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, unless the sale is “against the box” and the securities sold short are placed in a segregated account (not with the broker), or unless the Fund’s obligation to deliver the securities sold short is otherwise “covered,” whether by placing assets in a segregated account or otherwise earmarking assets as cover in an amount equal to the difference between the market value of the securities sold short at the time of the short sale and any such collateral required to be deposited with a broker in connection with the sale (not including the proceeds from the short sale), which difference is adjusted daily for changes in the value of the securities sold short, or otherwise. To the extent a Fund  engages in short sales, it will comply with these requirements.
 
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 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 governmental entity’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental 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

23


such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms 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 funds 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 governmental 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.
 
Stand-By Commitments. When a Fund purchases municipal obligations, it may also acquire stand-by commitments from banks and broker-dealers with respect to such municipal obligations. A stand-by commitment is the equivalent of a put option acquired by a Fund with respect to a particular municipal obligation held in its portfolio. A stand-by commitment is a security independent of the municipal obligation to which it relates. The amount payable by a bank or dealer during the time a stand-by commitment is exercisable, absent unusual circumstances relating to a change in market value, would be substantially the same as the value of the underlying municipal obligation. A stand-by commitment might not be transferable by a Fund, although it could sell the underlying municipal obligation to a third-party at any time.

Each Fund expects that stand-by commitments generally will be available without the payment of direct or indirect consideration. However, if necessary and advisable, a Fund may pay for stand-by commitments either separately in cash or by paying a higher price for portfolio securities which are acquired subject to such a commitment (thus reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The total amount paid in either manner for outstanding stand-by commitments held by a Fund will not exceed 10% of the value of a Fund’s total assets calculated immediately after each stand-by commitment is acquired. A Fund will enter into stand-by commitments only with banks and broker-dealers that, in the judgment of the Advisor or sub-advisor, as the case may be, present minimal credit risks.

Step Coupon Bonds (“STEPS”). A Fund may invest in STEPS, which pay interest at a series of different rates (including 0%) in accordance with a stated schedule for a series of periods. In addition to the risks associated with the credit rating of the issuers, these securities may be subject to more volatility risk than fixed rate debt securities.

Structured Notes. A Fund may invest in structured notes, including “total rate of return swaps,” with rates of return determined by reference to the total rate of return on one or more loans referenced in such notes. The rate of return on the structured note may be determined by applying a multiplier to the rate of total return on the referenced loan or loans. Application of a multiplier is comparable to the use of leverage, which magnifies the risk of loss, because a relatively small decline in the value of a referenced note could result in a relatively large loss in value.

Swap Agreements. A swap is a financial instrument that typically involves the exchange of cash flows between two parties on specified dates (settlement dates), where the cash flows are based on agreed-upon prices, rates, indices, etc. The nominal amount on which the cash flows are calculated is called the notional amount. Swaps are individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors, such as interest rates, foreign currency rates, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, security prices, indexes or inflation rates.

Swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the investments of a Fund and its share price. The performance of swap agreements may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from a Fund. If a swap agreement calls for payments by a Fund, a Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. In addition, if the counter-party’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in losses.

Generally, swap agreements have a fixed maturity date that will be agreed upon by the parties. The agreement can be terminated before the maturity date only under limited circumstances, such as default by one of the parties or insolvency, among others, and can be transferred by a party only with the prior written consent of the other party. A Fund may be able to eliminate its exposure under a swap agreement either by assignment or by other disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same party or a similarly creditworthy party. If the counter-party is unable to meet its obligations under the contract, declares bankruptcy, defaults or becomes insolvent, a Fund may not be able to recover the money it expected to receive under the contract.

A swap agreement can be a form of leverage, which can magnify a Fund’s gains or losses. If a Fund enters into a swap agreement on a net basis, it will segregate assets with a daily value at least equal to the excess, if any, of a Fund’s accrued obligations under the swap agreement over the accrued amount a Fund is entitled to receive under the agreement. If a Fund enters into a swap

24


agreement on other than a net basis, it will segregate assets with a value equal to the full amount of a Fund’s accrued obligations under the agreement.

Equity Swaps. In a typical equity swap, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a stock, stock index or basket of stocks in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, for example, the index receiver can gain exposure to stocks making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those stocks. Equity index swaps involve not only the risk associated with investment in the securities represented in the index, but also the risk that the performance of such securities, including dividends, will not exceed the return on the interest rate that a Fund will be committed to pay.
 
Interest Rate Swaps . Interest rate swaps are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. Some of the different types of interest rate swaps are “fixed-for floating-rate swaps,” “termed basis swaps” and “index amortizing swaps.” Fixed-for floating-rate swaps involve the exchange of fixed interest rate cash flows for floating-rate cash flows. Termed basis swaps entail cash flows to both parties based on floating interest rates, where the interest rate indices are different. Index amortizing swaps are typically fixed-for floating swaps where the notional amount changes if certain conditions are met.

Like a traditional investment in a debt security, a Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely. For example, if a Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating-rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, a Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Similarly, if a Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a fixed rate of interest for a floating-rate of interest, a Fund may receive less money than it has agreed to pay.
 
Currency Swaps. A currency swap is an agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to make interest rate payments in one currency and the other promises to make interest rate payments in another currency. A Fund may enter into a currency swap when it has one currency and desires a different currency. Typically the interest rates that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating-rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal amounts are exchanged at the beginning of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. Changes in foreign exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency swaps.
 
Credit Default Swaps (“CDSs”). A CDS is an agreement between a Fund and a counterparty that enables the Fund to buy or sell protection against a credit event related to a referenced debt obligation. One party, acting as a “protection buyer,” makes periodic payments to the other party, a “protection seller,” in exchange for a promise by the protection seller to make a payment to the protection buyer if a negative credit event (such as a delinquent payment or default) occurs with respect to a referenced bond or group of bonds. Acting as a protection seller allows a Fund to create an investment exposure similar to owning a bond. Acting as a protection buyer allows a Fund potentially to reduce its credit exposure to a bond it owns or to take a “short” position in a bond it does not own.

As the protection buyer in a CDS, a Fund may pay a premium (by means of periodic payments) in return for the right to deliver specified bonds or loans to the protection seller and receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value upon default or similar events by the issuer of the underlying reference obligation. If no default occurs, the protection seller would keep the stream of payments and would have no further obligations to the Fund. As the protection buyer, the Fund bears the risk that the investment might expire worthless or that the protection seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default or similar event. In addition, when the Fund is a protection buyer, the Fund’s investment would only generate income in the event of an actual default or similar event by the issuer of the underlying reference obligation.

A Fund may also use credit default swaps for investment purposes by selling a CDS, in which case, the Fund, as the protection seller, would be required to pay the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation to the protection buyer in the event of a default or similar event by the third-party issuer of the underlying reference obligation. In return for its obligation, the Fund would receive from the protection buyer a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract. If no credit event occurs, the Fund would keep the stream of payments and would have no payment obligations. As the protection seller in a CDS, the Fund effectively adds economic leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund is subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. Consistent with SEC staff guidance, if the Fund sells a CDS it will segregate assets equal to the full notional amount of the swap in order to cover its obligations under the instrument.

In addition to the risks applicable to derivatives generally, CDSs involve special risks because they may be difficult to value, are highly susceptible to liquidity and credit risk, and generally pay a return to the party that has paid the premium only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty).


25


Options on Swap Agreements (“swaptions”) . The Funds also may enter into swaptions. A swaption 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. The Funds may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. Depending on the terms of the particular swaption, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option by the buyer of the option, the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying swap agreement.

Whether a Fund’s use of swap agreements or swaptions will be successful in furthering its investment goals will depend on the sub-advisors’ ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, a Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.

Temporary Defensive Investments. Each Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest up to 100% of its total assets in money market instruments (including U.S. government securities, bank obligations, commercial paper rated in the highest rating category by a NRSRO and repurchase agreements involving the foregoing securities), shares of money market investment companies (to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions) and cash. When a Fund invests in defensive investments, it may not achieve its investment goal.

Warrants and Rights. Warrants are instruments giving holders the right, but not the obligation, to buy equity or fixed income securities of a company at a given price during a specified period. Rights are similar to warrants but normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of warrants or rights involves the risk that a Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant or right if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrants’ and rights’ expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants and/or rights involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrants and/or rights added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make a Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to 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.

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
 
Fundamental Investment Limitations. Below are each Fund’s fundamental investment limitations (or policies), which it cannot change without the consent of the holders of a majority of that Fund’s outstanding shares. The term “majority of the outstanding shares” means the vote of (i) 67% or more of a Fund’s shares present at a meeting, if more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of a Fund’s outstanding shares, whichever is less.
 
For the illiquid securities and bank borrowing fundamental policies, which contain percentage limits, the Fund must meet these percentage limits at all times, regardless of whether a portfolio transaction is occurring or the changes are caused by market conditions or other circumstances beyond the Fund’s control. For all other fundamental policies with a percentage limit (collectively, the “Other Policies”), a Fund must apply each policy to each proposed portfolio transaction. For example, both the initial purchase of a security and each subsequent addition to that position must satisfy the Other Policies. However, if the Fund satisfies the Other Policies at the time of a transaction, then later changes in percentages resulting from market conditions or other circumstances beyond the Fund’s control will not violate those policies; but the Fund would not be able to make subsequent additions to that position and other similar positions until the Other Policies are satisfied.
 
Several of these fundamental investment limitations include the defined term “1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.” This term means the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as such statutes, rules and regulations are amended from time to time or are interpreted from time to time by the staff of the SEC, and any exemptive order or similar relief applicable to a Fund.
 
The following fundamental investment limitations apply to each Fund:
 
1.     Each Fund, other than the Large Cap Focused Fund, is a “diversified company” as defined in the 1940 Act. This means that a Fund will not purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result, a Fund would fail to be a diversified company within the meaning of the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions. This restriction does not prevent a Fund from purchasing the securities of other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
 
Please refer to number 1 of the “Non-Fundamental Investment Limitations” section for further information.

26



2.     A Fund may not borrow money or issue senior securities, except as permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
 
Please refer to number 2 of the “Non-Fundamental Investment Limitations” section for further information.
 
3.     A Fund may not underwrite the securities of other issuers. This restriction does not prevent a Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition or resale of its portfolio securities, regardless of whether a Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
 
4.     A Fund will not make investments that will result in the concentration (as that term may be defined or interpreted by the 1940 Act, Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions) of its investments in the securities of issuers primarily engaged in the same industry. This restriction does not limit a Fund’s investments in (i) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, (ii) tax-exempt obligations issued by governments or political subdivisions of governments or (iii) repurchase agreements collateralized by such obligations.
 
5.     A Fund may not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction does not prevent a Fund from investing in issuers that invest, deal or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, or investing in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein.
 
6.     A Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction does not prevent a Fund from engaging in transactions involving futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities that are secured by physical commodities.
 
7.     A Fund may not make personal loans or loans of its assets to persons who control or are under common control with the Fund, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions. This restriction does not prevent a Fund from, among other things, purchasing debt obligations, entering repurchase agreements, lending portfolio securities or investing in loans, including assignments and participation interests.
 
Please refer to number 3 of the “Non-Fundamental Investment Limitations” section for further information.
 
Non-Fundamental Investment Limitations.  Each Fund also has adopted certain non-fundamental investment limitations. A non-fundamental investment limitation may be amended by the Board without a vote of shareholders.
 
80% Investment Policy. Certain of the Funds have adopted a policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its “assets” in certain types of investments as suggested by its name (the “80% policy”). Shareholders will be provided with at least 60-days’ prior notice of any change in a Fund’s 80% investment policy.
 
The following non-fundamental investment limitations apply to each Fund:
 
1.    In complying with the fundamental investment restriction regarding issuer diversification, a Fund will not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities), if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (ii) a Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.
 
2.    In complying with the fundamental investment restriction regarding borrowing and issuing senior securities, a Fund may borrow money in an amount not exceeding 33 1 / 3 % of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings).
 
3.    In complying with the fundamental investment restriction with regard to making loans, a Fund may not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1 / 3 % of its total assets would be lent to other parties, except that a Fund may: (i) purchase or hold debt instruments in accordance with its investment objective and policies; (ii) enter into repurchase agreements; and (iii) engage in securities lending as described in the Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.

A Fund will determine compliance with the fundamental and non-fundamental investment restriction percentages above (with the exception of the restriction relating to borrowing) and other investment restrictions in this SAI immediately after and as a result of its acquisition of such security or other asset. Accordingly, a Fund will not consider changes in values, net assets, or other circumstances when determining whether the investment complies with its investment restrictions.


27


TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
 
The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust, the length of time served, principal occupations for the past five years, and, for the Trustees, number of funds overseen in the Touchstone Fund Complex and other directorships held. All funds managed by the Advisor, the "Touchstone Funds" are part of the “Touchstone Fund Complex.” The Touchstone Fund Complex consists of the Trust, Touchstone Funds Group Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, and Touchstone Variable Series Trust. The Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, are referred to as “Independent Trustees.”
Interested Trustees (1) :
Name
Address
Year of Birth
 
Position
Held with
Trust
 
Term of
Office
And
Length of
Time
Served
 
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
 
Number of Funds
Overseen in the
Touchstone Fund
Complex (2)
 
Other
Directorships
Held During Past 5
Years  (3)
Jill T. McGruder

Touchstone
Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio
45202

Year of Birth: 1955
 
Trustee and President
 
Until retirement at age 75 or until she resigns or is removed

Trustee since 1999
 
President and CEO of IFS Financial Services, Inc. (a holding company).
 
49
 
IFS Financial Services, Inc. (a holding company) from 1999 to the present; Integrity and National Integrity Life
Insurance Co. from 2005 to the present; Touchstone Securities (the Trust’s distributor) from 1999 to the present; Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the Trust’s investment advisor and administrator)
from 1999 to the present; W&S
Brokerage Services (a brokerage
company) from 1999 to the present; W&S Financial Group Distributors (a distribution company) from 1999 to the present; Cincinnati Analysts, Inc. from 2012 to the present; Columbus Life Insurance Co. from 2016 to the present; Taft Museum of Art from 2007 to the
present; YWCA of Greater Cincinnati
from 2012 to the present; The
Lafayette Life Insurance Co. from 2016 to the present; and LL Global Inc. from 2016 to the present.

28


Independent Trustees:
 
Name
Address
Year of Birth
 
Position
Held with
Trust
 
Term of
Office
And
Length of
Time
Served
 
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
 
Number of Funds
Overseen in the
Touchstone Fund
Complex (2)
 
Other
Directorships
Held During Past 5
Years (3)
Phillip R. Cox

c/o Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1947
 
Trustee
 
Until retirement at age 75 or until he resigns or is removed

Trustee since 1999
 
President and Chief Executive Officer of Cox Financial Corp. (a financial services company) from 1971 to the present.
 
49
 
Director of Cincinnati Bell (a communications company) from 1994 to the present; Bethesda Inc. (a hospital) from 2005 to the present; Timken Co. (a manufacturing company) from 2004 to 2014; TimkenSteel from 2014 to the present; Diebold, Inc. (a technology solutions company) from 2004 to the present; and Ohio Business Alliance for Higher Education and the Economy from 2005 to the present.
William C. Gale

c/o Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1952
 
Trustee
 
Until retirement at age 75 or until he resigns or is removed

Trustee since 2013
 
Retired; formerly Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (from 2003 to January 2015) of Cintas Corporation (a business services company).
 
49
 
None.
Susan J. Hickenlooper

c/o Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1946
 
Trustee
 
Until retirement at age 75 or until she resigns or is removed

Trustee since 2009
 
Retired; formerly Financial Analyst for Impact 100 (charitable organization) from November 2012 to 2013.
 
49
 
Trustee of Diocese of Southern Ohio from 2014 to the present; and Trustee of
Cincinnati Parks Foundation from 2000 to 2016.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

29


Name
Address
Year of Birth
 
Position
Held with
Trust
 
Term of
Office
And
Length of
Time
Served
 
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
 
Number of Funds
Overseen in the
Touchstone Fund
Complex (2)
 
Other
Directorships
Held During Past 5
Years (3)
Kevin A. Robie

c/o Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1956
 
Trustee
 
Until retirement at age 75 or until he resigns or is removed

Trustee since 2013
 
Vice President of Portfolio Management at Soin International LLC (a private multinational holding company) from 2004 to the present.
 
49
 
SaverSystems, Inc. from 2015 to the present; Director of Buckeye EcoCare, Inc. (a lawn care company) from 2013 to the present; Trustee of Dayton Region New Market Fund, LLC (a private fund) from
2010 to the present; and Trustee of the Entrepreneurs Center, Inc. (a small business incubator) from 2006 to the
present.

Edward J. VonderBrink

c/o Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1944
 
Trustee
 
Until retirement at age 75 or until he resigns or is removed

Trustee since 2013
 
Consultant, VonderBrink Consulting LLC from 2000 to the present.
 
49
 
Director of Streamline Health
Solutions, Inc. (healthcare IT) from 2006 to 2015; Mercy Health from 2013 to the present; Mercy Health Foundation (healthcare
nonprofit) from 2008 to the present; Al Neyer Inc. (a construction
company) from 2013 to the present;
and BASCO Shower Door from 2011 to the present.

(1)  Ms. McGruder, as a director of the Advisor and the Distributor, and an officer of affiliates of the Advisor and the Distributor, is an “interested person” of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
(2)  As of March 30, 2018, the Touchstone Fund Complex consisted of 25 series of the Trust, 13 series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust and 10 variable annuity series of Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
(3)  Each Trustee is also a Trustee of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, and Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
 

30


Principal Officers:
 
Name
Address
Year of Birth
 
Position Held
with Trust (1)
 
Term of Office and
Length of Time
Served
 
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
Jill T. McGruder

Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1955
 
President and Trustee
 
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
President since
2006.
 
See biography above.  
Steven M. Graziano

Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1954
 
Vice President
 
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
Vice President since 2009
 
President of Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Timothy D. Paulin

Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1963
 
Vice President
 
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
Vice President since 2010
 
Senior Vice President of Investment Research and Product Management of Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Timothy S. Stearns

Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1963
 
Chief Compliance Officer
 
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
Chief Compliance Officer since 2013
 
Chief Compliance Officer of Touchstone Advisors, Inc.; Chief Compliance Officer of Envestnet Asset Management, Inc. (2009 to 2013).
Terrie A. Wiedenheft

Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway
Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Year of Birth: 1962
 
Controller and Treasurer
 
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
Controller and
Treasurer since 2006
 
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operations Officer of IFS Financial Services, Inc. (a holding company).
Ellen Blanchard

The Bank of New York Mellon
201 Washington Street,13 th  Fl
Boston, Massachusetts 02108


Year of Birth: 1973
 
Secretary
 
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
Secretary since 2015
 
Director of The Bank of New York Mellon

(1) Each officer also holds the same office with Touchstone Funds Group Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, and Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
 
Additional Information about the Trustees
 
The Board believes that each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees lead to the conclusion that the Trustees possess the requisite experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills to serve on the Board. The Board believes that the Trustees’ ability to review critically, evaluate, question, and discuss information provided to them; to interact effectively with the Advisor, sub-advisors, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors; and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support this conclusion. The Board has also considered the contributions that each Trustee can make to the Board and the Funds.

31


 
In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills apply as to each Trustee: Ms. McGruder has experience as a chief executive officer of a financial services company and director of various other businesses, as well as executive and leadership roles within the Advisor; Mr. Cox has experience as a chief executive officer of a financial services company and as a director of companies from varied industries; Mr. Gale has experience as a chief financial officer, an internal auditor of various global companies, and has accounting experience as a manager at a major accounting firm; Ms. Hickenlooper has executive and board experience at various businesses, foundations and charitable organizations; Mr. Robie has portfolio management experience at a private multinational holding company; and Mr. VonderBrink has experience as a consultant and director of other corporations. In its periodic self-assessment of its effectiveness, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Funds. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of Trustees are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute holding out the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility on any Trustee or on the Board by reason thereof.
 
Board Structure
 
The Board is composed of five Independent Trustees and one Interested Trustee, Jill T. McGruder, who is Chairperson of the Board. The full Board has appointed Phillip R. Cox to serve as the Lead Independent Trustee. Ms. McGruder oversees the day-to-day business affairs of the Trust and communicates with Mr. Cox regularly on various Trust issues, as appropriate. Mr. Cox, among other things, chairs meetings of the Independent Trustees, serves as a spokesperson for the Independent Trustees, and serves as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and the Trust’s management between Board meetings. Except for any duties specified, the designation of Lead Independent Trustee does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations, or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations, or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board, generally. The Independent Trustees are advised at these meetings, as well as at other times, by separate, independent legal counsel.
 
The Board holds four regular meetings each year to consider and address matters involving the Trust and its Funds. The Board also may hold special meetings to address matters arising between regular meetings. The Independent Trustees also regularly meet outside the presence of management and are advised by independent legal counsel. These meetings may take place in-person or by telephone.
 
The Board has established a committee structure that includes an Audit Committee and a Governance Committee (discussed in more detail below). The Board conducts much of its work through these Committees. Each Committee is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees, which ensures that the Funds have effective and independent governance and oversight.
 
The Board reviews its structure regularly and believes that its leadership structure, including having a super-majority of Independent Trustees, coupled with an Interested Chairperson and a Lead Independent Trustee, is appropriate and in the best interests of the Trust because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview, and it allocates areas of responsibility among committees and the full Board in a manner that enhances effective oversight. The Board believes that having an Interested Chairperson is appropriate and in the best interests of the Trust given: (1) the extensive oversight provided by the Trust’s Advisor over the affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisors that conduct the day-to-day management of the Funds of the Trust; (2) the extent to which the work of the Board is conducted through the standing Committees; (3) the extent to which the Independent Trustees meet regularly, together with independent legal counsel, in the absence of the Interested Chairperson; and (4) the Interested Chairperson’s additional roles as a director of the Advisor and the Distributor and senior executive of IFS Financial Services, Inc., the Advisor’s parent company, and of other affiliates of the Advisor, which enhance the Board’s understanding of the operations of the Advisor and the role of the Trust and the Advisor within Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. The Board also believes that the role of the Lead Independent Trustee within the leadership structure is integral to promoting independent oversight of the Funds’ operations and meaningful representation of the shareholders’ interests. In addition, the Board believes its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from the Trust’s management.
 
Board Oversight of Risk
 
Consistent with its responsibilities for oversight of the Trust and its Funds, the Board, among other things, oversees risk management of each Fund’s investment program and business affairs directly and through the committee structure that it has established. Risks to the Funds include, among others, investment risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk and operational risk, as well as the overall business risk relating to the Funds. The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, policies and procedures designed to address these risks. Under the overall oversight of the Board, the Advisor, sub-advisors, and other key service providers to the Funds, including the administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian, and the independent auditors, have also

32


implemented a variety of processes, procedures and controls to address these risks. Different processes, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks. These processes include those that are embedded in the conduct of regular business by the Board and in the responsibilities of officers of the Trust and other service providers.
 
The Board requires senior officers of the Trust, including the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), to report to the Board on a variety of matters at regular and special meetings of the Board, including matters relating to risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee receive regular reports from the Trust’s independent auditors on internal control and financial reporting matters. On at least a quarterly basis, the Board meets with the Trust’s CCO, including meetings in executive sessions, to discuss issues related to portfolio compliance and, on at least an annual basis, receives a report from the CCO regarding the effectiveness of the Trust’s compliance program. In addition, the Board also receives reports from the Advisor on the investments and securities trading of the Funds, including their investment performance and asset weightings compared to appropriate benchmarks, as well as reports regarding the valuation of those investments. The Board also receives reports from the Trust’s primary service providers on a periodic or regular basis, including the sub-advisors to the Funds.

Standing Committees of the Board
 
The Board is responsible for overseeing the operations of the Trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws and the Trust’s Declaration of Trust. The Board has established the following Committees to assist in its oversight functions. Each Committee is composed entirely of Independent Trustees.
 
Audit Committee. All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting policies, practices and internal controls. Mr. Gale is Chair of the Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, the Audit Committee held four meetings.
 
Governance Committee. All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s compliance program and compliance issues, procedures for valuing securities and responding to any pricing issues. Ms. Hickenlooper is Chair of the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee held four meetings during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.
 
In addition, the Governance Committee is responsible for recommending candidates to serve on the Board. The Governance Committee will consider shareholder recommendations for nomination to the Board only in the event that there is a vacancy on the Board. Shareholders who wish to submit recommendations for nominations to the Board to fill the vacancy must submit their recommendations in writing to Ms. Susan Hickenlooper, Chair of the Governance Committee, c/o Touchstone Funds, 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Shareholders should include appropriate information on the background and qualifications of any person recommended to the Governance Committee (e.g., a resume), as well as the candidate’s contact information and a written consent from the candidate to serve if nominated and elected. Shareholder recommendations for nominations to the Board will be accepted on an ongoing basis and such recommendations will be kept on file for consideration in the event of a future vacancy on the Board.
 
Trustee Ownership in the Touchstone Fund Complex
 
The following table reflects the Trustees’ beneficial ownership in the Funds (i.e., dollar range of securities in each Fund) and the Touchstone Fund Complex as of December 31, 2017.
 
 
 
Trustees
 
 
Interested
Trustee
 
Independent Trustees
Funds (1)
 
Jill T.
McGruder
 
Phillip R.
Cox
 
William C.
Gale
 
Susan J.
Hickenlooper
 
Kevin A.
Robie
 
Edward J.
VonderBrink
Balanced Fund
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
International Equity Fund
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
Large Cap Focused Fund
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
Small Company Fund
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
 
None
Aggregate Dollar Range of Securities in the Touchstone Fund Complex (2)
 
Over $100,000
 
None
 
None
 
Over $100,000
 
None
 
Over $100,000
(1) Each Fund commenced operations on October 30, 2017.

33


(2)      As of December 31, 2017, the Touchstone Fund Complex consisted of 25 series of the Trust, 13 series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust and 10 variable annuity series of Touchstone Variable Series Trust.

Trustee Compensation
 
The following table shows the compensation paid to the Trustees by the Trust and the aggregate compensation paid by the Touchstone Fund Complex during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017. 
Name
 
Compensation from the Trust
 
Aggregate Compensation from the Touchstone Fund Complex (1)
Interested Trustee
 
 

 
 

Jill T. McGruder
 
$
0

 
$
0

Independent Trustees (2)
 
 

 
 

Phillip R. Cox
 
$
72,732

 
$
147,000

William C. Gale
 
$
66,585

 
$
135,000

Susan J. Hickenlooper
 
$
66,585

 
$
135,000

Kevin A. Robie
 
$
60,439

 
$
123,000

Edward J. VonderBrink
 
$
60,439

 
$
123,000

(1) As of November 30, 2017, the Touchstone Fund Complex consisted of 25 series of the Trust, 13 series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust and 10 variable annuity series of Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
(2) The Independent Trustees are eligible to participate in the Touchstone Trustee Deferred Compensation Plan, which allows them to defer payment of a specific amount of their Trustee compensation, subject to a minimum quarterly reduction of $1,000.  The total amount of deferred compensation accrued by the Independent Trustees from the Touchstone Fund Complex during the year ended December 31, 2017 was $123,000.

The following table shows the Trustee quarterly compensation schedule:
 
 

Retainer
 
Governance
Committee Meeting Attendance Fees
 
Audit
Committee Meeting Attendance Fees
 
Board
Meeting
Attendance Fees
Compensation                                                         Beginning 1/1/18
1/1/16-12/31/17
 
$18,000
$15,500
 
$4,500
$4,500
 
$4,500
$4,500
 
$5,000
$5,000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lead Independent Trustee Fees
 
$6,000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Committee Chair Fees
 
$1,000
 
$2,000
 
$2,000
 
 

Telephonic Meeting Attendance Fee = $1,500

Independent Trustee compensation and Trustee and officer expenses are typically divided equally among the series comprising the Touchstone Fund Complex.

THE ADVISOR
 
Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (previously defined as the “Advisor” or “Touchstone Advisors”) is the Funds’ investment advisor under the terms of an advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) dated May 1, 2000, as in effect with respect to the Funds on October 28, 2017. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor reviews, supervises, and administers the Funds’ investment program, subject to the oversight of, and policies established by, the Board of the Trust (the “Trustees”). The Advisor determines the appropriate allocation of assets to each Fund’s sub-advisor(s). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in carrying out its duties, but shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties.
 
The continuance of the Advisory Agreement as to the Funds after the first two years must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Board or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund, and, in either case, (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Board who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically

34


in the event of its assignment, as defined by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Board or, with respect to a Fund, by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, on sixty days’ written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, by a vote of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities, or by the Advisor.
 
The Advisor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of IFS Financial Services, Inc., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western-Southern Life Assurance Company. Western-Southern Life Assurance Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. Western & Southern Financial Group Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company (“Western & Southern”). Western & Southern is located at 400 Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Ms. Jill T. McGruder may be deemed to be an affiliate of the Advisor because she is a Director of the Advisor and an officer of affiliates of the Advisor. Ms. McGruder, by reason of these affiliations, may directly or indirectly receive benefits from the advisory fees paid to the Advisor.
 
