Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 2015
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 x
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. 121
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x
Amendment No. 121
(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)
Registrants Telephone Number, including Area Code: (513) 878-4066
Jill T. McGruder, 303 Broadway, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, OH 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)
x on July 30, 2015 pursuant to paragraph (b)
o 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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.
July 30, 2015
Prospectus
Touchstone Strategic Trust
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Class A |
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Class B |
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Class C |
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Class Y |
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Institutional
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Touchstone Flexible Income Fund |
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FFSAX |
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FRACX |
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MXIIX |
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TFSLX |
Touchstone Focused Fund |
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TFOAX |
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TFFCX |
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TFFYX |
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TFFIX |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund |
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TGVFX |
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TGVCX |
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TGVYX |
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TGVVX |
Touchstone International Value Fund |
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FSIEX |
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FTECX |
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FIEIX |
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FIVIX |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund |
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TEGAX |
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TBEGX |
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TOECX |
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TEGYX |
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TEGIX |
Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
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TSEMX |
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TSEGX |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund |
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MXCAX |
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MXCSX |
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MXAIX |
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MXCIX |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
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TEQAX |
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TEQBX |
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TEQCX |
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TIQIX |
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TROCX |
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
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Page |
TOUCHSTONE FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND SUMMARY |
3 |
TOUCHSTONE FOCUSED FUND SUMMARY |
11 |
TOUCHSTONE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND SUMMARY |
16 |
TOUCHSTONE INTERNATIONAL VALUE FUND SUMMARY |
21 |
TOUCHSTONE MID CAP GROWTH FUND SUMMARY |
26 |
TOUCHSTONE SANDS CAPITAL EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND SUMMARY |
31 |
TOUCHSTONE SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND SUMMARY |
36 |
TOUCHSTONE SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND SUMMARY |
41 |
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS |
47 |
THE FUNDS MANAGEMENT |
53 |
CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES |
58 |
DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING ARRANGEMENTS |
61 |
INVESTING WITH TOUCHSTONE |
61 |
DISTRIBUTION AND TAXES |
70 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
73 |
TOUCHSTONE FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Flexible Income Fund (the Fund) seeks a high level of income consistent with reasonable risk. The Fund seeks capital appreciation as a secondary goal.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
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Class A |
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Class C |
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Class Y |
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Institutional
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
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5.75% |
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None |
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None |
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None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or the amount redeemed, whichever is less) |
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None |
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1.00% |
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None |
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None |
Wire Redemption Fee |
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Up to $15 |
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Up to $15 |
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Up to $15 |
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Up to $15 |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees |
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0.70% |
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0.70% |
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0.70% |
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0.70% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
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0.25% |
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1.00% |
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None |
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None |
Other Expenses(1) |
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0.39% |
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0.39% |
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0.30% |
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0.24% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (AFFE) |
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0.02% |
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0.02% |
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0.02% |
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0.02% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2) |
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1.36% |
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2.11% |
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1.02% |
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0.96% |
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
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(0.25)% |
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(0.25)% |
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(0.16)% |
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(0.20)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
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1.11% |
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1.86% |
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0.86% |
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0.76% |
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Funds annual report dated March 31, 2015.
(3) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.09%, 1.84%, 0.84%, and 0.74% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
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 $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same and that all fee waivers or expense limits for the Fund will expire after one year. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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Assuming Redemption at End of Period |
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Assuming No Redemption |
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Class A |
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Class C |
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Class Y |
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Institutional Class |
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Class C |
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1 Year |
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$ |
682 |
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$ |
289 |
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$ |
88 |
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$ |
78 |
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$ |
189 |
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3 Years |
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$ |
958 |
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$ |
637 |
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$ |
309 |
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$ |
286 |
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$ |
637 |
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5 Years |
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$ |
1,254 |
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$ |
1,111 |
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$ |
548 |
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$ |
511 |
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$ |
1,111 |
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10 Years |
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$ |
2,096 |
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$ |
2,422 |
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$ |
1,233 |
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$ |
1,160 |
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$ |
2,422 |
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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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 102% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in income-producing securities such as debt securities, common stocks, and preferred stocks. Debt securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, U.S. government agency securities, variable and floating-rate instruments, and mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Certain of the debt securities and preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest may be convertible into common shares. The Fund normally invests in equity securities of companies with a market capitalization of approximately $400 million or higher. The Fund may invest in both domestic and foreign securities. The Fund may also invest in equity securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs).
The Funds sub-advisor, ClearArc Capital, Inc. (ClearArc or the Sub-Advisor), seeks to provide value by investing in asset classes that appear to be attractive based on their risks and in companies with attractive price-to-cash flow ratios.
The Fund may invest in debt securities of any maturity, and will increase its investment in short-term debt securities during periods when ClearArc believes interest rates will rise and will increase its investment in long-term debt securities during periods when ClearArc believes interest rates will decline. ClearArc seeks to maximize risk-adjusted returns through fundamental research, quantitative modeling, quantitative analysis, and capital structure analysis. In performing this research, modeling and analysis, ClearArc evaluates companies based on such factors as sales, assets, earnings, markets, and management. ClearArc also searches for companies with favorable debt-to-equity ratios. The Fund seeks returns by investing across a broader array of investments than traditional investment-grade fixed-income funds, and ClearArc believes that a low correlation between various asset classes leads to stability of expected returns.
In selecting corporate debt securities for the Fund, ClearArc intends to invest principally in securities rated Baa or better by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) (or the equivalent using Standard & Poors Ratings Services (S&P)), but may invest in non-investment-grade debt securities rated as low as Ba, B, Caa, or Ca by Moodys, or unrated securities when these investments are believed by ClearArc to be sound and consistent with an objective of reasonable risk. The Fund will not invest more than 20% of its assets in either (i) securities rated Ba or lower by Moodys or (ii) unrated securities which, in the opinion of ClearArc, are of quality comparable to those rated Ba or lower. Securities rated lower than Baa by Moodys, sometimes referred to as junk bonds, are lower-rated securities and have speculative characteristics.
The Fund may invest in any diversified closed-end fixed-income fund as long as the Funds total portfolio maintains no more than 20% of its assets in securities rated Ba or lower by Moodys. The Fund may consider closed-end funds as a pass-through security, and will look at the composition of the underlying portfolio. Therefore, the Fund may invest in any single closed-end fund even if more than 20% of the closed-end funds assets are invested in securities rated Ba or lower by Moodys. The closed-end funds in which the Fund may invest may in turn invest in debt and equity securities of U.S. or foreign issuers.
In order to efficiently seek certain exposures or to hedge certain risks, the Fund may invest in derivative instruments, such as currency forwards, options, futures contracts or swap agreements.
ClearArc may consider selling a portfolio holding when: it detects deterioration in a companys strategic position, growth prospects, or financial reporting; an individual security comprises too large a position in the portfolio; a company has declining financial fundamentals and unacceptable risk volatility as determined by ClearArcs proprietary credit risk model; a companys valuations are no longer attractive; or a better opportunity arises.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds 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.
Convertible Securities Risk: Convertible securities are subject to the risks of both debt securities and equity securities. The values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates rise and, due to the conversion feature, tend to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying security.
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 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. These additional risks could cause the Fund to experience losses to which it would otherwise not be subject.
· Forward Currency Exchange Contract Risk: A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific currency at a future date and at a price set at the time of the contract. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts may reduce the risk of loss from a change in value of a currency, but they also limit any potential gains and do not protect against fluctuations in the value of the underlying position.
· Futures Contracts Risk: The risks associated with the Funds 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. 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.
· Swap Agreement 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 counterpartys 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 Funds 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 Funds shares.
· 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· Preferred Stock Risk: Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed prior to its maturity, which can have a negative impact on the stocks price when interest rates decline.
· Real Estate Investment Trust Risk: REITs are pooled investment vehicles that primarily invest in commercial real estate or real estate-related loans. REITs are susceptible to the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate, such as declines in property values and rental rates, increases in property taxes, operating expenses, rising interest rates, competition, overbuilding, zoning changes, and losses from casualty or condemnation. REITs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Funds investments in REITs will result in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the REITs operating expenses in addition to paying their share of the Funds fees and expenses.
· Small-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that small capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity market 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, and 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 the Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 issuers securities to decline in value.
· 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 Funds net asset value.
· Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk: Investment-grade debt securities may be downgraded by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) to below-investment-grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. Investment-grade debt securities rated in the lowest rating category by a NRSRO involve a higher degree of risk than fixed-income securities with higher credit ratings. While such securities are considered investment-grade quality and are deemed to have adequate capacity for payment of principal and interest, such securities lack outstanding investment characteristics and may share certain speculative characteristics with non-investment-grade securities.
· 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. Prepayment risk may make it difficult to calculate the average duration of the Funds mortgage-backed securities and, therefore, to fully assess the interest rate risk of the Fund. 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 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.
· U.S. Government Agency 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
Management Risk: In managing the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
Other Investment Companies Risk: The Funds investments in other investment companies, such as closed-end funds, will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities comprising the portfolios of such investment companies, and the value of the Funds investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of such portfolios. The value of the shares of closed-end funds may be lower than the value of the portfolio securities held by the closed-end funds. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, shareholders of the Fund will bear their proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the fees and expenses of the investment companies. There may also not be an active trading market available for shares of some closed-end funds. Additionally, trading of closed-end fund shares may be halted or delisted by the listing exchange.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund may sell its portfolio securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, if the Advisor or Sub-Advisor determines that it would be in the Funds 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 Advisors or Sub-Advisors control. These transactions will increase the Funds portfolio turnover. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur if all of the securities in the Fund were replaced during a given period. High turnover rates generally result in higher brokerage costs to the Fund and in higher net taxable gain for shareholders, and may reduce the Funds returns.
Value Investing Risk: Value investing presents the risk that the Funds security holdings may never reach their full market value because the market fails to recognize what the portfolio managers consider the true business value or because the portfolio managers have misjudged those values. In addition, value investing may fall out of favor and underperform growth or other styles of investing during given certain periods.
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 2 nd Quarter 2009 21.98% |
Worst Quarter: 3 rd Quarter 2008 (18.48)% |
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 0.52%.
Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Fifth Third Strategic Income Fund (the Predecessor Fund) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization (the Reorganization). The Reorganization occurred on September 10, 2012. As a result of the Reorganization, the Fund assumed the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund. Financial and performance information prior to September 10, 2012 included in the Funds prospectus is that of the Predecessor Fund. For more information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds Statement of Additional Information.
