Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Fund is set forth under the “Summary Section” in the Fund’s prospectus.

Diversification

The Fund is diversified.  A diversified fund is a fund that satisfies the definition of a “diversified company” set forth in the 1940 Act.  A “diversified company” means that as to 75% of the Fund’s total assets (1) no more than 5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) the Fund may not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer.

Because the Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), the Fund will limit its investment, excluding cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, so that at the close of each quarter of the taxable year, (1) not more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) with respect to 50% of its total assets, not more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of a single issuer nor represent more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting securities.

Percentage Limitations

The Fund’s compliance with its investment policy and limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or other asset.  Accordingly, except with respect to borrowing or illiquid securities, any subsequent change in values, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether an investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.  In addition, if a bankruptcy or other extraordinary event occurs concerning a particular investment by the Fund, the Fund may receive stock, real estate or other investments that the Fund would not, or could not, buy.  If this happens, the Fund will sell such investments as soon as practicable while trying to maximize the return to its shareholders.

 

Market Volatility

U.S. and international markets have from time to time experienced significant volatility.  During certain volatile periods, the fixed income markets have experienced substantially lower valuations, reduced liquidity, price volatility, credit downgrades, increased likelihood of default and valuation difficulties.  At times, concerns have spread to domestic and international equity markets.  In some cases, the stock prices of individual companies have been negatively affected even though there may be little or no apparent degradation in the financial conditions or prospects of that company.  Continued volatility may have adverse effects on the Fund, and may increase the risks discussed below.

Equity Securities

An equity security represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company.  Its value is based on the success of the company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets and general market conditions.  Common stocks and preferred stocks are examples of equity securities.  The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease.

Common Stock

Common stock represents an ownership interest in a company. In addition to the general risks set forth above, investments in common stocks are subject to the risk that in the event a company in which the Fund invests is liquidated, the holders of preferred stock and creditors of that company will be paid in full before any payments are made to the Fund as holders of common stock.  It is possible that all assets of that company will be exhausted before any payments are made to the Fund.

Preferred Stock

Preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, often pays dividends at a specific rate and has a preference over common stocks in dividend payments and liquidation of assets. A preferred stock is a blend of the characteristics of a bond and common stock.  It can offer the higher yield of a bond and has priority over common stock in equity ownership, but does not have the seniority of a bond and, unlike common stock its participation in the issuer’s growth may be limited.  Although the dividend is set at a fixed annual rate, in some circumstances it can be changed or omitted by the issuer. In addition, preferred stock usually does not have voting rights.

Foreign Investments and Currencies

The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are not traded in the United States and/or U.S. dollar denominated, purchase and sell foreign currency on a spot basis and enter into forward currency contracts (see “Forward Currency Contracts,” below).  The Fund may also invest in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and foreign securities that are traded on a U.S. exchange.  Investments in ADRs and foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:

Depositary Receipts .  Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets.  ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities.  ADRs may be purchased through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities.  A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary, whereas a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the depositary security.  Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of such facilities, and 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 voting rights to the holders of such receipts of the deposited securities. Accordingly, available information concerning the issuer may not be current and the prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than the prices of sponsored depositary receipts.  For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, ADRs are deemed to have the same classification as the underlying securities they represent.  Thus, an ADR representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock.

 

Political and Economic Factors .  Individual foreign economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position.  The internal politics of certain foreign countries may not be as stable as those of the United States.  Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies.  Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest.  The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners.  Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of those countries. Recently, voters in the United Kingdom (“UK”) voted to leave the European Union (known as “Brexit”).  As a result of this decision, the financial markets experienced high levels of volatility. The exit by the UK or other member states will likely result in increased uncertainty, volatility, illiquidity and potentially lower economic growth in the affected markets.

Currency Fluctuations .  The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies.  Accordingly, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets denominated in that currency.  Such changes will also affect the Fund’s income.  The value of the Fund’s assets may also be affected significantly by currency restrictions and exchange control regulations enacted from time to time.

Market Characteristics .  The Adviser expects that many foreign securities in which the Fund may invest could be purchased in over-the-counter markets or on exchanges located in the countries in which the principal offices of the issuers of the various securities are located, if that is the best available market.  Foreign exchanges and markets may be more volatile than those in the United States.  While growing in volume, they usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and the Fund’s investments in foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than investments in U.S. securities.  Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets, and may include delays beyond periods customary in the United States.  Foreign security trading practices, including those involving securities settlement where Fund assets may be released prior to receipt of payment or securities, may expose the Fund to increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a foreign broker-dealer.

 

Taxes .  The interest and dividends payable on certain of the Fund’s foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders.  Foreign companies may not be subject to auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those which apply to U.S. companies.

Costs .  To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign securities, its expense ratio is likely to be higher than those of investment companies investing only in domestic securities, because related brokerage costs and the cost of maintaining the custody of foreign securities may be higher.

Additional Risks of Emerging Markets .  In addition, the Fund may invest in foreign securities of companies that are located in developing or emerging markets.  Investing in securities of issuers located in these markets may pose greater risks not typically associated with investing in more established markets, such as increased risk of social, political and economic instability.  Emerging market countries typically have smaller securities markets than developed countries and therefore less liquidity and greater price volatility than more developed markets.  Securities traded in emerging markets may also be subject to risks associated with the lack of modern technology, poor infrastructures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property, the lack of capital base to expand business operations, foreign taxation and the inexperience of financial intermediaries, custodians and transfer agents.  Emerging market countries are also more likely to impose restrictions on the repatriation of an investor’s assets and even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation, the mechanics of repatriations may delay or impede the Fund’s ability to obtain possession of its assets.  As a result, there may be an increased risk or price volatility associated with the Fund’s investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations.