Manager-of-Managers Structure
 
The SEC has granted an exemptive order that permits the Trust or the Advisor, under certain circumstances, to select or change unaffiliated sub-advisors, enter into new sub-advisory agreements or amend existing sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, seeks to achieve its investment goal by using a “manager-of-managers” structure. Under a manager-of-managers structure, the Advisor acts as investment advisor, subject to direction from and oversight by the Board, to allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among sub-advisors, and to recommend that the Trustees hire, terminate or replace unaffiliated sub-advisors without shareholder approval. By reducing the number of shareholder meetings that may have to be held to approve new or additional sub-advisors for the Fund, the Trust anticipates that there will be substantial potential cost savings, as well as the opportunity to achieve certain management efficiencies, with respect to any Fund in which the manager-of-managers approach is chosen. Shareholders of a Fund will be notified of a change in its sub-advisor.
 
Fees Paid to the Advisor
 
For its services, the Advisor is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee from each Fund at an annualized rate, based on the average daily net assets of the Fund, as set forth below. Each Fund’s advisory fee is accrued daily and paid monthly, based on the Fund’s average net assets during the current month. Each class of shares of a Fund pays its respective pro rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund.
Fund
 
Annual Advisory Fee Rate
Balanced Fund
 
0.55% on the first $200 million;
0.50% on the next $200 million;
0.45% on the next $600 million;
0.40% on the next $1 billion; and
0.35% on assets in excess of $2 billion.

International Equity Fund
 
0.70% on the first $500 million;
0.65% on the next $300 million;
0.60% on the next $200 million;
0.50% on the next $1 billion; and
0.40% on assets in excess of $2 billion.

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
0.70% on the first $500 million;
0.65% on the next $300 million;
0.60% on the next $200 million;
0.50% on the next $1 billion; and
0.40% on assets in excess of $2 billion.

Small Company Fund
 
0.70% on the first $500 million;
0.65% on the next $300 million;
0.60% on the next $200 million;
0.50% on the next $1 billion; and
0.40% on assets in excess of $2 billion.


Each Fund shall pay the expenses of its operation, including but not limited to the following: (i) charges and expenses for Fund accounting, pricing and appraisal services and related overhead, (ii) the charges and expenses of the Fund’s auditors; (iii) the charges and expenses of any custodian, transfer agent, plan agent, dividend disbursing agent and registrar appointed by the Trust

35


with respect to the Fund; (iv) brokers’ commissions, and issue and transfer taxes, chargeable to the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party; (v) insurance premiums, interest charges, dues and fees for membership in trade associations and all taxes and fees payable to federal, state or other governmental agencies; (vi) fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registrations of the Fund and/or shares of the Fund with the SEC, state or blue sky securities agencies and foreign countries, including the preparation of Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information for filing with the SEC; (vii) all expenses of meetings of Trustees and of shareholders of the Fund and of preparing, printing and distributing prospectuses, notices, proxy statements and all reports to shareholders and to governmental agencies; (viii) charges and expenses of legal counsel to the Trust and the Independent Trustees; (ix) compensation of Trustees of the Trust; and (x) interest on borrowed money, if any. The compensation and expenses of any officer, Trustee or employee of the Trust who is an affiliated person of the Advisor are paid by the Advisor. Each class of shares of a Fund pays its representative pro rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund.
 
Expense Limitation Agreement. Touchstone Advisors has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to ensure each Fund’s total annual operating expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other transaction costs; portfolio transactions and investment related expenses, including expenses associated with the Funds' liquidity providers (if any); other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, the cost of “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses,” if any, and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business (“Excluded Expenses”)) do not exceed the contractual limit set forth in the fee table. Each Fund bears the costs of these Excluded Expenses. The contractual limits set forth in the fee table have been adjusted to include the effect of Rule 12b–1 fees, shareholder servicing fees and other anticipated class specific expenses, if applicable. Fee waivers or expense reimbursements are calculated and applied monthly, based on the Fund’s average net assets during the month. The terms of Touchstone Advisors’ contractual waiver agreement provide that Touchstone Advisors is entitled to recoup, subject to approval by the Fund’s Board, such amounts waived or reimbursed for a period of up to three years from the date on which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Funds will make repayments to Touchstone Advisors only if such repayment does not cause a Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both (a) the expense limitation in place when such amounts were waived or reimbursed and (b) the Fund’s current expense limitation. 
 
For the three most recent fiscal years ended November 30, the Funds, including the Predecessor Funds for periods prior to the Reorganizations, paid the following fees to their investment advisor:

 
 
Advisory Fees Paid*
 
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
Balanced Fund
 
$
1,686,027

 
$
1,660,856

 
$
1,780,771

International Equity Fund
 
$
909,593

 
$
1,059,783

 
$
1,339,833

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
13,119,459

 
$
12,005,685

 
$
11,641,206

Small Company Fund
 
$
6,575,178

 
$
6,279,690

 
$
7,434,256


 
 
 Fee Waivers or Reimbursements**
Funds
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
Balanced Fund
 
None

 
None

 
$
28,413

International Equity Fund
 
None

 
None

 
$
37,546

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
8,768

 
$
16,833

 
$
94,117

Small Company Fund
 
$
8,344

 
$
15,217

 
$
29,439

*Fees paid from the period October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017 were paid to Touchstone Advisors. Fees paid prior to October 28, 2017 were paid by the Predecessor Funds to their investment advisor, Sentinel Asset Management, Inc.
** Fees waived or reimbursed from the period October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017 were waived/reimbursed by Touchstone Advisors. Fees waived or reimbursed prior to October 28, 2017 were waived/reimbursed by Sentinel Asset Management, Inc.


36


THE SUB-ADVISOR AND PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
 
The Advisor has selected a sub-advisor (the “Sub-Advisor”) to manage all or a portion of a Fund’s assets, as allocated by the Advisor. The Sub-Advisor makes the investment decisions for the Fund assets allocated to them, and continuously reviews, supervises and administers a separate investment program, subject to the oversight of, and policies established by, the Board.
 
Each sub-advisory agreement provides that the Sub-Advisor shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties thereunder.
 
For its services, the Sub-Advisor receives a fee from the Advisor. As described in the prospectus, the Sub-Advisor receives sub-advisory fees with respect to each Fund that it sub-advises. The Sub-Advisor’s fee with respect to each Fund is accrued daily and paid monthly, based on the Fund’s average net assets allocated to the Sub-Advisor during the current month.

The Advisor pays sub-advisory fees to the Sub-Advisor from its advisory fee. The compensation of any officer, director or employee of a Sub-Advisor who is rendering services to a Fund is paid by the Sub-Advisor. The Predecessor Funds did not have a Sub-Advisor prior to the Reorganization on October 27, 2017. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, the Advisor paid the following sub-advisory fees with respect to each Fund:

 
 
2017
Balanced Fund
 
$
81,746

International Equity Fund
 
$
65,184

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
525,828

Small Company Fund
 
$
361,609



Sub-Advisor : Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company (“Western & Southern”).  The Sub-Advisor is an affiliate of the Advisor.

The following charts list each Fund’s portfolio manager, the number of his other managed accounts per investment category, the total assets in each category of managed accounts and the beneficial ownership in such managed funds as of the date indicated.  Listed below the charts is (i) a description of the portfolio manager’s compensation structure as of November 30, 2017 and (ii) a description of any material conflicts that may arise in connection with the portfolio manager's management of the Fund’s investments and the investments of the other accounts included in the chart and any material conflicts in allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager as of November 30, 2017.




















37



Balanced Fund
Portfolio Manager/Types of Accounts
 
Total
Number of
Other
Accounts
Managed
 
Total Other
Assets
(million)
 
Number of
Other Accounts
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee
 
Total Other Assets
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee (million)
Timothy J. Policinski
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Registered Investment Companies
 
4
 
$537
 
0
 
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
 
2
 
$687
 
0
 
$0
Other Accounts
 
52
 
$1,592
 
0
 
$0
Daniel J. Carter
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Registered Investment Companies
 
4
 
$537
 
0
 
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
 
2
 
$687
 
0
 
$0
Other Accounts
 
52
 
$1,592
 
0
 
$0
James Wilhelm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Registered Investment Companies
 
3
 
$1,459
 
0
 
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
 
1
 
$470
 
0
 
$0
Other Accounts
 
30
 
$1,625
 
0
 
$0
 

Ownership of Shares of the Fund. The following table indicates for the Balanced Fund, the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by the portfolio managers as of November 30, 2017:
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership
Timothy J. Policinski
 
None
Daniel J. Carter
 
None
James Wilhelm
 
None
 

International Equity Fund
Portfolio Manager/Types of Accounts
 
Total
Number of
Other
Accounts
Managed
 
Total Other
Assets
(million)
 
Number of
Other Accounts
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee
 
Total Other Assets
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee (million)
Andrew Boczek
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Registered Investment Companies
 
0
 
$0
 
0
 
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
 
0
 
$0
 
0
 
$0
Other Accounts
 
0
 
$0
 
0
 
$0

Ownership of Shares of the Fund. The following table indicates for the International Equity Fund, the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by the portfolio managers as of November 30, 2017:
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership
Andrew Boczek

 
$100,001 - $500,000
 







38


Large Cap Focused Fund
Portfolio Manager/Types of Accounts
 
Total
Number of
Other
Accounts
Managed
 
Total Other
Assets
(million)
 
Number of
Other Accounts
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee
 
Total Other Assets
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee (million)
James Wilhelm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Registered Investment Companies
 
3
 
$1,459
 
0
 
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
 
1
 
$470
 
0
 
$0
Other Accounts
 
30
 
$1,625
 
0
 
$0

Ownership of Shares of the Fund. The following table indicates for the Large Cap Focused Fund, the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by the portfolio managers as of November 30, 2017:
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership
James Wilhelm
 
None
 
Small Company Fund
Portfolio Manager/Types of Accounts
 
Total
Number of
Other
Accounts
Managed
 
Total Other
Assets
(million)
 
Number of
Other Accounts
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee
 
Total Other Assets
Managed subject
to a Performance
Based Advisory
Fee (million)
Jason Ronovech

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Registered Investment Companies
 
1
 
$70
 
0
 
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
 
0
 
$0
 
0
 
$0
Other Accounts
 
0
 
$0
 
0
 
$0

Ownership of Shares of the Fund. The following table indicates for the Small Company Fund, the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by the portfolio managers as of November 30, 2017:
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership
Jason Ronovech

 
$100,001 - $500,000
 

Conflicts of Interest .  Actual or potential conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has management responsibilities to more than one account (including the Funds).  This would include devotion of unequal time and attention to the management of the accounts, inability to allocate limited investment opportunities across a broad array of accounts and incentive to allocate opportunities to an account where the portfolio manager has a greater financial incentive, such as allocation opportunities for performance based accounts.  Fort Washington has adopted policies and procedures it believes are reasonably designed to address such conflicts.

Compensation .  All of Fort Washington’s portfolio managers receive a fixed base salary and annual performance bonuses.  Bonuses are based primarily on the overall performance of Fort Washington as well as the pre-tax performance (relative to the appropriate


benchmark) of the portfolio manager's respective asset category over a one-year and a three-year time horizon.  Secondarily, portfolio managers are also assessed on their ability to retain clients and attract new clients.  Additionally, a long-term retention plan was instituted in 2000, whereby certain investment professionals are periodically granted participation units with a seven-year cliff vesting schedule.  The structure includes long-term vesting provisions.  The percentage of compensation allocated to performance bonuses, asset-increase incentives and long-term incentive compensation is determined annually by the firm’s president and approved by the board of directors.
 


Fort Washington’s parent company also provides all personnel a defined benefit retirement plan, which provides a lifetime annuity upon retirement that is based on a percentage of final average pay and years of service under the plan. Associates are also eligible to participate in a 401(k) plan. The 401(k) company match is 50% of the first 6% of earnings saved.


39



THE ADMINISTRATOR
 
The Advisor entered into an Administration Agreement with the Trust, whereby the Advisor is responsible for: supplying executive and regulatory compliance services; supervising the preparation of tax returns; coordinating the preparation of reports to shareholders and reports to, and filings with, the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities authorities, as well as materials for meetings of the Board of Trustees; calculating the daily NAV per share; and maintaining the financial books and records of each Fund. The Advisor’s annual administrative fee is:
 
0.145% on the first $20 billion of the aggregate average daily net assets;
0.11% on the next $10 billion of aggregate average daily net assets;
0.09% on the next $10 billion of aggregate average daily net assets; and
0.07% on the aggregate average daily net assets over $40 billion.
 
The fee is computed and allocated among the Touchstone Fund Complex (excluding Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust) on the basis of relative daily net assets.

The Advisor has engaged BNY Mellon as the sub-administrative and transfer agent to the Trust. BNY Mellon provides administrative, accounting, and transfer agent services to the Trust and is compensated directly by the Advisor, not the Trust. (See “Transfer and Sub-Administrative Agent” in this SAI).

Prior to October 28, 2017, Sentinel Administrative Services, Inc. (the “Former Administrator”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sentinel Asset Management, Inc. (the "Former Advisor"), served as the Administrator to the Predecessor Funds. The Former Administrator provided a) general administrative services and b) transfer agency administrative and oversight services on behalf of the Predecessor Funds. Under the general administrative services portion of the agreement, the Predecessor Funds received administration services and paid the Former Administrator a monthly fee at an annual rate of 0.0375% of the first $4 billion of the aggregate average daily net assets; 0.035% of the next $3 billion of the aggregate average daily net assets and 0.0325% of the aggregate average daily net assets in excess of $7 billion. The fee was computed and allocated among the series of Sentinel Group Funds, Inc. on the basis of relative daily net assets.Under the transfer agency administrative and oversight services portion of the agreement, the Predecessor Funds received monitoring and oversight of transfer agency vendor services and were responsible for all costs and expenses relating to the individuals designated by the Former Administrator to perform such services on behalf of the Former Administrator. The number of such individuals designated by the Former Administrator to perform services was subject to approval by the Predecessor Funds' Board of Directors.The Predecessor Funds were also responsible for all charges of outside pricing services and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Former Administrator in connection with the performance of its duties. The Predecessor Funds could also reimburse the Former Administrator for sub-transfer agency, plan agent and similar fees paid by the Former Administrator to other entities that provided services to accounts underlying an omnibus account of record in accordance with policies approved by the Predecessor Funds' Board of Directors.

The following shows administration fees incurred by the Funds listed below for the three most recent fiscal years (or periods) ended November 30. Fees paid prior to the Reorganizations on October 27, 2017 were paid to the Predecessor Funds' administrator.

 
 
Administration Fees Paid
Fund
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
Balanced Fund
 
$
116,031

 
$
115,005

 
$
157,368

International Equity Fund
 
$
47,534

 
$
55,779

 
$
90,849

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
866,076

 
$
769,602

 
$
931,012

Small Company Fund
 
$
362,237

 
$
346,252

 
$
548,434



TOUCHSTONE SECURITIES
 
Touchstone Securities, Inc. (“Touchstone Securities” or the “Distributor”), and the Trust are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”) with respect to the Funds. The Distributor’s principal place of business is 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer, and an affiliate of the Advisor by reason of common ownership. The Distributor is obligated to sell shares on a best efforts basis only against purchase orders for the shares. Shares of each Fund are offered to the public on a continuous basis. The Distributor currently allows concessions to dealers who sell shares of the Funds. The Distributor retains that portion of the sales charge that is not re-allowed to dealers who sell shares of a Fund. The

40


Distributor retains the entire sales charge on all direct initial investments in a Fund and on all investments in accounts with no designated dealer of record.
 
The table below sets forth the aggregate underwriting commissions on sales of the Funds, including the amounts the Distributor paid to broker-dealers, the amounts the Distributor earned as a broker-dealer in the selling network, and the amounts of underwriting commissions retained by the Distributor for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.
 
Fund
 
Aggregate Underwriting*
Commissions on Sales
 
Amount Retained in*
Underwriting
Commissions
Balanced Fund
 
$
17,294

 
$
2,727

International Equity Fund
 
$
3,920

 
$
609

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
20,170

 
$
3,855

Small Company Fund
 
$
10,498

 
$
1,672

*Amounts are from the period October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017.

The Distributor retains the contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") on redemptions of shares of the Funds that are subject to such CDSC. The following table shows the amounts retained from CDSCs for the three most recent fiscal years (or periods) ended November 30. Amounts retained prior to the Reorganizations on October 27, 2017, were retained by the Predecessor Funds' distributor.
 
 
Amount Retained on CDSC
Fund
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
Balanced Fund
 
 

 
 

 
 

Class A
 
$
3,921

 
$
307

 
$
14,382

Class C
 
$
6,765

 
$
3,696

 
$
12,668

International Equity Fund
 


 


 


Class A
 
$
102

 
$
1,423

 
$
6,838

Class C
 
$
1,034

 
$
770

 
$
1,124

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
 

 


 


Class A
 
$
6,982

 
$
4,232

 
$
564

Class C
 
$
7,588

 
$
4,340

 
$
11,541

Small Company Fund
 
 

 


 


Class A
 
$
3,850

 
$
3,629

 
$
4,221

Class C
 
$
6,995

 
$
7,270

 
$
10,411


Ms. McGruder may be deemed to be an affiliate of the Distributor because she is a Director of the Distributor and an officer of affiliates of the Distributor. Ms. McGruder, by reason of such affiliation, may directly or indirectly be deemed to receive benefits from the underwriting fees paid to the Distributor.
 
The Distribution Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two years after the effective date of the agreement and is renewable annually thereafter. The Distribution Agreement may be terminated as to any Fund at any time by (i) the Trust, (a) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust or by the Distributor, (b) by vote of the Board of the Trust, or (c) by the “vote of majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund, or (ii) by the Distributor, in any case without payment of any penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the other party. The Distribution Agreement shall also automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.
 
Touchstone Securities may pay from its own resources cash bonuses or other incentives to selected dealers in connection with the sale of shares of the Funds. On some occasions, such bonuses or incentives may be conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of the shares of the Funds or other funds in the Touchstone Funds during a specific period of time. Such bonuses or incentives may include financial assistance to dealers in connection with conferences, sales or training programs for their employees, seminars for the public, advertising, sales campaigns and other dealer-sponsored programs or events. The Advisor, at its expense, may also provide additional compensation to certain affiliated and unaffiliated dealers, financial intermediaries or

41


service providers for distribution, administrative or shareholder servicing activities. The Advisor may also reimburse the Distributor for making these payments.
 
Touchstone Securities, at its expense, may provide additional compensation to financial intermediaries which sell or arrange for the sale of shares of the Touchstone Funds. Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by federal or state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
 
Touchstone Securities makes payments for entertainment events it deems appropriate, subject to its guidelines and applicable law. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event or the relationship. As of February 28, 2018, the Distributor anticipates that the following broker-dealers or their affiliates will receive additional payments as described in the Fund’s prospectus and SAI:

Name of Broker-Dealers 
American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc.
Equities Services, Inc.
First Command Financial Planning, Inc.
First Clearing, LLC/Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
LPL Financial Services
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Pershing LLC
PNC Investments, LLC
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
RBC Capital Markets Corporation
UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Touchstone Securities is motivated to make payments to the broker-dealers described above because they promote the sale of Fund shares and the retention of those investments by clients of financial advisors. To the extent financial advisors sell more shares of the Funds or retain shares of the Funds in their clients’ accounts, the Advisor benefits from the incremental management and other fees paid to the Advisor by the Funds with respect to those assets.
 
The Funds may compensate dealers, including the Distributor and its affiliates, based on the average balance of all accounts in the Funds for which the dealer is designated as the party responsible for the account.
 
DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS
 
Certain Funds have adopted a distribution or shareholder-servicing plan for certain classes of shares which permits a Fund to pay for expenses incurred in the distribution and promotion of its shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act as well as account maintenance and other shareholder services in connection with maintaining such an account. Touchstone Securities may provide those services itself or enter into arrangements under which third parties provide such services and are compensated by the Distributor.
 
Class A Shares. With respect to its Class A shares, each Fund has adopted a plan of distribution and shareholder service (the “Class A Plan”) under which the Distributor is paid up to, but not exceeding, twenty-five basis points (0.25%) for distribution payments. Of the total compensation authorized, the Fund may pay for shareholder services in an amount up to 0.25%.
 
Class C Shares. With respect to its Class C shares, each Fund has adopted a plan of distribution and shareholder service (the “Class C Plan” and, together with the Class A Plan, the “Plans”) under which the Distributor is paid up to, but not exceeding, one hundred basis points (1.00%) in the aggregate, with twenty-five basis points (0.25%) for shareholder service fees and seventy-five basis points (0.75%) for distribution payments.
 
General Information. In connection with the distribution of shares, the Distributor may use the payments for: (i) compensation for its services in distribution assistance; or (ii) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies, investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance.
 

42


In addition, the Distributor may use payments to provide or enter into written agreements with service providers who will provide shareholder services, including: (i) maintaining accounts relating to shareholders that invest in shares; (ii) arranging for bank wires; (iii) responding to client inquiries relating to the services performed by the Distributor or service providers; (iv) responding to inquiries from shareholders concerning their investment in shares; (v) assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; (vi) providing information periodically to shareholders showing their position in shares; (vii) forwarding shareholder communications from the Funds such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, dividend distribution and tax notices to shareholders; (viii) processing purchase, exchange and redemption requests from shareholders and placing orders with the Funds or the service providers; (ix) processing dividend payments from the Funds on behalf of shareholders; and (x) providing such other similar services as a Fund may reasonably request.
 
Agreements implementing the Plans (the “Implementation Agreements”), including agreements with dealers wherein such dealers agree for a fee to act as agents for the sale of the Funds’ shares, are in writing and have been approved by the Board. All payments made pursuant to the Plans are made in accordance with written Implementation Agreements. Some financial intermediaries charge fees in excess of the amounts available under the Plans, in which case the Advisor pays the additional fees.
 
The continuance of the Plans and the Implementation Agreements must be specifically approved at least annually by a vote of the Board and by a vote of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans or any Implementation Agreement at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such continuance. A Plan may be terminated at any time by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by a vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund or the applicable class of a Fund. In the event a Plan is terminated in accordance with its terms, the affected Fund (or class) will not be required to make any payments for expenses incurred by the Distributor after the termination date. Each Implementation Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment and may be terminated at any time by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by a vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund (or the applicable class) on not more than 60 days’ written notice to any other party to the Implementation Agreement. The Plans may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent for distribution without shareholder approval. All material amendments to the Plans must be approved by a vote of the Trust’s Board and by a vote of the Independent Trustees.
 
In approving the Plans, the Trustees determined, in the exercise of their business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties as Trustees, that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plans will benefit the Funds and their shareholders. The Board believes that expenditure of the Funds’ assets for distribution expenses under the Plans should assist in the growth of the Funds, which will benefit each Fund and its shareholders through increased economies of scale, greater investment flexibility, greater portfolio diversification, and less chance of disruption of planned investment strategies. The Plans will be renewed only if the Trustees make a similar determination for each subsequent year of the Plans. There can be no assurance that the benefits anticipated from the expenditure of the Funds’ assets for distribution will be realized. While the Plans are in effect, all amounts spent by the Funds pursuant to the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made must be reported quarterly to the Board for its review. Distribution expenses attributable to the sale of more than one class of shares of a Fund will be allocated at least annually to each class of shares based upon the ratio in which the sales of each class of shares bears to the sales of all the shares of the Fund. In addition, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust are committed to the discretion of the Independent Trustees during such period.
 
Jill T. McGruder, as an interested person of the Trust, may be deemed to have a financial interest in the operation of the Plans and the Implementation Agreements.

The Funds paid the following in Distribution and Shareholder Servicing fees for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.

Fees paid prior to October 28, 2017 were paid by the Predecessor Funds.
Fund
 
Services Fees Paid to Dealers
 
Recovery of Prepaid Sales Commissions
 
Salaries and Benefits
 
Occupation of Other Expenses
 
Total Sales Promotion
 
Total Travel & Entertainment
 
Total
Balanced Fund
 
$
550,680

 
$

 
$
297,353

 
$
48,932

 
$
101,887

 
$
32,067

 
$
1,030,919

International Equity Fund
 
$
146,407

 
$
1,596

 
$
129,605

 
$
18,317

 
$
38,140

 
$
12,003

 
$
346,068

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
1,877,281

 
$

 
$
1,159,566

 
$
209,492

 
$
436,204

 
$
137,286

 
$
3,819,829

Small Company Fund
 
$
1,331,632

 
$

 
$
737,585

 
$
117,351

 
$
244,348

 
$
76,904

 
$
2,507,820

Total
 
$
3,906,000

 
$
1,596

 
$
2,324,109

 
$
394,092

 
$
820,579

 
$
258,260

 
$
7,704,636



43



Fees paid by the Funds for the period from October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017.
 
 
12b-1 Plan Expenses
Fund
 
Printing and
Mailing
 
Distribution
Services
 
Compensation to
Broker Dealers
 
Compensation to
Sales Personnel
 
Service
Providers
 
Total
Balanced Fund
 


 


 


 


 


 


Class A
 
$
348

 
$
16,701

 
$
39,190

 
$
4,398

 
$
0

 
$
60,637

Class C
 
$
72

 
$
4,838

 
$
33,528

 
$
1,349

 
$
0

 
$
39,787

International Equity Fund
 


 


 


 


 


 


Class A
 
$
180

 
$
9,051

 
$
16,889

 
$
3,637

 
$

 
$
29,757

Class C
 
$
11

 
$
1,030

 
$
5,107

 
$
426

 
$

 
$
6,574

Large Cap Focused Fund
 


 


 


 


 


 


Class A
 
$
1,975

 
$
94,572

 
$
197,033

 
$
13,109

 
$
0

 
$
306,689

Class C
 
$
125

 
$
9,424

 
$
57,934

 
$
753

 
$
0

 
$
68,236

Small Company Fund
 


 


 


 


 


 


Class A
 
$
904

 
$
44,331

 
$
100,864

 
$
7,640

 
$
0

 
$
153,739

Class C
 
$
173

 
$
15,834

 
$
76,007

 
$
2,258

 
$
0

 
$
94,272



BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
 
Decisions to buy and sell securities for the Funds and the placing of the Funds’ securities transactions and negotiation of commission rates where applicable are made by the sub-advisors and are subject to oversight by the Advisor and the Board. In the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, the sub-advisor’s primary objective will be to obtain the most favorable price and execution for a Fund, taking into account such factors as the overall direct net economic result to a Fund (including commissions, which may not be the lowest available but ordinarily should not be higher than the generally prevailing competitive range), the financial strength and stability of the broker, the efficiency with which the transaction will be effected, the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved and the availability of the broker or dealer to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future.
 
Each sub-advisor is specifically authorized, subject to certain limitations, to pay a trading commission to a broker who provides research services that is higher than the amount of trading commission another broker would have charged for the same transaction. This excess commission recognizes the additional research services rendered by the broker, but only if the sub-advisor determines in good faith that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the research services provided and that a Fund derives or will derive a reasonably significant benefit from such research services.
 
Research services include securities and economic analyses, reports on issuers’ financial conditions and future business prospects, newsletters and opinions relating to interest trends, general advice on the relative merits of possible investment securities for the Funds and statistical services and information with respect to the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities. Although this information is useful to the Funds and the sub-advisors, it is not possible to place a dollar value on it. Research services furnished by brokers through whom a Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the sub-advisor in servicing all of its accounts and not all such services may be used by the sub-advisor in connection with a Fund.
 
The Funds have no obligation to deal with any broker or dealer in the execution of securities transactions. However, the Funds may execute securities transactions on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market conducted on an agency basis. A Fund will not execute any brokerage transactions in its portfolio securities with an affiliated broker if such transactions would be unfair or unreasonable to its shareholders. Over-the-counter transactions will be placed either directly with principal market makers or with broker-dealers. Although the Funds do not anticipate any ongoing arrangements with other brokerage firms, brokerage business may be transacted with other firms. Affiliated broker-dealers of the Trust will not receive reciprocal brokerage business as a result of the brokerage business transacted by the Funds with other brokers. The Funds may direct transactions to certain brokers in order to reduce brokerage commissions through a commission recapture program offered by Frank Russell Securities, Inc. and Convergex Execution Solution LLC.
 
In certain instances, there may be securities that are suitable for a Fund as well as for one or more of the respective sub-advisor’s other clients. The sub-advisor makes investment decisions for a Fund and for its other clients to achieve their respective investment objectives. The sub-advisor may buy or sell a particular security for one client even though it is buying, selling, or holding the

44


same security for another client. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment advisor, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the sub-advisor will allocate the securities among clients in a fair and equitable manner. This system may detrimentally affect the price of a security purchased, sold, or held by the Fund, but this detrimental effect is offset by a Fund’s ability to participate in volume transactions, which could lead to better executions for the Fund.

For the fiscal years ended November 30, 2015, 2016 and 2017, the Funds paid the following in aggregate brokerage commissions on portfolio transactions:

Fund
 
Aggregate Brokerage Commission
 
 
2015*
2016*
2017**
Balanced Fund
 
$
47,480

$
28,390

$
30,183

International Equity Fund
 
$
221,312

$
210,076

$
223,096

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
680,762

$
393,004

$
457,935

Small Company Fund
 
$
1,659,623

$
1,875,084

$
1,874,438

*Amounts prior to October 28, 2017 were paid by the Predecessor Funds.
**Amounts for the period from October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017 were paid by the Funds.