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class C shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were April 1, 2004, October 29, 2001, September 1, 1998 and September 10, 2012, respectively. Institutional Class shares performance was calculated using the historical performance of Class Y shares for the periods prior to September 10, 2012. Performance for these periods has been restated to reflect the impact of the fees and expenses applicable to Institutional Class shares.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
0.82 |
% |
5.65 |
% |
4.25 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
(0.89 |
)% |
3.89 |
% |
2.28 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
0.71 |
% |
3.74 |
% |
2.53 |
% |
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
5.18 |
% |
6.12 |
% |
4.10 |
% |
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
7.37 |
% |
7.21 |
% |
5.14 |
% |
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
7.34 |
% |
7.22 |
% |
5.15 |
% |
Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
5.97 |
% |
4.45 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Managers |
|
Investment Experience with the Fund |
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
ClearArc Capital, Inc. |
|
Peter Kwiatkowski, CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since 2002 |
|
Director and Portfolio Manager |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Withrow, CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since 2007 |
|
Director and Portfolio Manager |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mitchell Stapley, CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since 2007 |
|
Chief Investment Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Cassady, CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since 2009 |
|
Senior Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Classes A, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Classes A and C shares may be purchased and sold directly from Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities) or through your financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE FOCUSED FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Focused Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investors with capital appreciation.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
|
|
Class A |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional
|
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 |
|
0.63% |
|
0.63% |
|
0.63% |
|
0.63% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
0.25% |
|
1.00% |
|
None |
|
None |
Other Expenses(1) |
|
0.48% |
|
0.45% |
|
0.33% |
|
0.24% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (AFFE) |
|
0.01% |
|
0.01% |
|
0.01% |
|
0.01% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2) |
|
1.37% |
|
2.09% |
|
0.97% |
|
0.88% |
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
(0.16)% |
|
(0.13)% |
|
(0.01)% |
|
(0.04)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
1.21% |
|
1.96% |
|
0.96%(4) |
|
0.84%(5) |
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Funds annual report dated March 31, 2015.
(3) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.20%, 1.95%, 0.95%, and 0.83% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
(4) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement shown above have been restated to reflect the Funds current contractual expense limits and will differ from the expenses reflected in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015.
(5) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses differ from the ratio of net expenses to average net assets shown in the annual report dated March 31, 2015 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 and that the Funds 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 C |
|
|||||
1 Year |
|
$ |
691 |
|
$ |
299 |
|
$ |
98 |
|
$ |
86 |
|
$ |
199 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
969 |
|
$ |
642 |
|
$ |
308 |
|
$ |
277 |
|
$ |
642 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
1,267 |
|
$ |
1,112 |
|
$ |
535 |
|
$ |
484 |
|
$ |
1,112 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
2,114 |
|
$ |
2,410 |
|
$ |
1,189 |
|
$ |
1,081 |
|
$ |
2,410 |
|
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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 33% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in equity securities. Equity securities include common stock and preferred stock. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization in seeking to achieve its investment goal. These securities may be listed on an exchange or traded over-the-counter.
In selecting securities for the Fund, the Funds 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 Funds 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 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). Non-U.S. issuers or foreign companies (or issuers) are companies that: (i) are organized under the laws of, (ii) maintain their principal place of business in, (iii) have the principal trading market for their securities in, (iv) derive at least 50% of revenues or profits from operation in, or (v) have at least 50% of their assets in, foreign countries. The Fund may also invest in securities of emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are generally countries not included in the MSCI World Index. As of March 31, 2015, 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. The Funds investment strategy often involves overweighting the Funds position in the industry sectors which Fort Washington believes are the most mis-priced by the market.
The Fund will generally sell a security if it reaches Fort Washingtons 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 may also engage in frequent and active trading as part of its principal investment strategy.
The Funds 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days prior notice to shareholders.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds shares will fluctuate. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund and the Fund could 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 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.
· 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· Preferred Stock Risk: Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed prior to its maturity, which can have a negative impact on the stocks price when interest rates decline.
· 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
· 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, 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 Funds 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 the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
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 Funds investment performance, as the Fund may be more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory event than a diversified fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Frequent and active trading may result in greater expenses to the Fund, which may lower the Funds 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 Funds returns.
Sector Focus Risk: The Fund may focus its investments in certain sectors. A fund that focuses its investments in the securities of a particular market sector is subject to the risk that adverse circumstances will have a greater impact on the fund than a fund that does not focus its investments in a particular sector. It is possible that economic, business or political developments or other changes affecting one security in the sector of focus will affect other securities in that sector of focus in the same manner, thereby increasing the risk of such investments.
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the Russell 3000 ® Index and the S&P 500 ® Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. For more information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds SAI. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
Touchstone Focused Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 2 nd Quarter 2009 19.46% |
Worst Quarter: 4 th Quarter 2008 (19.12)% |
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 5.63%
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Institutional Class shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class C shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were September 30, 2003, April 16, 2012, February 12, 1999 and December 20, 2006, respectively. Class C shares performance and Institutional Class shares performance were calculated using the historical performance of Class Y shares for the periods prior to April 16, 2012 and December 20, 2006, respectively. Performance for these periods has been restated to reflect the impact of the fees and expenses applicable to Class C and Institutional Class shares.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone Focused Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
0.31 |
% |
12.91 |
% |
7.64 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
0.24 |
% |
12.40 |
% |
7.18 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
0.24 |
% |
10.15 |
% |
6.01 |
% |
Touchstone Focused Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
4.67 |
% |
13.83 |
% |
7.67 |
% |
Touchstone Focused Fund Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
6.76 |
% |
14.55 |
% |
8.55 |
% |
Touchstone Focused Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
6.88 |
% |
14.72 |
% |
8.71 |
% |
Russell 3000 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
12.56 |
% |
15.63 |
% |
7.94 |
% |
S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
13.69 |
% |
15.45 |
% |
7.67 |
% |
The Funds 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 |
|
Managing the Fund since 2012 |
|
Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Classes A, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Classes A and C shares may be purchased and sold directly from Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities) or through your financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund (the Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
|
|
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 |
|
0.75% |
|
0.75% |
|
0.75% |
|
0.75% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
0.25% |
|
1.00% |
|
None |
|
None |
Other Expenses(1) |
|
0.39% |
|
0.45% |
|
0.25% |
|
0.21% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2) |
|
1.39% |
|
2.20% |
|
1.00% |
|
0.96% |
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
(0.15)% |
|
(0.21)% |
|
(0.01)% |
|
(0.07)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
1.24% |
|
1.99% |
|
0.99%(4) |
|
0.89%(5) |
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Funds annual report dated March 31, 2015.
(3) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.24%, 1.99%, 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 July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
(4) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement shown above have been restated to reflect the Funds current contractual expense limits and will differ from the expenses reflected in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015.
(5) 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 dated March 31, 2015 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 and that the Funds 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 C |
|
|||||
1 Year |
|
$ |
694 |
|
$ |
302 |
|
$ |
101 |
|
$ |
91 |
|
$ |
202 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
976 |
|
$ |
668 |
|
$ |
317 |
|
$ |
299 |
|
$ |
668 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
1,278 |
|
$ |
1,161 |
|
$ |
551 |
|
$ |
524 |
|
$ |
1,161 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
2,135 |
|
$ |
2,518 |
|
$ |
1,224 |
|
$ |
1,172 |
|
$ |
2,518 |
|
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 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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 87% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests primarily in stocks of domestic growth companies that the sub-advisor, Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. (Westfield or the Sub-Advisor), believes have a demonstrated record of achievement with excellent prospects for earnings growth over a one- to three-year period. In choosing securities, Westfield looks for companies that it believes are reasonably priced with high forecasted earnings potential. The Fund will invest in companies that Westfield believes have shown above-average and consistent long-term growth in earnings and have excellent prospects for future growth. Westfield evaluates companies by using fundamental analysis of the companys financial statements, interviews with management, analysis of the companys operations and product development and consideration of the companys industry category. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization.
Westfield expects to hold investments in the Fund for an average of 12 to 24 months. However, changes in Westfields outlook and market conditions may significantly affect the amount of time the Fund holds a security. The Funds portfolio turnover may vary greatly from year to year and during a particular year. As a result, the Fund may engage in frequent and active trading as part of its principal investment strategy.
The Fund generally will sell a security if one or more of the following occurs: Westfields predetermined price target objective is exceeded; there is an alteration to the original investment case; valuation relative to the stocks peer group is no longer attractive; or better risk/reward opportunities may be found in other stocks.
The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of a single company.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds 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 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.
· 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· 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.
Growth Investing Risk: Growth-oriented funds may underperform when value investing is in favor, and growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing companys growth of earnings potential. Also, because growth companies usually reinvest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, growth stocks may lack the dividends of some value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.
Management Risk: In managing the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
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 Funds investment performance, as the Fund may be more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political, or regulatory event than a diversified fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Frequent and active trading may result in greater expenses to the Fund, which may lower the Funds 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 Funds returns.
Sector Focus Risk: The Fund may focus its investments in certain sectors. A fund that focuses its investments in the securities of a particular market sector is subject to the risk that adverse circumstances will have a greater impact on the fund than a fund that does not focus its investments in a particular sector. It is possible that economic, business or political developments or other changes affecting one security in the sector of focus will affect other securities in that sector of focus in the same manner, thereby increasing the risk of such investments.
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the Russell 3000 ® Growth Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. For information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds SAI. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 1 st Quarter 2012 17.56% |
Worst Quarter: 4 th Quarter 2008 ( 24.04)% |
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 1.88%.
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class C shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were September 29, 1995, August 2, 1999, February 2, 2009 and February 2, 2009, respectively. Class Y shares performance and Institutional Class shares performance were calculated using the historical performance of Class A shares for the periods prior to February 2, 2009. Performance for these periods has been restated to reflect the impact of the fees and expenses applicable to Class Y and Institutional Class shares.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
5.23 |
% |
14.21 |
% |
7.41 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
1.35 |
% |
12.47 |
% |
6.59 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
4.16 |
% |
10.79 |
% |
5.72 |
% |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
9.87 |
% |
14.74 |
% |
7.39 |
% |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
12.01 |
% |
15.89 |
% |
8.22 |
% |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
12.07 |
% |
16.01 |
% |
8.30 |
% |
Russell 3000 ® Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
12.44 |
% |
15.89 |
% |
8.50 |
% |
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
Investment Experience with the Fund |
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. |
|
William A. Muggia |
|
Managing Fund since 2006 |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner |
|
|
Classes A, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Classes A and C shares may be purchased and sold directly from Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities) or through your financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE INTERNATIONAL VALUE FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone International Value Fund (the Fund) seeks long-term capital growth.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
|
|
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 |
|
1.00% |
|
1.00% |
|
1.00% |
|
1.00% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
0.25% |
|
1.00% |
|
None |
|
None |
Other Expenses(1) |
|
0.71% |
|
6.34% |
|
0.35% |
|
0.27% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2) |
|
1.96% |
|
8.34% |
|
1.35% |
|
1.27% |
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
(0.62)% |
|
(6.25)% |
|
(0.26)% |
|
(0.28)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
1.34%(4) |
|
2.09%(4) |
|
1.09% |
|
0.99% |
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Funds annual report dated March 31, 2015.
(3) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.34%, 2.09%, 1.09%, and 0.99% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
(4) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers or Expense Reimbursement differ from the ratio of net expenses to average net assets shown in the annual report dated March 31, 2015 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 and that the Funds 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 C |
|
|||||
1 Year |
|
$ |
704 |
|
$ |
312 |
|
$ |
111 |
|
$ |
101 |
|
$ |
212 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
1,098 |
|
$ |
1,872 |
|
$ |
402 |
|
$ |
375 |
|
$ |
1,872 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
1,517 |
|
$ |
3,422 |
|
$ |
715 |
|
$ |
670 |
|
$ |
3,422 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
2,682 |
|
$ |
6,868 |
|
$ |
1,601 |
|
$ |
1,509 |
|
$ |
6,868 |
|
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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund primarily invests its assets in equity securities of foreign issuers. Equity securities include common and preferred stocks. Non-U.S. issuer or foreign companies (or issuers) are companies that: (i) are organized under the laws of, (ii) maintain their principal place of business in, (iii) have the principal trading market for their securities in, (iv) derive at least 50% of revenues or profits from operation in, or (v) have at least 50% of their assets in, foreign countries. The Fund allocates its assets to securities of issuers located in both developed and emerging markets. The companies whose securities are represented in the Funds portfolio are located in at least three countries other than the United States. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization.