Forward Currency Contracts

A forward currency contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific non-U.S. currency in exchange for another currency, which may be U.S. dollars, at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (usually less than one year) from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at an exchange rate (price) set at the time of the contract. At or before maturity of a forward currency contract, the Fund may either exchange the currencies specified in the contract or terminate its contractual obligation to exchange currencies by purchasing an offsetting contract.  If the Fund makes delivery of a foreign currency at or before the settlement of a forward contract, it may be required to obtain the currency through the conversion of assets of the Fund into the currency.  The Fund may close out a forward contract obligating it to exchange currencies by purchasing or selling an offsetting contract, in which case it will realize a gain or a loss. The Fund may also enter into forward contracts that do not provide for physical settlement of the two currencies but instead provide for settlement by a single cash payment calculated as the difference between the agreed upon exchange rate and the spot rate at settlement based upon an agreed upon notional amount (non-deliverable forwards).

The Fund enters into forward contracts in order to “lock in” the exchange rate between the currency it will deliver and the currency it will receive for the duration of the contract. In addition, the Fund may enter into forward contracts to hedge against risks arising from securities the Fund owns or anticipates purchasing, or the U.S. dollar value of interest and dividends paid on those securities. The Fund does not intend to enter into forward contracts on a regular or continuing basis and the Fund will not enter these contracts for speculative purposes.

Foreign currency transactions involve certain costs and risks. The Fund incurs foreign exchange expenses in converting assets from one currency to another. Forward contracts involve a risk of loss if the Adviser is inaccurate in its prediction of currency movements. The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. The precise matching of forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved is generally not possible. Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional foreign currency if the market value of the security is less than the amount of the foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver under the forward contract and the decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency. The use of forward contracts as a hedging technique does not eliminate fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities the Fund owns or intends to acquire, but it does fix a rate of exchange in advance.  Moreover, investors should bear in mind that the Fund is not obligated to actively engage in hedging or other currency transactions.  Although forward contracts can reduce the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, they also limit any potential gain that might result from an increase in the value of the currencies. There is also the risk that the other party to the transaction may fail to deliver currency when due which may result in a loss to the Fund.

 

Under definitions adopted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and SEC, non-deliverable forwards are considered swaps, and therefore are included in the definition of “commodity interests.” Although non-deliverable forwards have historically been traded in the over-the- counter (“OTC”) market, as swaps they may in the future be required to be centrally cleared and traded on public facilities. Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps.  Forward contracts that qualify as deliverable forwards are not regulated as swaps for most purposes, and are not included in the definition of “commodity interests.”  However, these forwards are subject to some requirements applicable to swaps, including reporting to swap data repositories, documentation requirements, and business conduct rules applicable to swap dealers.

It is impossible to fully predict the effect of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse.  It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as part of its investment strategy.  Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

Real Estate Securities

The real estate securities in which the Fund may invest consist of securities issued by Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) or Real Estate Operating Companies (“REOCs”) that are listed on a securities exchange or traded over-the-counter.  A REIT is a corporation or trust that invests in fee or leasehold ownership of real estate, mortgages or shares issued by other REITs and that receives favorable tax treatment provided it meets certain conditions.  REITs may be characterized as equity REITs (i.e., REITs that primarily invest in fee ownership and leasehold ownership of land), mortgage REITs (i.e., REITs that primarily invest in mortgages on real estate and other real estate debt) or hybrid REITs which invest in both fee and leasehold ownership of land and mortgages.  A REIT that meets the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may deduct dividends paid to shareholders, effectively eliminating any corporate level federal tax.  As a result, REITs are able to distribute a larger portion of their earnings to investors than other corporate entities subject to the federal corporate tax.  There is the risk that a REIT held by the Fund will fail to qualify for this tax-free pass-through treatment of its income.  By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, in addition to bearing a proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, investors will also indirectly bear similar expenses of the REITs in which the Fund invests.  A REOC is typically structured as a “C” corporation under the tax code and is not required to distribute any portion of its income.  A REOC, therefore, does not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded a REIT.  In addition, the value of the Fund’s securities issued by REOCs may be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Fixed-Income Securities

The Fund may invest in a wide range of fixed-income securities, which may include obligations of any rating or maturity.  The Fund may invest in investment grade debt securities and below investment grade debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds” or “high yield bonds”).  Investment grade debt securities are those rated BBB- or better by Standard & Poor’s Rating Service, Inc. (“S&P”) or Baa3 or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), each of which are considered a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”), or an equivalent rating by another NRSRO.  The Fund will not invest in securities that are rated below D by S&P or Moody’s.  The Fund may hold a debt security rated below D if a downgrade occurs after the security has been purchased.  The Fund may also invest in unrated debt securities that the Adviser believes are of comparable quality to the rated securities which the Fund may purchase.