For the period from October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017, the amount of brokerage transactions and related commissions for the Funds directed to brokers in return for research services were:

Fund
 
Amount of Transactions to Brokers
Providing Research*
 
Related Commission*
Balanced Fund
 
$739,510
 
$202
International Equity Fund
 
$4,275,287
 
$460
Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$0
 
$0
Small Company Fund
 
$73,074,797
 
$14,938
*Amounts for the period from October 28, 2017 through November 30, 2017. Prior amounts are attributable to the Predecessor Funds.


The total amount of securities of regular broker-dealers held by each Fund as of November 30, 2017 were:
Fund
Broker/Dealer
Aggregate
Value
Balanced Fund
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
$
4,145,806

 
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
$
5,264,298

 
Bank of America
$
232,163

 
Citigroup, Inc
$
140,488

 
Goldman Sachs & Co.
$
151,368

International Equity Fund
N/A
N/A

Large Cap Focused Fund
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
$
33,969,000

 
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
$
41,158,975

Small Company Fund
N/A
N/A



PROXY VOTING
 
The Funds have adopted the Sub-Advisor's policies and procedures for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds, including procedures used when a vote presents a conflict between the interests of a Fund’s shareholders and those of the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates. A copy or summary of the Sub-Advisor’s proxy voting policies is included in Appendix B. Information about how the Funds voted proxies relating to their portfolio securities during the most recent 12 months ending June 30 is available by August 31 of that year without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1.800.543.0407 and on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. Each Fund’s N-PX will also be available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov and on the Touchstone website at TouchstoneInvestments.com. 

45



CODE OF ETHICS
 
The Trust has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Advisor, Sub-Advisor and Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1. These Codes of Ethics apply to the personal investing activities of Trustees, officers, and certain employees (“access persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by access persons. Under each Code of Ethics, access persons are permitted to invest in securities (including securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund), but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. In addition, certain access persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements. Copies of these Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
 
A Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. High portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, which will be borne directly by the Fund. High turnover may result in a Fund recognizing greater amounts of income and capital gains, which would increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders and increase the amount of commissions paid by the Fund. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all of a Fund’s portfolio securities were replaced once within a one-year period. The rate of portfolio turnover will depend upon market and other conditions, and will not be a limiting factor when the Sub-Advisor believes that portfolio changes are appropriate. A Fund may engage in active trading to achieve its investment goals and, as a result, may have substantial portfolio turnover.

During the two most recent fiscal years ended November 30, the portfolio turnover rate for each Fund was as follows:
Predecessor Fund
 
2016*
 
2017*
Balanced Fund
 
45%
 
46%
International Equity Fund
 
36%
 
37%
Large Cap Focused Fund
 
8%
 
12%
Small Company Fund
 
61%
 
82%
* Portfolio turnover information prior to October 28, 2017 is that of the Predecessor Funds.


DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
 
The Touchstone Funds have adopted policies and procedures for disclosing the Funds’ portfolio holdings to any person requesting this information. These policies and procedures are monitored by the Board through periodic reporting by the Funds’ CCO. No compensation will be received by a Fund, the Advisor, the Sub-Advisor, or any other party in connection with the disclosure of information about portfolio securities.
 
The procedures prohibit the disclosure of portfolio holdings except under the following conditions:
 
1)
A request made by a sub-advisor for a Fund (or that portion of a Fund) that it manages.
 
2)
A request by executive officers of the Advisor for routine oversight and management purposes.
 
3)
For use in preparing and distributing routine shareholder reports, including disclosure to the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, typesetter, and printer. Routine shareholder reports are filed as of the end of each fiscal quarter with the SEC within 60 days after the quarter end and routine shareholder reports are distributed to shareholders within 60 days after the applicable six-month semi-annual period. The Funds provide their full holdings to their independent registered public accounting firm annually, as of the end of their fiscal year, within one to ten business days after fiscal year end. The Funds provide their full holdings to their typesetter at least 50 days after the end of the calendar quarter. The Funds provide their full holdings to their printer at least 50 days after the applicable six-month semi-annual period.
 
4)
A request by service providers to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund, subject to approval by the CCO.
 
5)
A request by a newly hired sub-advisor or sub-advisor candidate prior to the commencement of its duties to facilitate its transition as a new sub-advisor, subject to the conditions set forth in Item 8.

46


 
6)
A request by a potential merger candidate for the purpose of conducting due diligence, subject to the conditions set forth in Item 8.
 
7)
A request by a rating or ranking agency, subject to the conditions set forth in Item 8.
 
Other portfolio holdings disclosure policies of the Funds include:
 
The Funds provide their top ten holdings on their publicly available website and to market data agencies monthly, as of the end of a calendar month, at least seven business days after month end.
 
The Funds provide their full holdings on their publicly available website, and to market data agencies, their typesetter and printer, quarterly, as of the end of a calendar quarter, at least fifteen days after quarter end.
 
You may access the public website at TouchstoneInvestments.com.
 
8)
The CCO may authorize disclosing non-public portfolio holdings to third parties more frequently or at different periods than as described above prior to when such information is made public, provided that certain conditions are met. The third-party must (i) specifically request in writing the more current non-public portfolio holdings, providing a reasonable basis for the request; (ii) execute an agreement to keep such information confidential, to only use the information for the authorized purpose, and not to use the information for their personal benefit; (iii) agree not to trade on such information, either directly or indirectly; and (iv) unless specifically approved by the Chief Compliance Officer in writing, the non-public portfolio holdings are subject to a ten day time delay before dissemination. Any non-public portfolio holdings that are disclosed will not include any material information about a Fund’s trading strategies or pending portfolio transactions.
 
As of February 28, 2018, one or more Touchstone Funds discloses portfolio holdings information to the following parties based on ongoing arrangements:

CMS Bondedge
Bloomberg LP
Morningstar, Inc.

Employees of the Advisor and the Funds’ Sub-Advisor that are access persons under the Funds’ Code of Ethics have access to Fund holdings on a regular basis, but are subject to confidentiality requirements and trading prohibitions in the Code of Ethics. In addition, custodians of the Funds’ assets and the Funds’ accounting services agent, each of whose agreements contains a confidentiality provision (which includes a duty not to trade on non-public information), have access to the current Fund holdings on a daily basis.
 
The CCO is authorized to determine whether disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio securities is for a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of a Fund and its shareholders. Any conflict between the interests of shareholders and the interests of the Advisor, Touchstone Securities, or any affiliates, will be reported to the Board, which will make a determination that is in the best interests of shareholders.
 
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
 
The securities of each Fund are valued under the direction of the Advisor and under the general oversight of the Trustees. The Advisor or its delegates may use independent pricing services to obtain valuations of securities. The pricing services rely primarily on prices of actual market transactions as well as on trade quotations obtained from third parties. Prices are generally determined using readily available market prices. If market prices are unavailable or believed to be unreliable, the Sub-Administrative Agent will initiate a process by which the Trust’s Fair Value Committee will make a good faith determination as to the “fair value” of the security using procedures approved by the Trustees. The pricing services may use a matrix system to determine valuations of fixed income securities when market prices are not readily available. This system considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities, call features, ratings and developments relating to specific securities in arriving at valuations. The procedures used by any such pricing service and its valuation results are reviewed by the officers of the Trust under the general oversight of the Trustees. Some Funds may hold portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges. Under certain circumstances, these investments may be valued under the Fund’s fair value policies and procedures, such as when U.S. exchanges are open but a foreign exchange is closed.
 

47


Securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less may be valued by the amortized cost method, which involves valuing a security at its cost on the date of purchase and thereafter (absent unusual circumstances) assuming a constant amortization of maturity of any discount or premium, provided such amount approximates market value.
 
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
 
The Trust’s Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of Funds and shares of each Fund. Each share of a Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that Fund with each other share. Upon liquidation, shares are entitled to a pro rata share in the net assets of the Fund, after taking into account additional distribution and shareholder servicing expenses attributable to the Class. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees of the Trust may create additional series of shares or separate classes of funds. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any portfolio or separate class and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that portfolio or separate class and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing shares will not be issued.
 
The Trust is an entity of the type commonly known as a Massachusetts business trust. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust states that neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any shareholder, nor, except as specifically provided therein, to call upon any shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay.
 
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful defaults and, if reasonable care has been exercised in the selection of officers, agents, employees or investment advisors, shall not be liable for any neglect or wrongdoing of any such person. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust will indemnify its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with actual or threatened litigation in which they may be involved because of their offices with the Trust unless it is determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust that they have not acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in the best interests of the Trust. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.
 
Each whole share shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. Shares issued by each Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. Voting rights are not cumulative. Each Fund, as a separate series of the Trust, votes separately on matters affecting only that Fund. Shareholders of each Class of each Fund will vote separately on matters pertaining solely to that Fund or that Class. The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders, but approval will be sought for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances.
 
In addition, a Trustee may be removed by the remaining Trustees or by shareholders at a special meeting called upon written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.

Derivative Claims of Shareholders

The Trust’s Amended and Restated By-Laws (the “By-Laws”) contain provisions regarding derivative claims of shareholders. Under these provisions, a shareholder must make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such an action is not likely to succeed. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, a demand on the Trustees shall only be deemed not likely to succeed and therefore excused if a majority of the Board, or a majority of any committee of the Board established to consider the merits of such action, has a personal financial interest in the transaction at issue, and a Trustee shall not be deemed interested in a transaction or otherwise disqualified from ruling on the merits of a shareholder demand by virtue of the fact that such Trustee receives remuneration for his service on the Board or on the boards of one or more Trusts that are under common management with or otherwise affiliated with the Trust.

Unless a demand is not required under the foregoing paragraph, the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisors in considering the merits of the request and shall require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any such advisors in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.

Forum for Adjudication of Disputes

The By-Laws provide that, unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a

48


fiduciary duty owed by any Trustee, officer, or other employee of the Trust to the Trust or the Trust’s shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, (iv) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, or (v) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts or the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (each, a “Covered Action”). The By-Laws further provide that if any Covered Action is filed in a court other than the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts or the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any shareholder, such shareholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts or the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in connection with any action brought in any such courts to enforce the preceding sentence (an “Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such shareholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such shareholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such shareholder.

The By-Laws provide that any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of beneficial interest of the Trust shall be (i) deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of the foregoing paragraph and (ii) deemed to have waived any argument relating to the inconvenience of the forums referenced above in connection with any action or proceeding described in the foregoing paragraph.

This forum selection provision may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with Trustees, officers or other agents of the Trust and its service providers, which may discourage such lawsuits with respect to such claims. If a court were to find the forum selection provision contained in the By-Laws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, the Trust may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions.
 
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITY HOLDERS
 
Persons or organizations beneficially owning more than 25% of the outstanding shares of a Fund are presumed to “control” the Fund. As a result, those persons or organizations could have the ability to influence an action taken by a Fund if such action requires a shareholder vote.
 
As of March 2, 2018, the name, address and percentage ownership of each entity or person that owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of a Predecessor Fund are as follows:
Fund Name and Share Class
Name & Address
Percentage of
Class
 
BALANCED FUND - CLASS A
NO ACTIVITY FOR THIS CLASS
 
 
BALANCED FUND - CLASS C
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
   
16.26
%
 
 
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY, NJ 07311
8.48
%
 
 
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY, NJ 07399
                 
                   
8.01
%
 
 
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
     
           
6.40
%
 
 
UBS WM USA FBO SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN CUSTOMERS OF UBSFSI 1000 HARBOR BLVD
WEEHAWKEN, NJ 07086
       
     
           
             
5.91
%
 
BALANCED FUND - CLASS Y

NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310-2010
41.85
%
 

49


 
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
   

8.30%

 
 
ASCENSUS TRUST COMPANY FBO WESTMONT GROUP EMPLOYEES' 401(K) PL P.O. BOX 10758 FARGO, ND 58106-0758
6.44
%
 
 
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE SOUTHWEST 1 NATIONAL LIFE DR MONTPELIER, VT 05604-1000
6.33
%
*
 
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM ATTN: 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
5.45
%
 
 
LPL FINANCIAL 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO, CA 92121-3091
5.35
%
 
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND - CLASS A
CHARLES SCHWAB CO INC ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS TEAM S 4500 CHERRY CREEK 3 DR S FL DENVER, CO 80209-0000
5.53
%
 
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND - CLASS C
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
11.24
%
 
 
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUALFUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
10.43
%
 
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND - CLASS Y
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
16.57
%
 
 
UBS WM USA FBO SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN CUSTOMERS OF UBSFSI 1000 HARBOR BLVD
WEEHAWKEN, NJ 07086
       
     
           
             
13.30
%
 
 
PIMS/PRUDENTIAL RETIREMENT AS NOMINEE FOR THE TTEE/CUST PL 111 NATIONAL LIFE GROUP 401(K) PLAN 1 NATIONAL LIFE DRIVE MONTPELIER, VT 05602-3377
10.25
%
 
 
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
8.36
%
 
 
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310-2010
7.64
%
 
 
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY, NJ 07311
5.91
%
 
 
LPL FINANCIAL 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO, CA 92121-3091
5.90%

 

50


 
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY, NJ 07399
5.38
%
 
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO MONROE RET INC PLAN - TOWN                                               PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55480
50.45
%
 
 
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO MONROE RET INC PLAN - BOE                                                   PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55480
49.40%

 
LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND - CLASS A
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF FOR ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMINISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE, FL 32246
5.20%

 
LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND - CLASS C
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
24.92%

 
 
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY, NJ 07399
13.07%

 
 
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY, NJ 07311

7.68%

 
 
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
   
5.00%

 
LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND - CLASS Y
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310-2010
43.44%

 
 
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF FOR ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMINISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE, FL 32246
10.13%

 
 
MARIL & CO FBO 5A M&I TRUST CO NA ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 11270 W PARK PL STE 400 MILWAUKEE WI 53224-3638
7.53%

*
LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310-2010
68.13%

 
 
REFLOW FUND LLC 1 LETTERMAN DR A4700 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94129-1494
14.19%

*
 
GREAT-WEST TRUST COMPANY LLC FBO EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CLIENTS 401K 8515 ORCHARD RD 2T2 GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO 80111
6.43%

 
 
JOHN HANCOCK TRUST COMPANY LLC 690 CANTON ST SUITE 100 WESTWOOD, MA 02090-2324
5.11%

 

51


SMALL COMPANY FUND - CLASS A
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLZ JERSEY CITY NJ 07399
6.19%

 
SMALL COMPANY FUND - CLASS C
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
18.19%

 
 
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLZ JERSEY CITY NJ 07399
14.19%

 
 
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY, NJ 07311
11.25%

 
 
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
9.44%

 
 
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC MUTUAL FUND OMNIBUS PROCESSING OMNIBUS ATTN MUTUAL FUND OPS MANAGER 60 SOUTH SIXTH STREET - P08 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-4400
6.20%

 
 
LPL FINANCIAL 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO, CA 92121-3091
6.04%

 
SMALL COMPANY FUND - CLASS Y
CHARLES SCHWAB CO INC ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS TEAM S 4500 CHERRY CREEK 3 DR S FL DENVER, CO 80209-0000
16.24%

 
 
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310-2010
15.76%

 
 
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF FOR ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMINISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE, FL 32246
14.41%

 
 
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 880 CARILLON PARKWAY SAINT PETERSBURG, FL 33716
5.98%

 
 
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, MO 63103
5.93%

 
 
LPL FINANCIAL 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO, CA 92121-3091
5.23%

 
SMALL COMPANY FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
TD AMERITRADE INC FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CLIENTS PO BOX 2226 OMAHA, NE 68103-2226
65.32%

 
 
TOUCHSTONE ADVISORS INC ATTN CORP ACCOUNTING 303 BROADWAY SUITE 1100 CINCINNATI, OH 45202-0000
34.68%

*

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SMALL COMPANY FUND - CLASS R6
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310-2010
40.85%

 
 
FIFTH THIRD BANK TTEE VARIOUS FASCORE LLC RECORDKEPT PLAN C/O FASCORE LLC 8515 E ORCHARD RD 2T2 GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO 80111-5002
17.50%

 
 
PIMS/PRUDENTIAL RETIREMENT AS NOMINEE FOR THE TTEE/CUST PL 764 CORE LABORATORIES PROFIT SHARING 6316 WINDFERN RD HOUSTON, TX 77040-4916
13.34%

 
 
TIAA, FSB CUST/TTEE FBO: RETIREMENT PLANS FOR WHICH TIAA ACTS AS RECORDKEEPER ATTN: TRUST OPERATIONS 211 N BROADWAY STE 1000 SAINT LOUIS, MO 63102-2748
7.00%

 
* Indicates that shares are held beneficially.

As of March 2, 2018, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group owned of record or beneficially less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Trust and of the Predecessor Fund (or class thereof).

CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES
 
Each Fund offers the following classes of shares:

Funds
Class A
Class C
Class Y
Institutional Class
Class R6
Balanced Fund
X
X
X
 
 
International Equity Fund
X
X
X
X
 
Large Cap Focused Fund
X
X
X
X
 
Small Company Fund
X
X
X
X
X

The Funds participate in fund “supermarket” arrangements. In such an arrangement, a program is made available by a broker or other institution (a sponsor) that allows investors to purchase and redeem shares of the Funds through the sponsor of the fund supermarket. In connection with these supermarket arrangements, each Fund has authorized one or more brokers to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. In turn, the brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Funds’ behalf. As such, a Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker’s authorized designee, accepts the order. The customer order will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next computed after acceptance by an authorized broker or the broker’s authorized designee. In addition, a broker may charge transaction fees on the purchase or sale of Fund shares. Also in connection with fund supermarket arrangements, the performance of a participating Fund may be compared in publications to the performance of various indices and investments for which reliable performance data is available and compared in publications to averages, performance rankings, or other information prepared by recognized mutual fund statistical services. The Funds’ annual report contains additional performance information and will be made available to investors upon request and without charge.
 
The Touchstone Funds are intended for sale to residents of the United States, and, with very limited exceptions, are not registered or otherwise offered for sale in other jurisdictions. The above restrictions are generally not applicable to sales in United States territories or to diplomatic staff members or members of the U.S. military with an APO or FPO address outside of the U.S. Investors are responsible for compliance with tax, securities, currency exchange or other regulations applicable to redemption and purchase transactions in any state or jurisdiction to which they may be subject. Investors should consult with their financial intermediary and appropriate tax and legal advisors to obtain information on the rules applicable to these transactions.

The shares of the Funds may not be directly or indirectly offered or distributed in any country outside of the United States. If an investor becomes a resident of another jurisdiction after purchasing shares of the Touchstone Funds, the investor will not be able

53


to purchase any additional shares of the Funds (other than reinvestment of dividends and capital gains) or exchange shares of the Touchstone Funds for other U.S. registered Touchstone Funds.
 
Class A Shares. For initial purchases of Class A shares of $1 million or more and subsequent purchases further increasing the size of an individual shareholder account, participating dealers may receive compensation of up to 1.00% (a “Finder's Fee”) of such purchases from Touchstone Securities according to the following schedule:
 
Amount of Investment
 
Finder's Fee
$1 million but less than $3 million
 
1.00
%
$3 million but less than $5 million
 
0.75
%
$5 million but less than $25 million
 
0.50
%
$25 million or more
 
0.25
%
 
The Distributor does not have an annual reset for Finder’s Fees. In determining a dealer’s eligibility for a Finder’s Fee, purchases of Class A shares of an individual shareholder account in a Touchstone Fund may be aggregated with concurrent purchases of Class A shares of other Touchstone Funds for that individual shareholder. If a Finder’s Fee was paid to a participating dealer, that dealer is not eligible to receive 12b-1 fees on the shares that were used to generate the Finder’s Fee until they have aged for a period of one year. Additionally, if a Finder’s Fee was paid and the Class A shares are redeemed within a year of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of up to 1.00% will be charged on the redemption. Dealers should contact the Distributor for more information on the calculation of the dealer’s commission in the case of combined purchases.
 
A dealer is eligible for a Finder's Fee only if the dealer has not previously received a Finder's Fee on the assets used to meet the required investment amount. Similarly, an exchange from any other Touchstone Fund will not qualify for a Finder's Fee unless the dealer did not receive any compensation on those assets at the time of the initial investment. In all cases Touchstone Securities reserves the right to deny payment of a Finder's Fee if it reasonably believes such a fee has already been paid on those assets.
 
Share Class Conversions. Class A, Class C, and Class R6 shareholders who are eligible to invest in Class Y shares or Institutional Class shares are eligible to exchange their Class A, Class C, and/or Class R6 shares for Class Y shares or Institutional Class shares of the same Fund, if offered in their state and such an exchange can be accommodated by their financial institution. Class Y shareholders that meet the required minimum for Institutional Class Shares may exchange their Class Y Shares for Institutional Class shares within the same Fund if offered in their state and if such an exchange can be accommodated by their financial institution. Class Y shares may be available through financial institutions that have appropriate selling agreements with Touchstone Securities, or through “processing organizations” ( e.g ., mutual fund supermarkets) that purchase shares for their customers. No front-end sales charges will apply to any such exchange. However, if the Class C share assets have been held less than 12 months and a 1% commission was paid to the broker at the time of purchase, a CDSC of 1% will be assessed on the exchange transaction, which may be processed as a liquidation and a purchase. For federal income tax purposes, exchanges of one share class for a different share class of the same fund (even if processed as a liquidation and a purchase) should not result in the realization by the investor of a capital gain or loss. There can be no assurance of any particular tax treatment, however, and you are urged and advised to consult with your own tax advisor before entering into a share class exchange.
 
Financial intermediaries may convert shares in a customer or client’s account to a more expensive share class if prior to the conversion the intermediary determines that the higher priced share class is more suitable to the customer’s interests and the intermediary discloses any additional compensation to the customer, including revenue sharing arrangements with the Advisor or Distributor.
 
If a financial institution, processing organization or intermediary (a “converting entity”) is initiating a share class conversion(s) for Touchstone Funds on a platform, then the converting entity should contact Touchstone Securities at least 60 days in advance and obtain Touchstone Securities’ approval of the share class conversion.

Additional Information on the CDSC. The CDSC is waived under the following circumstances:
 
Any partial or complete redemption following death or disability (as defined in the Code) of a shareholder (including one who owns the shares with his or her spouse as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship) from an account in which the deceased or disabled is named. Touchstone Securities may require documentation prior to waiver of the charge, including death certificates, physicians’ certificates, etc.
 

54


Redemptions from a systematic withdrawal plan. If the systematic withdrawal plan is based on a fixed dollar amount or number of shares, systematic withdrawal redemptions are limited to no more than 10% of your account value or number of shares per year, as of the date the transfer agent receives your request. If the systematic withdrawal plan is based on a fixed percentage of your account value, each redemption is limited to an amount that would not exceed 10% of your annual account value at the time of withdrawal.
 
Redemptions from retirement plans qualified under Section 401 of the Code. The CDSC will be waived for benefit payments made by Touchstone directly to plan participants. Benefit payments will include, but are not limited to, payments resulting from death, disability, retirement, separation from service, required minimum distributions (as described under Section 401(a)(9) of the Code), in-service distributions, hardships, loans and qualified domestic relations orders. The CDSC waiver will not apply in the event of termination of the plan or transfer of the plan to another financial institution.
 
Redemptions that are mandatory withdrawals from a traditional IRA account after age 70½.

Shareholders of Class A shares and Class C shares that were received pursuant to the October 27, 2017 reorganization of series of Sentinel Group Funds, Inc. ("Sentinel Funds") will not be assessed a CDSC upon redemption of their shares.
 
Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  to the Fund's prospectus for a description of waivers and discounts available to shareholders purchasing Fund shares through certain intermediaries.   

General. All sales charges imposed on redemptions are paid to the Distributor. In determining whether the CDSC is payable, it is assumed that shares not subject to the CDSC are the first redeemed followed by other shares held for the longest period of time. The CDSC will not be imposed upon shares representing reinvested dividends or capital gains distributions, or upon amounts representing share appreciation.
 
CDSC for Certain Redemptions of Class A Shares. A CDSC is imposed upon certain redemptions of Class A shares of the Funds (or shares into which such Class A shares were exchanged) purchased at NAV in amounts totaling $1 million or more, if the dealer’s commission described above was paid by the Distributor and the shares are redeemed within one year from the date of purchase. The CDSC will be paid to the Distributor and will be equal to the commission percentage paid at the time of purchase as applied to the lesser of (1) the NAV at the time of purchase of the Class A shares being redeemed, or (2) the NAV of such Class A shares at the time of redemption. If a purchase of Class A shares is subject to the CDSC, you will be notified on the confirmation you receive for your purchase. Redemptions of such Class A shares of the Funds held for at least one year will not be subject to the CDSC.
 
Examples. The following example will illustrate the operation of the CDSC. Assume that you open an account and purchase 1,000 shares at $10 per share and that six months later the NAV per share is $12 and, during such time, you have acquired then 50 additional shares through reinvestment of distributions. If at such time you should redeem 450 shares (totaling proceeds of $5,400), 50 shares will not be subject to the charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the remaining 400 shares, the charge is applied only to the original cost of $10 per share and not to the increase in NAV of $2 per share. Therefore, $4,000 of the $5,400 redemption proceeds will pay the charge. At the rate of 1.00%, the CDSC would be $40 for redemptions of Class C shares.  In determining whether an amount is available for redemption without incurring a deferred sales charge, the purchase payments made for all shares in your account are aggregated.
 
OTHER PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
 
Waiver of Minimum Investment Requirements. The minimum and subsequent investment requirements for purchases in the Funds may not apply to:
 
1.
Any director, officer or other employee* (and their immediate family members**, as defined below) of Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. or any of its affiliates or any portfolio advisor or service provider to the Trust.
2.
Any employee benefit plan that is provided administrative services by a third-party administrator that has entered into a special service arrangement with Touchstone Securities.
 
Class R6 shares investment minimums apply to accounts held on the Funds’ records. Intermediaries that maintain omnibus accounts in Class R6 shares on the Funds’ records may establish different minimums for their clients holding through such omnibus accounts.

In addition, a Fund reserves the right to waive investment minimums in the case of significant extenuating circumstances.


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Waiver of Class A Sales Charges. In addition to the categories of purchasers described in the prospectus for whom the sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of the Funds may be waived, Class A shares issued or purchased in the following transactions are not subject to sales charges (and no concessions are paid by the Distributor on such purchases):
 
1. Purchases into a Fund by any director, officer, employee* (and their immediate family members**), or current separate account client of or referral by the Sub-Advisor to that particular Fund;
 
2. Purchases by any director, officer or other employee* (and their immediate family members**) of Western & Southern Financial Group or any of its affiliates; and
 
3. Purchases by any employees of BNY Mellon who provide services for the Touchstone Funds, Touchstone Advisors, or Touchstone Securities.
 
Exemptions must be qualified in advance by the Distributor. At the option of the Trust, the front-end sales charge may be included on purchases by such persons in the future.
 
* The term “employee” is deemed to include current and retired employees.
** Immediate family members are defined as the parents, mother-in-law or father-in-law, spouse, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, son-in-law or daughter-in-law and children of a registered representative or employee and any other individual to whom the registered representative or employee provides material support.
 
Waiver of Class A Sales Charge for Clients of Financial Intermediaries. Touchstone Securities has agreed to waive the Class A sales charge for clients of financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with Touchstone Securities to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to their customers. As of the date of this SAI, this arrangement applies to shareholders purchasing Fund shares through platforms at the following intermediaries:
Merrill Lynch,
RBC
JP Morgan Securities.
Please see  Appendix A – Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts  to the Fund's prospectus for a description of variations in sales charges and waivers for Fund shares purchased through Merrill Lynch.
 
Shareholders who are eligible for the sales charge waivers listed above may open an account with the Fund directly to receive the sales charge waiver.
 
Waiver of Class A Sales Charge for former Bramwell Shareholders .  Former shareholders of the Bramwell Growth Fund or the Bramwell Focus Fund, each a series of the Bramwell Funds, Inc., who in those funds' 2006 reorganization received Class A shares of the Sentinel Capital Growth or Sentinel Growth Leaders Funds who are purchasing additional shares for their accounts or opening new accounts in any Touchstone Fund are not subject to the front-end sales charge for purchases of Class A shares.  If you are purchasing shares through a financial intermediary, you must notify the intermediary at the time of purchase that a purchase qualifies for a sales load waiver and you may be required to provide copies of account statements verifying your qualification.

Waiver of Class A Sales Charge for former Citizens Shareholders .  Former shareholders of the Citizens Funds, who in those funds' 2008 reorganization received shares of a Sentinel Fund who are purchasing additional shares for their accounts or opening new accounts in any Touchstone Fund are not subject to the front-end sales charge for purchases of Class A shares.  If you are purchasing shares through a financial intermediary, you must notify the intermediary at the time of purchase that a purchase qualifies for a sales load waiver and you may be required to provide copies of account statements verifying your qualification.