The Funds sub-advisor, Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC (Barrow Hanley or the Sub-Advisor), uses traditional methods of stock selection research and analysis to identify securities it believes are undervalued. Barrow Hanley seeks to invest in companies that have price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios below the market, enterprise-value/free-cash-flow ratios at or below the market, and dividend yields above the market. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the companies comprising the MSCI EAFE Index constitute the market. Barrow Hanleys investment management approach may be described as traditional value with a focus on income from dividends because it generally focuses on companies which are out of favor with other investors due to internal or external challenges judged to be short-term in nature. Barrow Hanleys process seeks to identify the reasons for a temporary undervaluation of a companys shares and believes that value to the Fund can be added through individual stock selection.
Barrow Hanley utilizes risk management tools in an effort to keep the Fund from becoming over-exposed to particular market segments. Barrow Hanley is a bottom-up value manager meaning that it analyzes the fundamentals of companies one at a time rather than focusing on broader market themes.
Barrow Hanley generally considers selling a security when, in Barrow Hanleys opinion, the security reaches its fair value estimate, when earnings forecasts do not appear to justify the current price, when there has been or there is an expectation of an adverse change in the companys fundamentals, or when other investment opportunities appear more attractive.
The Fund may engage in frequent and active trading and focus on particular sectors as part of its principal investment strategy.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds 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 Funds shares.
· 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines, or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· Preferred Stock Risk: Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed prior to its maturity, which can have a negative impact on the stocks price when interest rates decline.
· 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
· 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 Funds 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 the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Frequent and active trading may result in greater expenses to the Fund, which may lower the Funds 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 Funds returns.
Sector Focus: The Fund may focus its investments in certain sectors. A fund that focuses its investments in the securities of a particular market sector is subject to the risk that adverse circumstances will have a greater impact on the fund than a fund that does not focus its investments in a particular sector. It is possible that economic, business or political developments or other changes affecting one security in the sector of focus will affect other securities in that sector of focus in the same manner, thereby increasing the risk of such investments.
Value Investing Risk: Value investing presents the risk that the Funds security holdings may never reach their full market value because the market fails to recognize what the portfolio managers consider the true business value or because the portfolio managers have misjudged those values. In addition, value investing may fall out of favor and underperform growth or other styles of investing during given certain periods.
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the MSCI EAFE Index, Net. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
Touchstone International Value Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 2 nd Quarter 2009 24.58% Worst Quarter: 3 rd Quarter 2008 (21.83)%
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 2.76%.
Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Fifth Third International Equity Fund (the Predecessor Fund) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization (the Reorganization). The Reorganization occurred on September 10, 2012. As a result of the Reorganization, the Fund assumed the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund. Financial and performance information prior to September 10, 2012 included in the Funds prospectus is that of the Predecessor Fund. For more information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds Statement of Additional Information.
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class C shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were August 18, 1994, April 25, 1996, October 9, 1998 and September 10, 2012, respectively. Institutional Class shares performance was calculated using the historical performance of Class A shares for the periods prior to September 10, 2012. Performance for these periods has been restated to reflect the impact of the fees and expenses applicable to Institutional Class shares.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone International Value Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
(8.77 |
)% |
2.83 |
% |
2.32 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
(9.48 |
)% |
2.27 |
% |
1.19 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
(4.48 |
)% |
2.16 |
% |
1.77 |
% |
Touchstone International Value Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
(4.77 |
)% |
3.28 |
% |
2.16 |
% |
Touchstone International Value Fund Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
(2.86 |
)% |
4.36 |
% |
3.22 |
% |
Touchstone International Value Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
(2.69 |
)% |
4.29 |
% |
3.05 |
% |
MSCI EAFE Index , Net (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses) |
|
(4.90 |
)% |
5.33 |
% |
4.43 |
% |
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Managers |
|
Investment Experience
|
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC |
|
David A. Hodges, CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since September 2012 |
|
Managing Director and Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Randolph S. Wrighton, Jr., CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since September 2012 |
|
Managing Director and Assistant Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Classes A, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Classes A and C shares may be purchased and sold directly from Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities) or through your financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE MID CAP GROWTH FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund (the Fund) seeks to increase the value of Fund shares as a primary goal and to earn income as a secondary goal.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Funds annual report dated March 31, 2015.
(3) Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.39%, 2.14%, 2.14%, 1.14%, and 0.99% of average daily net assets for Classes A, B, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
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 and that the Funds 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 B |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional Class |
|
Class B |
|
Class C |
|
|||||||
1 Year |
|
$ |
703 |
|
$ |
691 |
|
$ |
309 |
|
$ |
108 |
|
$ |
99 |
|
$ |
191 |
|
$ |
209 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
972 |
|
$ |
891 |
|
$ |
646 |
|
$ |
337 |
|
$ |
309 |
|
$ |
591 |
|
$ |
646 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
1,262 |
|
$ |
1,116 |
|
$ |
1,108 |
|
$ |
585 |
|
$ |
536 |
|
$ |
1,016 |
|
$ |
1,108 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
2,084 |
|
$ |
2,058 |
|
$ |
2,390 |
|
$ |
1,294 |
|
$ |
1,190 |
|
$ |
2,058 |
|
$ |
2,390 |
|
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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of mid-cap U.S. companies. A mid-cap company is defined as a company, at the time of purchase, that has a market capitalization of $1.5 billion and $12 billion or falls within the range of market capitalizations represented in the Russell Midcap ® Index (between $1.5 billion and $28 billion as of June 30, 2015). The size of the companies in the Russell Midcap ® Index will change with market conditions.
The Fund invests primarily in stocks of domestic growth companies that the sub-advisor, Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. (Westfield or the Sub-Advisor), believes have a demonstrated record of achievement with excellent prospects for earnings growth over a 1 to 3 year period. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in foreign securities. In choosing securities, Westfield looks for companies that it believes are reasonably priced with high forecasted earnings potential. The Fund will invest in companies that Westfield believes have shown above-average and consistent long-term growth in earnings and have excellent prospects for future growth. Westfield evaluates companies by using fundamental analysis of the companys financial statements, interviews with management, analysis of the companys operations, and product development and consideration of the companys industry category.
The Fund generally will sell a security if one or more of the following occurs: Westfields predetermined price target objective is exceeded; there is an alteration to the original investment case; valuation relative to the stocks peer group is no longer attractive; or better risk/reward opportunities may be found in other stocks.
The Fund may engage in frequent and active trading and focus on a particular market sector as part of its principal investment strategy.
The Funds 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days prior notice to shareholders.
The Principal Risks
The Funds 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 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
Growth Investing Risk: Growth-oriented funds may underperform when value investing is in favor, and growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing companys growth of earnings
potential. Also, because growth companies usually reinvest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, growth stocks may lack the dividends of some value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.
Management Risk: In managing the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Frequent and active trading may result in greater expenses to the Fund, which may lower the Funds 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 Funds returns.
Sector Focus Risk: The Fund may focus its investments in certain sectors. A fund that focuses its investments in the securities of a particular market sector is subject to the risk that adverse circumstances will have a greater impact on the fund than a fund that does not focus its investments in a particular sector. It is possible that economic, business or political developments or other changes affecting one security in the sector of focus will affect other securities in that sector of focus in the same manner, thereby increasing the risk of such investments.
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goals. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds Prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and performance table below illustrate some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the Russell Midcap ® Growth Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. For information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds Statement of Additional Information. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 3rd Quarter 2009 19.29% Worst Quarter: 4 th Quarter 2008 (26.51)%
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 4.24%.
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class C shares, Class B shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were October 3,
1994, October 3, 1994, May 1, 2001, February 2, 2009 and April 1, 2011, respectively. Class Y shares performance and Institutional Class shares performance were calculated using the historical performance of Class A shares for the periods prior to February 2, 2009 and April 1, 2011, respectively. Performance for these periods has been restated to reflect the impact of the fees and expenses applicable to Class Y and Institutional Class shares.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
6.38 |
% |
12.91 |
% |
8.07 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
2.63 |
% |
11.05 |
% |
6.62 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
5.44 |
% |
10.07 |
% |
6.35 |
% |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Class B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
7.67 |
% |
13.72 |
% |
8.18 |
% |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
11.17 |
% |
13.42 |
% |
7.89 |
% |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
13.23 |
% |
14.59 |
% |
8.90 |
% |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
13.33 |
% |
14.60 |
% |
8.87 |
% |
Russell Midcap ® Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
11.90 |
% |
16.94 |
% |
9.43 |
% |
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
Investment Experience with the Fund |
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. |
|
William A. Muggia |
|
Managing Fund since 1999 |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner |
|
|
Classes A, B, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Classes A and C shares may be purchased and sold directly from Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities) or through your financial intermediary. Class B shares are no longer offered for sale. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE SANDS CAPITAL EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund (the Fund) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The Funds Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
|
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional Class |
|
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
|
Wire Redemption Fee |
|
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 |
|
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
None |
|
None |
|
Other Expenses(1) |
|
0.52 |
% |
0.43 |
% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (AFFE) |
|
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2) |
|
1.68 |
% |
1.59 |
% |
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
(0.18 |
)% |
(0.19 |
)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
1.50 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2)Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement.
(3)Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.49% and 1.39% of average daily net assets for Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
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 and that the Funds 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 |
|
||||
|
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional Class |
|
||
1 Year |
|
$ |
153 |
|
$ |
143 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
512 |
|
$ |
483 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
896 |
|
$ |
848 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
1,972 |
|
$ |
1,873 |
|
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 total annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Funds performance. During the period from the Funds commencement of operations, May 12, 2014, to March 31, 2015, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 90% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities issued by companies in emerging or frontier market countries. The Fund invests primarily in a portfolio of equity securities such as common stock, preferred stock, and depositary receipts, and equity-related securities such as participatory notes and low-exercise price options. Emerging or frontier market companies are companies of any size that are
economically tied to emerging or frontier markets. The Fund will generally consider qualifying investments to be in companies that are organized under the laws of, or maintain their principal place of business in, an emerging or frontier market country; have securities that are principally traded in such countries; or derive at least 50% of revenues or profits from, or have at least 50% of their assets in, such countries. The Fund classifies emerging markets as those countries not included in the MSCI World Index, a developed market index. As of March 31, 2015, 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 markets are those emerging market countries that have the smallest, least mature economies and least developed capital markets. The Fund generally invests in a portfolio of 30 to 50 issuers selected on the basis of bottom-up research undertaken by the sub-advisor, Sands Capital Management, LLC (Sands Capital or the Sub-Advisor).
Sands Capital uses a bottom-up approach to investment selection, as opposed to sector or regional allocations, that focuses on a companys long-term business fundamentals. Therefore, the Fund may overweight certain geographies or sectors and may underweight other geographies or sectors.
Sands Capital looks for companies that have: sustainable above-average earnings growth; a leadership position in a promising business space; significant competitive advantages, such as profitability, superior quality, or distribution relative to competitors, or strong brand and consumer loyalty; a clear mission in an understandable business model; financial strength; and a rational valuation in relation to competitors, the market, and business prospects.