The Adviser selects debt securities identically to how it selects equity securities except that the valuation study is not done using traditional equity valuation, but rather using historical studies of interest levels for the appropriate company given its financial strength to allow for a determination of the value of the debt instrument.  The total return potential of the debt instrument is reviewed relative to the total return potential of other investment opportunities in determining whether to invest in a debt security.

Debt securities carry credit risk, interest rate risk and prepayment risk.  Credit risk is the risk that the Fund could lose money if the issuer of a debt security defaults or fails to pay interest or principal when it is due.  Some debt securities that are rated below investment grade are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities.  The credit risk of a particular issuer’s debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment.  For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities.  This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior securities.  In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities.

Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of certain debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise.  In general, debt securities with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than debt securities with shorter terms.   Prepayment risk occurs when issuers prepay fixed rate debt securities when interest rates fall, forcing the Fund to invest in securities with lower interest rates. Issuers of debt securities are also subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors that may restrict the ability of the issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities. The possibility exists therefore, that, as a result of bankruptcy, litigation or other conditions, the ability of an issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.

Junk Bonds .  Junk bonds generally offer a higher current yield than that available for investment grade issues.  However, below investment grade debt securities involve higher risks, in that they are especially subject to adverse changes in general economic conditions and in the industries in which the issuers are engaged, to changes in the financial condition of the issuers, and to price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates.  During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to make payments of interest and principal and increase the possibility of default.  At times in recent years, the prices of many below investment grade debt securities declined substantially, reflecting an expectation that many issuers of such securities might experience financial difficulties.  As a result, the yields on below investment grade debt securities rose dramatically, reflecting the risk that holders of such securities could lose a substantial portion of their value as a result of the issuers’ financial restructuring or default.  There can be no assurance that such price declines will not recur.  The market for below investment grade debt issues generally is thinner and less active than that for higher quality securities, which may limit the Fund’s ability to sell such securities at fair value in response to changes in the economy or financial markets.  Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the values and liquidity of below investment grade debt securities, especially in a thinly traded market.  Changes by recognized rating services in their rating of a debt security may affect the value of these investments.  The Fund will not necessarily dispose of a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase.  However, the Adviser will monitor the investment to determine whether continued investment in the security will assist in meeting the Fund’s investment objective.

 

Variable and Floating Rate Securities.   Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations.  The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

Corporate Debt Securities .  Corporate debt securities are fixed-income securities issued by businesses to finance their operations, although corporate debt instruments may also include bank loans to companies. Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most common types of corporate debt securities, with the primary difference being their maturities and secured or unsecured status.  Commercial paper has the shortest term and is usually unsecured.

The broad category of corporate debt securities includes debt issued by domestic or foreign companies of all kinds, including those with small, mid and large capitalizations. Corporate debt may be rated investment grade or below investment grade and may carry fixed, variable, or floating rates of interest.

Because of the wide range of types and maturities of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and risk profiles.  For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment grade may have a modest return on principal, but carries relatively limited risk.  On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small foreign corporation from an emerging market country that has not been rated may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal, but carries a relatively high degree of risk.

Exchange-Traded Notes .  The Fund may invest in Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”).  An ETN is a type of unsecured, unsubordinated debt security that differs from other types of bonds and notes because ETN returns are typically based upon the performance of a market index.  ETNs are publicly traded on a U.S. securities exchange.  An ETN incurs certain expenses not incurred by its applicable index, and an investment in an ETN will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. The market value of an ETN share may differ from its NAV; the share may trade at a premium or discount to its NAV, which may be due to, among other things, differences in the supply and demand in the market for the share.  Although an ETN is a debt security, it is unlike a typical bond, in that there are no periodic interest payments and principal is not protected.  ETNs are subject to credit risk and the value of the ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit rating, despite the underlying market benchmark or strategy remaining unchanged.

 

Convertible Securities.   Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuer’s underlying common stock or other equity security at the option of the holder during a specified period.  Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of “usable” bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities.  The investment characteristics of convertible securities vary widely, which allows convertible securities to be employed for a variety of investment strategies.  The Fund will exchange or convert convertible securities into shares of underlying common stock when, in the opinion of the Adviser, the investment characteristics of the underlying common stock or other equity security will assist the Fund in achieving its investment objectives.  The Fund may also elect to hold or trade convertible securities.  In selecting convertible securities, the Adviser evaluates the investment characteristics of the convertible security as a fixed income instrument, and the investment potential of the underlying equity security for capital appreciation.

Contingent Convertible Securities . Contingent convertible securities (“CoCos”) are a form of hybrid debt security that are intended to either convert into equity or have their principal written down upon the occurrence of certain “triggers.” The triggers are generally linked to regulatory capital thresholds or regulatory actions calling into question the issuing banking institution’s continued viability as a going concern. CoCos’ unique equity conversion or principal write-down features are tailored to the issuing banking institution and its regulatory requirements. Some additional risks associated with CoCos include, but are not limited to:

·	Loss absorption risk. CoCos have fully discretionary coupons. This means coupons can potentially be cancelled at the banking institution’s discretion or at the request of the relevant regulatory authority in order to help the bank absorb losses.

·

Subordinated instruments. CoCos will, in the majority of circumstances, be issued in the form of subordinated debt instruments in order to provide the appropriate regulatory capital treatment prior to a conversion. Accordingly, in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of an issuer prior to a conversion having occurred, the rights and claims of the holders of the CoCos, such as the Funds, against the issuer in respect of or arising under the terms of the CoCos shall generally rank junior to the claims of all holders of unsubordinated obligations of the issuer. In addition, if the CoCos are converted into the issuer’s underlying equity securities following a conversion event (i.e., a “trigger”), each holder will be subordinated due to their conversion from being the holder of a debt instrument to being the holder of an equity instrument.