Waiver of Class A Sales Charge for Former Shareholders of Sentinel Group Funds, Inc. Shareholders who received Class A shares of Touchstone Funds pursuant to the October 27, 2017 reorganization of their respective Sentinel Funds and whose Sentinel Fund account was established with a net asset value purchase privilege may purchase additional Class A shares of Touchstone Funds at net asset value, provided that such shareholders provide notice of such eligibility prior to or at the time of purchase.

Class Y Shares “Grandfather” Clause. New purchases of the Class Y shares are no longer available directly through Touchstone Securities. Those shareholders who owned Class Y shares purchased directly through Touchstone Securities prior to February 2, 2009, or those former Old Mutual shareholders who owned Class Z shares which became Class Y shares on April 16, 2012, or those former Fifth Third Mutual Fund Shareholders who owned Institutional Class shares which became Class Y shares on September 10, 2012 may continue to hold Class Y shares of the corresponding Fund(s). In addition, those shareholders may continue to make subsequent purchases into existing accounts of Class Y shares of the Fund(s) they owned prior to February 2, 2009, April 16, 2012, and September 10, 2012, respectively.

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Purchases In-Kind. In limited circumstances and subject to the prior consent of the Fund, the Fund may accept payment for shares in securities. Shares may be purchased by tendering payment in-kind in the form of marketable securities, including but not limited to shares of common stock, provided the acquisition of such securities is consistent with the applicable Fund’s investment goal and is otherwise acceptable to the Advisor. Transactions of this type are generally a taxable transaction. Before purchasing shares by tendering payment in-kind, investors are urged and advised to consult with their own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of such a transaction.
 
Redemptions I n-Kind. Under unusual circumstances, when the Board deems it in the best interests of a Fund’s shareholders, the Fund may make payment for shares repurchased or redeemed in whole or in part in securities of the Fund taken at current value. Should payment be made in securities, the redeeming shareholder will bear the market risk until the securities are sold and the redeeming shareholder will generally incur brokerage costs and other costs in converting such securities to cash. Portfolio securities that are issued in an in-kind redemption will be readily marketable. The Trust has filed an irrevocable election with the SEC under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act wherein the Funds are committed to pay redemptions in cash, rather than in-kind, to any shareholder of record of a Fund who redeems during any ninety-day period, the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund’s NAV at the beginning of such period. Redemptions in-kind are taxable for federal income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions for cash. The Funds may also use redemption in-kind for certain Fund shares held by ReFlow.
 
Undeliverable Checks. Dividend and distribution checks issued from non-retirement accounts for less than $25.00 will be automatically reinvested in the Fund that pays them. If your redemption proceeds, dividend, or distribution check is returned as
“undeliverable”, your account will be considered a lost shareholder account, correspondence will be sent to you requesting that
you contact the Fund, and the outstanding payment will be deposited into an account for potential escheatment to your state of
residence. If you contact the Fund and provide proper documentation to update the address on the account, the Fund will no longer
consider your account to be a lost shareholder account, and your outstanding payment will be reissued to your corrected address.
Also, if your dividend or distribution check is returned as “undeliverable”, your cash election will be changed automatically and
future dividends will be reinvested in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the payable date.
 
Uncashed Checks. All uncashed checks on your account will appear with your monthly or quarterly statement for your convenience. If your redemption proceeds, dividend, or distribution check from a non–retirement account is not cashed within six months (an
“outstanding payment”) and the account remains open, the outstanding payment on your account will be cancelled and the proceeds
will be reinvested in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the date of cancellation. In addition, if the payment was for
dividends or distributions, your cash election will be automatically changed and future dividends and distributions will be reinvested
in the Fund at the per share NAV determined as of the payable date. For outstanding payments in retirement accounts, no action
will be taken.
 
Fund Shares Purchased by Check. We may delay the processing and payment of a redemption request for shares you recently purchased by check until your check clears, which may take up to 15 days. If you need your money sooner, you should purchase shares by bank wire.
 
Low Account Balances (Only applicable for shares held through Touchstone Securities directly). If your balance falls below the minimum amount required for your account, based on actual amounts you have invested (as opposed to a reduction from market changes), Touchstone Securities may sell your shares and send the proceeds to you. Touchstone Securities will notify you if your shares are about to be sold and you will have 30 days to increase your account balance to the minimum amount.

Facilitated Transfers.   In the event an existing Touchstone shareholder wishes to move money between their Touchstone mutual fund account and a money market fund, Touchstone has partnered with The Dreyfus Corporation to help facilitate this type of transaction pursuant to certain limitations. Please contact Touchstone Shareholder Services at 1.800.543.0407 for more information if you are interested in pursuing this type of transaction.
 
DISTRIBUTIONS
 
A Fund’s dividends and other distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by a Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend or distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income taxes.
 

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For most shareholders, a statement will be sent to you within 75 days after the end of each year detailing the federal income tax status of your distributions. Please see “Federal Income Taxes” below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Funds.

FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
 
The following discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Funds and their shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Funds. Therefore, the summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (the “Regulations”), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive, and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of a Fund’s shares in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of a Fund’s shares, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding a Fund’s shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an “IRA”), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding a Fund’s shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction, and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.
 
No Fund has requested nor will any Fund request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of a Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in such Fund.
 
Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisor with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in a Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign, and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
 
General. For federal income tax purposes, each Fund is treated as a separate corporation. Each Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify for, taxation as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under the Code. By qualifying as a RIC, a Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and realized net capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by a Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by the Fund without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although each Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by a Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by a Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.
 
Qualification As A Regulated Investment Company. Qualification as a RIC under the Code requires, among other things, that each Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the “Qualifying Income Requirement”); (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of its total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (together with (i) the “Diversification Requirement”); and (c) distribute for each taxable year at least the sum of (i) 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized

58


foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than “net capital gain” as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses) determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid; and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto (“net tax-exempt interest”).
 
The U.S. Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are directly related to the principal business of a Fund of investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, the U.S. Treasury Department has not issued such regulations.
 
As a RIC, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the Code’s timing and other requirements at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest. Each Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its net capital gain ( i.e ., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If a Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If a Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by such Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of a Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by such Fund on that amount of capital gain.
 
The Qualifying Income Requirement and Diversification Requirement that must be met under the Code in order for a Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 “was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income.” Accordingly, the Qualifying Income Requirement may limit each Fund’s ability to invest in commodity-related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions. Each Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of such Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.
 
In general, for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, income derived from a partnership is treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. However, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. In general, such entities will be treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes if they meet the passive income requirement under Section 7704(c)(2) of the Code. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.
 
For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term “outstanding voting securities of such issuer” will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.
 
If a Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, such Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, such Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to federal income tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation at a tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and for qualified dividend income treatment for non-corporate shareholders.
 
Excise Tax. If a Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year, and

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(3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, such Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the “Excise Tax”) on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by a Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. Each Fund generally intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. A Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid the Excise Tax liability at a time when its Advisor might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of a Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC. However, no assurances can be given that a Fund will not be subject to the Excise Tax and, in fact, in certain instances if warranted, a Fund may choose to pay the Excise Tax as opposed to making an additional distribution.

Capital Loss Carryforwards. For capital losses realized in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010, the excess of a Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year and the excess of a Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. If carried forward capital losses offset future capital gains, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. A Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.
 
Original Issue Discount And Market Discount. A Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount (“OID”) (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, a Fund will be required to include the OID in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. The IRS may treat a portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities as a dividend for federal income tax purposes.
 
A debt security acquired in the secondary market by a Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. The Fund’s market discount accrues ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though the Fund will not receive cash. Absent an election by a Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.
 
In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though a Fund holding such securities receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.
 
Each Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by such Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by a Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by such Fund’s governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event a Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.
 
Options, Futures, And Forward Contracts. The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for federal income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses a Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.
 
Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad based securities indexes) held by a Fund (“Section 1256 contracts”), other than contracts on which it has made a “mixed-straddle election”, will be required to be “marked-to-market” for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of such Fund’s taxable year. These provisions may require a Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below.

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Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require a Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.
 
The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of a Fund’s distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount a Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. A Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and thus increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.
 
When a covered call or put option written (sold) by a Fund expires such Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When a Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by a Fund is exercised, such Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.
 
Straddles. Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which a Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by a Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute “straddles.” Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If a Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a “mixed straddle.” A Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to a Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by a Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the “wash sale” and “short sale” rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute “qualified dividend income” to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, a Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where a Fund had not engaged in such transactions.
 
In circumstances where a Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the Code’s constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain a Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.
 
Swaps And Derivatives. As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, a Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. A Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, a Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss.
 
Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while each Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a

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RIC might be adversely affected. The Funds intend to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the Code in order for each Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which a Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.
 
Constructive Sales. Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if a Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If a Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in U.S. Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon a Fund’s holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on a Fund’s holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the Code.
 
In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by a Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to a Fund’s transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and such Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is such Fund’s risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).
 
Wash Sales. A Fund may in certain circumstances be impacted by special rules relating to “wash sales.” In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by a Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.
 
Short Sales. A Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by a Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the “Constructive Sales” rules, discussed above.
 
Tax Credit Bonds. If a Fund holds (directly or indirectly) one or more “tax credit bonds” (defined below) on one or more specified dates during a Fund’s taxable year, and it satisfies the minimum distribution requirement, it may elect for U.S. federal income tax purposes to pass through to shareholders tax credits otherwise allowable to it for that year with respect to such tax credit bonds. A tax credit bond is defined in the Code as a “qualified tax credit bond” (which includes a qualified forestry conservation bond, a new clean renewable energy bond, a qualified energy conservation bond, or a qualified zone academy bond, each of which must meet certain requirements specified in the Code), a “build America bond” (which includes certain qualified bonds issued before January 1, 2011) or certain other bonds specified in the Code. New tax credit bonds may not be issued after December 31, 2017. If a Fund were to make an election, a shareholder of such Fund would be required to include in gross income an amount equal to such shareholder’s proportionate share of the interest income attributable to such credits and would be entitled to claim as a tax credit an amount equal to a proportionate share of such credits. Certain limitations may apply on the extent to which the credit may be claimed.
 
Other Regulated Investment Companies. Generally, the character of the income or capital gains that a Fund receives from another investment company will pass through to the Fund’s shareholders as long as the Fund and the other investment company each qualify as RICs under the Code. However, to the extent that another investment company that qualifies as a RIC realizes net losses on its investments for a given taxable year, a Fund will not be able to recognize its share of those losses until it disposes of shares of such investment company. Moreover, even when a Fund does make such a disposition, a portion of its loss may be recognized as a long-term capital loss.
 
As a result of the foregoing rules, and certain other special rules, it is possible that the amounts of net investment income and net capital gains that a Fund will be required to distribute to shareholders will be greater than such amounts would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests, rather than investing in shares of the investment companies. For similar reasons, the character of distributions from a Fund (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests.
 
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. A Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a “PFIC”) or become a PFIC under the Code. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources

62


(such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If a Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, such Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on “excess distributions” received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively “PFIC income”), even if such Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in such Fund’s investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. A Fund’s distributions of PFIC income will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.
 
A Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce a Fund’s economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent a Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, such Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF’s annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, a Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF’s annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the Code’s minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax, even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to such Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.
 
A Fund may elect to “mark-to-market” its stock in any PFIC. “Marking-to-market,” in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over such Fund’s adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, a Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. A Fund’s adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, a Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

Foreign Currency Transactions. Foreign currency gains and losses realized by a Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the Code, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of such Fund’s income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to a Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed a Fund’s investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease a Fund’s investment company income distributable to its shareholders.
 
Foreign Taxation. Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, or if a Fund is a qualified fund-of-funds (i.e., a RIC that invests at least 50% of its total assets in other RICs at the close of each quarter of its taxable year), and the Fund meets the distribution requirements described above, such Fund may file an election (the “pass-through election”) with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, or in the case of a qualified fund of funds, such taxes paid by an underlying fund that has made the pass-through election, even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. Each Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will “pass-through” for the year, if any.
 
Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder’s U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of a Fund’s income will flow through to shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by a Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal income tax and alternative minimum tax.
 
REITs. A Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be

63


required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if such Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT will not qualify for the corporate dividends received deduction and generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.
 
A Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in REMICs or taxable mortgage pools (TMPs), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and U.S. Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of a Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the Code as an “excess inclusion”) will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Funds, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax exempt-shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See “Tax-Exempt Shareholders.”

MLPs. A Fund may invest to a limited degree in MLPs that are treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships for federal income tax purposes. Net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership is included in the sources of income that satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement. However, under the Diversification Requirement, no more than 25% of the value of a RIC’s total assets at the end of each fiscal quarter may be invested in securities of qualified publicly traded partnerships. If an MLP in which a Fund invests is taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be taxable on its allocable share of the MLP’s income regardless of whether the Fund receives any distribution from the MLP. Thus, the Fund may be required to sell other securities in order to satisfy the distribution requirements to qualify as a RIC and to avoid federal income tax and the Excise Tax. Distributions to a Fund from an MLP that is taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital to the extent of the Fund’s basis in its interest in the MLP. If a Fund’s basis is reduced to zero, distributions will generally constitute capital gain for federal income tax purposes.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, ordinary REIT dividends and “qualified publicly traded partnership income” are treated as “qualified business income” that is eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. The Code currently does not contain a provision permitting a RIC to pass the special character of this income through to its shareholders. As a result, direct investors in REITs and MLPs that are publicly traded partnerships taxed as partnerships may be entitled to this deduction while investors that invest in a Fund that invests in REITs or MLPs will not.
Distributions. Distributions paid out of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return. Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder’s tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain.
 
For federal income tax purposes, distributions of net investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that a Fund owned (or is treated as owing) for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by a Fund as “capital gain dividends” (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of such Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction or for qualified dividend income purposes as described below.
 
Distributions of “qualified dividend income” received by non-corporate shareholders of a Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain rate. A Fund’s distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gain rate to the extent the Fund receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of a Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction on such Fund’s distributions attributable to dividends received by such Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by a Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met.
 

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Shareholders may also be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.
 
Each Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.
 
Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions, and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans.
 
Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisors for more information.
 
Purchases of Fund Shares. Prior to purchasing shares in a Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares of a Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share NAV by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund’s taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital.
 
Sales, Exchanges or Redemptions. Upon the disposition of shares of a Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges Fund shares within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund or another Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund’s shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the “wash sale” rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder (including through dividend reinvestment) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of exempt-interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.
 
The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of a Fund’s shares.
 
Backup Withholding. Each Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of such Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish such Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified such Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
 
State And Local Taxes. State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit.
 
Non-U.S. Shareholders. Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). However, the Fund will generally not be required to withhold tax on any amounts paid to a non-U.S. investor with respect to dividends attributable to “qualified short-term gain” (i.e . , the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) designated as such by the Fund and dividends attributable to certain U.S. source interest income that would not be subject to federal withholding tax if earned directly by a non-U.S. person, provided such amounts are properly designated by the Fund. A Fund may choose not to designate such amounts.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply and such distribution will be subject to the federal income tax, reporting and withholding requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.
 
Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of a Fund or on capital gain dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests (USRPIs), as described below.
 
Special rules apply to foreign persons who receive distributions from a Fund that are attributable to gains from USRPIs. The Code defines USRPIs to include direct holdings of U.S. real property and any interest (other than an interest solely as a creditor) in a “United States real property holding corporation” or former United States real property holding corporation. The Code defines a United States real property holding corporation as any corporation whose USRPIs make up 50% or more of the fair market value of its USRPIs, its interests in real property located outside the United States, plus any other assets it uses in a trade or business. In general, if a Fund is a United States real property holding company (determined without regard to certain exceptions), distributions by the Fund that are attributable to (a) gains realized on the disposition of USRPIs by the Fund and (b) distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier RIC or REIT that the Fund is required to treat as USRPI gain in its hands will retain their character as gains realized from USRPIs in the hands of the foreign persons and will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax. In addition, such distributions could result in the foreign shareholder being required to file a U.S. tax return and pay tax on the distributions at regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The consequences to a non-U.S. shareholder, including the rate of such withholding and character of such distributions (e.g., ordinary income or USRPI gain) will vary depending on the extent of the non-U.S. shareholder’s current and past ownership of a Fund.

In addition, if a Fund is a United States real property holding corporation or former United States real property holding corporation, the Fund may be required to withhold U.S. tax upon a redemption of shares by a greater-than-5% shareholder that is a foreign person, and that shareholder would be required to file a U.S. income tax return for the year of the disposition of the USRPI and pay any additional tax due on the gain. However, no such withholding is generally required with respect to amounts paid in redemption of shares of a fund if the fund was a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, or, in certain other limited cases, if a fund (whether or not domestically controlled) held substantial investments in RICs that were domestically controlled qualified investment entities. Unless legislation is enacted, beginning on January 1, 2015, such withholding is required, without regard to whether a Fund or any RIC in which it invests is domestically controlled.
 
Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Funds. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder’s country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing a Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN).
 
Sections 1471-1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury and IRS guidance issued thereunder (collectively, the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" or "FATCA") generally requires a Fund to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its shareholders. If a shareholder fails to provide this information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA, a Fund may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with respect to that shareholder on Fund dividends and distributions and on the proceeds of the sale, redemption, or exchange of Fund shares. A Fund may disclose the information that it receives from (or concerning) its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA, related intergovernmental agreements or other applicable law or regulation. Each investor is urged to consult its tax advisor regarding the applicability of FATCA and any other reporting requirements with respect to the investor’s own situation, including investments through an intermediary.
 
Foreign Bank And Financial Accounts And Foreign Financial Assets Reporting Requirements. A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of a Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax advisor regarding its filing obligations with respect to FinCen Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.


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Tax-Exempt Shareholders. A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) by virtue of its investment in a Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).
 
It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of a Fund will also recognize UBTI if such Fund recognizes “excess inclusion income” (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if a Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.
 
In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts (“CRTs”) that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.
 
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
 
Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisor with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
 
CUSTODIAN
 
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”), 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, is the Trust’s custodian. BBH acts as the Trust’s depository, safe keeps its portfolio securities, collects all income and other payments with respect thereto, disburses money as instructed and maintains records in connection with its duties.
 
LEGAL COUNSEL
 
Vedder Price P.C., 222 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601, serves as counsel to the Trust.
 
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
The firm of Ernst & Young LLP ("E&Y"), 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, has been selected as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2018. E&Y will perform an annual audit of the Trust’s financial statements, and advise the Trust as to certain accounting matters.
 
TRANSFER AND SUB-ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
 
Transfer Agent . The Trust’s transfer agent is BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (“BNY Mellon IS”), 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01581. BNY Mellon IS maintains the records of each shareholder’s account, answers shareholders’ inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of the Funds’ shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs other shareholder servicing functions. For providing transfer agent and shareholder services to the Trust, BNY Mellon IS receives a monthly per account fee from each Fund, plus out of-pocket expenses.

The Funds may also pay a fee to certain servicing organizations (such as broker-dealers and financial institutions) that provide sub-transfer agency services. These services include maintaining shareholder records, processing shareholder transactions and distributing communications to shareholders.
 
Sub-Administrative Agent. The Advisor provides administrative services to the Trust under an Administrative Agreement and has sub-contracted certain accounting and administrative services to The Bank of New York Mellon ("BNY Mellon"). The sub-administrative services sub-contracted to BNY Mellon include accounting and pricing services, SEC and state security filings, providing executive and administrative services and providing reports for meetings of the Board. The Advisor pays BNY Mellon a sub-administrative fee out of its administration fee. 

Set forth below are the sub-administrative fees paid by the Advisor with respect to each Fund.The Predecessor Funds did not have a sub-administration arrangement prior to the Reorganizations on October 27, 2017. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, the Advisor paid the following sub-administration fees with respect to each Fund:

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Fund
 
Sub-Administrative Fees Paid
Balanced Fund
 
$
7,804

International Equity Fund
 
$
5,340

Large Cap Focused Fund
 
$
37,254

Small Company Fund
 
$
24,449



FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
The Funds' audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, including the notes thereto and the reports of Ernst & Young thereon, included in the Trust's Annual Report, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. Each Fund has adopted the financial statements of its corresponding Predecessor Fund included in the Trust's Annual Report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017.  No other parts of the Trust's Annual Report are hereby incorporated by reference. The Annual Report may be obtained free of charge by calling the Trust at 1.800.543.0407 or by downloading a copy at TouchstoneInvestments.com. You may also obtain the Annual Report or unaudited semi-annual report (as applicable), as well as other information about the Trust, from the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.http://www.sec.gov.




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APPENDIX A
 
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS (1)  
 
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and Standard &Poor’s ® (“S&P”) are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations. A description of the ratings assigned by Moody’s and S&P are provided below. These ratings represent the opinions of these rating services as to the quality of the securities that they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality. An advisor attempts to discern variations in credit rankings of the rating services and to anticipate changes in credit ranking. However, subsequent to purchase by a fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum rating required for purchase by the fund. In that event, an advisor will consider whether it is in the best interest of a fund to continue to hold the securities.
 
Moody’s credit ratings are current opinions of the relative future credit risk of entities, credit commitments, or debt or debt-like securities. Moody’s defines credit risk as the risk that an entity may not meet its contractual, financial obligations as they come due and any estimated financial loss in the event of default. Credit ratings do not address any other risk, including but not limited to: liquidity risk, market value risk, or price volatility. Credit ratings are not statements of current or historical fact. Credit ratings do not constitute investment or financial advice, and credit ratings are not recommendations to purchase, sell, or hold particular securities. Credit ratings do not comment on the suitability of an investment for any particular investor. Moody’s issues its credit ratings with the expectation and understanding that each investor will make its own study and evaluation of each security that is under consideration for purchase, holding, or sale.
 
An S&P issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
 
(1)  This Appendix A may contain information obtained from third parties, including ratings from credit ratings agencies such as S&P. Reproduction and distribution of third party content in any form is prohibited except with the prior written permission of the related third party. Third party content providers do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or availability of any information, including ratings, and are not responsible for any errors or omissions (negligent or otherwise), regardless of the cause, or for the results obtained from the use of such content. THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS GIVE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, COMPENSATORY, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, COSTS, EXPENSES, LEGAL FEES, OR LOSSES (INCLUDING LOST INCOME OR PROFITS AND OPPORTUNITY COSTS OR LOSSES CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE) IN CONNECTION WITH ANY USE OF THEIR CONTENT, INCLUDING RATINGS. Credit ratings are statements of opinions and are not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold or sell securities. They do not address the suitability of securities or the suitability of securities for investment purposes, and should not be relied on as investment advice. they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.
 
Short-Term Credit Ratings
 
Moody’s
 
Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.
 
Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
 
“P-1” - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
 
“P-2” - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
 
“P-3” - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
 

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“NP” - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
 
Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.
  
S&P’s short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days-including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating.
 
The following summarizes the rating categories used by S&P for short-term issues:
 
“A-1” - Obligations are rated in the highest category and indicate that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
 
“A-2” - Obligations are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
 
“A-3” - Obligations exhibit 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.
 
“B” - Obligations are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
 
“C” - Obligations are currently vulnerable to nonpayment and are dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
“D” - Obligations are in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
 
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks - Country risk considerations are a standard part of S&P’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Long-Term Credit Ratings
 
Moody’s
 
Moody’s long-term ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of financial obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings use Moody’s Global Scale and reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.
 
The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:
 
“Aaa” - Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
 
“Aa” - Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
 
“A” - Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
 

70


“Baa” - Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
 
“Ba” - Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
 
“B” - Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
 
“Caa” - Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
 
“Ca” - Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
 
“C” - Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
 
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.”  The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
 
S&P
 
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P’s analysis of the following considerations:
 
Likelihood of payment — capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;
 
Nature of and provisions of the obligation;
 
Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.
 
Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)
 
The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P for long-term issues:
“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 to a 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.
 
Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC,” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
 
“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.
 

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“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” - A “C” rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the “C” rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument’s terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
 
“D” - An obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within five business days, irrespective of any grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation’s rating is lowered to “D” upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
 
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.
 
“NR” - This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks - Country risk considerations are a standard part of S&P’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Municipal Note Ratings
 
Moody’s
 
Moody’s uses three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and are divided into three levels - “MIG 1” through “MIG 3”. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated “SG”, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.
 
The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for these short-term obligations:
 
“MIG 1” - This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
 
“MIG 2” - This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
 
“MIG 3” - This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
 
“SG” - This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

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In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned; a long- or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or “VMIG” rating scale.
 
When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated “NR”, e.g ., “Aaa/NR” or “NR/VMIG 1”.
 
VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.
 
“VMIG 1” - This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
 
“VMIG 2” - This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
 
“VMIG 3” - This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
 
“SG” - This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
 
S&P
 
An S&P U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P’s opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to
notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P’s analysis will review the following considerations:
 
Amortization schedule-the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
 
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” - The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service are given a plus (+) designation.
 
“SP-2” - The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
 
“SP-3” - The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
 


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APPENDIX B

Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
Proxy Voting Policies
 
FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC. Fort Washington’s policy is to vote proxies in the best interests of the Fund at all times.  Fort Washington has adopted procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of the Fund in accordance with its fiduciary duties and SEC rules governing investment advisors.  Reflecting a basic investment philosophy that good management is shareholder focused, 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.  Specifically, proxy votes generally will be cast in favor of proposals that: 

maintain or strengthen the shared interests of stockholders and management;
increase shareholder value; and
maintain or increase shareholder rights generally.


Proxy votes will generally be cast against proposals having the opposite effect of the above.  Where Fort Washington perceives that a management proposal, if approved, would tend to limit or reduce the market value of the company’s securities, it will generally vote against it.  Fort Washington generally supports shareholder rights and recapitalization measures undertaken unilaterally by boards of directors properly exercising their responsibilities and authority, unless we believe such measures could have the effect of reducing shareholder rights or potential shareholder value.  In cases where shareholder proposals challenge such actions, Fort Washington’s voting position will generally favor not interfering with the directors’ proper function in the interest of all shareholders. 

Fort Washington may delegate its responsibilities under its proxy voting procedures to a third party, provided that Fort Washington retains final authority and fiduciary responsibility for proxy voting.  Fort Washington has retained Risk Metrics to assist it in the proxy voting process and will use Risk Metrics’ proxy voting guidelines as a resource in its proxy voting. 

Fort Washington will review proxies to assess the extent, if any, to which there may be a material conflict between it and the interests of the Fund.  If Fort Washington determines that a potential conflict may exist, it will be reported to the Proxy Voting Committee.  The Proxy Voting Committee is authorized to resolve any conflict in a manner that is in the collective best interests of the Fund (excluding a potential conflict).  The Proxy Voting Committee may resolve a potential conflict in any of the following manners: 

If the proposal is specifically addressed in the proxy voting procedures, Fort Washington may vote the proxy in accordance with these policies, provided that such pre-determined policy involves little discretion on Fort Washington’s part;
Fort Washington may engage an independent third party to determine how the proxy should be voted;
Fort Washington may establish an ethical wall or other informational barriers between the person involved in the potential conflict and the persons making the voting decision in order to insulate the potential conflict from the decision maker.

 

TSF-54BB-TST-SAI-SENT-1803



74
 
PART C.
 
Item 28.   Exhibits:
(a)(1)
 
Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 19, 1993 and Amendment No. 1 dated May 24, 1994, Amendment No. 2 dated February 28, 1997 and Amendment No. 3 dated August 11, 1997, are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 002-80859), filed with the SEC on July 31, 1998.
 
 
 
(a)(2)
 
Amendment No. 4 to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated February 12, 1998 and Amendments to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated March 16, 2000 and April 6, 2000 are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 002-80859), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2000.
 
 
 
(a)(3)
 
Amendments to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated September 21, 2000 and March 27, 2001 are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001.
 
 
 
(a)(4)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 28, 2002 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on September 6, 2002.
 
 
 
(a)(5)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated November 7, 2002 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2003.
 
 
 
(a)(6)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 14, 2004 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 30, 2004.
 
 
 
(a)(7)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 3, 2006 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 1, 2006.
 
 
 
(a)(8)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated September 30, 2004 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009.
 
 
 
(a)(9)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated February 22, 2006 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009.
 
 
 
(a)(10)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 15, 2006 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009.
 
 
 
(a)(11)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated March 22, 2007 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009.
  
(a)(12)
 
Amendments to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1)(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on November 30, 2011.
 
 
 
(a)(13)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012.
 
 
 
(a)(14)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated July 31, 2013 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(14) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 22, 2014.



 
 
 
(a)(15)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated July 9, 2014 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(15) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 9, 2014.
 
 
 
(a)(16)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 19, 2016 is herein incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (a)(16) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 28, 2016.

 
 
 
(a)(17)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated November 17, 2016 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2017.
 
 
 
(a)(18)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 18, 2017 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 6, 2017.
 
 
 
(a)(19)
 
Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated June 29, 2017 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(18) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 6, 2017.
 
 
 
(b)
 
Amended and Restated By-Laws dated November 19, 2015 are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 133 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 28, 2016.
 
 
 
(c)
 
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(1)(i)
 
Advisory Agreement with Touchstone Advisors, Inc. dated May 1, 2000, is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2007.
 
 
 
(d)(1)(ii)
 
Amended Schedule 1 dated August 15, 2016 to the Advisory Agreement dated May 1, 2000 between the Registrant and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(1)(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 138 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 15, 2016.
.
 
 
 
(d)(1)(iii)
 
Amendment to the Advisory Agreement with Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(2)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated May 15, 2008 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. with respect to the Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2008.
 