Companies that Sands Capital determines may meet its investment criteria are then evaluated with additional in-depth qualitative research, including proprietary financial modeling. Importantly, this investment approach may include identifying the key metrics for a particular business or industry, and specific risks or issues relating to a company. Through this process Sands Capital may vary the Funds sector and geographic allocations based upon relevant macroeconomic factors that matter for each business in the Funds portfolio; as a result, the Fund may have significant exposure to particular jurisdictions and sectors.
Sands Capital generally intends for the Funds investments to be held for an average term of three to five years, although the Fund may hold any investment for any length of time. Sands Capital generally considers selling a security when it no longer meets the investment criteria outlined above, for risk management purposes, or if a more attractive investment opportunity presents itself . In managing risk, Sands Capital regularly assesses each investments relevant business risk, the markets macroeconomic risk, and the Funds portfolio-level risk.
The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of a single company.
The Funds 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days prior notice to shareholders.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds 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 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.
· 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· Preferred Stock Risk: Preferred stock represents an equity interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. If interest rates
rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed prior to its maturity, both of which can have a negative impact on the stocks price when interest rates decline.
· 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.
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 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. These additional risks could cause the Fund to experience losses to which it would otherwise not be subject.
· Equity-Related Securities Risk: The Fund may invest in equity-related securities, including low-exercise-price options (LEPOs), low exercise price warrants (LEPWs), and participatory notes (P-notes) to gain exposure to issuers in certain emerging or frontier market countries. LEPOs, LEPWs, and P-notes are offshore derivative instruments issued to foreign institutional investors and their sub-accounts against underlying securities traded in emerging or frontier markets. These securities may be listed on an exchange or traded over-the-counter, and are similar to ADRs. As a result, the risks of investing in LEPOs, LEPWs, and P-notes are similar to depositary receipts risk and foreign securities risk in general. Specifically these securities entail both counterparty riskthe risk that the issuer of the LEPO, LEPW, or P-Note may not be able to fulfill its obligations or that the holder and counterparty or issuer may disagree as to the meaning or application of contractual termsand liquidity riskthe risk that a liquid market may not exist for such securities.
· 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
· 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, 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 Funds investments in securities of issuers located in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.
· Frontier Markets Risk: Frontier markets have similar risks to emerging markets, except that these risks are often magnified in a frontier market due to its smaller and less developed economy. As a result, frontier markets may experience greater changes in market or economic conditions, financial stability, price volatility, currency fluctuations, and other risks inherent in foreign securities.
· Indian Securities Risk: As of March 31, 2015, a significant portion (approximately 23.8%) of the Funds portfolio was invested in securities of issuers located in India. Investments in Indian securities are subject to all the same risks applicable to investments in securities of other emerging market issuers. Indian securities markets are, among other things, substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in the United States. Accordingly, buying and selling Indian securities involve special risks and considerations not present with respect to U.S. securities.
Growth Investing Risk: Growth-oriented funds may underperform when value investing is in favor, and growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing companys growth of earnings potential. Also, because growth companies usually reinvest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, growth stocks may lack the dividends of some value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.
Management Risk: In managing the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
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 Funds investment performance, as the Fund may be more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, business, political, or regulatory event than a diversified fund.
This Fund should only be purchased by investors seeking capital appreciation who can withstand the share price volatility of emerging markets investing. As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The Funds performance information is only shown when it has had a full calendar year of operations. Since the inception date of the Fund was May 9, 2014, there is no performance information included in this prospectus.
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Managers |
|
Investment Experience with the Fund |
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
Sands Capital Management, LLC |
|
Brian A. Christiansen, CFA |
|
Managing the Fund since its inception in 2014 |
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Ashraf A. Haque |
|
Managing the Fund since its inception in 2014 |
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Neil Kansari |
|
Managing the Fund since its inception in 2014 |
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Class Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund (the Fund) seeks to achieve long-term capital growth.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
|
|
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 |
|
1.00% |
|
1.00% |
|
1.00% |
|
1.00% |
|
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
0.25% |
|
1.00% |
|
None |
|
None |
|
Other Expenses(1) |
|
0.43% |
|
0.54% |
|
0.35% |
|
0.30% |
|
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (AFFE) |
|
0.01% |
|
0.01% |
|
0.01% |
|
0.01% |
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2) |
|
1.69% |
|
2.55% |
|
1.36% |
|
1.31% |
|
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
(0.24)% |
|
(0.35)% |
|
(0.16)% |
|
(0.26)% |
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(3) |
|
1.45% |
|
2.20% |
|
1.20% |
|
1.05% |
|
(1) Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement.
(3)Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.44%, 2.19%, 1.19%, and 1.04% of average daily net assets for Classes A, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of the 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
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 and that the Funds 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 C |
|
|||||
1 Year |
|
$ |
714 |
|
$ |
323 |
|
$ |
122 |
|
$ |
107 |
|
$ |
223 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
1,055 |
|
$ |
760 |
|
$ |
415 |
|
$ |
390 |
|
$ |
760 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
1,419 |
|
$ |
1,324 |
|
$ |
729 |
|
$ |
693 |
|
$ |
1,324 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
2,439 |
|
$ |
2,859 |
|
$ |
1,621 |
|
$ |
1,556 |
|
$ |
2,859 |
|
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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was 46% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of small-cap companies. In implementing this policy, the Fund primarily invests in common stocks of small-cap companies. For purposes of the Fund, a small capitalization company has a market capitalization within the range represented in the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index (between approximately $11 million and $4.7 billion as of June 30, 2015). The market capitalization range of the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index will change with market conditions. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in common stocks of foreign small- and mid-cap companies through the purchase of depositary receipts or foreign domiciled companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. Non-U.S. issuer or foreign companies (or issuers) are companies that: (i) are organized under the laws of; (ii) maintain their principal place of business in; (iii) have the principal trading market for their securities in; (iv) derive at least 50% of revenues or profits from operation in; or (v) have at least 50% of their assets in, foreign countries.
The Fund may also invest in shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other similar instruments.
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment goal by investing in a diversified portfolio of common stocks of small-cap growth-oriented companies that are selected for their long-term capital appreciation potential and are expected to grow faster than the U.S. economy. In selecting investments for the Fund, Apex Capital Management, Inc., sub-advisor to the Fund (Apex or the Sub-Advisor), uses an approach that combines top-down secular- and macro-economic trend analysis with bottom-up security selection. The top-down approach takes into consideration factors such as interest rates, inflation, fiscal and monetary policy, global demographic trends, the regulatory environment, and global investment opportunities. Through this top-down view, Apex seeks to provide a framework for bottom-up research by identifying sectors, industries, and companies that may benefit from the sustainability of the observed trends.
Apex applies fundamental bottom-up research to identify individual companies that exhibit earnings growth potential and may benefit from observed secular- and macro-economic trends. The core investments of the Fund typically include more established companies that Apex recognizes as stable growth companies. Stable growth companies typically provide more stability and consistency in volatile markets and are identified as exhibiting potential earnings acceleration, consistency of earnings, solid fundamentals (e.g., a strong balance sheet or the ability to generate free-cash flow), franchise durability, and reasonable valuations in the context of projected growth rates. The Fund may also invest in companies that are in the earlier stages of their growth cycle that Apex recognizes as emerging growth companies. Emerging growth companies typically exhibit more aggressive growth characteristics and may be experiencing a significant positive transformation or a favorable catalyst impacting their long-term earnings potential. Characteristics Apex considers in identifying emerging growth companies for the Fund include accelerating revenue growth, relative strength, company specific market advantage, or an introduction of a new product line with a large addressable marketplace.
The Fund may sell a security when the security achieves full valuation; Apex identifies a more attractive investment; when the Fund needs to maintain portfolio diversification; or when an individual security experiences declining fundamentals, negative earnings surprise, or similar adverse events. In general, once a security reaches $5 billion in market capitalization, Apex will gradually liquidate the position.
This Funds 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days prior notice to shareholders.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds 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 Funds shares.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium-capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
· 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, 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.
Growth Investing Risk: Growth-oriented funds may underperform when value investing is in favor, and growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing companys growth of earnings potential. Also, because growth companies usually reinvest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, growth stocks may lack the dividends of some value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.
Management Risk: In managing the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
Other Investment Companies Risk (including Exchange-Traded Funds Risk): The Funds investments in other investment companies, including ETFs, will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities comprising the portfolios of such investment companies, and the value of the Funds investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of such portfolios. Although many ETFs seek to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of a particular market index, the price movement of an ETF may not track the underlying index. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, shareholders of the Fund will bear both their proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the fees expenses of the investment companies. To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited.
As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal. You can find more information about the Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index. The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 2nd Quarter 2009 32.54% Worst Quarter: 4th Quarter 2008 (27.89)%
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 13.14%.
Before the Small Cap Growth Fund changed its name, principal investment strategy, and sub-advisor, the Fund was managed as the Touchstone Micro Cap Value Fund. The change from the Micro Cap Value Fund to Small Cap Growth Fund occurred on April 26, 2013. Before the Micro Cap Value Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Fifth Third Micro Cap Value Fund (the Predecessor Fund) were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization (the Reorganization). The Reorganization occurred on September 10, 2012. As a result of the Reorganization, the Fund assumed the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund. Financial and performance information prior to April 26, 2013 included in the Funds prospectus is that of the Micro Cap Value Fund and its Predecessor Fund. For more information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds Statement of Additional Information.
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class C shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were August 13, 2001, August 13, 2001, February 1, 1998 and September 10, 2012, respectively. Institutional Class shares performance was calculated using the historical performance of Class Y shares for periods prior to September 10, 2012. Performance for these periods has been restated to reflect the impact of the fees and expenses applicable to Institutional Class shares.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
(2.32 |
)% |
13.22 |
% |
5.69 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
(3.07 |
)% |
12.14 |
% |
3.57 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
(1.03 |
)% |
10.47 |
% |
4.40 |
% |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
2.00 |
% |
13.70 |
% |
5.54 |
% |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
4.06 |
% |
14.89 |
% |
6.60 |
% |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
4.23 |
% |
14.97 |
% |
6.63 |
% |
Russell 2000 ® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
5.60 |
% |
16.80 |
% |
8.54 |
% |
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
Investment Experience with Fund |
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
Apex Capital Management |
|
Nitin N. Kumbhani |
|
Managing the Fund since 2013 |
|
President and Chief Investment Officer |
|
|
Classes A, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Classes A and C shares may be purchased and sold directly from Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities) or through your financial intermediary. Class Y shares are available only through financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities. Institutional Class shares are available through Touchstone Securities or your financial intermediary. 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
TOUCHSTONE SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND SUMMARY
The Funds Investment Goal
The Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (the Fund) (formerly, the Touchstone Large Cap Growth Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Funds 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, at least $50,000 or more in the Touchstone Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled Choosing a Class of Shares in the Funds prospectus on page 58 and in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on page 55.
|
|
Class A |
|
Class B |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional Class |
|
S hareholder 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 |
|
5.00% |
|
1.00% |
|
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 |
|
0.71% |
|
0.71% |
|
0.71% |
|
0.71% |
|
0.71% |
|
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
0.25% |
|
0.36% |
|
1.00% |
|
None |
|
None |
|
Other Expenses(1) |
|
0.31% |
|
1.19% |
|
0.31% |
|
0.28% |
|
0.25%(2) |
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(3) |
|
1.27% |
|
2.26% |
|
2.02% |
|
0.99% |
|
0.96% |
|
Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(4) |
|
(0.03)% |
|
(0.27)% |
|
(0.03)% |
|
0.00% |
|
(0.07)% |
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement(4) |
|
1.24%(5) |
|
1.99%(5) |
|
1.99%(5) |
|
0.99% |
|
0.89% |
|
(1)Other Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Funds Administration Agreement effective January 1, 2015.