·

Market value will fluctuate based on unpredictable factors. The value of CoCos is unpredictable and will be influenced by many factors including, without limitation: (i) the creditworthiness of the issuer and/or fluctuations in such issuer’s applicable capital ratios; (ii) supply and demand for the CoCos; (iii) general market conditions and available liquidity; and (iv) economic, financial and political events that affect the issuer, its particular market or the financial markets in general.

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as car loans and credit card receivables.  Almost any type of fixed income assets (including other fixed income securities) may be used to create an asset-backed security. However, most asset-backed securities involve consumer or commercial debts with maturities of less than ten years.  Asset-backed securities may have a higher level of default and lower recoveries than mortgage-backed securities.  Asset-backed securities may take the form of commercial paper or notes, in addition to pass-through certificates or asset-backed bonds.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities . Mortgage-backed securities generally represent interests in pools of mortgages on residential or commercial property.  Mortgages may have fixed or adjustable interest rates. Interests in pools of adjustable rate mortgages are known as ARMs.  Mortgage-backed securities come in a variety of forms. Many have extremely complicated terms. The simplest form of mortgage-backed securities is a “pass-through certificate.” Holders of pass-through certificates receive a pro rata share of the payments from the underlying mortgages. Holders also receive a pro rata share of any prepayments, so they assume all the prepayment risk of the underlying mortgages.  Mortgage-backed securities tend to pay higher yields to compensate for prepayment risk.

Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) are complicated instruments that allocate payments and prepayments from an underlying pass-through certificate among holders of different classes of mortgage-backed securities. This creates different prepayment and market risks for each CMO class.  In addition, CMOs may allocate interest payments to one class (Interest Only or IOs) and principal payments to another class (Principal Only or POs). POs increase in value when prepayment rates increase. In contrast, IOs decrease in value when prepayments increase, because the underlying mortgages generate less interest payments. However, IOs’ prices tend to increase when interest rates rise (and prepayments fall), making IOs a useful hedge against market risk.

Residential mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on residential real property.  Generally, homeowners have the option to prepay their mortgages at any time without penalty. Homeowners frequently refinance high rate mortgages when mortgage rates fall. This results in the prepayment of the mortgages underlying residential mortgage-backed securities, which deprives holders of the securities of the higher yields. Conversely, when mortgage rates increase, prepayments due to refinancings decline. This extends the life of residential mortgage-backed securities with lower yields. As a result, increases in prepayments of residential mortgage-backed securities purchased at a premium, or decreases in prepayments of residential mortgage-backed securities purchased at a discount, may reduce their yield and price.  This relationship between interest rates and mortgage prepayments makes the price of residential mortgage-backed securities more volatile than most other types of fixed income securities with comparable credit risks.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. In addition to prepayment and extension risk, commercial mortgage-backed securities also reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans including, the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of the property owner to make loan payments, the ability of tenants to make lease payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

Municipal Securities .  Municipal securities are fixed income securities issued by states, counties, cities and other political subdivisions and authorities. Although most municipal securities are exempt from federal income tax, municipalities also may issue taxable securities. Tax-exempt securities are generally classified by their source of payment.

Zero-Coupon Securities .  Zero-coupon securities make no periodic interest payments, but are sold at a deep discount from their face value.  The buyer recognizes a rate of return determined by the gradual appreciation of the security, which is redeemed at face value on a specified maturity date.  The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity, as well as market interest rates, liquidity of the security, and the issuer’s perceived credit quality.  If the issuer defaults, the holder may not receive any return on its investment.  Because zero-coupon securities bear no interest, their price fluctuates more than other types of bonds.  Since zero-coupon bondholders do not receive interest payments, when interest rates rise, zero-coupon securities fall more dramatically in value than bonds paying interest on a current basis.  When interest rates fall, zero-coupon securities rise more rapidly in value because the bonds reflect a fixed rate of return.  An investment in zero-coupon may cause the Fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it receives any cash payments on its investment.

 

Unrated Debt Securities .   The Fund may also invest in unrated debt securities.  Unrated debt, while not necessarily lower in quality than rated securities, may not have as broad a market.  Because of the size and perceived demand for the issue, among other factors, certain issuers may decide not to pay the cost of getting a rating for their bonds.  The creditworthiness of the issuer, as well as any financial institution or other party responsible for payments on the security, will be analyzed to determine whether to purchase unrated bonds.

Inflation-Indexed Securities . Inflation-indexed securities are debt securities, the principal value of which is periodically adjusted to reflect the rate of inflation as indicated by the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers before seasonal adjustment (“CPI”). Inflation-indexed securities may be issued by the U.S. government, agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government, and by corporations. The U.S. Treasury issues Treasury inflation-protected securities (“TIPS”) and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the CPI accruals as part of a semiannual coupon.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed securities is tied to the CPI, which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation, and energy. There can be no assurance that the CPI will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services.