 
 
(d)(3)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 12, 2010 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. with respect to the Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2010.
 
 
 
(d)(4)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 16, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC with respect to the Touchstone Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012.



(d)(5)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 16, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Copper Rock Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Touchstone International Small Cap Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(o) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(6)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 16, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC with respect to the Touchstone Small Cap Value Opportunities Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(r) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(7)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 16, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Focused Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(s) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(8)(i)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated September 10, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and ClearArc Capital Inc. (formerly Fifth Third Asset Management, Inc.) with respect to the Touchstone Flexible Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(w) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(8)(ii)
 
Amendment to Sub-Advisory Agreement dated May 31, 2013 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and ClearArc Capital, Inc. (formerly Fifth Third Asset Management, Inc.) with respect to the Touchstone Flexible Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(18)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 98 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
 
 
 
(d)(9)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated September 10, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC with respect to the Touchstone International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(y) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012.
 
 
 
(d)(10)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated June 1, 2016 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fiera Capital Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund, is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 28, 2016.

 
 
 
(d)(11)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated December 31, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Analytic Investors, LLC with respect to the Touchstone Dynamic Equity Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 98 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
 
 
 
(d)(12)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 23, 2014 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Sands Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 23, 2014.
 
 
 
(d)(13)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and London Company of Virginia d/b/a The London Company with respect to the Touchstone Large Cap Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(16) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 9, 2014.
 
 
 
(d)(14)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated May 2, 2015 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Rockefeller & Co., Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (formerly the Touchstone Large Cap Growth Fund) is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(15) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 28, 2015.
  



(d)(15)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 31, 2015 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Ares Capital Management II, LLC with respect to the Touchstone Credit Opportunities Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(1)(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 31, 2015.
 
 
 
(d)(16)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated November 23, 2015 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Wilshire Associates Incorporated with respect to the Touchstone Controlled Growth with Income Fund, Touchstone Dynamic Diversified Income Fund, and Touchstone Dynamic Global Allocation Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on November 24, 2015.
 
 
 
(d)(17)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated June 1, 2016 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fiera Capital Inc. with respect to the Touchstone International Growth Fund, is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 28, 2016.
 
 
 
(d)(18)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 15, 2016 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and DSM Capital Partners LLC with respect to the Touchstone Global Growth Fund are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(19) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 138 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), both filed with the SEC on August 15, 2016.
 
 
 
(d)(19)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 15, 2016 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and DSM Capital
Partners LLC with respect to the Touchstone Large Company Growth Fund is herein incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (d)(19) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 139 to Registrant's Registration Statement on
Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 15, 2016.

 
 
 
(d)(20)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated December 16, 2016 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Ohio Tax-Free Bond Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(20) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 26, 2017.
 
 
 
(d)(21)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Balanced Fund is filed herewith.
 
 
 
(d)(22)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone International Equity Fund is filed herewith.
 
 
 
(d)(23)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund is filed herewith.
 
 
 
(d)(24)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Small Company Fund is filed herewith.
 
 
 
(e)(1)
 
Distribution Agreement with Touchstone Securities, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001.
 
 
 
(e)(2)
 
Form of Underwriter’s Dealer Agreement is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on September 10, 2004.
 
 
 
(f)
 
Touchstone Trustee Deferred Compensation Plan is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2009.
 
 
 
(g)(1)
 
Custodian Agreement with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2008.
 
 
 



(g)(2)
 
Amended Schedule of Global Services & Charges to the Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(1)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 25, 2013.
 
 
 
(h)(1)
 
Recordkeeping Agreement is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(vii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2004.
 
 
 
(h)(2)
 
Amended Administration Agreement with Touchstone Advisors, Inc. dated January 1, 2007 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2007.
 
 
 
(h)(3)
 
Amended Schedule, dated January 1, 2015, to the Administration Agreement with Touchstone Advisors, Inc., dated February 17, 2006, as amended January 1, 2007, is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 115 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015.
 
 
 
(h)(4)
 
Amended and Restated Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. dated January 1, 2015 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015.
 
 
 
(h)(5)
 
Amended and Restated Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. dated January 1, 2015 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015.
 
 
 
(h)(6)(i)
 
State Filing Services Agreement between the Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., dated December 5, 2011 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(h)(6)(ii)
 
Amended and Restated Schedule A dated September 6, 2012 to the State Filing Services Agreement between the Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. dated December 5, 2011 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (13)(o) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012.
 
 
 
(h)(7)
 
Allocation Agreement for Allocation of Fidelity Bond Proceeds is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(h)(8)(i)
 
Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between the Registrant and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 22, 2014.
 
 
 
(h)(8)(ii)
 
Amended Schedule A dated July 30, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between the Registrant and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8)(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 26, 2017.

 
 
 
(h)(8)(iii)
 
Amended Schedule B dated October 28, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between the Registrant and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8)(iii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 26, 2017.
 
 
 
(h)(8)(iv)
 
Amended Schedule C, dated April 30, 2017, to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between Touchstone Strategic Trust and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8)(iv) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2017.
 
 
 
(h)(8)(v)
 
Amendment to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between the Registrant and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8)(v) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 31, 2015.
 
 
 
(h)(8)(vi)
 
Form of Amendment dated August 31, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between the Registrant and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8)(vi) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 26, 2017.
 
 
 
(h)(9)
 
Securities Lending Agency Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. dated February 1, 2013 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 25, 2013.
 
 
 
(i)
 
Not applicable.
 
 
 
(j)
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm is filed herewith.
 
 
 



 
 
 
(k)
 
Not applicable.
 
 
 
(l)
 
Copy of Letter of Initial Stockholder, which was filed as an Exhibit to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, is hereby incorporated by reference.
 
 
 
(m)(1)
 
Registrant’s Plans of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class A shares and Class C shares are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2000.
 
 
 
(m)(2)
 
Registrant’s Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class B shares is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001.
 
 
 



(m)(3)
 
Registrant’s Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class A shares with respect to the Touchstone Dynamic Equity Fund, Touchstone Emerging Growth Fund, Touchstone International Equity Fund, Touchstone Controlled Growth with Income Fund, Touchstone Dynamic Diversified Income Fund, Touchstone Dynamic Global Allocation Fund, Touchstone U.S. Long/Short Fund, Touchstone Value Fund, Touchstone International Small Cap Fund, Touchstone Mid Cap Value Opportunities Fund, Touchstone Small Cap Value Opportunities Fund, Touchstone Focused Fund, Touchstone Micro Cap Value Fund, Touchstone Small Company Value Fund, Touchstone International Value Fund, Touchstone Flexible Income Fund, Touchstone Global Growth Fund and Touchstone Large Company Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012.
 
 
 
(m)(4)
 
Registrant’s Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class C shares with respect to the Touchstone Dynamic Equity Fund, Touchstone Emerging Growth Fund, Touchstone International Equity Fund, Touchstone Controlled Growth with Income Fund, Touchstone Dynamic Diversified Income Fund, Touchstone Dynamic Global Allocation Fund, Touchstone U.S. Long/Short Fund, Touchstone Value Fund, Touchstone International Small Cap Fund, Touchstone Mid Cap Value Opportunities Fund, Touchstone Small Cap Value Opportunities Fund, Touchstone Focused Fund, Touchstone Micro Cap Value Fund, Touchstone Small Company Value Fund, Touchstone International Value Fund, Touchstone Flexible Income Fund, Touchstone Global Growth Fund and Touchstone Large Company Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012.
 
 
 
(m)(5)
 
Registrant’s Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class T shares to be filed by amendment.
 
 
 
(n)(1)
 
Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Plan is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012.
 
 
 
(n)(2)
 
Amended Schedule A dated October 28, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Plan is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(8)(vi) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 26, 2017.
 
 
 
(o)
 
Reserved.
 
 
 
(p)(1)
 
Code of Ethics for Touchstone Advisors, Inc., the Registrant and Touchstone Securities, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 115 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015.
 
 
 
(p)(2)
 
Code of Ethics for Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(p)(3)
 
Code of Ethics for Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 29, 2013.



(p)(4)
 
Code of Ethics for Analytic Investors, LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(p)(5)
 
Code of Ethics for Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012.
 
 
 
(p)(6)
 
Code of Ethics for Copper Rock Capital Partners, LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(p)(7)
 
Code of Ethics for Thompson Siegel & Walmsley, LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012.
 
 
 
(p)(8)
 
Code of Ethics for ClearArc Capital, Inc. (formerly Fifth Third Asset Management, Inc.) is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012.
 
 
 
(p)(9)
 
Code of Ethics for Apex Capital Management, Inc. (now known as Fiera Capital, Inc.) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 29, 2013.
 
 
 
(p)(10)
 
Code of Ethics for Sands Capital Management, LLC is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 28, 2015.
 
 
 
(p)(11)
 
Code of Ethics for London Company of Virginia d/b/a The London Company is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(14) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 033-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 25, 2014.
 
 
 
(p)(12)
 
Code of Ethics for Rockefeller & Co., Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(14) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015.
 
 
 
(p)(13)
 
Code of Ethics for Ares Capital Management II, LLC is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(15) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 120 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 17, 2015.
 
 
 
(p)(14)
 
Code of Ethics for Wilshire Associates Incorporated is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on November 24, 2015.
.
 
 
 
(p)(15)
 
Code of Ethics for DSM Capital Partners LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 138 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 15, 2016.
.
 
 
 
(q)
 
Power of Attorney dated August 18, 2016 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (q) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 143 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on September 30, 2016.
 

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
 
None.
 
Item 30. Indemnification
 



(a)  Article VI of the Registrant’s Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of officers and Trustees as follows:
 
Section 6.4 Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, etc.
 
The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees and officers, including persons who serve at the Trust’s request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”) against all liabilities, including but not limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and expenses, including reasonable accountants’ and counsel fees, incurred by any Covered Person in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which such person may be or may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having been such a Trustee or officer, director or trustee, and except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person’s office (“disabling conduct”).  Anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, no Covered Person shall be indemnified for any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject unless (1) a final decision on the merits is made by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that the Covered Person to be indemnified was not liable by reason of disabling conduct or, (2) in the absence of such a decision, a reasonable determination is made, based upon a review of the facts, that the Covered Person was not liable by reason of disabling conduct, by (a) the vote of a majority of a quorum of Trustees who are neither “interested persons” of the Company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended nor parties to the proceeding “(disinterested, non-party Trustees”), or (b) an independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
 
Section 6.5 Advances of Expenses.
 
The Trust shall advance attorneys’ fees or other expenses incurred by a Covered Person in defending a proceeding, upon the undertaking by or on behalf of the Covered Person to repay the advance unless it is ultimately determined that such Covered Person is entitled to indemnification, so long as one of the following conditions is met: (i) the Covered Person shall provide security for his undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the disinterested non-party Trustees of the Trust, or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall determine, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
 
Section 6.6 Indemnification Not Exclusive, etc.
 
The right of indemnification provided by this Article VI shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any such Covered Person may be entitled.  As used in this Article VI, “Covered Person” shall include such person’s heirs, executors and administrators, an “interested Covered Person” is one against whom the action, suit or other proceeding in question or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending or threatened, and a “disinterested” person is a person against whom none of such actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending or threatened.  Nothing contained in this article shall affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of the Trust, other than Trustees and officers, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Trust to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such person.
 
(b)  The Registrant maintains a mutual fund and investment advisory professional and directors and officer’s liability policy.  The policy provides coverage to the Registrant, its trustees and officers and includes losses by reason of any act, error, omission, misstatement, misleading statement, neglect or breach of duty.  The Registrant may not pay for insurance that protects the Trustees and officers against liabilities arising from action involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of their offices.
 
The advisory agreements and the sub-advisory agreements provide that Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (or a sub-advisor) shall not be liable for any act or omission in the course of rendering services, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard by Touchstone (or a sub-advisor) of its obligations under the agreement.
 
Item 31.  Business and Other Connections of the Investment Advisors
 
A.      Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”) is a registered investment advisor that provides investment advisory services to the Touchstone Fund Complex.  The following list sets forth the business and other connections of the directors and executive



officers of the Advisor.  Unless otherwise noted, the address of the corporations listed below is 303 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
 
*The address is 400 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
 
(1)
Jill T. McGruder — CEO and Director Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
President and Chief Executive Officer — IFS Financial Services, Inc.
 
(b)
President and Chief Executive Officer — Integrity Life Insurance Company
 
(c)
President and Chief Executive Officer — National Integrity Life Insurance Company
 
(d)
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer — Cincinnati Analysts, Inc.
 
(e)
Trustee and President — Touchstone Fund Complex
 
(f)
Senior Vice President — Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc.*
 
(g)
Senior Vice President — W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*

(h)
Director and Chief Executive Officer - Touchstone Securities, Inc.
 
(i)
Director — Western & Southern Financial Group*, Cincinnati Analysts, Inc., IFS Financial Services, Inc., Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*, W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*, LaRosa’s, Inc. (2334 Boudinot Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45238)

(2)
Donald J. Wuebbling — Director — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Director — Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*, Eagle Realty Investments, Inc.*, Cincinnati Analysts, Inc., Integrity Life Insurance Company,* National Integrity Life Insurance Company,* Eagle Realty Group, LLC*, IFS Financial Services, Inc., Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*, Columbus Life Insurance Company
 
(3)
James J. Vance — Senior Vice President and Treasurer — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Vice President and Treasurer — The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company*, IFS Financial Services, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*, Columbus Life Insurance Company*, Eagle Realty Group, LLC*, Eagle Realty Investments, Inc.*, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company
 
(b)
Treasurer — Cincinnati Analysts, Inc., W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*, Fort Washington Capital Partners, LLC, Insurance Profillment Solutions*, Tristate Ventures, LLC*, Touchstone Securities, Inc., Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
 
(4)
Terrie A. Wiedenheft — Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer — IFS Financial Services, Inc.
 
(b)
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*
 
(c)
Chief Financial Officer — Cincinnati Analysts, Inc., Touchstone Securities, Inc.
 
(d)
Senior Vice President — Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
 
(e)
Vice President, Commission Accounting and Finance — Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company.

(f)
Treasurer and Controller — Touchstone Fund Complex



 
(5)
James N. Clark — Director — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Vice President, Director and Secretary — Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company*, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc.*, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company*
 
(b)
Director — Columbus Life Insurance Company*, Eagle Realty Group, LLC*, Eagle Realty Investments, Inc.*, Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*, Cincinnati Analysts, Inc., IFS Financial Services, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company*
 
(6)
Sarah S. Herron — Secretary — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Secretary - Touchstone Securities, Inc.

(b)
Corporate Secretary - W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*
 
(c)
Senior Counsel — Securities — Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc.*
 
(7)
Steven M. Graziano — President — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Vice President — Touchstone Fund Complex

(b)
President — Touchstone Securities, Inc.
 
(8)
Timothy S. Stearns — Chief Compliance Officer — Touchstone Advisors, Inc., Touchstone Fund Complex, W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*
 
(9)
Timothy D. Paulin — Senior Vice President, Investment Research and Product Management — Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
 
(a)
Vice President — Touchstone Fund Complex

(10) Daniel R. Larson - Vice President - Touchstone Advisors, Inc.

(a) Vice President - Touchstone Securities, Inc.
 
B.    Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (“Fort Washington”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Focused Fund,Touchstone Balanced Fund, Touchstone International Equity Fund, Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund, Touchstone Small Company Fund and certain series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust and Touchstone Variable Series Trust.  Fort Washington also provides investment advice to institutional and individual clients.  The address of Fort Washington is 303 Broadway, Cincinnati OH 45202. *The address is 400 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
 
The following list sets forth the business and other connections of the directors and executive officers of Fort Washington.
 
(1)    Maribeth S. Rahe, President & Chief Executive Officer

(a)  Board Member, Executive/Foundation Committee of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber; Leadership Development, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce; Life Trustee, New York Landmarks Conservancy; Life Trustee, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center; Board Member, Consolidated Communications Illinois Holdings Inc.; Chair, Audit Committee, Consolidated Communications Illinois Holdings, Inc.; Member, Nominating/Governance and Compensation Committees, Consolidated Communications Illinois Holdings, Inc.; Vice Chairman, Executive/Finance Committee, Cincinnati Arts Association; Advisory Board, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur; Advisory Board, Williams College of Business, Xavier University; Advisory Board, CincyTech USA; Member, Partner-In-Action; Investment Committee, United Way of Cincinnati; Board Member, First Financial Bank; Member, Audit/Trust/M&A Committees, First Financial Bank; Executive Committee, Commonwealth Club

(b)   President & CEO of Tristate Ventures, LLC*

(c)   President, Buckeye Venture Partners, LLC




(d)    Director, Eagle Realty Group, Eagle Realty Investments

(e)    President, W&S Investment Holdings, LLC

(f)   Manager, President & CEO, Peppertree Partners, LLC

(g)   Director, Chairman of the Board - Cincinnati Analysts, Inc.

(h)    President & CEO of Fort Washington Capital Partners, LLC

(2)     Nicholas P. Sargen, Director, Chief Economist

(a)  Senior Vice President, Chief Economist & Senior Investment Advisor, Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, Western-Southern Life Assurance Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc., Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company

(b)   Board of Trustees & Treasurer, Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation

(c)   Advisory Board, Xavier Department of Economics

(3)     John F. Barrett, Director

(a)   Chairman of Board & CEO, The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, Western-Southern Life Assurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc., Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company

(b)   Director & Chairman, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company

(c)    Director, Eagle Realty Group, Eagle Realty Investments

(d)    President & Trustee, Western & Southern Financial Fund

(e)    Board Member, Convergys Corp, Cintas Corporation

(f)     Director, American Council of Life Insurers; Director, Financial Services Roundtable; Board Member, Americans for the Arts; Member & Executive Committee, Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation; Board of Governors, Cincinnati USA Partnership for Economic Development; Member, Cincinnati Business Committee; Co-Chairman, Greater Cincinnati Scholarship Association; Member, Cincinnati Equity Fund; Honorary Trustee, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation; Chairman, Medical Center Fund, UC; Advisory Board, Barrett Cancer Center; Vice Chairman, UC Foundation Capital Campaign; Honorary Chairman, UC Presidential Bicentennial Commission

(4)    Brendan M. White, Senior Vice President Co-Chief Investment Officer

(5)   
Roger M. Lanham, Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer

(6)        Michele Hawkins, Chief Compliance Officer & Managing Director

(a)    Advisory Board Member, Xavier University Cintas Institute for Business Ethics & Social Responsibility

(b)    Chief Compliance Officer, Peppertree Partners, LLC

(7)          James J. Vance, Treasurer - See biography above

(8)  
Martin W. Flesher, Managing Director of Business Development and Sales








(9)         Jonathan D. Niemeyer, Director

(a)     Board of Directors, The Pro Foundation Inc., Board of Advisors, David Pollack’s Empower Foundation

(b)     Sr. Vice President & General Counsel, Columbus Life Insurance Company, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company, The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, Western-Southern Life Assurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc., Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company

(c)    Assistant Secretary, Peppertree Partners, LLC

(d)    Secretary, W&S Investment Holdings, LLC

(e)     Director, Insurance Profillment Solutions, LLC

(f)     Board Member, Association of Life Insurance Counsel

(10)       Donald J.  Wuebbling, Director

(a)     Secretary & Counsel, The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, Western- Southern Life Assurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc., Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company

(b)    Director, Touchstone Advisors, Inc., Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc., IFS Financial Services, Inc., Integrity Life Insurance Company, W&S Brokerage Services, Inc., Eagle Realty Group, Eagle Realty Investments, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Agency, Inc.

(11)       Eric J. Walzer, Vice President , Investment Operations

(12) David T. Henderson, Chief Risk Officer

(13) Jeffrey L. Stainton, Secretary

(14) Gerald J. Ulland, Chief Financial Officer

C.       Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. (“Westfield”) is a registered investment advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund and Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund.  The address of Westfield is One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111.  The following are executive officers and directors of Westfield:
 
Westfield is 100% employee owned. Strategic business decisions are managed and controlled by an executive management committee composed of William A. Muggia, , Morton L. Fearey, II, Hamlen Thompson, Bruce Jacobs, Richard Lee, Robert Flores, Ethan Meyers and John Montgomery.
 
D.      Analytic Investors, LLC (“Analytic”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Dynamic Equity Fund.  The address of Analytic is 555 West Fifth Street, 50th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90013.
 
The directors and officers of Analytic are provided on Analytic’s most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 104963; SEC File No. 801-07082), which is incorporated herein by reference.  The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Analytic’s directors and officers is with Analytic and its affiliated companies, except as noted below.

Roger Clarke:  President of Ensign Peak Advisors (since 9/2007), Director of Bonneville Holding Corporation (since 2000), Director of Deseret Mutual Insurance Company (since 2006) and Deseret Trust Company (since 1996).
 
E.      Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss LLC (“Barrow Hanley”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Value Fund and Touchstone International Value Fund.  The address of Barrow Hanley is 2200 Ross Avenue, 31st Floor Dallas, TX 75201.
 



The directors and officers of Barrow Hanley are provided on Barrow Hanley’s most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 105519; SEC File No. 801-31237), which is incorporated herein by reference.  The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Barrow Hanley’s directors and officers is with Barrow Hanley and its affiliated companies.
 
F.      Copper Rock Capital Partners LLC (“Copper Rock”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone International Small Cap Fund.  The address of Copper Rock is 200 Clarendon Street, 51st Floor Boston, MA 02116.
 
The directors and officers of Copper Rock are provided on Copper Rock’s most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 134176; SEC File No. 801-63900), which is incorporated herein by reference.  The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Copper Rock’s directors and officers is with Copper Rock and its affiliated companies.
 
G.      Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC (“TS&W”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Small Cap Value Opportunities Fund.  The address of TS&W is 6641 West Broad Street, Suite 600, Richmond, VA 23230.
 
The directors and officers of TS&W are provided on TS&W’s most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 105726; SEC File No. 801-06273), which is incorporated herein by reference.  The only employment of a substantial nature of each of TS&W’s directors and officers is with TS&W and its affiliated companies.
 
H.    ClearArc Capital Inc. (“ClearArc”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Flexible Income Fund.  The address of ClearArc is 580 Walnut Street, 6th Floor,, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
 
The directors and officers of ClearArc are provided on ClearArc’s most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 104650; SEC File No. 801-11184), which is incorporated herein by reference.
 
I.      Fiera Capital Inc. (“Fiera”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund and the Touchstone International Growth Fund.  The Address of Fiera is 8163 Old Yankee Road, Suite E, Dayton, OH 45458.

The directors and officers of Fiera are provided on Fiera’s most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 107075; SEC File No. 801-42460), which is incorporated herein by reference.  The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Fiera’s directors and officers is with Fiera.
 
J.      Sands Capital Management, LLC (“Sands Capital”) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund.  The Address of Sands Capital is 1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 2300, Arlington, VA 22209.  No director, officer, or partner of Sands Capital has been engaged in any other business or profession of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years.
 
K.      London Company of Virginia d/b/a The London Company (“TLC”) is a registered investment advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Large Cap Fund. The address of TLC is 1800 Bayberry Court, Suite 301, Richmond, Virginia, 23226. No director, officer, or partner of TLC has been engaged in any other business or profession of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years
 
L.      Rockefeller & Co., Inc. (“Rockefeller”) is a registered investment advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund. The address of Rockefeller is 10 Rockefeller Plaza, Third Floor, New York, New York 10020. No director, officer or partner of Rockefeller has been engaged in any other business or profession of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years.

M.    Ares Capital Management II, LLC (“Ares”) is a registered investment advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Credit Opportunities Fund.  The address of Ares is 2000 Avenue of the Stars, 12th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90067. No director, officer or partner of Ares has been engaged in any other business or profession of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years.

N.    Wilshire Associates Incorporated (“Wilshire”) is a registered investment advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Controlled Growth with Income Fund, the Touchstone Dynamic Diversified Income Fund, and the Touchstone Dynamic Global Allocation Fund. The address of Wilshire is 1299 Ocean Avenue Suite 700, Santa Monica, CA 90401. No director, officer or partner of Wilshire has been engaged in any other business or profession of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years.




O.    DSM Capital Partners LLC ("DSM") is a registered investment advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Global Growth Fund and the Touchstone Large Company Growth Fund. The address of DSM is 7111 Fairway Drive, Suite 350, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. No director, officer or partner of DSM has been engaged in any other business or profession of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years.

 
Item 32.                           Principal Underwriters
 
(a)
Touchstone Securities, Inc. also acts as underwriter for Touchstone Variable Series Trust, Touchstone Funds Group Trust and Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust.
 
(b)
Unless otherwise noted, the address of the persons named below is 303 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202.  *The address is 400 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202
 



 
 
POSITION WITH
 
POSITION WITH
NAME
 
UNDERWRITER
 
REGISTRANT
Steven M. Graziano
 
President
 
Vice President
Jill T. McGruder
 
Director & CEO
 
Trustee and President
James N. Clark*
 
Director
 
None
Donald J. Wuebbling*
 
Director
 
None
Daniel L. Larson
 
Vice President
 
None
James J. Vance*
 
Treasurer
 
None
Terrie A. Wiedenheft
 
Chief Financial Officer
 
Controller and Treasurer
Thomas A. Shoemake
 
Chief Compliance Officer
 
None
Sarah S. Herron
 
Secretary
 
None
Sharon L. Karp
 
Vice President
 
None
Kathleen A. Cornelius
 
AVP and Assistant Treasurer
 
None
Jay V. Johnson
 
AVP and Assistant Treasurer
 
None
John S. Musgrove
 
AVP and Assistant Treasurer
 
None
Timothy D. Speed
 
Assistant Treasurer
 
None
Cheryl J. Stotts
 
Assistant Treasurer
 
None

(c)
None.

Item 33.                           Location of Accounts and Records

 
Books or other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and the rules promulgated thereunder, are maintained as follows:
 
(a) With respect to Rules 31a-1(a); 31a-1(b)(1); (2)(a) and (b); (3); (6); (8); (12); and 31a-1(d), the required books and records will be maintained at the offices of Registrant’s Custodian:
 
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
40 Water Street
Boston, MA 02109
 
(b) With respect to Rules 31a-1(a); 31a-1(b)(1), (4); (2)(C) and (D); (4); (5); (6); (8); (9); (10); (11); and 31a-1(f), the required books and records are maintained at the offices of the Registrant’s Administrator and Sub-Administrator.
 
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, OH 45202
 
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, MA 01581
 
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
201 Washington Street, 34th Floor



Boston, MA 02108
 
(c) With respect to Rules 31a-1(b)(5), (6), (9) and (10) and 31a-1(f), the required books and records are maintained at the principal offices of the Registrant’s investment advisors:
 
All Funds:
 
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, OH 45202
 
Touchstone Focused Fund, Touchstone Balanced Fund, Touchstone International Equity Fund, Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund, Touchstone Small Company Fund
 
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway, Suite 1200
Cincinnati, OH 45202
 
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund and Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund
 
Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P.
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111
 
Touchstone Large Cap Fund
 
London Company of Virginia d/b/a The London Company (“TLC”)
1801 Bayberry Court, Suite 301
Richmond, VA 23226
 
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund
 
Rockefeller & Co., Inc.
10 Rockefeller Plaza, Third Floor
New York, NY 10020
 
Touchstone Dynamic Equity Fund
 
Analytic Investors, LLC
555 West Fifth Street, 50th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
 
Touchstone Value Fund and Touchstone International Value Fund
 
Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss LLC
2200 Ross Avenue, 31st Floor
Dallas, TX 75201
 

Touchstone International Small Cap Fund
 
Copper Rock Capital Partner LLC
200 Clarendon Street, 51st Floor
Boston, MA 02116
 
Touchstone Small Cap Value Opportunities Fund
 
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC
6641 West Broad Street, Suite 600



Richmond, VA 23230
 
Touchstone Conservative Allocation Fund, Touchstone Balanced Allocation Fund, Touchstone Moderate Growth Allocation Fund and Touchstone Growth Allocation Fund
 
Wilshire Associates Incorporated
1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 700
Santa Monica, CA 90401
 
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund
 
ClearArc Capital Inc.
580 Walnut Street, 6th Floor
Cincinnati, OH 45202
 
Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund
 
Sands Capital Management, LLC
1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 2300
Arlington, VA 22209
 
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund
 
Apex Capital Management, Inc.
8163 Old Yankee Road, Suite E
Dayton, OH 45458

Touchstone Global Growth Fund and Touchstone Large Company Growth Fund

DSM Capital Partners LLC
7111 Fairway Drive
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

 
Item 34.                           Management Services Not Discussed in Part A or Part B

 
None.
 
Item 35.       Undertakings
 
None.



SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment (“PEA”) No. 178 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A under Rule 485(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and has duly caused this PEA No. 178 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio, on March 28, 2018.
 