(2)Other Expenses are estimated. The Fund began offering Institutional Class shares on May 4, 2015.
(3) Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated to reflect contractual changes in the Funds Administration Agreement and will differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets that is included in the Funds annual report dated March 31, 2015.
(4)Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Strategic 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 expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with 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 1.24%, 1.99%, 1.99%, 0.99% and 0.89% of average daily net assets for Classes A, B, C, Y, and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This contractual expense limitation is effective through July 29, 2016, but can be terminated by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) if it deems the termination to be beneficial to the Funds shareholders. The terms of this 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 year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
(5)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 dated March 31, 2015 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 and that the Funds 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 B |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional Class |
|
Class B |
|
Class C |
|
|||||||
1 Year |
|
$ |
694 |
|
$ |
702 |
|
$ |
302 |
|
$ |
101 |
|
$ |
91 |
|
$ |
202 |
|
$ |
202 |
|
3 Years |
|
$ |
952 |
|
$ |
980 |
|
$ |
631 |
|
$ |
315 |
|
$ |
299 |
|
$ |
680 |
|
$ |
631 |
|
5 Years |
|
$ |
1,229 |
|
$ |
1,285 |
|
$ |
1,085 |
|
$ |
547 |
|
$ |
524 |
|
$ |
1,185 |
|
$ |
1,085 |
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
2,018 |
|
$ |
2,324 |
|
$ |
2,346 |
|
$ |
1,213 |
|
$ |
1,172 |
|
$ |
2,324 |
|
$ |
2,346 |
|
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 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 Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 98% of the average value of its portfolio.
The Funds Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of U.S. and non-U.S. companies that meet certain financial and environmental, social, and governance criteria. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), and interests in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds that invest in equity securities.
The Funds sub-advisor, Rockefeller & Co., Inc. (Rockefeller or the Sub-Advisor), selects investments for the Fund based on an evaluation of a companys financial condition and its sustainability and impact practices. Rockefeller applies bottom-up security analysis that includes fundamental, sector-based research in seeking to identify businesses that have high or improving returns on capital, barriers to competition, and compelling valuations. Rockefellers sustainability and impact evaluation considers environmental, social, and governance criteria such as corporate governance practices, product quality and safety, workplace diversity practices, environmental impact and sustainability, community investment and development, and human rights record. Rockefeller analyzes the potential environmental, social and governance impacts and risks of a company, considers how well the company manages these impacts and risks, and ascertains the companys willingness and ability to take a leadership position in implementing best practices. Through this evaluation and ongoing engagement, Rockefeller seeks to support and encourage the companys progress toward sustainability.
The Fund invests in securities of any size, but generally focuses on larger, more established companies. The Fund invests primarily in securities of companies domiciled in developed markets, but may invest up to 30% of its net assets in securities of companies domiciled in emerging and frontier markets. Emerging markets are defined as those countries not included in the MSCI World Index, a developed market index. As of March 31, 2015, 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 markets are those emerging market countries that have the smallest, least mature economies and least developed capital markets.
Rockefeller does not intend to engage in frequent and active trading as part of its principal investment strategy.
This Funds 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days prior notice to shareholders.
The Funds Principal Risks
The Funds 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.
Convertible Securities Risk : Convertible securities are subject to the risks of both debt securities and equity securities. The values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates rise and, due to the conversion feature, tend to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying security.
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 Funds shares.
· 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· Preferred Stock Risk: Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed prior to its maturity, which can have a negative impact on the stocks price when interest rates decline.
· 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers 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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
· Depositary Receipts Risk : Foreign receipts, which include ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, 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 Funds investments in securities of issuers located in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.
· Frontier Markets Risk : Frontier markets have similar risks to emerging markets, except that these risks are often magnified in a frontier market due to its smaller and less developed economy. As a result, frontier markets may experience greater changes in market or economic conditions, financial stability, price volatility, currency fluctuations, and other risks inherent in foreign securities.
Management Risk: In managing the Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
Other Investment Companies Risk (including Exchange-Traded Funds Risk): The Funds investments in other investment companies, including ETFs, will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities comprising the portfolios of such investment companies, and the value of the Funds investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of such portfolios. Although many ETFs seek to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of a particular market index, the price movement of an ETF may not track the underlying index. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, shareholders of the Fund will bear both their proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the fees expenses of the investment companies. To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited.
Sustainability and Impact Investing Risk: The Funds environmental, social and corporate governance criteria may cause the Fund to forgo opportunities to buy certain securities, or forgo opportunities to gain exposure to certain industries, sectors, regions and countries. In addition, the Fund may be required to sell a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous for it to 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 Funds investments and risks under the Investment Strategies and Risks section of the Funds prospectus.
The Funds Performance
The bar chart and performance table below illustrate some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for one year, five years, and ten years compare with the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI). The bar chart does not reflect any sales charges, which would reduce your return. For information on the prior history of the Fund, please see the section entitled The Trust in the Funds Statement of Additional Information. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance is available at no cost by visiting TouchstoneInvestments.com or by calling 1.800.543.0407.
On May 4, 2015, the Fund changed its name, principal investment strategies and sub-advisor. Consequently, prior period performance may have been different if the Fund had not been managed by the prior sub-advisor using that sub-advisors large cap growth strategy.
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class A Shares Total Return as of December 31
Best Quarter: 3 rd Quarter 2009 14.98% Worst Quarter: 4 th Quarter 2008 (23.90)%
The year-to-date return for the Funds Class A shares as of June 30, 2015 is 4.29%.
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 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 IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged account. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
The inception dates of Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares, Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares were December 19,
1997, October 4, 2003, October 4, 2003, November 10, 2004 and May 4, 2015, respectively. The Institutional Class shares commenced operations on May 4, 2015, therefore no historical performance is provided. Annual returns would differ only to the extent that classes have different expenses.
Average Annual Total Returns
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
4.27 |
% |
12.45 |
% |
6.44 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
0.06 |
% |
11.03 |
% |
5.76 |
% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
|
5.83 |
% |
9.89 |
% |
5.17 |
% |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
5.34 |
% |
13.10 |
% |
6.61 |
% |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
8.86 |
% |
12.92 |
% |
6.35 |
% |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
10.93 |
% |
14.08 |
% |
7.33 |
% |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return Before Taxes |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
Russell 1000 ® Growth Index (1) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
13.05 |
% |
15.81 |
% |
8.49 |
% |
MSCI ACWI (1)(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
4.16 |
% |
9.17 |
% |
6.09 |
% |
(1) The Fund changed its benchmark from the Russell 1000 ® Growth Index to the MSCI ACWI on May 4, 2015, in conjunction with the Funds name change and change in principal investment strategies.
(2) The MSCI ACWI returns disclosed are net of withholding taxes.
The Funds Management
Investment Advisor
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
Sub-Advisor |
|
Portfolio Managers |
|
Investment Experience with the Fund |
|
Primary Title with Sub-Advisor |
Rockefeller & Co., Inc. |
|
David P. Harris |
|
Managing Fund since 2015 |
|
Managing Director, Chief Investment Officer |
|
|
Farha-Joyce Haboucha |
|
Managing Fund since 2015 |
|
Managing Director, Director of Sustainability and Impact, Senior Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Jimmy C. Chang |
|
Managing Fund since 2015 |
|
Managing Director, Chief Equity Strategist, Senior Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Classes A, B, C, and Y |
|
||||
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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
|
|
Additional
|
|
||
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. Class B shares are no longer offered for sale. 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. Shares held in IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone 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 pay dividends and 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 individual retirement account. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
PROSPECTUS
This prospectus applies to the Touchstone Flexible Income Fund (the Flexible Income Fund), Touchstone Focused Fund (the Focused Fund), Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund (the Growth Opportunities Fund), Touchstone International Value Fund (the International Value Fund), Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund (the Mid Cap Growth Fund), Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund (the Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund), Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund (the Small Cap Growth Fund), and Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund) (each a Fund, and collectively, the Funds).
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
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 permitted investments and strategies are described in detail in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Each Funds investment goal is non-fundamental, and may be changed by the Trusts 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 Funds taxable income, and when a Fund is invested defensively, it may not achieve its investment goal. A Fund will do so only if the Funds sub-advisor believes that the risk of loss in using the Funds normal strategies and investments outweighs the opportunity for gains. Of course, there can be no guarantee that any Fund will achieve its investment goal.
In addition to the defensive measures above, for defensive purposes in periods of high stock market volatility, the Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund may invest in other transferable securities in any country, including securities in developed markets.
80% Investment Policy. Certain of the 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.
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-advisors judgment, the security remains otherwise consistent with the Funds investment goal and strategies. However, this change in market capitalization could affect the Funds flexibility in making new investments.
The following Funds have specified a market capitalization range: Flexible Income Fund, Mid Cap Growth Fund, and Small Cap Growth Fund.
Other Investment Companies. 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 (SEC) staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC.
Lending of Portfolio Securities. 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, 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.
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:
|
|
Equity Funds |
|
Fixed-Income
|
|
||||||||||||
Risks |
|
Focused
|
|
Growth
|
|
International
|
|
Mid
|
|
Sands
|
|
Small
|
|
Sustainability
|
|
Flexible
|
|
Asset-Backed Securities Risk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
Convertible Securities Risk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
Credit Risk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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X |
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Depositary Receipts Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Derivatives Risk |
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X |
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X |
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Emerging Markets Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Equity Securities Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Equity-Related Securities Risk |
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X |
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Fixed-Income Risk |
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X |
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Foreign Securities Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Forward Currency Exchange Contract Risk |
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X |
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Frontier Markets Risk |
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X |
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X |
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Futures Contracts Risk |
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X |
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Growth Investing Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Indian Securities Risk |
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X |
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Interest Rate Risk |
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X |
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Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk |
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X |
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Large-Cap Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Management Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Mid-Cap Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk |
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X |
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Non-Diversification Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Non-Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk |
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X |
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Options Risk |
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X |
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X |
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Other Investment Companies Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Portfolio Turnover Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Preferred Stock Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Real Estate Investment Trust Risk |
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X |
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Sector Focus Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Small-Cap Risk |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Sustainability and Impact Investing Risk |
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X |
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Swap Agreement Risk |
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X |
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U.S. Government Agencies Securities Risk |
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X |
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Value Investing Risk |
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X |
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X |
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Convertible Securities Risk : Convertible securities are subject to the risks of both debt securities and equity securities. The values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates rise and, due to the conversion feature, tend to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying security.
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 Funds 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 Funds assets and defer recognition of certain of the Funds losses. The Funds ability to invest in derivatives may be restricted by certain provisions of the federal income tax laws relating to the Funds 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.