Inflation, which is a general rise in prices of goods and services, erodes the purchasing power of an investor’s portfolio. For example, if an investment provides a “nominal” total return of 5% in a given year and inflation is 2% during that period, the inflation-adjusted, or real, return is 3%. Inflation, as measured by the CPI, has occurred in almost each of the past 50 years, so investors should be conscious of both the nominal and real returns of their investments.  Although inflation-indexed securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise because of reasons other than inflation (for example, because of changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure.

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation (i.e., the CPI) falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed securities will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the inflation-indexed securities is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. Other inflation-indexed securities include inflation-related bonds, which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.

The value of inflation-indexed securities should change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates, in turn, are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed securities. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed securities.

 

Coupon payments that the Fund receives from inflation-indexed securities are included in the Fund’s gross income for the period during which they accrue. Any increase in principal for an inflation-indexed security resulting from inflation adjustments is considered by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations to be taxable income in the year it occurs. For direct holders of an inflation-indexed security, this means that taxes must be paid on principal adjustments, even though these amounts are not received until the bond matures. By contrast, a fund holding these securities distributes both interest income and the income attributable to principal adjustments each quarter in the form of cash or reinvested shares (which, like principal adjustments, are taxable to shareholders). It may be necessary for the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions, including when it is not advantageous to do so, in order to make required distributions.

U.S. Government Obligations

The Fund may invest in U.S. government obligations.  U.S. government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities.  Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government securities, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis.  U.S. government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises.

Payment of principal and interest on U.S. government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself.  In the latter case, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, which agency or instrumentality may be privately owned.  There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-sponsored enterprises, where it is not obligated to do so (see “Agency Obligations,” below).  In addition, U.S. government obligations are subject to fluctuations in market value due to fluctuations in market interest rates.  As a general matter, the value of debt instruments, including U.S. government obligations, declines when market interest rates increase and rises when market interest rates decrease.  Certain types of U.S. government obligations are subject to fluctuations in yield or value due to their structure or contract terms.

Agency Obligations

The Fund may invest in agency obligations, such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Tennessee Valley Authority, Resolution Funding Corporation, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), commonly known as “Ginnie Mae,” Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), commonly known as “Fannie Mae,” Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), commonly known as “Freddie Mac,” and the Student Loan Marketing Association (“SLMA”), commonly known as “Sallie Mae.”  Some, such as those of the Export-Import Bank of United States, are supported only by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others, such as those of the FNMA and FHLMC, are supported by only the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency’s obligations; still others, such as those of the SLMA, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality.  No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities   because they are not obligated by law to do so.  As a result, there is a risk that these entities will default on a financial obligation.  For instance, in September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Treasury, FNMA and FHLMC were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), a newly created independent regulator.

 

Warrants and Rights

The Fund may purchase, or receive as a distribution from other investments, warrants and rights, which are instruments that permit the Fund to acquire, by subscription, the capital stock of a corporation at a set price, regardless of the market price for such stock.  The principal difference between warrants and rights is their term-rights typically expire within weeks while warrants have longer durations.  Neither rights nor warrants have voting rights or pay dividends.  The market price of warrants is usually significantly less than the current price of the underlying stock.  Thus, there is a greater risk that warrants might drop in value at a faster rate than the underlying stock.

When-Issued Securities

The Fund may invest in securities offered by companies in initial public offerings (“IPOs”).  Because IPO shares frequently are volatile in price, the Fund may hold IPO shares for a very short period of time.  This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs.  By selling IPO shares, the Fund may realize taxable capital gains that it will subsequently distribute to shareholders.  Companies that offer securities in IPOs tend to typically have small market capitalizations and therefore their securities may be more volatile and less liquid than those issued by larger companies.  Certain companies offering securities in an IPO may have limited operating experience and, as a result face a greater risk of business failure.

Master Limited Partnerships

The Fund may invest in publicly traded master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) that are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Securities Exchange Act”), and listed on a major United States stock exchange, if the issuer meets the Fund’s investment criteria.  MLPs are businesses organized as limited partnerships which trade their proportionate shares of the partnership (units) on a public exchange.  MLPs are required to pay out most or all of their cash flow in distributions.  This pass through creates passive income or losses, along with dividend and investment income. The MLPs the Fund may purchase are comprised of a general partner (the “GP”) and multiple limited partners (the “LP Holders”). The GP is responsible for the operations and the maintenance of the partnership’s businesses, while the LP Holders assume economic risk up to their level of investment.  Typically, the GP has a 1% to 2% investment in the MLP, but can extract a higher percentage of the partnership’s profits as the MLP’s distributions increase.  This serves as an incentive to the GP to grow the partnership’s distributions.

 

Generally speaking, MLP investment returns are enhanced during periods of declining or low interest rates and tend to be negatively influenced when interest rates are rising.  As an income vehicle, the unit price can be influenced by general interest rate trends independent of specific underlying fundamentals.  In addition, most MLPs are fairly leveraged and typically carry a portion of a “floating” rate debt.  As such, a significant upward swing in interest rates would also drive interest expense higher.  Furthermore, most MLPs grow by acquisitions partly financed by debt, and higher interest rates could make it more difficult to make acquisitions.