 
TOUCHSTONE STRATEGIC TRUST
 
 
 
By:
/s/ Jill T. McGruder
 
 
Jill T. McGruder
 
 
President
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 178 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 



*
 
Trustee
 
March 28, 2018
Phillip R. Cox
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
Trustee
 
March 28, 2018
William C. Gale
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
Trustee
 
March 28, 2018
Susan J. Hickenlooper
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
Trustee
 
March 28, 2018
Kevin A. Robie
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
Trustee
 
March 28, 2018
Edward J. VonderBrink
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Jill T. McGruder
 
Trustee and President
 
March 28, 2018
Jill T. McGruder
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Terrie A. Wiedenheft
 
Controller, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer
 
March 28, 2018
Terrie A. Wiedenheft
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*By:
/s/ Terrie A. Wiedenheft
 
 
 
March 28, 2018
 
Terrie A. Wiedenheft
 
 
 
 
 
(Attorney-in-Fact Pursuant to Power of Attorney filed with PEA No. 143)
 
 




EXHIBIT INDEX
 
 
 
 
(d)(21)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Balanced Fund
 
 
 
(d)(22)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone International Equity Fund
 
 
 
(d)(23)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund
 
 
 
(d)(24)
 
Sub-Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2017 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Small Company Fund
 
 
 
(j)
 
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
 
 
 



 
Execution Copy

SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

Touchstone Balanced Fund
A series of
Touchstone Strategic Trust


This Sub-Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of October 28, 2017, between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”), and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (the “Sub-Advisor”).

WHEREAS, Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) is a Massachusetts business trust organized pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 19, 1993, as amended, and registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Advisor is an investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has been retained by the Trust to provide investment advisory services with respect to certain assets of the Touchstone Balanced Fund (the “Fund”); and

WHEREAS, the Sub-Advisor also is an investment advisor registered under the Advisers Act; and

WHEREAS, the Advisor desires to retain the Sub-Advisor to furnish it with portfolio management services in connection with the Advisor’s investment advisory activities on behalf of the Fund, and the Sub-Advisor has agreed to furnish such services to the Advisor and the Fund;

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions set forth below, it is agreed as follows:

1.     Appointment of the Sub-Advisor. In accordance with and subject to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor, attached as Exhibit A (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Advisor appoints the Sub-Advisor to manage the investment and reinvestment of that portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to it by the Advisor (the “Fund Assets”), in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective registration statement, including its prospectus and statement of additional information, as amended (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”), and subject to the control and direction of the Advisor and the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees during such period to render the services and to perform the duties called for by this Agreement for the compensation provided in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall at all times maintain its registration as an investment advisor under the Advisers Act and shall otherwise comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal. For purposes of this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor shall be deemed an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized by written

1


Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


Agreement with the Advisor, Fund, or Trust, have no authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust or the Fund.

2.     Duties of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor will provide the following services and undertake the following duties:

a. The Sub-Advisor will manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund Assets, subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Fund, and in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, and, to the extent they do not contradict the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, any written directions which the Advisor or the Trust’s Board may give pursuant to this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Sub-Advisor will make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund Assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and shall take such steps as may be necessary or advisable to implement the same. The Sub-Advisor also will determine the manner in which voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action, and any other rights pertaining to the portfolio securities will be exercised.

b. As reasonably requested the Sub-Advisor will render regular reports to the Trust’s Board and to the Advisor (or such other service providers as the Advisor shall engage to assist it in the evaluation of the performance and activities of the Sub-Advisor). Such reports shall be made in such form and manner and with respect to such matters regarding the Fund and the Sub-Advisor as the Trust or the Advisor shall reasonably request; provided, however, that in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, the individual primarily responsible for management of Fund Assets for the Sub-Advisor will not be required to attend in-person more than one meeting per year with the Trust’s Board.

c. The Sub-Advisor may utilize the services of a third-party service provider to research and vote proxies on its behalf and on behalf of the Fund.

d. The Sub-Advisor shall not have custody of any of the Fund Assets and is not authorized to provide the Fund with legal or tax advice or to engage the Fund in any legal proceedings, including responding to class action claims; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor shall promptly forward any notices it receives relating to class action claims to the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent. The Sub-Advisor shall assist the custodian or other duly designated Fund agent in evaluating such securities class action claims, as reasonably requested in writing (provided that in so doing the Sub-Advisor shall not incur any extraordinary costs), but the Sub-Advisor will not be responsible for filing such claims. The Advisor acknowledges that the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent will be responsible for evaluating and making all decisions regarding class action claims involving securities presently or formerly held by the Fund.




Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


e. The Sub-Advisor may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, aggregate purchase and sale orders of securities placed with respect to the Fund Assets with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates, if, in the Sub-Advisor’s reasonable judgment, such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund. In forming this judgment the Sub-Advisor shall consider the selling or purchase price, brokerage commissions, and other expenses. In the event that a purchase or sale of the Fund Assets occurs as part of any aggregate sale or purchase order, the objective of the Sub-Advisor and any of its affiliates involved in such transaction shall be to allocate the securities so purchased or sold, as well as expenses incurred in the transaction, among the Fund and other accounts in a fair and equitable manner.

f. Whenever the Fund and one or more other investment advisory clients of the Sub-Advisor have available funds for investment, investments suitable and appropriate for each will be allocated in a manner believed by the Sub-Advisor to be fair and equitable to each. Moreover, it is possible that due to differing investment objectives or for other reasons, the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates may purchase securities of an issuer for one client and at approximately the same time recommend selling or sell the same or similar types of securities for another client, including the Fund.

g.    The Sub-Advisor will not arrange purchases or sales of securities between the Fund and other accounts advised by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates unless (a) such purchases or sales are in accordance with applicable law and regulation (including Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act) and the Fund’s policies and procedures, (b) the Sub-Advisor determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of the Fund, and (c) the Fund’s Board has approved these types of transactions.

h.    The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor if the Sub-Advisor reasonably believes that the value of any security held by the Fund and reflected on the books and records of the Fund may not reflect fair value. The Sub-Advisor agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Sub-Advisor is aware to the Advisor and any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Fund’s adopted valuation procedures, which may be amended by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties recognize that the Sub-Advisor is not an official pricing source and has no responsibility for calculating the Fund’s net asset value.

i.     Regulatory Compliance.

(i) The Sub-Advisor will comply in all material respects with federal and state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, each as amended, and the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


Futures Trading Commission, or state securities regulator that are applicable to a registered investment advisor providing services to registered open-end investment companies including, without limitation, Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act.

(ii) The Sub-Advisor shall cause the Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification as a regulated investment company.

(iii) The Sub-Advisor will cooperate fully with the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officers in the execution of his or her responsibilities to monitor service providers to the Trust pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.

(iv) Subject to the Advisor’s supervision, the Sub-Advisor will prepare and cause to be filed in a timely manner Form 13F and, if required, Schedule 13G, each under the 1934 Act, with respect to securities held for the account of the Fund.

(v) The Sub-Advisor has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Code of Ethics”). The Sub-Advisor will provide its code of ethics to the Advisor and the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, as in effect. Upon request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide the Fund with (i) a copy of the Sub-Advisor’s current Code of Ethics, as in effect, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. No less frequently than annually, the Sub-Advisor shall furnish to the Fund and the Advisor a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, concerning the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly respond to any requests for information from the Advisor as to violations of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor of any material violation of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by the Fund.

(vi) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and Advisor immediately upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of the Fund’s or the Advisor’s policies, guidelines, or procedures (to the extent such policies, guidelines, or procedures have been provided to the Sub-Advisor). In addition, the Sub-Advisor shall provide a quarterly report regarding its compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to the 1940 Act and the Code, and the Fund’s and the Advisor’s investment objectives policies, guidelines, or procedures as applicable to the Sub-Advisor’s



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


obligations under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Advisor may, in its sole discretion, provide such quarterly compliance certifications to the Board. The Sub-Advisor agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Board or the Advisor may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. The Sub-Advisor shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with certifications of the Fund’s financial statements and disclosure controls pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended. The Sub-Advisor will promptly notify the Trust in the event (i) the Sub-Advisor is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust (excluding class action suits in which the Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund’s ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Sub-Advisor with the federal or state securities laws in connection with the services provided to the Fund under this Agreement or (ii) the controlling stockholder of the Sub-Advisor changes or an actual change in control resulting in an “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

(vii) The Sub-Advisor shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to the Fund Assets advised by the Sub-Advisor as required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by the Advisor, custodian, or transfer agent appointed by the Fund), and relating to its responsibilities under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the “Fund Books and Records”). The Fund Books and Records shall be available to the Advisor and the Board, which shall be delivered upon request to the Trust, at the Advisor’s expense, upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available for telecopying without delay during any day the Fund is open for business. The Sub-Advisor may retain a copy of the Fund Books and Records for its own recordkeeping purposes.

j.    The Sub-Advisor shall provide support to the Advisor with respect to the marketing of the Fund, including but not limited to: (i) permission to use the Sub-Advisor’s name as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement; (ii) permission to use the past performance and investment history of the Sub-Advisor with respect to a composite of funds managed by the Sub-Advisor that are comparable, in investment objective and composition, to the Fund; (iii) access to the individual(s) responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund for marketing conferences, teleconferences, and other activities involving the promotion of the Fund, subject to the reasonable request of the Advisor; and (iv) permission to use biographical and historical data of the Sub-Advisor and individual portfolio manager(s).

k.    The Sub-Advisor will, in the name of the Fund, place orders for the execution of all portfolio transactions in accordance with the policies set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


Documents. When placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Sub-Advisor’s primary objective shall be to obtain the most favorable price and execution available for the Fund, and in placing such orders the Sub-Advisor may consider a number of factors, including, without limitation, the overall direct net economic result to the Fund (including commissions, which may not be the lowest available but ordinarily should not be higher than the generally prevailing competitive range); the financial strength and stability of the broker; the efficiency with which the transaction will be effected; the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved; and the availability of the broker or dealer to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future. Consistent with the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and subject to seeking most favorable price and execution and compliance with Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor may select brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions of the Fund that promote or sell shares of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor is specifically authorized, to the extent authorized by law (including, without limitation, Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), to pay a broker or dealer who provides research services to the Sub-Advisor an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting such transaction. This excess payment (often referred to as “soft dollar” payments) in recognition of such additional research services rendered by the broker or dealer shall only be made if the Sub-Advisor determines in good faith that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer viewed in terms of the particular transaction or the Sub-Advisor’s overall responsibilities with respect to discretionary accounts that it manages, and that the Fund derives or will derive a reasonable benefit from such research services. The Sub-Advisor will present a written report to the Board, at least quarterly, indicating total brokerage expenses, actual or imputed, as well as the services obtained in consideration for such expenses, broken down by broker-dealer and containing such information as the Board reasonably shall request.

l.    The Sub-Advisor shall maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage; or (ii) if any material claims will be made on its insurance policies related to the services provided to the Trust under this Agreement. Furthermore, the Sub-Advisor shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

m.    In the event of any reorganization or other material change in the Sub-Advisor, the Sub-Advisor shall give the Advisor and the Board written notice of such reorganization or change within a reasonable time (but not later than 30 days) after such reorganization or change.

n.    The Sub-Advisor will bear its expenses of providing services to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement except such expenses as are expressly undertaken by the Advisor or the Fund.




Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


o.    The Advisor and Sub-Advisor acknowledge and agree that the Sub-Advisor shall be required to provide only the services expressly described in this Agreement, and shall have no responsibility to provide any other services to the Advisor or the Portfolio except as required by law. The Advisor shall remain responsible for the Funds overall compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

p.    The Advisor agrees to provide the Sub-Advisor with such assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Sub-Advisor in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation, information concerning the Fund; its cash available, or to become available, for investment; and generally as to the conditions of the Fund or its affairs.

q.    The Advisor will provide the Sub-Advisor with advance notice of, and the opportunity to comment on, any change in the Funds investment objectives, investment policy risks, and restrictions as stated in the Disclosure Documents, or in any procedures and policies adopted by the Board of the Trust or the Advisor that may affect the Sub-Advisor’s management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall, in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, manage the Fund Assets in compliance with such changes following reasonable notice of the effectiveness of such changes from the Advisor. In addition to such notice, the Advisor shall provide to the Sub-Advisor a copy of any amendments or supplements to the Disclosure Documents. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Disclosure Documents will at all times be in compliance with all disclosure requirements under all applicable federal and state laws and regulations relating to the Fund.

r.    The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Sub-Advisor does not guarantee the future performance or any specific level of performance for the Fund Assets, the success of any investment decision or strategy that the Sub-Advisor may use, or the success of the Sub-Advisor’s overall management of the Fund Assets. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that investment decisions made with regard to the Fund Assets by the Sub-Advisor are subject to various market, currency, economic, political, and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be beneficial to the Fund. Additionally, there may be loss or depreciation of the value of the Fund Assets because of fluctuation of market values. These risks will be disclosed in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents.

3.     Compensation of the Sub-Advisor.

a.    As compensation for the services to be rendered and duties undertaken under this Agreement by the Sub-Advisor, the Advisor will pay to the Sub-Advisor a monthly fee equal on an annual basis to XX on the first $200 million of assets, XX on the next $200 million of assets, XX on the next $600 million of assets, XX on the next $1 billion of assets, and XX on assets in excess of $2 billion, without regard to any total expense limitation or other fee waiver applied by the Trust or the Advisor. Such fee shall be computed and accrued



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


daily. If the Sub-Advisor serves in such capacity for less than the whole of any period specified in Section 12a of this Agreement, the compensation to the Sub-Advisor shall be prorated. For purposes of calculating the Sub-Advisor’s fee, the daily value of the Fund Assets shall be computed by the same method as the Trust uses to compute the Fund’s net asset value for purposes of purchases and redemptions of shares.

b.    The Sub-Advisor reserves the right to waive all or a part of its fees.
    
4.     Ongoing Reporting of the Sub-Advisor.

a.      Financial Reporting. The Sub-Advisor will report to the Board (at regular quarterly meetings and at such other times as the Board reasonably shall request, subject to the limitation on personal attendance at such meetings set forth in Section 2b of this Agreement): (i) the financial condition and financial prospects of the Sub-Advisor, (ii) the nature and amount of transactions that may be reasonably expected to effect the Fund that involve the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates, (iii) information regarding any potential conflicts of interest arising by reason of the Sub-Advisor’s continuing provision of advisory services to the Fund and to its other accounts, and (iv) such other information including but not limited to the performance of the specific strategy used to manage the Fund Assets and the capacity of the Sub-Advisor as it relates to the continuing ability of the Sub-Advisor to accept additional cash flow from the Advisor into the Fund. Upon request by the Advisor or the Board, the Sub-Advisor agrees to discuss with the Board its plans for the allocation of remaining capacity in the strategy used to manage the Fund, with respect to the Fund and to the Sub-Advisor’s other clients.

The Sub-Advisor will annually provide the Advisor with the Sub-Advisor’s financial statements, unless the Fund’s Board requests reports on a more frequent basis. For purposes of this paragraph 4(a), “financial statements” shall include the Sub-Advisor’s balance sheet, income statement, and notes to the financial statements.

b.      Key Personnel Reporting. The Sub-Advisor agrees to promptly notify the Advisor upon becoming aware of any incapacity, resignation, termination, or other material change of key personnel. For purposes of this paragraph 4(b), “key personnel” include: (i) any portfolio manager of the Fund; and (ii) any chief executive officer, chief compliance officer, chief operations officer, chief investment officer, chief financial officer, chief administration officer, or any other principal or officer of similar title or position with the Sub-Advisor; and (iii) any member of its investment (or comparable) committee.

5.     Representations of the Advisor and the Trust. The Advisor represents that: (a) the Advisor has been duly appointed by the Board to provide investment services to the Fund Assets as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) the Advisor has all necessary power and authority to execute, deliver, and perform this Agreement on behalf of the Trust, and such execution, delivery, and performance will not violate any applicable law, regulation, organizational document, policy, or agreement binding on the Trust or its property; (c) the Trust has the full power and authority to enter into all transactions contemplated under this Agreement, to perform its obligations under such



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


transactions and to authorize the Advisor to procure the Sub-Advisor to enter into such transactions on the Trust’s and Fund’s behalf; (d) the Advisor’s decision to appoint the Sub-Advisor was made in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law and the governing documents, contracts, or other material agreements or instruments governing the Fund’s investment or trading activities; (e) the Advisor will deliver to the Sub-Advisor a true and complete copy of the Fund’s Disclosure Documents, such other documents or instruments governing the investments of Fund Assets, and such other information as is necessary for the Sub-Advisor to carry out its obligations under this Agreement; and (f) the Trust is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

6.     Use of Names.

a. Neither the Advisor nor the Trust shall use the name of the Sub-Advisor in any prospectus, sales literature, or other material relating to the Advisor or the Trust in any manner not approved in advance by the Sub-Advisor; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor will approve all uses of its name which merely refer in accurate terms to its appointment or which are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or a state securities commission; and provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

b. The Sub-Advisor shall not use the name of the Advisor or the Trust in any material relating to the Sub-Advisor in any manner not approved in advance by the Advisor or the Trust, as the case may be; provided, however, that the Advisor and the Trust will each approve all uses of their respective names which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Sub-Advisor as the Fund’s Sub-Advisor under this Agreement or which are required by the SEC or a state securities commission; and, provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

c. Upon termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 12, the Advisor shall cease using any references to the Sub-Advisor in Fund and Advisor documents unless such reference is required by law. Similarly, the Sub-Advisor shall cease using any references to the Advisor or Fund in any documents unless such reference is required by law. For purposes of this paragraph, documents include but are not limited to, marketing materials, regulatory filings, and performance reporting.

7.     Liability of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, the Advisor, and all their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Sub-Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Sub-Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation or any investment policy or restriction set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents or any written guidelines or instruction provided in writing by the Board; or (b) the Sub-Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)



8. Liability of the Advisor. The Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Advisor and all affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct Losses incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation; or (b) the Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

9.     Limitation of Trust’s Liability. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges that it has received notice of and accepts the limitations upon the Trust’s liability set forth in its Declaration of Trust. The Sub-Advisor agrees that (i) the Trust’s obligations to the Sub-Advisor under this Agreement (or indirectly under the Advisory Agreement) shall be limited in any event to the Fund Assets and (ii) the Sub-Advisor shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders of the Fund, other than the Advisor, nor from any Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Trust.

10.     Force Majeure. The Sub-Advisor shall not be liable for delays or errors occurring by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, work stoppages, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riot, or failure of communication or power supply. In the event of equipment breakdowns beyond its control, the Sub-Advisor shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions.

11.     Confidentiality. Each party expressly undertakes to protect and to preserve the confidentiality of all information and know-how made available under or in connection with this Agreement, or the parties’ activities that are either designated as being confidential or which, by the nature of the circumstances surrounding the disclosure, ought in good faith to be treated as proprietary or confidential (collectively, the “Confidential Information”). Each party shall take reasonable security precautions, at least as great as the precautions it takes to protect its own confidential information but in any event using a commercially reasonable standard of care, to keep confidential the Confidential Information. Neither party shall disclose Confidential Information except: (a) to its employees, directors, officers, legal advisors, or auditors having a need to know such Confidential Information; (b) in accordance with a judicial or other governmental order or when such disclosure is required by law, provided that prior to such disclosure the receiving party shall provide the disclosing party with written notice and shall comply with any protective order or equivalent; or (c) in accordance with a regulatory audit or inquiry, without prior notice to the disclosing party, provided that the receiving party shall obtain a confidentiality undertaking from the regulatory agency where possible.

Neither party will make use of any Confidential Information except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or as agreed to in writing between the parties. However, the receiving party shall have no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of information that: (a) it received rightfully from another party prior to its receipt from the disclosing party; (b) the disclosing party discloses generally without any obligation of confidentiality; (c) is or subsequently becomes publicly available without the receiving party’s breach of any obligation owed the disclosing party; or (d) is independently developed by the receiving party without reliance upon or use of any Confidential Information.



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


Each party’s obligations under this clause shall survive for a period of three years following the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each party to this Agreement may disclose any information with respect to the United States federal income tax treatment and tax structure (and any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transaction) of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.

12.     Renewal, Termination and Amendment.

a.    This Agreement shall continue in effect, unless sooner terminated under this Agreement, through October 28, 2019; and it shall thereafter continue for successive annual terms provided that such continuance is specifically approved by the parties and, in addition, at least annually by (i) the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or (ii) by vote of a majority of the Trust’s Board including the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either the Advisor or the Sub-Advisor, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

b.    This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, (i) by the Advisor upon not more than 60-day nor less than 30-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Sub-Advisor; (ii) by the Sub-Advisor upon not less than 60-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Advisor; or (iii) by the Trust, upon either (y) the majority vote of the Board or (z) the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
    
c.    This Agreement may be amended at any time by the parties, subject to approval by the Board and, if required by applicable SEC rules and regulations, a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund affected by such change.
    
d.    The terms “assignment,” “interested persons” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meaning set forth for such terms in the 1940 Act.

13.     Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall become or shall be found to be invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected.

14.     Notice. Any notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the address or facsimile number, as applicable, of the party receiving such notice or instruction and (a) delivered personally; (b) sent by electronic mail (“email”) or facsimile transmission, with notice or confirmation of receipt received; (c) delivered by a nationally recognized overnight courier; or (d) sent by prepaid first-class mail. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the addresses



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)


of the Trust and the Advisor for this purpose shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 and that the address of the Sub-Advisor shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

15.     Miscellaneous. Each party agrees to perform such further actions and execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Ohio. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or delimit any of the Agreement provisions or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

16.     Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any attached Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties with respect to the Agreement’s subject matter.

17.      Customer Notification . By executing this Agreement, the Advisor acknowledges that as required by the Advisers Act the Sub-Advisor has supplied to the Advisor and the Trust copies of the Sub-Advisor’s Form ADV with all exhibits and attachments (including the Sub-Advisor’s statement of financial condition) and will promptly supply to the Advisor copies of all amendments or restatements of such document. Otherwise, the Advisor’s rights under federal law allow termination of this contract without penalty within five business days after entering into this contract. U.S. law also requires the Sub-Advisor to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or entity that opens an account. The Sub-Advisor will ask for the Trust’s legal name, principal place of business address, and Taxpayer Identification or other identification number, and may ask for other identifying information.

Signatures on next page.



Sub-Advisory Agreement
Touchstone Balanced Fund (TST)




The parties’ duly authorized officers have signed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

TOUCHSTONE ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Terrie A. Wiedenheft             BY: /s/Jill T. McGruder             
Name: Terrie A. Wiedenheft             Name: Jill T. McGruder        
Title:     Chief Financial Officer                 Title: Chief Executive Officer        


FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Gerald J. Ulland             BY: /s/Maribeth S. Rahe             
Name: Gerald J. Ulland             Name: Maribeth S. Rahe        
Title:     Vice President & CFO                 Title: President & CEO        






Execution Copy

SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

Touchstone International Equity Fund
A series of
Touchstone Strategic Trust


This Sub-Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of October 28, 2017, between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”), and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (the “Sub-Advisor”).

WHEREAS, Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) is a Massachusetts business trust organized pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 19, 1993, as amended, and registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Advisor is an investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has been retained by the Trust to provide investment advisory services with respect to certain assets of the Touchstone International Equity Fund (the “Fund”); and

WHEREAS, the Sub-Advisor also is an investment advisor registered under the Advisers Act; and

WHEREAS, the Advisor desires to retain the Sub-Advisor to furnish it with portfolio management services in connection with the Advisor’s investment advisory activities on behalf of the Fund, and the Sub-Advisor has agreed to furnish such services to the Advisor and the Fund;

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions set forth below, it is agreed as follows:

1.     Appointment of the Sub-Advisor. In accordance with and subject to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor, attached as Exhibit A (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Advisor appoints the Sub-Advisor to manage the investment and reinvestment of that portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to it by the Advisor (the “Fund Assets”), in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective registration statement, including its prospectus and statement of additional information, as amended (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”), and subject to the control and direction of the Advisor and the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees during such period to render the services and to perform the duties called for by this Agreement for the compensation provided in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall at all times maintain its registration as an investment advisor under the Advisers Act and shall otherwise comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal. For purposes of this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor shall be deemed an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized by written Agreement with the Advisor, Fund, or Trust, have no authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust or the Fund.

2.     Duties of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor will provide the following services and undertake the following duties:

a. The Sub-Advisor will manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund Assets, subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Fund, and in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, and, to the extent they do not contradict the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, any written directions which the Advisor or the Trust’s Board may give pursuant to this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Sub-Advisor will make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund Assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and shall take such steps as may be necessary or advisable to implement the same. The Sub-Advisor also will determine the manner in which voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action, and any other rights pertaining to the portfolio securities will be exercised.

b. As reasonably requested the Sub-Advisor will render regular reports to the Trust’s Board and to the Advisor (or such other service providers as the Advisor shall engage to assist it in the evaluation of the performance and activities of the Sub-Advisor). Such reports shall be made in such form and manner and with respect to such matters regarding the Fund and the Sub-Advisor as the Trust or the Advisor shall reasonably request; provided, however, that in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, the individual primarily responsible for management of Fund Assets for the Sub-Advisor will not be required to attend in-person more than one meeting per year with the Trust’s Board.

c. The Sub-Advisor may utilize the services of a third-party service provider to research and vote proxies on its behalf and on behalf of the Fund.

d. The Sub-Advisor shall not have custody of any of the Fund Assets and is not authorized to provide the Fund with legal or tax advice or to engage the Fund in any legal proceedings, including responding to class action claims; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor shall promptly forward any notices it receives relating to class action claims to the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent. The Sub-Advisor shall assist the custodian or other duly designated Fund agent in evaluating such securities class action claims, as reasonably requested in writing (provided that in so doing the Sub-Advisor shall not incur any extraordinary costs), but the Sub-Advisor will not be responsible for filing such claims. The Advisor acknowledges that the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent will be responsible for evaluating and making all decisions regarding class action claims involving securities presently or formerly held by the Fund.

e. The Sub-Advisor may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, aggregate purchase and sale orders of securities placed with respect to the Fund Assets with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates, if, in the Sub-Advisor’s reasonable judgment, such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund. In forming this judgment the Sub-Advisor shall consider the selling or purchase price, brokerage commissions, and other expenses. In the event that a purchase or sale of the Fund Assets occurs as part of any aggregate sale or purchase order, the objective of the Sub-Advisor and any of its affiliates involved in such transaction shall be to allocate the securities so purchased or sold, as well as expenses incurred in the transaction, among the Fund and other accounts in a fair and equitable manner.

f. Whenever the Fund and one or more other investment advisory clients of the Sub-Advisor have available funds for investment, investments suitable and appropriate for each will be allocated in a manner believed by the Sub-Advisor to be fair and equitable to each. Moreover, it is possible that due to differing investment objectives or for other reasons, the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates may purchase securities of an issuer for one client and at approximately the same time recommend selling or sell the same or similar types of securities for another client, including the Fund.

g.    The Sub-Advisor will not arrange purchases or sales of securities between the Fund and other accounts advised by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates unless (a) such purchases or sales are in accordance with applicable law and regulation (including Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act) and the Fund’s policies and procedures, (b) the Sub-Advisor determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of the Fund, and (c) the Fund’s Board has approved these types of transactions.

h.    The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor if the Sub-Advisor reasonably believes that the value of any security held by the Fund and reflected on the books and records of the Fund may not reflect fair value. The Sub-Advisor agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Sub-Advisor is aware to the Advisor and any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Fund’s adopted valuation procedures, which may be amended by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties recognize that the Sub-Advisor is not an official pricing source and has no responsibility for calculating the Fund’s net asset value.

i.     Regulatory Compliance.

(i) The Sub-Advisor will comply in all material respects with federal and state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, each as amended, and the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or state securities regulator that are applicable to a registered investment advisor providing services to registered open-end investment companies including, without limitation, Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act.

(ii) The Sub-Advisor shall cause the Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification as a regulated investment company.

(iii) The Sub-Advisor will cooperate fully with the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officers in the execution of his or her responsibilities to monitor service providers to the Trust pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.

(iv) Subject to the Advisor’s supervision, the Sub-Advisor will prepare and cause to be filed in a timely manner Form 13F and, if required, Schedule 13G, each under the 1934 Act, with respect to securities held for the account of the Fund.

(v) The Sub-Advisor has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Code of Ethics”). The Sub-Advisor will provide its code of ethics to the Advisor and the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, as in effect. Upon request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide the Fund with (i) a copy of the Sub-Advisor’s current Code of Ethics, as in effect, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. No less frequently than annually, the Sub-Advisor shall furnish to the Fund and the Advisor a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, concerning the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly respond to any requests for information from the Advisor as to violations of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor of any material violation of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by the Fund.