· Equity-Related Securities Risk: The Fund may invest in equity-related securities, including low-exercise-price options (LEPOs), low exercise price warrants (LEPWs), and participatory notes (P-notes) to gain exposure to issuers in certain emerging or frontier market countries. LEPOs, LEPWs, and P-notes are offshore derivative instruments issued to foreign institutional investors and their sub-accounts against underlying securities traded in emerging or frontier markets. These securities may be listed on an exchange or traded over-the-counter, and are similar to ADRs. As a result, the risks of investing in LEPOs, LEPWs, and P-notes are similar to depositary receipts risk and foreign securities risk in general. Specifically these securities entail both counterparty riskthe risk that the issuer of the LEPO, LEPW, or P-Note may not be able to fulfill its obligations or that the holder and counterparty or issuer may disagree as to the meaning or application of contractual termsand liquidity riskthe risk that a liquid market may not exist for such securities.
· Forward Currency Exchange Contract Risk: A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific currency at a future date and at a price set at the time of the contract. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts may reduce the risk of loss from a change in value of a currency, but they also limit any potential gains and do not protect against fluctuations in the value of the underlying position and are subject to counterparty risk. The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a forward foreign currency contract. Accordingly, a Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the sub-advisors predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that a Fund will have flexibility to rollover a forward foreign currency contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services under the contract.
· 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.
· Swap Agreement 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 counterpartys 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 Funds 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 companys 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.
· Mid-Cap Risk: The Fund is subject to the risk that medium capitalization stocks may underperform other types of stocks or the equity markets as a whole. Stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, and may be dependent upon a particular niche of the market.
· Preferred Stock Risk: Preferred stock represents an equity interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed prior to its maturity, both of which can have a negative impact on the stocks price when interest rates decline.
· Real Estate Investment Trust Risk: Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are pooled investment vehicles that primarily invest in commercial real estate or real estate-related loans. REITs are susceptible to the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate, such as declines in property values and rental rates, increases in property taxes, operating expenses, rising interest rates, competition, overbuilding, zoning changes, and losses from casualty or condemnation. REITs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Funds investments in REITs will result in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the REITs operating expenses in addition to paying their share of the Funds fees and expenses.
· 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 securitys 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 underlying assets and/or provided 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 any credit enhancement feature, 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 Funds 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 issuers securities to decline in value. Credit risk is particularly relevant to those portfolios that invest a significant amount of their assets in junk bonds or lower-rated securities.
· 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 Funds net asset value.
· Investment-Grade Debt Securities Risk: Investment-grade debt securities may be downgraded by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) to below-investment-grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. Investment-grade debt securities rated in the lowest rating category by a NRSRO involve a higher degree of risk than fixed-income securities with higher credit ratings. While such securities are considered investment-grade quality and are deemed to have adequate capacity for payment of principal and interest, such securities lack outstanding investment characteristics and may share certain speculative characteristics with non-investment-grade securities.
· 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 refinancing, 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 Funds 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 a 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 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.
· U.S. Government Agency 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.
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 Funds 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 issuers
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 issuers insolvency proceeding.
· 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, 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 Funds investments in securities of issuers located in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.
· Frontier Markets Risk: Frontier markets have similar risks to emerging markets, except that these risks are often magnified in a frontier market due to its smaller and less developed economy. As a result, frontier markets may experience greater changes in market or economic conditions, financial stability, price volatility, currency fluctuations, and other risks inherent in foreign securities.
· Indian Securities Risk: Investments in Indian securities are subject to all the same risks applicable to investments in securities of other emerging market issuers. Indian securities markets are, among other things, substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in the United States. Accordingly, buying and selling Indian securities involve special risks and considerations not present with respect to U.S. securities.
Growth Investing Risk: Growth-oriented funds may underperform when value investing is in favor, and growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing companys growth of earnings potential. Also, because growth companies usually reinvest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, growth stocks may lack the dividends of some value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.
Management Risk: In managing a Funds portfolio, Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (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.
Non-Diversification Risk: A non-diversified Fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of a limited number of issuers, subject to federal income tax restrictions relating to the Funds qualification as a regulated investment company. Because a higher percentage of a non-diversified Funds holdings may be invested in the securities of a limited number of issuers, the Fund may be more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, business, political or regulatory event than a diversified fund.
Other Investment Companies Risk (including Exchange-Traded Funds Risk): The Funds investments in other investment companies, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and closed-end funds, will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities comprising the portfolios of such investment companies, and the value of the Funds investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of such portfolios. The value of the shares of closed-end funds may be lower than the value of the portfolio securities held by the closed-end fund. Also, although many ETFs seek to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of a particular market index, the price movement of an ETF may not track the underlying index. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, shareholders of the Fund will bear both their proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the fees and expenses of the investment companies. There may also not be an active trading market available for shares of some investment companies. Additionally, trading of investment company shares may be halted or delisted by the listing exchange. To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited.
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 Funds 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-advisors control. These transactions will increase a Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds returns.
Sector Focus Risk: The Fund may focus its investments in certain sectors. A fund that focuses its investments in the securities of a particular market sector is subject to the risk that adverse circumstances will have a greater impact on the fund than a fund that does not focus its investments in a particular sector. It is possible that economic, business or political developments or other changes affecting one security in the sector of focus will affect other securities in that sector of focus in the same manner, thereby increasing the risk of such investments.
Sustainability and Impact Investing Risk: The Funds environmental, social and corporate governance criteria may cause the Fund to forgo opportunities to buy certain securities, or forgo opportunities to gain exposure to certain industries, sectors, regions and countries. In addition, the Fund may be required to sell a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous for it to do so.
Value Investing Risk: Value investing presents the risk that the Funds security holdings may never reach their full market value because the market fails to recognize what the portfolio managers consider the true business value or because the portfolio managers have misjudged those values. In addition, value investing may fall out of favor and underperform growth or other styles of investing during given certain periods.
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 45202-4203
Touchstone Advisors has been a registered investment advisor since 1994. As of March 31, 2015, Touchstone Advisors had approximately $20.7 billion in assets under management. As the Funds 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 Funds 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-advisors 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-advisors 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 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 its sub-advisory arrangements.
Two or more sub-advisors may manage a Fund, from time to time, with each managing a portion of a Funds assets. If a Fund has more than one sub-advisor, Touchstone Advisors allocates how much of a Funds 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. The Annual Fee Rate below is the fee paid to Touchstone Advisors by each Fund for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. Touchstone Advisors pays sub-advisory fees to each sub-advisor from its advisory fee.
Fund |
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Annual Fee Rate |
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Flexible Income Fund |
|
0.70 |
% |
Focused Fund |
|
0.63 |
% |
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
0.75 |
% |
International Value Fund |
|
1.00 |
% |
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
0.73 |
% |
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
1.15 |
% |
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
1.00 |
% |
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund(1) |
|
0.71 |
% |
(1) Prior to May 4, 2015, known as the Touchstone Large Cap Growth Fund.
Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreement Approval. A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees approval of all other Funds advisory and sub-advisory agreements can be found in the Trusts March 31, 2015 annual report.
Sub-Advisors and Portfolio Managers
Listed below are the sub-advisors and their respective portfolio managers that have responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Funds. A brief biographical description of each portfolio manager is also provided. The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers investments in the Fund, a description of their compensation structure, and information regarding other accounts that they manage.
Flexible Income Fund
Clear Arc Capital, Inc. (ClearArc Capital) serves as the sub-advisor to the Flexible Income Fund. ClearArc Capital is a SEC-registered investment advisor located at 580 Walnut Street, 6 th Floor, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. ClearArc Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Financial Corporation, which is in turn a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bancorp. ClearArc Capital provides comprehensive advisory services for institutional and personal clients. ClearArc Capital offers a diversified asset management product line utilizing commingled funds, and separate accounts. As sub-advisor, ClearArc Capital makes investment decisions for the Fund and also ensures compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. As of March 31, 2015, ClearArc had approximately $5.9 billion of assets under management.
ClearArc Capital manages the Flexible Income Fund with a team of portfolio managers who are jointly and primarily responsible for the management of the Funds portfolio.
Peter Kwiatkowski, CFA , is the Director of Growth and Income Strategies for ClearArc Capital. He joined ClearArc Capital in 2002 and has 16 years of investment experience. Prior to joining ClearArc Capital, he worked in Fifth Third Banks Treasury Group where his responsibilities included structured finance, investments, balance sheet management, and economic analysis. Prior to that, Mr. Kwiatkowski served as a Portfolio Analyst for Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO). His previous experience also includes 7 years in real estate, most recently as the manager of a unit handling defaulted mortgages. He is a member of the Cincinnati Society of Financial Analysts and a volunteer financial counselor. He graduated summa cum laude from California State University at Long Beach with a B.S. in Finance, Real Estate, and Law and is a CFA charterholder.
David Withrow, CFA , is the Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Director of Taxable Fixed Income for ClearArc Capital. He joined ClearArc Capital. He joined ClearArc Capital in 2001 as a Senior Fixed Income Portfolio Manager and has 26 years of investment experience. Prior to that, David served in a similar capacity for Fifth Third Bank Investment Advisors. He is a member of the Cincinnati Society of Financial Analysts and a Board member for The Cooperative for Education in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Withrow graduated from Anderson University with a B.A. in Economics and is a CFA charterholder.
Mitchell Stapley, CFA , is the Chief Investment Officer for ClearArc Capital. He joined ClearArc Capital in 2001 and has 31 years of investment experience. Prior to joining ClearArc Capital, Mr. Stapley was the Chief Fixed Income Officer at Lyon
Street Asset Management, a subsidiary of Old Kent Bank, which was later acquired by Fifth Third Bank. Previously, he was Manager of Short Term Investments/Foreign Exchange Exposure at Navistar International Corporation in Chicago. While at Navistar, he was responsible for both investment strategy and implementation, and foreign exchange hedging and trading. Prior to that, Mr. Stapley served as a Portfolio Manager for William Wrigley Jr. Company in Chicago. He is a member of the Detroit Bond Club, is on the investment committee for the Western Michigan University Endowment Fund, and has served as the President of the CFA Society of West Michigan. He graduated with a B.A. from Albion College and is a CFA charterholder.
John Cassady III, CFA , is a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Taxable Fixed Income team for ClearArc Capital. He joined ClearArc Capital in 2001 and has 25 years of investment experience. Prior to joining ClearArc Capital, he held a similar position at Lyon Street Asset Management, a subsidiary of Old Kent Bank, which was acquired by Fifth Third Bank. Previously, he was a fixed-income portfolio manager at Atlantic Portfolio Analytics & Management (APAM) which has since been acquired by Utendahl Capital Management (now UCM Partners). He is a member of the CFA West Michigan Society. Mr. Cassady graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Industrial Management and is a CFA charterholder.
Focused Fund
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (Fort Washington) , a SEC-registered investment advisor located at 303 Broadway, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, serves as the sub-advisor to the Focused Fund. As the sub-advisor, Fort Washington makes investment decisions for the Fund and also ensures compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. As of March 31, 2015, Fort Washington managed approximately $45.6 billion in assets.
James Wilhelm , Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, 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, and then Managing Director in 2014.
Growth Opportunities Fund & Mid Cap Growth Fund
Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. (Westfield) , located at One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as sub-advisor to the Growth Opportunities Fund and the Mid Cap Growth Fund. Westfield has been a registered investment advisor since 1989 and has managed the Growth Opportunities Fund since July 2006 and the Mid Cap Growth Fund since its inception. As sub-advisor, Westfield makes investment decisions for the Funds and also ensures compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. As of March 31, 2015, Westfield managed approximately $17.7 billion in assets.
Investment decisions for the Funds are made by the Westfield Investment Committee (the Committee), which is chaired by William A. Muggia. Although the Committee collectively acts as portfolio manager for the Funds, Westfield lists the following Committee member, based on seniority within the Committee, as having day-to-day management responsibilities.