Private Placements and Restricted Securities

The Fund may invest in restricted securities (securities with limited transferability under the securities laws) acquired from the issuer in “private placement” transactions.  Private placement securities are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and are subject to restrictions on resale.  They are eligible for sale only to certain qualified institutional buyers, like the Fund, and are not sold on a trading market or exchange.  While private placement securities offer attractive investment opportunities otherwise not available on an open market, because such securities are available to few buyers, they are often both difficult to sell and to value.  Certain of the Fund’s investments may be placed in smaller, less seasoned, issuers that present a greater risk due to limited product lines and/or financial resources.  The issuer of privately placed securities may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements of a public trade.  Additionally, the Fund could obtain material non-public information from the issuer of such securities that would restrict the Fund’s ability to conduct transactions in underlying securities.

Privately placed securities can usually only be resold to other qualified institutional buyers, or in a private transaction, or to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption from registration.  The Fund may incur more cost in the disposition of such securities because of the time and legal expense required to negotiate a private placement.  Because of the limited market, the Fund may find it difficult to sell the securities when it finds it advisable to do so and, to the extent such securities are sold in private negotiations, they may be sold for less than the price for which they were purchased or less than their fair market value.

Privately placed securities cannot be resold to the public unless they have been registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption, such as Rule 144A.  Although securities which may be resold only to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144A under the Securities Act are technically considered “restricted securities,” the Fund may purchase Rule 144A securities without regard to the limitation on investments in illiquid securities, described in the “Illiquid Securities” section below, provided that a determination is made that such securities have a readily available trading market.  The Fund may also purchase certain commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption from regulations in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (“4(2) Paper”).  The Adviser will determine the liquidity of Rule 144A securities and 4(2) Paper under the supervision of the Board.  The liquidity of Rule 144A securities and 4(2) Paper will be monitored by the Adviser, and if as a result of changed conditions it is determined that a Rule 144A security or 4(2) Paper is no longer liquid, the Fund’s holdings of illiquid securities will be reviewed to determine what, if any, action is required to assure that the Fund does not exceed its percentage limitation for investments in illiquid securities.

 

Cash Investments

The Fund may invest in high-quality, short-term debt securities and money market instruments (“Cash Investments”) for (i) temporary defensive purposes in response to adverse market, economic, or political conditions and (ii) retaining flexibility in meeting redemptions, paying expenses, and identifying and assessing investment opportunities.  Cash Investments include shares of other mutual funds, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits, savings association obligations, commercial paper, short-term notes (including discount notes), and other obligations.

The Fund may hold a substantial position in Cash Investments for long periods of time, which may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objective.  If the market advances during periods when the Fund is holding a large Cash Investment, the Fund may not participate to the extent it would have if the Fund had been more fully invested.  To the extent that the Fund uses a money market fund for its Cash Investment, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market fund’s advisory fees and operational expenses.

Cash Investments are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk, although to a lesser extent than longer-term debt securities, due to Cash Investments’ short-term, significant liquidity, and typical high credit quality.

The Fund may invest in any of the following Cash Investments:

Money Market Mutual Funds .  Generally, money market mutual funds seek to earn income consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.  They primarily invest in high quality money market obligations, including U.S. government obligations, bank obligations and high-grade corporate instruments.  These investments generally mature within 397 calendar days from the date of acquisition.  An investment in a money market mutual fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any government agency.

To the extent that the Fund invests in money market mutual funds, your cost of investing in the Fund will generally be higher because you will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying money market mutual funds in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses.  Furthermore, investing in money market mutual funds could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to you and therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by you.

Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers’ Acceptances and Time Deposits .  The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits.  Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against monies deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return.  Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity.  Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances acquired by the Fund will be dollar-denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. government.

In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under the investment objective and policies stated above and in the Prospectus, the Fund may make interest-bearing time deposits or other interest-bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks.  Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.

 

Savings Association Obligations .  The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest-bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. government.

Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations .  The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper, short-term notes, and other corporate obligations.  Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations.  Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.

Commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A‑2” or higher by S&P, “Prime-1” or “Prime-2” by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

Corporate obligations include bonds and notes issued by corporations to finance longer-term credit needs than supported by commercial paper.  While such obligations generally have maturities of ten years or more, the Fund may purchase corporate obligations which have remaining maturities of one year or less from the date of purchase and which are rated “A” or higher by S&P or “A” or higher by Moody’s, similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

Investment Companies

The Fund may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. The Fund generally may purchase or redeem, without limitation, shares of any affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds, including unregistered money market funds, so long as the Fund does not pay a sales load or service fee in connection with the purchase, sale or redemption or if such fees are paid, and the Fund’s investment adviser waives its management fee in an amount necessary to offset the amounts paid.  With respect to other investments in investment companies, the 1940 Act generally limits the Fund from acquiring (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of another investment company; (ii) shares of another investment company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) shares of another registered investment company and all other investment companies having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund.

Investments by the Fund in other investment companies will be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act (including limitations on sales charges), and the rules and regulations thereunder. By investing in securities of an investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of that underlying fund in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses.

Closed-End Funds.   Closed-end funds are investment companies that typically issue a fixed number of shares that trade on a securities exchange or over-the-counter. The risks of investment in closed-end funds typically reflect the risk of the types of securities in which the funds invest. Investments in closed-end funds are subject to the additional risk that shares of the fund may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value (“NAV”) per share. Closed-end funds come in many varieties and can have different investment objectives, strategies and investment portfolios. They also can be subject to different risks, volatility and fees and expenses. Although closed-end funds are generally listed and traded on an exchange, the degree of liquidity, or ability to be bought and sold, will vary significantly from one closed-end fund to another based on various factors including, but not limited to, demand in the marketplace. When the Fund invests in shares of a closed-end fund, shareholders of the Fund bear their proportionate share of the closed-end fund’s fees and expenses, as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses.