(vi) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and Advisor immediately upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of the Fund’s or the Advisor’s policies, guidelines, or procedures (to the extent such policies, guidelines, or procedures have been provided to the Sub-Advisor). In addition, the Sub-Advisor shall provide a quarterly report regarding its compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to the 1940 Act and the Code, and the Fund’s and the Advisor’s investment objectives policies, guidelines, or procedures as applicable to the Sub-Advisor’s obligations under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Advisor may, in its sole discretion, provide such quarterly compliance certifications to the Board. The Sub-Advisor agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Board or the Advisor may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. The Sub-Advisor shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with certifications of the Fund’s financial statements and disclosure controls pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended. The Sub-Advisor will promptly notify the Trust in the event (i) the Sub-Advisor is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust (excluding class action suits in which the Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund’s ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Sub-Advisor with the federal or state securities laws in connection with the services provided to the Fund under this Agreement or (ii) the controlling stockholder of the Sub-Advisor changes or an actual change in control resulting in an “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

(vii) The Sub-Advisor shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to the Fund Assets advised by the Sub-Advisor as required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by the Advisor, custodian, or transfer agent appointed by the Fund), and relating to its responsibilities under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the “Fund Books and Records”). The Fund Books and Records shall be available to the Advisor and the Board, which shall be delivered upon request to the Trust, at the Advisor’s expense, upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available for telecopying without delay during any day the Fund is open for business. The Sub-Advisor may retain a copy of the Fund Books and Records for its own recordkeeping purposes.

j.    The Sub-Advisor shall provide support to the Advisor with respect to the marketing of the Fund, including but not limited to: (i) permission to use the Sub-Advisor’s name as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement; (ii) permission to use the past performance and investment history of the Sub-Advisor with respect to a composite of funds managed by the Sub-Advisor that are comparable, in investment objective and composition, to the Fund; (iii) access to the individual(s) responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund for marketing conferences, teleconferences, and other activities involving the promotion of the Fund, subject to the reasonable request of the Advisor; and (iv) permission to use biographical and historical data of the Sub-Advisor and individual portfolio manager(s).

k.    The Sub-Advisor will, in the name of the Fund, place orders for the execution of all portfolio transactions in accordance with the policies set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents. When placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Sub-Advisor’s primary objective shall be to obtain the most favorable price and execution available for the Fund, and in placing such orders the Sub-Advisor may consider a number of factors, including, without limitation, the overall direct net economic result to the Fund (including commissions, which may not be the lowest available but ordinarily should not be higher than the generally prevailing competitive range); the financial strength and stability of the broker; the efficiency with which the transaction will be effected; the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved; and the availability of the broker or dealer to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future. Consistent with the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and subject to seeking most favorable price and execution and compliance with Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor may select brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions of the Fund that promote or sell shares of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor is specifically authorized, to the extent authorized by law (including, without limitation, Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), to pay a broker or dealer who provides research services to the Sub-Advisor an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting such transaction. This excess payment (often referred to as “soft dollar” payments) in recognition of such additional research services rendered by the broker or dealer shall only be made if the Sub-Advisor determines in good faith that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer viewed in terms of the particular transaction or the Sub-Advisor’s overall responsibilities with respect to discretionary accounts that it manages, and that the Fund derives or will derive a reasonable benefit from such research services. The Sub-Advisor will present a written report to the Board, at least quarterly, indicating total brokerage expenses, actual or imputed, as well as the services obtained in consideration for such expenses, broken down by broker-dealer and containing such information as the Board reasonably shall request.

l.     The Sub-Advisor shall maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage; or (ii) if any material claims will be made on its insurance policies related to the services provided to the Trust under this Agreement. Furthermore, the Sub-Advisor shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

m.    In the event of any reorganization or other material change in the Sub-Advisor, the Sub-Advisor shall give the Advisor and the Board written notice of such reorganization or change within a reasonable time (but not later than 30 days) after such reorganization or change.

n.    The Sub-Advisor will bear its expenses of providing services to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement except such expenses as are expressly undertaken by the Advisor or the Fund.

o.    The Advisor and Sub-Advisor acknowledge and agree that the Sub-Advisor shall be required to provide only the services expressly described in this Agreement, and shall have no responsibility to provide any other services to the Advisor or the Portfolio except as required by law. The Advisor shall remain responsible for the Funds overall compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

p.    The Advisor agrees to provide the Sub-Advisor with such assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Sub-Advisor in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation, information concerning the Fund; its cash available, or to become available, for investment; and generally as to the conditions of the Fund or its affairs.

q.    The Advisor will provide the Sub-Advisor with advance notice of, and the opportunity to comment on, any change in the Funds investment objectives, investment policy risks, and restrictions as stated in the Disclosure Documents, or in any procedures and policies adopted by the Board of the Trust or the Advisor that may affect the Sub-Advisor’s management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall, in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, manage the Fund Assets in compliance with such changes following reasonable notice of the effectiveness of such changes from the Advisor. In addition to such notice, the Advisor shall provide to the Sub-Advisor a copy of any amendments or supplements to the Disclosure Documents. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Disclosure Documents will at all times be in compliance with all disclosure requirements under all applicable federal and state laws and regulations relating to the Fund.

r.    The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Sub-Advisor does not guarantee the future performance or any specific level of performance for the Fund Assets, the success of any investment decision or strategy that the Sub-Advisor may use, or the success of the Sub-Advisor’s overall management of the Fund Assets. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that investment decisions made with regard to the Fund Assets by the Sub-Advisor are subject to various market, currency, economic, political, and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be beneficial to the Fund. Additionally, there may be loss or depreciation of the value of the Fund Assets because of fluctuation of market values. These risks will be disclosed in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents.

3.     Compensation of the Sub-Advisor.

a.    As compensation for the services to be rendered and duties undertaken under this Agreement by the Sub-Advisor, the Advisor will pay to the Sub-Advisor a monthly fee equal on an annual basis to XX on the first $500 million in assets, XX on the next $300 million in assets, XX on the next $200 million in assets, XX on the next $1 billion in assets, and XX on assets over $2 billion, without regard to any total expense limitation or other fee waiver applied by the Trust or the Advisor. Such fee shall be computed and accrued daily. If the Sub-Advisor serves in such capacity for less than the whole of any period specified in Section 12a of this Agreement, the compensation to the Sub-Advisor shall be prorated. For purposes of calculating the Sub-Advisor’s fee, the daily value of the Fund Assets shall be computed by the same method as the Trust uses to compute the Fund’s net asset value for purposes of purchases and redemptions of shares.

b.    The Sub-Advisor reserves the right to waive all or a part of its fees.
    
4.     Ongoing Reporting of the Sub-Advisor.

a.      Financial Reporting. The Sub-Advisor will report to the Board (at regular quarterly meetings and at such other times as the Board reasonably shall request, subject to the limitation on personal attendance at such meetings set forth in Section 2b of this Agreement): (i) the financial condition and financial prospects of the Sub-Advisor, (ii) the nature and amount of transactions that may be reasonably expected to effect the Fund that involve the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates, (iii) information regarding any potential conflicts of interest arising by reason of the Sub-Advisor’s continuing provision of advisory services to the Fund and to its other accounts, and (iv) such other information including but not limited to the performance of the specific strategy used to manage the Fund Assets and the capacity of the Sub-Advisor as it relates to the continuing ability of the Sub-Advisor to accept additional cash flow from the Advisor into the Fund. Upon request by the Advisor or the Board, the Sub-Advisor agrees to discuss with the Board its plans for the allocation of remaining capacity in the strategy used to manage the Fund, with respect to the Fund and to the Sub-Advisor’s other clients.

The Sub-Advisor will annually provide the Advisor with the Sub-Advisor’s financial statements, unless the Fund’s Board requests reports on a more frequent basis. For purposes of this paragraph 4(a), “financial statements” shall include the Sub-Advisor’s balance sheet, income statement, and notes to the financial statements.

b.      Key Personnel Reporting. The Sub-Advisor agrees to promptly notify the Advisor upon becoming aware of any incapacity, resignation, termination, or other material change of key personnel. For purposes of this paragraph 4(b), “key personnel” include: (i) any portfolio manager of the Fund; and (ii) any chief executive officer, chief compliance officer, chief operations officer, chief investment officer, chief financial officer, chief administration officer, or any other principal or officer of similar title or position with the Sub-Advisor; and (iii) any member of its investment (or comparable) committee.

5.     Representations of the Advisor and the Trust. The Advisor represents that: (a) the Advisor has been duly appointed by the Board to provide investment services to the Fund Assets as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) the Advisor has all necessary power and authority to execute, deliver, and perform this Agreement on behalf of the Trust, and such execution, delivery, and performance will not violate any applicable law, regulation, organizational document, policy, or agreement binding on the Trust or its property; (c) the Trust has the full power and authority to enter into all transactions contemplated under this Agreement, to perform its obligations under such transactions and to authorize the Advisor to procure the Sub-Advisor to enter into such transactions on the Trust’s and Fund’s behalf; (d) the Advisor’s decision to appoint the Sub-Advisor was made in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law and the governing documents, contracts, or other material agreements or instruments governing the Fund’s investment or trading activities; (e) the Advisor will deliver to the Sub-Advisor a true and complete copy of the Fund’s Disclosure Documents, such other documents or instruments governing the investments of Fund Assets, and such other information as is necessary for the Sub-Advisor to carry out its obligations under this Agreement; and (f) the Trust is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

6.     Use of Names.

a. Neither the Advisor nor the Trust shall use the name of the Sub-Advisor in any prospectus, sales literature, or other material relating to the Advisor or the Trust in any manner not approved in advance by the Sub-Advisor; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor will approve all uses of its name which merely refer in accurate terms to its appointment or which are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or a state securities commission; and provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

b. The Sub-Advisor shall not use the name of the Advisor or the Trust in any material relating to the Sub-Advisor in any manner not approved in advance by the Advisor or the Trust, as the case may be; provided, however, that the Advisor and the Trust will each approve all uses of their respective names which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Sub-Advisor as the Fund’s Sub-Advisor under this Agreement or which are required by the SEC or a state securities commission; and, provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

c. Upon termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 12, the Advisor shall cease using any references to the Sub-Advisor in Fund and Advisor documents unless such reference is required by law. Similarly, the Sub-Advisor shall cease using any references to the Advisor or Fund in any documents unless such reference is required by law. For purposes of this paragraph, documents include but are not limited to, marketing materials, regulatory filings, and performance reporting.

7.     Liability of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, the Advisor, and all their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Sub-Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Sub-Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation or any investment policy or restriction set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents or any written guidelines or instruction provided in writing by the Board; or (b) the Sub-Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

8. Liability of the Advisor. The Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Advisor and all affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct Losses incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation; or (b) the Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

9.     Limitation of Trust’s Liability. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges that it has received notice of and accepts the limitations upon the Trust’s liability set forth in its Declaration of Trust. The Sub-Advisor agrees that (i) the Trust’s obligations to the Sub-Advisor under this Agreement (or indirectly under the Advisory Agreement) shall be limited in any event to the Fund Assets and (ii) the Sub-Advisor shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders of the Fund, other than the Advisor, nor from any Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Trust.

10.     Force Majeure. The Sub-Advisor shall not be liable for delays or errors occurring by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, work stoppages, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riot, or failure of communication or power supply. In the event of equipment breakdowns beyond its control, the Sub-Advisor shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions.

11.     Confidentiality. Each party expressly undertakes to protect and to preserve the confidentiality of all information and know-how made available under or in connection with this Agreement, or the parties’ activities that are either designated as being confidential or which, by the nature of the circumstances surrounding the disclosure, ought in good faith to be treated as proprietary or confidential (collectively, the “Confidential Information”). Each party shall take reasonable security precautions, at least as great as the precautions it takes to protect its own confidential information but in any event using a commercially reasonable standard of care, to keep confidential the Confidential Information. Neither party shall disclose Confidential Information except: (a) to its employees, directors, officers, legal advisors, or auditors having a need to know such Confidential Information; (b) in accordance with a judicial or other governmental order or when such disclosure is required by law, provided that prior to such disclosure the receiving party shall provide the disclosing party with written notice and shall comply with any protective order or equivalent; or (c) in accordance with a regulatory audit or inquiry, without prior notice to the disclosing party, provided that the receiving party shall obtain a confidentiality undertaking from the regulatory agency where possible.

Neither party will make use of any Confidential Information except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or as agreed to in writing between the parties. However, the receiving party shall have no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of information that: (a) it received rightfully from another party prior to its receipt from the disclosing party; (b) the disclosing party discloses generally without any obligation of confidentiality; (c) is or subsequently becomes publicly available without the receiving party’s breach of any obligation owed the disclosing party; or (d) is independently developed by the receiving party without reliance upon or use of any Confidential Information. Each party’s obligations under this clause shall survive for a period of three years following the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each party to this Agreement may disclose any information with respect to the United States federal income tax treatment and tax structure (and any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transaction) of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.

12.     Renewal, Termination and Amendment.

a.    This Agreement shall continue in effect, unless sooner terminated under this Agreement, through October 28, 2019; and it shall thereafter continue for successive annual terms provided that such continuance is specifically approved by the parties and, in addition, at least annually by (i) the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or (ii) by vote of a majority of the Trust’s Board including the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either the Advisor or the Sub-Advisor, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

b.    This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, (i) by t he Advisor upon not more than 60-day nor less than 30-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Sub-Advisor; (ii) by the Sub-Advisor upon not less than 60-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Advisor; or (iii) by the Trust, upon either (y) the majority vote of the Board or (z) the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
    
c.    This Agreement may be amended at any time by the parties, subject to approval by the Board and, if required by applicable SEC rules and regulations, a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund affected by such change.
    
d.    The terms “assignment,” “interested persons” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meaning set forth for such terms in the 1940 Act.

13.     Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall become or shall be found to be invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected.

14.     Notice. Any notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the address or facsimile number, as applicable, of the party receiving such notice or instruction and (a) delivered personally; (b) sent by electronic mail (“email”) or facsimile transmission, with notice or confirmation of receipt received; (c) delivered by a nationally recognized overnight courier; or (d) sent by prepaid first-class mail. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the addresses of the Trust and the Advisor for this purpose shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 and that the address of the Sub-Advisor shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

15.     Miscellaneous. Each party agrees to perform such further actions and execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Ohio . The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or delimit any of the Agreement provisions or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

16.     Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any attached Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties with respect to the Agreement’s subject matter.

17.      Customer Notification . By executing this Agreement, the Advisor acknowledges that as required by the Advisers Act the Sub-Advisor has supplied to the Advisor and the Trust copies of the Sub-Advisor’s Form ADV with all exhibits and attachments (including the Sub-Advisor’s statement of financial condition) and will promptly supply to the Advisor copies of all amendments or restatements of such document. Otherwise, the Advisor’s rights under federal law allow termination of this contract without penalty within five business days after entering into this contract. U.S. law also requires the Sub-Advisor to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or entity that opens an account. The Sub-Advisor will ask for the Trust’s legal name, principal place of business address, and Taxpayer Identification or other identification number, and may ask for other identifying information.

Signatures on next page.


The parties’ duly authorized officers have signed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

TOUCHSTONE ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Terrie A. Wiedenheft             BY: /s/Jill T. McGruder             
Name: Terrie A. Wiedenheft             Name: Jill T. McGruder        
Title:     Chief Financial Officer                 Title: Chief Executive Officer        


FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Gerald J. Ulland             BY: /s/Maribeth S. Rahe             
Name: Gerald J. Ulland             Name: Maribeth S. Rahe        
Title:     Vice President & CFO                 Title: President & CEO        





1

Execution Copy

SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund
A series of
Touchstone Strategic Trust


This Sub-Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of October 28, 2017, between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”), and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (the “Sub-Advisor”).

WHEREAS, Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) is a Massachusetts business trust organized pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 19, 1993, as amended, and registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Advisor is an investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has been retained by the Trust to provide investment advisory services with respect to certain assets of the Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund (the “Fund”); and

WHEREAS, the Sub-Advisor also is an investment advisor registered under the Advisers Act; and

WHEREAS, the Advisor desires to retain the Sub-Advisor to furnish it with portfolio management services in connection with the Advisor’s investment advisory activities on behalf of the Fund, and the Sub-Advisor has agreed to furnish such services to the Advisor and the Fund;

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions set forth below, it is agreed as follows:

1.     Appointment of the Sub-Advisor. In accordance with and subject to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor, attached as Exhibit A (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Advisor appoints the Sub-Advisor to manage the investment and reinvestment of that portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to it by the Advisor (the “Fund Assets”), in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective registration statement, including its prospectus and statement of additional information, as amended (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”), and subject to the control and direction of the Advisor and the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees during such period to render the services and to perform the duties called for by this Agreement for the compensation provided in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall at all times maintain its registration as an investment advisor under the Advisers Act and shall otherwise comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal. For purposes of this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor shall be deemed an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized by written Agreement with the Advisor, Fund, or Trust, have no authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust or the Fund.

2.     Duties of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor will provide the following services and undertake the following duties:

a. The Sub-Advisor will manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund Assets, subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Fund, and in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, and, to the extent they do not contradict the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, any written directions which the Advisor or the Trust’s Board may give pursuant to this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Sub-Advisor will make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund Assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and shall take such steps as may be necessary or advisable to implement the same. The Sub-Advisor also will determine the manner in which voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action, and any other rights pertaining to the portfolio securities will be exercised.

b. As reasonably requested the Sub-Advisor will render regular reports to the Trust’s Board and to the Advisor (or such other service providers as the Advisor shall engage to assist it in the evaluation of the performance and activities of the Sub-Advisor). Such reports shall be made in such form and manner and with respect to such matters regarding the Fund and the Sub-Advisor as the Trust or the Advisor shall reasonably request; provided, however, that in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, the individual primarily responsible for management of Fund Assets for the Sub-Advisor will not be required to attend in-person more than one meeting per year with the Trust’s Board.

c. The Sub-Advisor may utilize the services of a third-party service provider to research and vote proxies on its behalf and on behalf of the Fund.

d. The Sub-Advisor shall not have custody of any of the Fund Assets and is not authorized to provide the Fund with legal or tax advice or to engage the Fund in any legal proceedings, including responding to class action claims; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor shall promptly forward any notices it receives relating to class action claims to the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent. The Sub-Advisor shall assist the custodian or other duly designated Fund agent in evaluating such securities class action claims, as reasonably requested in writing (provided that in so doing the Sub-Advisor shall not incur any extraordinary costs), but the Sub-Advisor will not be responsible for filing such claims. The Advisor acknowledges that the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent will be responsible for evaluating and making all decisions regarding class action claims involving securities presently or formerly held by the Fund.

e. The Sub-Advisor may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, aggregate purchase and sale orders of securities placed with respect to the Fund Assets with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates, if, in the Sub-Advisor’s reasonable judgment, such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund. In forming this judgment the Sub-Advisor shall consider the selling or purchase price, brokerage commissions, and other expenses. In the event that a purchase or sale of the Fund Assets occurs as part of any aggregate sale or purchase order, the objective of the Sub-Advisor and any of its affiliates involved in such transaction shall be to allocate the securities so purchased or sold, as well as expenses incurred in the transaction, among the Fund and other accounts in a fair and equitable manner.

f. Whenever the Fund and one or more other investment advisory clients of the Sub-Advisor have available funds for investment, investments suitable and appropriate for each will be allocated in a manner believed by the Sub-Advisor to be fair and equitable to each. Moreover, it is possible that due to differing investment objectives or for other reasons, the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates may purchase securities of an issuer for one client and at approximately the same time recommend selling or sell the same or similar types of securities for another client, including the Fund.

g.    The Sub-Advisor will not arrange purchases or sales of securities between the Fund and other accounts advised by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates unless (a) such purchases or sales are in accordance with applicable law and regulation (including Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act) and the Fund’s policies and procedures, (b) the Sub-Advisor determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of the Fund, and (c) the Fund’s Board has approved these types of transactions.

h.    The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor if the Sub-Advisor reasonably believes that the value of any security held by the Fund and reflected on the books and records of the Fund may not reflect fair value. The Sub-Advisor agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Sub-Advisor is aware to the Advisor and any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Fund’s adopted valuation procedures, which may be amended by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties recognize that the Sub-Advisor is not an official pricing source and has no responsibility for calculating the Fund’s net asset value.

i.     Regulatory Compliance.

(i) The Sub-Advisor will comply in all material respects with federal and state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, each as amended, and the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or state securities regulator that are applicable to a registered investment advisor providing services to registered open-end investment companies including, without limitation, Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act.

(ii) The Sub-Advisor shall cause the Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification as a regulated investment company.

(iii) The Sub-Advisor will cooperate fully with the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officers in the execution of his or her responsibilities to monitor service providers to the Trust pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.

(iv) Subject to the Advisor’s supervision, the Sub-Advisor will prepare and cause to be filed in a timely manner Form 13F and, if required, Schedule 13G, each under the 1934 Act, with respect to securities held for the account of the Fund.

(v) The Sub-Advisor has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Code of Ethics”). The Sub-Advisor will provide its code of ethics to the Advisor and the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, as in effect. Upon request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide the Fund with (i) a copy of the Sub-Advisor’s current Code of Ethics, as in effect, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. No less frequently than annually, the Sub-Advisor shall furnish to the Fund and the Advisor a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, concerning the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly respond to any requests for information from the Advisor as to violations of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor of any material violation of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by the Fund.

(vi) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and Advisor immediately upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of the Fund’s or the Advisor’s policies, guidelines, or procedures (to the extent such policies, guidelines, or procedures have been provided to the Sub-Advisor). In addition, the Sub-Advisor shall provide a quarterly report regarding its compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to the 1940 Act and the Code, and the Fund’s and the Advisor’s investment objectives policies, guidelines, or procedures as applicable to the Sub-Advisor’s obligations under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Advisor may, in its sole discretion, provide such quarterly compliance certifications to the Board. The Sub-Advisor agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Board or the Advisor may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. The Sub-Advisor shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with certifications of the Fund’s financial statements and disclosure controls pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended. The Sub-Advisor will promptly notify the Trust in the event (i) the Sub-Advisor is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust (excluding class action suits in which the Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund’s ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Sub-Advisor with the federal or state securities laws in connection with the services provided to the Fund under this Agreement or (ii) the controlling stockholder of the Sub-Advisor changes or an actual change in control resulting in an “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

(vii) The Sub-Advisor shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to the Fund Assets advised by the Sub-Advisor as required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by the Advisor, custodian, or transfer agent appointed by the Fund), and relating to its responsibilities under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the “Fund Books and Records”). The Fund Books and Records shall be available to the Advisor and the Board, which shall be delivered upon request to the Trust, at the Advisor’s expense, upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available for telecopying without delay during any day the Fund is open for business. The Sub-Advisor may retain a copy of the Fund Books and Records for its own recordkeeping purposes.

j.    The Sub-Advisor shall provide support to the Advisor with respect to the marketing of the Fund, including but not limited to: (i) permission to use the Sub-Advisor’s name as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement; (ii) permission to use the past performance and investment history of the Sub-Advisor with respect to a composite of funds managed by the Sub-Advisor that are comparable, in investment objective and composition, to the Fund; (iii) access to the individual(s) responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund for marketing conferences, teleconferences, and other activities involving the promotion of the Fund, subject to the reasonable request of the Advisor; and (iv) permission to use biographical and historical data of the Sub-Advisor and individual portfolio manager(s).

k.    The Sub-Advisor will, in the name of the Fund, place orders for the execution of all portfolio transactions in accordance with the policies set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents. When placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Sub-Advisor’s primary objective shall be to obtain the most favorable price and execution available for the Fund, and in placing such orders the Sub-Advisor may consider a number of factors, including, without limitation, the overall direct net economic result to the Fund (including commissions, which may not be the lowest available but ordinarily should not be higher than the generally prevailing competitive range); the financial strength and stability of the broker; the efficiency with which the transaction will be effected; the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved; and the availability of the broker or dealer to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future. Consistent with the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and subject to seeking most favorable price and execution and compliance with Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor may select brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions of the Fund that promote or sell shares of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor is specifically authorized, to the extent authorized by law (including, without limitation, Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), to pay a broker or dealer who provides research services to the Sub-Advisor an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting such transaction. This excess payment (often referred to as “soft dollar” payments) in recognition of such additional research services rendered by the broker or dealer shall only be made if the Sub-Advisor determines in good faith that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer viewed in terms of the particular transaction or the Sub-Advisor’s overall responsibilities with respect to discretionary accounts that it manages, and that the Fund derives or will derive a reasonable benefit from such research services. The Sub-Advisor will present a written report to the Board, at least quarterly, indicating total brokerage expenses, actual or imputed, as well as the services obtained in consideration for such expenses, broken down by broker-dealer and containing such information as the Board reasonably shall request.

l.     The Sub-Advisor shall maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage; or (ii) if any material claims will be made on its insurance policies related to the services provided to the Trust under this Agreement. Furthermore, the Sub-Advisor shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

m.    In the event of any reorganization or other material change in the Sub-Advisor, the Sub-Advisor shall give the Advisor and the Board written notice of such reorganization or change within a reasonable time (but not later than 30 days) after such reorganization or change.

n.    The Sub-Advisor will bear its expenses of providing services to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement except such expenses as are expressly undertaken by the Advisor or the Fund.

o.    The Advisor and Sub-Advisor acknowledge and agree that the Sub-Advisor shall be required to provide only the services expressly described in this Agreement, and shall have no responsibility to provide any other services to the Advisor or the Portfolio except as required by law. The Advisor shall remain responsible for the Funds overall compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

p.    The Advisor agrees to provide the Sub-Advisor with such assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Sub-Advisor in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation, information concerning the Fund; its cash available, or to become available, for investment; and generally as to the conditions of the Fund or its affairs.

q.    The Advisor will provide the Sub-Advisor with advance notice of, and the opportunity to comment on, any change in the Funds investment objectives, investment policy risks, and restrictions as stated in the Disclosure Documents, or in any procedures and policies adopted by the Board of the Trust or the Advisor that may affect the Sub-Advisor’s management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall, in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, manage the Fund Assets in compliance with such changes following reasonable notice of the effectiveness of such changes from the Advisor. In addition to such notice, the Advisor shall provide to the Sub-Advisor a copy of any amendments or supplements to the Disclosure Documents. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Disclosure Documents will at all times be in compliance with all disclosure requirements under all applicable federal and state laws and regulations relating to the Fund.

r.    The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Sub-Advisor does not guarantee the future performance or any specific level of performance for the Fund Assets, the success of any investment decision or strategy that the Sub-Advisor may use, or the success of the Sub-Advisor’s overall management of the Fund Assets. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that investment decisions made with regard to the Fund Assets by the Sub-Advisor are subject to various market, currency, economic, political, and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be beneficial to the Fund. Additionally, there may be loss or depreciation of the value of the Fund Assets because of fluctuation of market values. These risks will be disclosed in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents.

3.     Compensation of the Sub-Advisor.

a.    As compensation for the services to be rendered and duties undertaken under this Agreement by the Sub-Advisor, the Advisor will pay to the Sub-Advisor a monthly fee equal on an annual basis to XX on the first $500 million in assets, XX on the next $300 million in assets, XX on the next $200 million in assets, XX on the next $1 billion in assets, and XX on assets over $2 billion, without regard to any total expense limitation or other fee waiver applied by the Trust or the Advisor. Such fee shall be computed and accrued daily. If the Sub-Advisor serves in such capacity for less than the whole of any period specified in Section 12a of this Agreement, the compensation to the Sub-Advisor shall be prorated. For purposes of calculating the Sub-Advisor’s fee, the daily value of the Fund Assets shall be computed by the same method as the Trust uses to compute the Fund’s net asset value for purposes of purchases and redemptions of shares.

b.    The Sub-Advisor reserves the right to waive all or a part of its fees.
    
4.     Ongoing Reporting of the Sub-Advisor.

a.      Financial Reporting. The Sub-Advisor will report to the Board (at regular quarterly meetings and at such other times as the Board reasonably shall request, subject to the limitation on personal attendance at such meetings set forth in Section 2b of this Agreement): (i) the financial condition and financial prospects of the Sub-Advisor, (ii) the nature and amount of transactions that may be reasonably expected to effect the Fund that involve the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates, (iii) information regarding any potential conflicts of interest arising by reason of the Sub-Advisor’s continuing provision of advisory services to the Fund and to its other accounts, and (iv) such other information including but not limited to the performance of the specific strategy used to manage the Fund Assets and the capacity of the Sub-Advisor as it relates to the continuing ability of the Sub-Advisor to accept additional cash flow from the Advisor into the Fund. Upon request by the Advisor or the Board, the Sub-Advisor agrees to discuss with the Board its plans for the allocation of remaining capacity in the strategy used to manage the Fund, with respect to the Fund and to the Sub-Advisor’s other clients.

The Sub-Advisor will annually provide the Advisor with the Sub-Advisor’s financial statements, unless the Fund’s Board requests reports on a more frequent basis. For purposes of this paragraph 4(a), “financial statements” shall include the Sub-Advisor’s balance sheet, income statement, and notes to the financial statements.

b.      Key Personnel Reporting. The Sub-Advisor agrees to promptly notify the Advisor upon becoming aware of any incapacity, resignation, termination, or other material change of key personnel. For purposes of this paragraph 4(b), “key personnel” include: (i) any portfolio manager of the Fund; and (ii) any chief executive officer, chief compliance officer, chief operations officer, chief investment officer, chief financial officer, chief administration officer, or any other principal or officer of similar title or position with the Sub-Advisor; and (iii) any member of its investment (or comparable) committee.