William A. Muggia is President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and Partner of Westfield. He covers the Healthcare and Energy sectors, as well as provides overall market strategy. He has been at Westfield since 1994 and managed the Growth Opportunities Fund since 2006 and Mid Cap Growth Fund since inception.
International Value Fund
Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC (Barrow Hanley) is a SEC-registered advisor located at 2200 Ross Avenue, 31st Floor, Dallas, Texas 75201. As sub-advisor to the International Value Fund, Barrow Hanley makes investment decisions for the Fund and also ensures compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. Barrow Hanley has provided value-oriented investment strategies to institutional investors and mutual funds since 1979. As of March 31, 2015, Barrow Hanley managed approximately $97.6 billion in assets.
Barrow Hanley manages the International Value Fund with a team, including a portfolio manager and an assistant portfolio manager, who are jointly and primarily responsible for the management of the Funds portfolio. David A. Hodges, Jr. is the lead portfolio manager and Randolph S. Wrighton, Jr. is the assistant portfolio manager.
David A. Hodges, Jr, CFA , joined Barrow Hanley in 2001. Mr. Hodges earned a BA from Southern Methodist University, an MBA from the University of Florida, and a JD from the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Randolph S. Wrighton, Jr., CFA , joined Barrow Hanley in 2005 as an equity analyst. He earned a BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Texas.
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund
Sands Capital Management, LLC (Sands Capital or the Sub-Advisor), located at 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 2300,
Arlington, Virginia 22209, serves as sub-advisor to the Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund. As sub-advisor, Sands Capital makes investment decisions for the Fund in compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. As of March 31, 2015, Sands Capital had approximately $48.0 billion in assets under management.
Brian A. Christiansen , CFA, Research Analyst and Portfolio Manager, joined Sands Capital in June 2006 as a Research Associate. He has investment experience dating back to 2006. Mr. Christiansen received his BA in Economics from Yale University (2005). He also earned his MBA from Yale School of Management (2009). Mr. Christiansen earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Ashraf A. Haque , Research Analyst and Portfolio Manager, joined Sands Capital in August 2008 as a Research Analyst. Prior to 2008, Mr. Haque worked as an Investment Analyst for Chesapeake Partners in Baltimore, Maryland from 2007 to 2008. From 2003 to 2005, he worked as a Business Analyst for McKinsey & Company in Chicago, Illinois, and as a Director, Business Development for GH Smart & Company in Chicago, Illinois from 2001 to 2003. Mr. Haque received his BA in Mathematical Methods in Social Sciences and Economics from Northwestern University (2001). He also earned his MBA from the Harvard Business School (2007).
Neil Kansari , Research Analyst and Portfolio Manager, joined Sands Capital in June 2008. Prior to 2008, Mr. Kansari worked as an Associate, Sr. Business Analyst at PRTM in Waltham, Massachusetts, from 2002 to 2006. From 1999 to 2002, he worked as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. From 1996 to 1999, he worked as an Application Analyst at Millennium Solutions, Universal Impex and as an Accounting Trainee at Mahajan & Aibara: Shah Gupta & Co. in Mumbai, India. Mr. Kansari earned his BE in Electronics Engineering from the University of Mumbai (1996), and his MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia (2002). He also earned his MBA from the Darden School of Business (2008).
Small Cap Growth Fund
Apex Capital Management, Inc. (Apex) , serves as the sub-advisor to the Small Cap Growth Fund. Apex is a SEC-registered investment advisor located at 8163 Old Yankee Street, Suite E, Dayton, Ohio 45458. As sub-advisor to the Fund, Apex makes investment decisions for the Fund and also ensures compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. As of March 31, 2015, Apex had approximately $6.3 billion of assets under management.
Nitin N. Kumbhani is the portfolio manager of the Small Cap Growth Fund. Mr. Kumbhani is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Apex, which he founded in 1987. Prior to launching Apex, he started Source Data Systems (SDS), a software company that pioneered ATM software. He sold SDS and started Kumbhani and Co. (now Apex) in 1987. Mr. Kumbhanis background as a developer of technology working with the financial services industry has served him well as a growth stock portfolio manager. He received his BS in Electrical Engineering and Economics and did graduate studies in Computer Sciences at West Virginia University.
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund
Rockefeller & Co., Inc. (Rockefeller) is the sub-advisor to the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund and is located at 10 Rockefeller Plaza, Third Floor, New York, New York 10020. As sub-advisor, Rockefeller makes investment decisions for the Fund and also ensures compliance with the Funds investment policies and guidelines. Headquartered in New York City, Rockefeller is a global asset management and investment advisory firm that was founded in 1882 by John D. Rockefeller to manage the Rockefeller Familys personal and philanthropic interests. Rockefeller was incorporated in 1979 and registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1980 as an investment adviser. Today, Rockefeller provides investment management services and wealth advice to institutions, foundations and endowments, non-profits, individuals, trusts and families. The Funds investment strategy reflects Rockefellers Global Sustainability & Impact Equity Strategy, which is managed by three portfolio managers and supported by a team of financial analysts and dedicated sustainability and impact analysts. Rockefeller had approximately $9.87 billion in net assets under management as of March 31, 2015.
The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for the management of the Funds portfolio:
David P. Harris, CFA, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director, joined Rockefeller in 1999 and began managing the Fund in 2015. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Mr. Harris spent over three years with Stein Roe & Farnham, as Portfolio Manager of the Stein Roe International Fund and Stein Roe Emerging Markets Fund. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder and received an MBA with Distinction in Finance from Cornell University and a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Farha-Joyce Haboucha, CFA, Director of Sustainability and Impact, Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, joined Rockefeller in 1997 and began managing the Fund in 2015. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Ms. Haboucha
worked for ten years as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Co-Director of Socially Responsive Investment Services at Neuberger Berman. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder and received a BA in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
Jimmy C. Chang, CFA, Chief Equity Strategist, Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, joined Rockefeller in 2004 and began managing the Fund in 2015. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Mr. Chang served as a Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Strategist and Senior Technology Analyst at the U.S. Trust Company of New York, where he led technology equity research and co-managed a technology fund. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder and received an MBA in Finance/International Business from New York University and a BS (summa cum laude) in Electrical Engineering from The Cooper Union.
Prior Performance of Similar Accounts Managed by Rockefeller. Rockefeller has been managing Global Sustainability and Impact Equity portfolios since 1991. Rockefeller Asset Management (RAM), a division of Rockefeller and the Firm for purposes of the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®), began maintaining a composite of substantially similarly managed accounts using this strategy on January 1, 2006. This Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite and the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund have substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies. The information for the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite is provided to show RAMs past performance in managing the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite, as measured against a specified market index. The performance of the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite does not represent the historical performance of the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund and should not be considered indicative of future performance of the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund. Results may differ because of, among other things, differences in brokerage commissions, account expenses, including management fees, the size of positions taken in relation to account size and diversification of securities, timing of purchases and sales, and availability of cash for new investments. In addition, the accounts included in the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification or other restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which, if applicable, may have adversely affected the performance results of the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite. The results for different periods may vary. All of RAMs substantially similar accounts and funds that have substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund are included in the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite returns presented below. The performance return information presented below was provided by Rockefeller.
Net of Fees performance returns shown reflect the gross performance after the deduction of an annual investment management fee of 1.20% deducted monthlythe highest breakpoint in effect under historical fee schedules during the periods shown. The composite has not been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund. If the Sustainability and Impact Equity Funds higher expenses were reflected, the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite performance presented would be lower. The Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composites rate of return includes realized and unrealized gains plus income. Returns from cash and cash equivalents in the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite are included in the performance calculations, and the cash and cash equivalents are included in the total assets on which the performance is calculated.
From January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2014, the Global Sustainability and Impact Equity composite performance information is calculated in accordance with GIPS®, created and administered by the CFA Institute. This method of calculating performance differs from the SECs standardized methodology used to calculate mutual fund performance and may result in an average annual total return that may be higher than that derived from the SECs standardized methodology. RAM has been independently verified for the period January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2013. Verification assesses whether (1) the firm has complied with all of the composite construction requirements of the GIPS standards on a firm-wide basis and (2) the firms policies and procedures are designed to calculate and present performance in compliance with the GIPS standards. The Global Sustainability and Impact Equity Composite has been examined for the period January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2013. The verification and performance examination reports are available upon request. For a complete list and description of RAMs composites, additional information about policies and procedures for valuing portfolios and calculating performance, and/or a complete presentation that adheres to the GIPS® standards, contact Institutional Sales at Rockefeller & Co., Inc., 10 Rockefeller Plaza, Third Floor, New York, New York 10020 or call 1.212.549.5100.
|
|
2006 |
|
2007 |
|
2008 |
|
2009 |
|
2010 |
|
Rockefellers Composite (net of fees) |
|
20.9 |
% |
13.4 |
% |
-40.4 |
% |
27.9 |
% |
12.7 |
% |
MSCI ACWI(1) |
|
21.0 |
% |
11.7 |
% |
-42.2 |
% |
34.6 |
% |
12.7 |
% |
|
|
2011 |
|
2012 |
|
2013 |
|
2014 |
|
Rockefellers Composite (net of fees) |
|
-5.4 |
% |
16.3 |
% |
30.7 |
% |
4.8 |
% |
MSCI ACWI(1) |
|
-7.4 |
% |
16.1 |
% |
22.8 |
% |
4.2 |
% |
|
|
1 Year(2) |
|
5 Year(2) |
|
Since
|
|
Rockefellers Composite (net of fees) |
|
4.8 |
% |
11.2 |
% |
6.6 |
% |
MSCI ACWI(1) |
|
4.2 |
% |
9.2 |
% |
5.6 |
% |
(1) The MSCI ACWI measures the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets. Source: MSCI. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used to create indices or financial products. This report is not approved or produced by MSCI. The MSCI ACWI returns disclosed are net of withholding taxes.
(2) Returns as of December 31, 2014.
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.
Class A Shares (All Funds except Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund)
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.
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 (1) offering price and (2) 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
|
|
Sales Charge as % of
|
|
Dealer Reallowance
|
|
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 |
|
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, 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 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 plans 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.
* 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. The term employee is deemed to include current and retired employees.
In addition, Class A shares may be purchased with no front-end sales charge 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 without the imposition of a sales charge. The intermediary provides investors participating in the program with additional services, including advisory, asset allocation, recordkeeping, or other services. 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 also may 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 consider carefully any separate transaction and 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 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.
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 individuals spouse, or an individuals children under the age of 21;
· 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 Class A shares of any Touchstone Fund sold with a front-end sales charge 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)
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 Class A 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. 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 Class A 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 Purchasers 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.
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), then 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 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.
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 advisor or contact Touchstone at 1.800.543.0407.
Class B Shares (Mid Cap Growth Fund and Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund)
Class B shares of the Funds are no longer offered for sale. Class B shares are subject to a 12b-1 fee. A CDSC will be charged if you redeem Class B shares within 6 years after you purchased them. The amount of the CDSC will depend on how long you have held your shares, as set forth in the following table:
Year Since Purchase Payment Made |
|
CDSC as a % of Amount Subject
|
|
First |
|
5.00 |
% |
Second |
|
4.00 |
% |
Third |
|
3.00 |
% |
Fourth |
|
2.00 |
% |
Fifth |
|
1.00 |
% |
Sixth |
|
1.00 |
% |
Seventh and thereafter* |
|
None |
|
*Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares after they have been held for approximately 8 years.