 

Open-End Mutual Funds.   Open-end mutual funds are investment companies that issue new shares continuously and redeem shares daily. The risks of investment of open-end mutual funds typically reflect securities in which the funds invest. The NAV per share of an open-end fund will fluctuate daily depending upon the performance of the securities held by the fund. Each open-end fund may have a different investment objective and strategy and different investment portfolio. Different funds may also be subject to different risks, volatility and fees and expenses. When the Fund invests in shares of an open-end fund, shareholders of the Fund bear their proportionate share of the open-end funds’ fees and expenses, as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses.

Exchange-Traded Funds.   Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”)   are typically open-end investment companies that are bought and sold on a national securities exchange.  When the Fund invests in an ETF, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees.  The risk of owning an ETF generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities it holds.  Many ETFs seek to replicate a specific benchmark index.  However, an ETF may not fully replicate the performance of its benchmark index for many reasons, including because of the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of stocks held.  Some ETFs are actively managed and instead of replicating, they seek to outperform a particular index or basket or price of a commodity or currency. In addition, shares of an ETF may trade at a market price that is higher or lower than their NAV and an active trading market in such shares may not develop or continue.  Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities it holds.  In addition, because of ETF expenses, compared to owning the underlying securities directly, it may be more costly to own an ETF.

If the Fund invests in shares of an ETF, shareholders will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying ETF in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses.  The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs.  Furthermore, investments in other ETFs could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to shareholders and therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by investors in the Fund.

Securities Lending

The Fund may lend its securities in order to increase the return on its portfolio.  The SEC currently requires that the following conditions must be met whenever the Fund’s portfolio securities are loaned:  (1) the 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) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the 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) the 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) the 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.  These conditions may be subject to future modification.  Such loans will be terminable at any time upon specified notice.  

 

The Fund might experience the risk of loss if the institution with which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the Fund.  In addition, the Fund will not enter into any portfolio security lending arrangement having a duration of longer than one year.  The principal risk of portfolio lending is potential default or insolvency of the borrower.  In either of these cases, the Fund could experience delays in recovering securities or collateral or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities.  As part of participating in a lending program, the Fund may be required to invest in collateralized debt or other securities that bear the risk of loss of principal.  In addition, all investments made with the collateral received are subject to the risks associated with such investments.  If such investments lose value, the Fund will have to cover the loss when repaying the collateral.

The Board appoints agents to be responsible for monitoring the creditworthiness of borrowers.  To the extent the Fund is participating in securities lending, on a quarterly basis, the Board reviews a report regarding the Fund’s loans.  Such report includes, among other things, the identity and value of all securities comprising each loan, the length of time that the loan has been outstanding, the amount earned by the Fund, the amount of fees paid in connection with the loan and the ratio of the value of the collateral to the value of the loan.

 

Any loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily.  Any securities that the Fund may receive as collateral will not become part of the Fund’s investment portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which the Fund is permitted to invest.  During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any accrued income on those securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn income or receive an agreed-upon fee from a borrower that has delivered cash-equivalent collateral.

Illiquid Securities

Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act, securities which are otherwise not readily marketable, and securities such as repurchase agreements having a maturity of longer than seven days and purchased OTC options.  Securities which have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market.  In recent years, however, a large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes.  Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer’s ability to honor a demand for repayment.  The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments.  The Board may determine that such securities are not illiquid securities notwithstanding their legal or contractual restrictions on resale.  In all other cases, however, securities subject to restrictions on resale will be deemed illiquid.  The Fund will determine a security to be illiquid if it cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at the value at which the Fund has valued the security.  Factors considered in determining whether a security is illiquid may include, but are not limited to: the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the number of dealers willing to purchase and sell the security, and the number of potential purchasers; the number of dealers who undertake to make a market in the security; the nature of the security, including whether it is registered or unregistered, and the market place; whether the security has been rated by an NRSRO; the period of time remaining until the maturity of a debt instrument or until the principal amount of a demand instrument can be recovered through demand; the nature of any restrictions on resale; and with respect to municipal lease obligations and certificates of participation, whether there is reasonable assurance that the obligation will remain liquid throughout the time the obligation is held and, if unrated, whether an analysis similar to that which would be performed by an NRSRO is performed.  The Fund will not hold more than 15% of the value of its net assets in illiquid securities, including repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after notice, non-negotiable fixed time deposits with maturities over seven days, over-the-counter options and certain restricted securities not determined by the Board to be liquid.

 

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements.  Under such agreements, the Fund agrees to purchase U.S. government obligations from a counterparty and the counterparty agrees to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed upon time and price.  The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund together with the repurchase price on repurchase.  In either case, the income to the Fund is unrelated to the interest rate on the security itself.  Such repurchase agreements will be made only with banks with assets of $500 million or more that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or with government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Board and registered as broker‑dealers with the SEC or exempt from such registration.  The Fund will generally enter into repurchase agreements of short durations, from overnight to one week, although the underlying securities generally have longer maturities.  The Fund may not enter into a repurchase agreement with more than seven days to maturity if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid securities including such repurchase agreements.  To the extent necessary to facilitate compliance with Section 12(d)(3) of the 1940 Act and Rule 12d3-1 promulgated thereunder, the Fund will ensure that repurchase agreements will be collateralized fully to the extent required by Rule 5b-3.