5.     Representations of the Advisor and the Trust. The Advisor represents that: (a) the Advisor has been duly appointed by the Board to provide investment services to the Fund Assets as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) the Advisor has all necessary power and authority to execute, deliver, and perform this Agreement on behalf of the Trust, and such execution, delivery, and performance will not violate any applicable law, regulation, organizational document, policy, or agreement binding on the Trust or its property; (c) the Trust has the full power and authority to enter into all transactions contemplated under this Agreement, to perform its obligations under such transactions and to authorize the Advisor to procure the Sub-Advisor to enter into such transactions on the Trust’s and Fund’s behalf; (d) the Advisor’s decision to appoint the Sub-Advisor was made in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law and the governing documents, contracts, or other material agreements or instruments governing the Fund’s investment or trading activities; (e) the Advisor will deliver to the Sub-Advisor a true and complete copy of the Fund’s Disclosure Documents, such other documents or instruments governing the investments of Fund Assets, and such other information as is necessary for the Sub-Advisor to carry out its obligations under this Agreement; and (f) the Trust is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

6.     Use of Names.

a. Neither the Advisor nor the Trust shall use the name of the Sub-Advisor in any prospectus, sales literature, or other material relating to the Advisor or the Trust in any manner not approved in advance by the Sub-Advisor; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor will approve all uses of its name which merely refer in accurate terms to its appointment or which are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or a state securities commission; and provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

b. The Sub-Advisor shall not use the name of the Advisor or the Trust in any material relating to the Sub-Advisor in any manner not approved in advance by the Advisor or the Trust, as the case may be; provided, however, that the Advisor and the Trust will each approve all uses of their respective names which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Sub-Advisor as the Fund’s Sub-Advisor under this Agreement or which are required by the SEC or a state securities commission; and, provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

c. Upon termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 12, the Advisor shall cease using any references to the Sub-Advisor in Fund and Advisor documents unless such reference is required by law. Similarly, the Sub-Advisor shall cease using any references to the Advisor or Fund in any documents unless such reference is required by law. For purposes of this paragraph, documents include but are not limited to, marketing materials, regulatory filings, and performance reporting.

7.     Liability of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, the Advisor, and all their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Sub-Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Sub-Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation or any investment policy or restriction set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents or any written guidelines or instruction provided in writing by the Board; or (b) the Sub-Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

8. Liability of the Advisor. The Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Advisor and all affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct Losses incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation; or (b) the Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

9.     Limitation of Trust’s Liability. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges that it has received notice of and accepts the limitations upon the Trust’s liability set forth in its Declaration of Trust. The Sub-Advisor agrees that (i) the Trust’s obligations to the Sub-Advisor under this Agreement (or indirectly under the Advisory Agreement) shall be limited in any event to the Fund Assets and (ii) the Sub-Advisor shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders of the Fund, other than the Advisor, nor from any Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Trust.

10.     Force Majeure. The Sub-Advisor shall not be liable for delays or errors occurring by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, work stoppages, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riot, or failure of communication or power supply. In the event of equipment breakdowns beyond its control, the Sub-Advisor shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions.

11.     Confidentiality. Each party expressly undertakes to protect and to preserve the confidentiality of all information and know-how made available under or in connection with this Agreement, or the parties’ activities that are either designated as being confidential or which, by the nature of the circumstances surrounding the disclosure, ought in good faith to be treated as proprietary or confidential (collectively, the “Confidential Information”). Each party shall take reasonable security precautions, at least as great as the precautions it takes to protect its own confidential information but in any event using a commercially reasonable standard of care, to keep confidential the Confidential Information. Neither party shall disclose Confidential Information except: (a) to its employees, directors, officers, legal advisors, or auditors having a need to know such Confidential Information; (b) in accordance with a judicial or other governmental order or when such disclosure is required by law, provided that prior to such disclosure the receiving party shall provide the disclosing party with written notice and shall comply with any protective order or equivalent; or (c) in accordance with a regulatory audit or inquiry, without prior notice to the disclosing party, provided that the receiving party shall obtain a confidentiality undertaking from the regulatory agency where possible.

Neither party will make use of any Confidential Information except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or as agreed to in writing between the parties. However, the receiving party shall have no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of information that: (a) it received rightfully from another party prior to its receipt from the disclosing party; (b) the disclosing party discloses generally without any obligation of confidentiality; (c) is or subsequently becomes publicly available without the receiving party’s breach of any obligation owed the disclosing party; or (d) is independently developed by the receiving party without reliance upon or use of any Confidential Information. Each party’s obligations under this clause shall survive for a period of three years following the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each party to this Agreement may disclose any information with respect to the United States federal income tax treatment and tax structure (and any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transaction) of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.

12.     Renewal, Termination and Amendment.

a.    This Agreement shall continue in effect, unless sooner terminated under this Agreement, through October 28, 2019; and it shall thereafter continue for successive annual terms provided that such continuance is specifically approved by the parties and, in addition, at least annually by (i) the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or (ii) by vote of a majority of the Trust’s Board including the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either the Advisor or the Sub-Advisor, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

b.    This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, (i) by t he Advisor upon not more than 60-day nor less than 30-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Sub-Advisor; (ii) by the Sub-Advisor upon not less than 60-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Advisor; or (iii) by the Trust, upon either (y) the majority vote of the Board or (z) the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
    
c.    This Agreement may be amended at any time by the parties, subject to approval by the Board and, if required by applicable SEC rules and regulations, a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund affected by such change.
    
d.    The terms “assignment,” “interested persons” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meaning set forth for such terms in the 1940 Act.

13.     Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall become or shall be found to be invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected.

14.     Notice. Any notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the address or facsimile number, as applicable, of the party receiving such notice or instruction and (a) delivered personally; (b) sent by electronic mail (“email”) or facsimile transmission, with notice or confirmation of receipt received; (c) delivered by a nationally recognized overnight courier; or (d) sent by prepaid first-class mail. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the addresses of the Trust and the Advisor for this purpose shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 and that the address of the Sub-Advisor shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

15.     Miscellaneous. Each party agrees to perform such further actions and execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Ohio . The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or delimit any of the Agreement provisions or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

16.     Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any attached Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties with respect to the Agreement’s subject matter.

17.      Customer Notification . By executing this Agreement, the Advisor acknowledges that as required by the Advisers Act the Sub-Advisor has supplied to the Advisor and the Trust copies of the Sub-Advisor’s Form ADV with all exhibits and attachments (including the Sub-Advisor’s statement of financial condition) and will promptly supply to the Advisor copies of all amendments or restatements of such document. Otherwise, the Advisor’s rights under federal law allow termination of this contract without penalty within five business days after entering into this contract. U.S. law also requires the Sub-Advisor to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or entity that opens an account. The Sub-Advisor will ask for the Trust’s legal name, principal place of business address, and Taxpayer Identification or other identification number, and may ask for other identifying information.

Signatures on next page.


The parties’ duly authorized officers have signed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

TOUCHSTONE ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Terrie A. Wiedenheft             BY: /s/Jill T. McGruder             
Name: Terrie A. Wiedenheft             Name: Jill T. McGruder        
Title:     Chief Financial Officer                 Title: Chief Executive Officer        


FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Gerald J. Ulland             BY: /s/Maribeth S. Rahe             
Name: Gerald J. Ulland             Name: Maribeth S. Rahe        
Title:     Vice President & CFO                 Title: President & CEO        



1

Execution Copy

SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

Touchstone Small Company Fund
A series of
Touchstone Strategic Trust


This Sub-Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of October 28, 2017, between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”), and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (the “Sub-Advisor”).

WHEREAS, Touchstone Strategic Trust (the “Trust”) is a Massachusetts business trust organized pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 19, 1993, as amended, and registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Advisor is an investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has been retained by the Trust to provide investment advisory services with respect to certain assets of the Touchstone Small Company Fund (the “Fund”); and

WHEREAS, the Sub-Advisor also is an investment advisor registered under the Advisers Act; and

WHEREAS, the Advisor desires to retain the Sub-Advisor to furnish it with portfolio management services in connection with the Advisor’s investment advisory activities on behalf of the Fund, and the Sub-Advisor has agreed to furnish such services to the Advisor and the Fund;

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions set forth below, it is agreed as follows:

1.     Appointment of the Sub-Advisor. In accordance with and subject to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor, attached as Exhibit A (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Advisor appoints the Sub-Advisor to manage the investment and reinvestment of that portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to it by the Advisor (the “Fund Assets”), in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective registration statement, including its prospectus and statement of additional information, as amended (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”), and subject to the control and direction of the Advisor and the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees during such period to render the services and to perform the duties called for by this Agreement for the compensation provided in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall at all times maintain its registration as an investment advisor under the Advisers Act and shall otherwise comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal. For purposes of this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor shall be deemed an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized by written Agreement with the Advisor, Fund, or Trust, have no authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust or the Fund.

2.     Duties of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor will provide the following services and undertake the following duties:

a. The Sub-Advisor will manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund Assets, subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Fund, and in conformity with the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, and, to the extent they do not contradict the Fund’s currently effective Disclosure Documents, any written directions which the Advisor or the Trust’s Board may give pursuant to this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Sub-Advisor will make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund Assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and shall take such steps as may be necessary or advisable to implement the same. The Sub-Advisor also will determine the manner in which voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action, and any other rights pertaining to the portfolio securities will be exercised.

b. As reasonably requested the Sub-Advisor will render regular reports to the Trust’s Board and to the Advisor (or such other service providers as the Advisor shall engage to assist it in the evaluation of the performance and activities of the Sub-Advisor). Such reports shall be made in such form and manner and with respect to such matters regarding the Fund and the Sub-Advisor as the Trust or the Advisor shall reasonably request; provided, however, that in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, the individual primarily responsible for management of Fund Assets for the Sub-Advisor will not be required to attend in-person more than one meeting per year with the Trust’s Board.

c. The Sub-Advisor may utilize the services of a third-party service provider to research and vote proxies on its behalf and on behalf of the Fund.

d. The Sub-Advisor shall not have custody of any of the Fund Assets and is not authorized to provide the Fund with legal or tax advice or to engage the Fund in any legal proceedings, including responding to class action claims; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor shall promptly forward any notices it receives relating to class action claims to the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent. The Sub-Advisor shall assist the custodian or other duly designated Fund agent in evaluating such securities class action claims, as reasonably requested in writing (provided that in so doing the Sub-Advisor shall not incur any extraordinary costs), but the Sub-Advisor will not be responsible for filing such claims. The Advisor acknowledges that the Fund’s custodian or other duly designated Fund agent will be responsible for evaluating and making all decisions regarding class action claims involving securities presently or formerly held by the Fund.

e. The Sub-Advisor may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, aggregate purchase and sale orders of securities placed with respect to the Fund Assets with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates, if, in the Sub-Advisor’s reasonable judgment, such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund. In forming this judgment the Sub-Advisor shall consider the selling or purchase price, brokerage commissions, and other expenses. In the event that a purchase or sale of the Fund Assets occurs as part of any aggregate sale or purchase order, the objective of the Sub-Advisor and any of its affiliates involved in such transaction shall be to allocate the securities so purchased or sold, as well as expenses incurred in the transaction, among the Fund and other accounts in a fair and equitable manner.

f. Whenever the Fund and one or more other investment advisory clients of the Sub-Advisor have available funds for investment, investments suitable and appropriate for each will be allocated in a manner believed by the Sub-Advisor to be fair and equitable to each. Moreover, it is possible that due to differing investment objectives or for other reasons, the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates may purchase securities of an issuer for one client and at approximately the same time recommend selling or sell the same or similar types of securities for another client, including the Fund.

g.    The Sub-Advisor will not arrange purchases or sales of securities between the Fund and other accounts advised by the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates unless (a) such purchases or sales are in accordance with applicable law and regulation (including Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act) and the Fund’s policies and procedures, (b) the Sub-Advisor determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of the Fund, and (c) the Fund’s Board has approved these types of transactions.

h.    The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor if the Sub-Advisor reasonably believes that the value of any security held by the Fund and reflected on the books and records of the Fund may not reflect fair value. The Sub-Advisor agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Sub-Advisor is aware to the Advisor and any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Fund’s adopted valuation procedures, which may be amended by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties recognize that the Sub-Advisor is not an official pricing source and has no responsibility for calculating the Fund’s net asset value.

i.     Regulatory Compliance.

(i) The Sub-Advisor will comply in all material respects with federal and state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, each as amended, and the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or state securities regulator that are applicable to a registered investment advisor providing services to registered open-end investment companies including, without limitation, Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act.

(ii) The Sub-Advisor shall cause the Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification as a regulated investment company.

(iii) The Sub-Advisor will cooperate fully with the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officers in the execution of his or her responsibilities to monitor service providers to the Trust pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.

(iv) Subject to the Advisor’s supervision, the Sub-Advisor will prepare and cause to be filed in a timely manner Form 13F and, if required, Schedule 13G, each under the 1934 Act, with respect to securities held for the account of the Fund.

(v) The Sub-Advisor has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Code of Ethics”). The Sub-Advisor will provide its code of ethics to the Advisor and the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, as in effect. Upon request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide the Fund with (i) a copy of the Sub-Advisor’s current Code of Ethics, as in effect, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. No less frequently than annually, the Sub-Advisor shall furnish to the Fund and the Advisor a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, concerning the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly respond to any requests for information from the Advisor as to violations of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor of any material violation of the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by the Fund.

(vi) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and Advisor immediately upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of the Fund’s or the Advisor’s policies, guidelines, or procedures (to the extent such policies, guidelines, or procedures have been provided to the Sub-Advisor). In addition, the Sub-Advisor shall provide a quarterly report regarding its compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to the 1940 Act and the Code, and the Fund’s and the Advisor’s investment objectives policies, guidelines, or procedures as applicable to the Sub-Advisor’s obligations under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Advisor may, in its sole discretion, provide such quarterly compliance certifications to the Board. The Sub-Advisor agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Board or the Advisor may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. The Sub-Advisor shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with certifications of the Fund’s financial statements and disclosure controls pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended. The Sub-Advisor will promptly notify the Trust in the event (i) the Sub-Advisor is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust (excluding class action suits in which the Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund’s ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Sub-Advisor with the federal or state securities laws in connection with the services provided to the Fund under this Agreement or (ii) the controlling stockholder of the Sub-Advisor changes or an actual change in control resulting in an “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

(vii) The Sub-Advisor shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to the Fund Assets advised by the Sub-Advisor as required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by the Advisor, custodian, or transfer agent appointed by the Fund), and relating to its responsibilities under this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the “Fund Books and Records”). The Fund Books and Records shall be available to the Advisor and the Board, which shall be delivered upon request to the Trust, at the Advisor’s expense, upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available for telecopying without delay during any day the Fund is open for business. The Sub-Advisor may retain a copy of the Fund Books and Records for its own recordkeeping purposes.

j.    The Sub-Advisor shall provide support to the Advisor with respect to the marketing of the Fund, including but not limited to: (i) permission to use the Sub-Advisor’s name as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement; (ii) permission to use the past performance and investment history of the Sub-Advisor with respect to a composite of funds managed by the Sub-Advisor that are comparable, in investment objective and composition, to the Fund; (iii) access to the individual(s) responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund for marketing conferences, teleconferences, and other activities involving the promotion of the Fund, subject to the reasonable request of the Advisor; and (iv) permission to use biographical and historical data of the Sub-Advisor and individual portfolio manager(s).

k.    The Sub-Advisor will, in the name of the Fund, place orders for the execution of all portfolio transactions in accordance with the policies set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents. When placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Sub-Advisor’s primary objective shall be to obtain the most favorable price and execution available for the Fund, and in placing such orders the Sub-Advisor may consider a number of factors, including, without limitation, the overall direct net economic result to the Fund (including commissions, which may not be the lowest available but ordinarily should not be higher than the generally prevailing competitive range); the financial strength and stability of the broker; the efficiency with which the transaction will be effected; the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved; and the availability of the broker or dealer to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future. Consistent with the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and subject to seeking most favorable price and execution and compliance with Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor may select brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions of the Fund that promote or sell shares of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor is specifically authorized, to the extent authorized by law (including, without limitation, Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), to pay a broker or dealer who provides research services to the Sub-Advisor an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting such transaction. This excess payment (often referred to as “soft dollar” payments) in recognition of such additional research services rendered by the broker or dealer shall only be made if the Sub-Advisor determines in good faith that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer viewed in terms of the particular transaction or the Sub-Advisor’s overall responsibilities with respect to discretionary accounts that it manages, and that the Fund derives or will derive a reasonable benefit from such research services. The Sub-Advisor will present a written report to the Board, at least quarterly, indicating total brokerage expenses, actual or imputed, as well as the services obtained in consideration for such expenses, broken down by broker-dealer and containing such information as the Board reasonably shall request.

l.     The Sub-Advisor shall maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage; or (ii) if any material claims will be made on its insurance policies related to the services provided to the Trust under this Agreement. Furthermore, the Sub-Advisor shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

m.    In the event of any reorganization or other material change in the Sub-Advisor, the Sub-Advisor shall give the Advisor and the Board written notice of such reorganization or change within a reasonable time (but not later than 30 days) after such reorganization or change.

n.    The Sub-Advisor will bear its expenses of providing services to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement except such expenses as are expressly undertaken by the Advisor or the Fund.

o.    The Advisor and Sub-Advisor acknowledge and agree that the Sub-Advisor shall be required to provide only the services expressly described in this Agreement, and shall have no responsibility to provide any other services to the Advisor or the Portfolio except as required by law. The Advisor shall remain responsible for the Funds overall compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

p.    The Advisor agrees to provide the Sub-Advisor with such assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Sub-Advisor in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation, information concerning the Fund; its cash available, or to become available, for investment; and generally as to the conditions of the Fund or its affairs.

q.    The Advisor will provide the Sub-Advisor with advance notice of, and the opportunity to comment on, any change in the Funds investment objectives, investment policy risks, and restrictions as stated in the Disclosure Documents, or in any procedures and policies adopted by the Board of the Trust or the Advisor that may affect the Sub-Advisor’s management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisor shall, in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, manage the Fund Assets in compliance with such changes following reasonable notice of the effectiveness of such changes from the Advisor. In addition to such notice, the Advisor shall provide to the Sub-Advisor a copy of any amendments or supplements to the Disclosure Documents. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Disclosure Documents will at all times be in compliance with all disclosure requirements under all applicable federal and state laws and regulations relating to the Fund.

r.    The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that the Sub-Advisor does not guarantee the future performance or any specific level of performance for the Fund Assets, the success of any investment decision or strategy that the Sub-Advisor may use, or the success of the Sub-Advisor’s overall management of the Fund Assets. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees that investment decisions made with regard to the Fund Assets by the Sub-Advisor are subject to various market, currency, economic, political, and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be beneficial to the Fund. Additionally, there may be loss or depreciation of the value of the Fund Assets because of fluctuation of market values. These risks will be disclosed in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents.

3.     Compensation of the Sub-Advisor.

a.    As compensation for the services to be rendered and duties undertaken under this Agreement by the Sub-Advisor, the Advisor will pay to the Sub-Advisor a monthly fee equal on an annual basis to XX on the first $500 million in assets, XX on the next $300 million in assets, XX on the next $200 million in assets, XX on the next $1 billion in assets, and XX on assets over $2 billion, without regard to any total expense limitation or other fee waiver applied by the Trust or the Advisor. Such fee shall be computed and accrued daily. If the Sub-Advisor serves in such capacity for less than the whole of any period specified in Section 12a of this Agreement, the compensation to the Sub-Advisor shall be prorated. For purposes of calculating the Sub-Advisor’s fee, the daily value of the Fund Assets shall be computed by the same method as the Trust uses to compute the Fund’s net asset value for purposes of purchases and redemptions of shares.

b.    The Sub-Advisor reserves the right to waive all or a part of its fees.
    
4.     Ongoing Reporting of the Sub-Advisor.

a.      Financial Reporting. The Sub-Advisor will report to the Board (at regular quarterly meetings and at such other times as the Board reasonably shall request, subject to the limitation on personal attendance at such meetings set forth in Section 2b of this Agreement): (i) the financial condition and financial prospects of the Sub-Advisor, (ii) the nature and amount of transactions that may be reasonably expected to effect the Fund that involve the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates, (iii) information regarding any potential conflicts of interest arising by reason of the Sub-Advisor’s continuing provision of advisory services to the Fund and to its other accounts, and (iv) such other information including but not limited to the performance of the specific strategy used to manage the Fund Assets and the capacity of the Sub-Advisor as it relates to the continuing ability of the Sub-Advisor to accept additional cash flow from the Advisor into the Fund. Upon request by the Advisor or the Board, the Sub-Advisor agrees to discuss with the Board its plans for the allocation of remaining capacity in the strategy used to manage the Fund, with respect to the Fund and to the Sub-Advisor’s other clients.

The Sub-Advisor will annually provide the Advisor with the Sub-Advisor’s financial statements, unless the Fund’s Board requests reports on a more frequent basis. For purposes of this paragraph 4(a), “financial statements” shall include the Sub-Advisor’s balance sheet, income statement, and notes to the financial statements.

b.      Key Personnel Reporting. The Sub-Advisor agrees to promptly notify the Advisor upon becoming aware of any incapacity, resignation, termination, or other material change of key personnel. For purposes of this paragraph 4(b), “key personnel” include: (i) any portfolio manager of the Fund; and (ii) any chief executive officer, chief compliance officer, chief operations officer, chief investment officer, chief financial officer, chief administration officer, or any other principal or officer of similar title or position with the Sub-Advisor; and (iii) any member of its investment (or comparable) committee.

5.     Representations of the Advisor and the Trust. The Advisor represents that: (a) the Advisor has been duly appointed by the Board to provide investment services to the Fund Assets as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) the Advisor has all necessary power and authority to execute, deliver, and perform this Agreement on behalf of the Trust, and such execution, delivery, and performance will not violate any applicable law, regulation, organizational document, policy, or agreement binding on the Trust or its property; (c) the Trust has the full power and authority to enter into all transactions contemplated under this Agreement, to perform its obligations under such transactions and to authorize the Advisor to procure the Sub-Advisor to enter into such transactions on the Trust’s and Fund’s behalf; (d) the Advisor’s decision to appoint the Sub-Advisor was made in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law and the governing documents, contracts, or other material agreements or instruments governing the Fund’s investment or trading activities; (e) the Advisor will deliver to the Sub-Advisor a true and complete copy of the Fund’s Disclosure Documents, such other documents or instruments governing the investments of Fund Assets, and such other information as is necessary for the Sub-Advisor to carry out its obligations under this Agreement; and (f) the Trust is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

6.     Use of Names.

a. Neither the Advisor nor the Trust shall use the name of the Sub-Advisor in any prospectus, sales literature, or other material relating to the Advisor or the Trust in any manner not approved in advance by the Sub-Advisor; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor will approve all uses of its name which merely refer in accurate terms to its appointment or which are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or a state securities commission; and provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

b. The Sub-Advisor shall not use the name of the Advisor or the Trust in any material relating to the Sub-Advisor in any manner not approved in advance by the Advisor or the Trust, as the case may be; provided, however, that the Advisor and the Trust will each approve all uses of their respective names which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Sub-Advisor as the Fund’s Sub-Advisor under this Agreement or which are required by the SEC or a state securities commission; and, provided further, that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.

c. Upon termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 12, the Advisor shall cease using any references to the Sub-Advisor in Fund and Advisor documents unless such reference is required by law. Similarly, the Sub-Advisor shall cease using any references to the Advisor or Fund in any documents unless such reference is required by law. For purposes of this paragraph, documents include but are not limited to, marketing materials, regulatory filings, and performance reporting.

7.     Liability of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, the Advisor, and all their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Sub-Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Sub-Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation or any investment policy or restriction set forth in the Fund’s Disclosure Documents or any written guidelines or instruction provided in writing by the Board; or (b) the Sub-Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

8. Liability of the Advisor. The Advisor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Advisor and all affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Advisor Indemnitees”) against any and all direct Losses incurred by reason of or arising out of: (a) the Advisor being in material violation of any applicable federal or state law, rule, or regulation; or (b) the Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

9.     Limitation of Trust’s Liability. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges that it has received notice of and accepts the limitations upon the Trust’s liability set forth in its Declaration of Trust. The Sub-Advisor agrees that (i) the Trust’s obligations to the Sub-Advisor under this Agreement (or indirectly under the Advisory Agreement) shall be limited in any event to the Fund Assets and (ii) the Sub-Advisor shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders of the Fund, other than the Advisor, nor from any Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Trust.

10.     Force Majeure. The Sub-Advisor shall not be liable for delays or errors occurring by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, work stoppages, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riot, or failure of communication or power supply. In the event of equipment breakdowns beyond its control, the Sub-Advisor shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions.

11.     Confidentiality. Each party expressly undertakes to protect and to preserve the confidentiality of all information and know-how made available under or in connection with this Agreement, or the parties’ activities that are either designated as being confidential or which, by the nature of the circumstances surrounding the disclosure, ought in good faith to be treated as proprietary or confidential (collectively, the “Confidential Information”). Each party shall take reasonable security precautions, at least as great as the precautions it takes to protect its own confidential information but in any event using a commercially reasonable standard of care, to keep confidential the Confidential Information. Neither party shall disclose Confidential Information except: (a) to its employees, directors, officers, legal advisors, or auditors having a need to know such Confidential Information; (b) in accordance with a judicial or other governmental order or when such disclosure is required by law, provided that prior to such disclosure the receiving party shall provide the disclosing party with written notice and shall comply with any protective order or equivalent; or (c) in accordance with a regulatory audit or inquiry, without prior notice to the disclosing party, provided that the receiving party shall obtain a confidentiality undertaking from the regulatory agency where possible.

Neither party will make use of any Confidential Information except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or as agreed to in writing between the parties. However, the receiving party shall have no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of information that: (a) it received rightfully from another party prior to its receipt from the disclosing party; (b) the disclosing party discloses generally without any obligation of confidentiality; (c) is or subsequently becomes publicly available without the receiving party’s breach of any obligation owed the disclosing party; or (d) is independently developed by the receiving party without reliance upon or use of any Confidential Information. Each party’s obligations under this clause shall survive for a period of three years following the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each party to this Agreement may disclose any information with respect to the United States federal income tax treatment and tax structure (and any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transaction) of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.

12.     Renewal, Termination and Amendment.

a.    This Agreement shall continue in effect, unless sooner terminated under this Agreement, through October 28, 2019; and it shall thereafter continue for successive annual terms provided that such continuance is specifically approved by the parties and, in addition, at least annually by (i) the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or (ii) by vote of a majority of the Trust’s Board including the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either the Advisor or the Sub-Advisor, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

b.    This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, (i) by t he Advisor upon not more than 60-day nor less than 30-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Sub-Advisor; (ii) by the Sub-Advisor upon not less than 60-day prior written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Advisor; or (iii) by the Trust, upon either (y) the majority vote of the Board or (z) the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
    
c.    This Agreement may be amended at any time by the parties, subject to approval by the Board and, if required by applicable SEC rules and regulations, a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund affected by such change.
    
d.    The terms “assignment,” “interested persons” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meaning set forth for such terms in the 1940 Act.

13.     Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall become or shall be found to be invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected.

14.     Notice. Any notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the address or facsimile number, as applicable, of the party receiving such notice or instruction and (a) delivered personally; (b) sent by electronic mail (“email”) or facsimile transmission, with notice or confirmation of receipt received; (c) delivered by a nationally recognized overnight courier; or (d) sent by prepaid first-class mail. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the addresses of the Trust and the Advisor for this purpose shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 and that the address of the Sub-Advisor shall be 303 Broadway, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

15.     Miscellaneous. Each party agrees to perform such further actions and execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Ohio . The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or delimit any of the Agreement provisions or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

16.     Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any attached Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties with respect to the Agreement’s subject matter.

17.      Customer Notification . By executing this Agreement, the Advisor acknowledges that as required by the Advisers Act the Sub-Advisor has supplied to the Advisor and the Trust copies of the Sub-Advisor’s Form ADV with all exhibits and attachments (including the Sub-Advisor’s statement of financial condition) and will promptly supply to the Advisor copies of all amendments or restatements of such document. Otherwise, the Advisor’s rights under federal law allow termination of this contract without penalty within five business days after entering into this contract. U.S. law also requires the Sub-Advisor to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or entity that opens an account. The Sub-Advisor will ask for the Trust’s legal name, principal place of business address, and Taxpayer Identification or other identification number, and may ask for other identifying information.

Signatures on next page.


The parties’ duly authorized officers have signed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

TOUCHSTONE ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Terrie A. Wiedenheft             BY: /s/Jill T. McGruder             
Name: Terrie A. Wiedenheft             Name: Jill T. McGruder        
Title:     Chief Financial Officer                 Title: Chief Executive Officer        


FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC.


BY:     /s/Gerald J. Ulland             BY: /s/Maribeth S. Rahe             
Name: Gerald J. Ulland             Name: Maribeth S. Rahe        
Title:     Vice President & CFO                 Title: President & CEO        





1


CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the references to our firm under the captions “Financial Highlights” in the Prospectus and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” and “Financial Statements” in the Statement of Additional Information and to the incorporation by reference of our report dated January 19, 2018 on the financial statements and financial highlights of Touchstone Strategic Trust (comprising, respectively, the Touchstone Balanced Fund, Touchstone International Equity Fund, Touchstone Large Cap Focused Fund, and Touchstone Small Company Fund), included in the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, in Post-Effective Amendment Number 178 to the Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (Form N-1A, No. 002-80859), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP


Cincinnati, Ohio
March 28, 2018