For purposes of the 1940 Act, a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the seller of the U.S. government obligations that are subject to the repurchase agreement.  It is not clear whether a court would consider the U.S. government obligations to be acquired by the Fund subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller.  In the event of the commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the U.S. government obligations before its repurchase under a repurchase agreement, the Fund could encounter delays and incur costs before being able to sell the underlying U.S. government obligations.  Delays may involve loss of interest or a decline in price of the U.S. government obligations.  If a court characterizes the transaction as a loan and the Fund has not perfected a security interest in the U.S. government obligations, the Fund may be required to return the securities to the seller’s estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller.  As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at the risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the transaction.  As with any unsecured debt instrument purchased for the Fund, the Adviser seeks to minimize the risk of loss through repurchase agreements by analyzing the creditworthiness of the other party, in this case the seller of the U.S. government security.

Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the U.S. government obligations.  However, the Fund will always receive as collateral for any repurchase agreement to which it is a party securities acceptable to the Adviser, the market value of which is equal to at least 100% of the repurchase price, and the Fund will make payment against such securities only upon physical delivery or evidence of book entry transfer to the account of its Custodian.  If the market value of the U.S. government obligations subject to the repurchase agreement become less than the repurchase price (including interest), the Fund will direct the seller of the U.S. government obligations 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 the Fund could be unsuccessful in seeking to enforce on the seller a contractual obligation to deliver additional securities.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements for temporary purposes with banks and securities dealers if the creditworthiness of the bank or securities dealer has been determined by the Adviser to be satisfactory. A reverse repurchase agreement is a repurchase agreement in which the Fund is the seller of, rather than the investor in, securities and agrees to repurchase them at an agreed-upon time and price. Use of a reverse repurchase agreement may be preferable to a regular sale and later repurchase of securities because it avoids certain market risks and transaction costs.

At the time when the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund’s liquid assets (such as cash, U.S. government securities or other “high-grade” debt obligations), having a value at least as great as the purchase price of the securities to be purchased, will be segregated on the Fund’s books and held by the Custodian throughout the period of the obligation. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered a form of borrowing, and the use of reverse repurchase agreements creates leverage which increases its investment risk. If the income and gains on securities purchased with the proceeds of these transactions exceed the cost, the Fund’s earnings or NAV will increase faster than otherwise would be the case; conversely, if the income and gains fail to exceed the cost, earnings or NAV would decline faster than otherwise would be the case. The Fund intends to enter into reverse repurchase agreements only if the income from the investment of the proceeds is expected to be greater than the expense of the transaction, because the proceeds are invested for a period no longer than the term of the reverse repurchase agreement.

Borrowing

The Fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) from banks, for investment purposes.  In addition, the Fund is authorized to borrow money from time to time for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for clearance of transactions.  The use of borrowing by the Fund involves special risk considerations that may not be associated with other funds having similar objectives and policies.  Since substantially all of the Fund’s assets fluctuate in value, while the interest obligation resulting from a borrowing will be fixed by the terms of the Fund’s agreement with its lender, the NAV per share of the Fund will tend to increase more when its portfolio securities increase in value and to decrease more when its portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case if the Fund did not borrow funds.  In addition, interest costs on borrowings, which are paid by the Fund, may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on borrowed funds.  Under adverse market conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.

Cybersecurity Risk

The Fund, like all companies, may be susceptible to operational and information security risks. Cybersecurity failures or breaches of the Fund or its service providers or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

Fundamental and Non-Fundamental Investment Limitations

The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the favorable “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund, as defined under the 1940 Act.  Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented; or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

The Fund may not:

1.

Issue senior securities, borrow money or pledge its assets, except that (i) the Fund may borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, purchasing securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward delivery basis, or short sales in accordance with its objectives and strategies;

2.	Underwrite the securities of other issuers (except that the Fund may engage in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition or resale of its portfolio securities under circumstances where it may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act);

3.	Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities (although the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies that invest or deal in real estate);

4.

Purchase or sell physical commodities or commodities contracts, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving currencies and futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities or other instruments that are secured by physical commodities;

5.	Make loans of money (except for the lending of the Fund’s portfolio securities, repurchase agreements and purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund);

6.

Invest in the securities of any one industry or group of industries if, as a result, 25% or more of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such industry or group of industries, except that the foregoing does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; or

7.

With respect to 75% of the Fund’s total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief, securities of other investment companies) if, as a result, (1) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer; or (2) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.

 

 

Below is the only non-fundamental investment restriction applicable to the Fund.  This restriction can be changed by the Board, but the change will only be effective after prior written notice is given to shareholders of the Fund.

The Fund may not hold more than 15% of the value of its net assets in illiquid securities.  Illiquid securities are those securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued them.  Illiquid securities may include restricted securities not determined by the Board to be liquid, non-negotiable time deposits, over-the-counter options, and repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after notice.

Except with respect to borrowing and investments in illiquid securities, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation.  With respect to borrowing, if at any time the Fund’s borrowings exceed one-third of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings), such borrowings will be reduced within three days, (not including Sundays and holidays) or such longer period as may be permitted by the 1940 Act, to the extent necessary to comply with the one-third limitation.