Conversion to Class A Shares. Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares after 8 years from your initial purchase. The conversion will occur in the month following your 8-year anniversary. The conversion is based on the relative NAVs of the shares of the two classes on the conversion date and no sales charge will be imposed. Class B shares you have acquired through automatic reinvestment of dividends or capital gains will be converted in proportion to the total number of Class B shares you have purchased and own. Since the Rule 12b-1 distribution fees for Class A shares are lower than for Class B shares, converting to Class A shares will lower your expenses.
Class C Shares (All Funds except Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund)
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.
Institutional Class Shares (All Funds)
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.
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 servicing fee). Because these fees are paid out of a Funds 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 Trusts 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 dealers 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 Funds 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 Funds shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions. For more information on payment arrangements, please see the section entitled The Distributor 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.
· Classes A and C shares may be purchased directly through Touchstone Securities or through your financial advisor.
· Class Y shares are available through certain financial intermediaries who have appropriate selling agreements in place with Touchstone Securities.
· Institutional Class shares may be purchased directly through Touchstone Securities or through your financial intermediary.
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 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.
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 drivers 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. Other 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 and Institutional Class shares of the Funds are exchangeable for Class Y shares and Institutional Class shares any of 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.
· Class A, C, and Y 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 for Institutional Class shares of the same Fund, if offered in their state; 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· You should carefully review the disclosure provided in the prospectus relating to the exchanged-for shares before making an exchange of your Fund shares.
· You may realize 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.
· Shares of the Touchstone Ultra Short Duration Fixed Income Fund, which are offered in a separate prospectus, may not be exchanged for shares of any other Touchstone Fund.
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
· Designate intermediaries to accept purchase and sales orders on the Funds behalf
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 days 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: (1) Mail the check with the investment form to Touchstone Securities; or (2) Mail the check directly 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 assets, 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.
· 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 days 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 Funds investment goal and is otherwise acceptable to Touchstone Advisors. Transactions of this type are generally a taxable transaction. 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 or checks 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.
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 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 IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans cannot be sold by telephone or 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 assets, 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.
· 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 Funds Authorized Processing Organization for wiring redemption proceeds. You may also be charged a fee by your bank.
· 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, withdrawals of $50 or more if your account value is at least $5,000.
· 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.
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 days 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, 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 1/2.
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.
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 individuals 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 shareholders 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 2 weeks of an earlier purchase or exchange request out of any Touchstone Fund, or (ii) made more than 2 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 shareholders 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.
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.
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.
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. The redemption and repurchase of shares may still result in a tax liability for federal income tax purposes.
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
· During any other time when the SEC, by order, permits.
Redemption in-Kind. Under unusual circumstances, when the Board deems it appropriate, a Fund may make payment for shares redeemed in portfolio securities of the Fund taken at current value. 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.
Pricing of Fund Shares
Each Funds 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 are 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 Funds 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 Funds pricing time but after the close of the primary markets on which the security is traded.
· If a security, such as a small cap or micro-cap 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 Funds 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 Advisors determination of a securitys 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 securitys value would be if a reliable market quotation for the security was readily available. With respect to any portion of a Funds assets that is invested in other mutual funds, that portion of the Funds 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.
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Each Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its net investment income and capital gains. Dividends, if any, are declared and paid annually by all Funds except Flexible Income Fund. Dividends, if any, are declared monthly and paid monthly by Flexible Income Fund. Each Fund makes distributions of capital gains, if any, at least annually. If you own shares on a Funds 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 Funds 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 60 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 Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (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 Funds
shareholders substantially all of the Funds net investment income and 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 taxation on a graduated basis 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 shareholders 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 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.
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 will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, 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 shareholders basis in his or her shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholders 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 persons 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. This information is reported on Form 1099-B. The average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of Fund shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012 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 shareholders 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 intermediarys 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 Fund shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012 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.
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.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Funds financial performance for the past five years, or if shorter, the period of each Funds operation. 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 Growth Opportunities Fund, Mid Cap Growth Fund, Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund and Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (formerly Large Cap Growth Fund) for each of the periods presented and for Flexible Income Fund, Focused Fund, International Value Fund and Small Cap Growth Fund for each of the two years in the period ended March 31, 2015 were audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. The report of Ernst & Young LLP, along with each such Funds financial statements and related notes, are included in the Funds annual report. The financial highlights for Flexible Income Fund, Focused Fund, International Value Fund and Small Cap Growth Fund for each of the periods presented through March 31, 2013 were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. The report of each applicable independent registered accounting firm, along with each such Funds financial statements and related notes, were included in the Funds annual reports for those periods. The financial highlights for the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund, Institutional Class shares, are not included because the Institutional Class shares did not commence operations until May 4, 2015. 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: TouchstoneInvestments.com/home/formslit/.
Selected Da ta for a Shar e Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
10.60 |
|
$ |
10.94 |
|
$ |
10.76 |
|
$ |
10.47 |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
$ |
8.93 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
0.43 |
|
0.51 |
|
0.35 |
(B) |
0.49 |
(C) |
0.52 |
(C) |
0.51 |
(C) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
0.11 |
|
(0.37 |
) |
0.16 |
|
0.31 |
|
0.44 |
|
1.26 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.54 |
|
0.14 |
|
0.51 |
|
0.80 |
|
0.96 |
|
1.77 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.47 |
) |
(0.48 |
) |
(0.33 |
) |
(0.51 |
) |
(0.49 |
) |
(0.70 |
) |
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
10.67 |
|
$ |
10.60 |
|
$ |
10.94 |
|
$ |
10.76 |
|
$ |
10.47 |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Total return(D) |
|
5.22 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
4.77 |
%(E) |
7.86 |
% |
9.90 |
% |
20.27 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
32,695 |
|
$ |
25,928 |
|
$ |
41,301 |
|
$ |
49,458 |
|
$ |
25,400 |
|
$ |
19,461 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
1.09 |
% |
0.98 |
% |
0.94 |
%(F) |
0.95 |
% |
1.02 |
% |
1.12 |
% |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.35 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
1.37 |
%(F) |
1.60 |
% |
1.61 |
% |
1.65 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income |
|
3.95 |
% |
4.82 |
% |
4.76 |
%(B)(F) |
4.65 |
% |
4.99 |
% |
5.27 |
% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
102 |
% |
44 |
% |
41 |
%(E) |
47 |
% |
42 |
% |
31 |
% |
Selected Da ta for a Shar e Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
10.47 |
|
$ |
10.82 |
|
$ |
10.65 |
|
$ |
10.36 |
|
$ |
9.90 |
|
$ |
8.85 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
0.34 |
|
0.43 |
|
0.29 |
(B) |
0.40 |
(C) |
0.44 |
(C) |
0.43 |
(C) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
0.12 |
|
(0.37 |
) |
0.15 |
|
0.32 |
|
0.44 |
|
1.25 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.46 |
|
0.06 |
|
0.44 |
|
0.72 |
|
0.88 |
|
1.68 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.39 |
) |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.27 |
) |
(0.43 |
) |
(0.42 |
) |
(0.63 |
) |
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
10.54 |
|
$ |
10.47 |
|
$ |
10.82 |
|
$ |
10.65 |
|
$ |
10.36 |
|
$ |
9.90 |
|
Total return(D) |
|
4.52 |
% |
0.61 |
% |
4.20 |
%(E) |
7.16 |
% |
9.09 |
% |
19.20 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
25,853 |
|
$ |
21,043 |
|
$ |
26,087 |
|
$ |
25,115 |
|
$ |
16,818 |
|
$ |
12,504 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
1.84 |
% |
1.74 |
% |
1.69 |
%(F) |
1.70 |
% |
1.77 |
% |
1.87 |
% |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
2.10 |
% |
2.09 |
% |
2.16 |
%(F) |
2.35 |
% |
2.36 |
% |
2.40 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income |
|
3.20 |
% |
4.07 |
% |
4.01 |
%(B)(F) |
3.82 |
% |
4.25 |
% |
4.53 |
% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
102 |
% |
44 |
% |
41 |
%(E) |
47 |
% |
42 |
% |
31 |
% |
(A) The Fund changed its fisc al y ear end fr om July 31 to Mar ch 31.
(B) Reflects the impact of a corporate action e vent that r esulted in a one-time increase to net investment income . If the corporate action e vent had not occurred , the Class A and Class C net investment income per shar e and r atio of net investment income to av er age net assets would hav e been low er by $0.01 and 0.13%, r espectively .
(C) The net inv estment income per share is based on av er age shares outstanding for the period .
(D) T otal returns shown ex clude the effect of applicable sales loads . If these charges w ere included , the returns would be low er.
(E) Not annualiz ed.
(F) A nnualiz ed.
Selected Da ta for a Shar e Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A)(B) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
10.62 |
|
$ |
10.97 |
|
$ |
10.79 |
|
$ |
10.49 |
|
$ |
10.02 |
|
$ |
8.95 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
0.46 |
|
0.54 |
|
0.37 |
(C) |
0.50 |
(D) |
0.54 |
(D) |
0.53 |
(D) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
0.12 |
|
(0.38 |
) |
0.16 |
|
0.33 |
|
0.45 |
|
1.26 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.58 |
|
0.16 |
|
0.53 |
|
0.83 |
|
0.99 |
|
1.79 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.50 |
) |
(0.51 |
) |
(0.35 |
) |
(0.53 |
) |
(0.52 |
) |
(0.72 |
) |
||||||
Realized capital gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.50 |
) |
(0.51 |
) |
(0.35 |
) |
(0.53 |
) |
(0.52 |
) |
(0.72 |
) |
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
10.70 |
|
$ |
10.62 |
|
$ |
10.97 |
|
$ |
10.79 |
|
$ |
10.49 |
|
$ |
10.02 |
|
Total return |
|
5.58 |
% |
1.63 |
% |
4.96 |
%(E) |
8.21 |
% |
10.15 |
% |
20.39 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
238,081 |
|
$ |
151,652 |
|
$ |
199,293 |
|
$ |
200,325 |
|
$ |
122,125 |
|
$ |
80,807 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
0.84 |
% |
0.71 |
% |
0.64 |
%(F) |
0.70 |
% |
0.77 |
% |
0.87 |
% |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.01 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
1.05 |
%(F) |
1.35 |
% |
1.36 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income |
|
4.21 |
% |
5.10 |
% |
5.06 |
%(C)(F) |
4.80 |
% |
5.22 |
% |
5.51 |
% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
102 |
% |
44 |
% |
41 |
%(E) |
47 |
% |
42 |
% |
31 |
% |
Touchstone Flexible Income FundInstitutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(B)(G) |
|
|||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
10.62 |
|
$ |
10.96 |
|
$ |
10.86 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income |
|
0.46 |
|
0.54 |
|
0.30 |
(C) |
|||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
0.12 |
|
(0.36 |
) |
0.12 |
|
|||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.58 |
|
0.18 |
|
0.42 |
|
|||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income |
|
(0.51 |
) |
(0.52 |
) |
(0.32 |
) |
|||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
10.69 |
|
$ |
10.62 |
|
$ |
10.96 |
|
Total return |
|
5.58 |
% |
1.81 |
% |
3.93 |
%(E) |
|||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
44,732 |
|
$ |
41,361 |
|
$ |
20,589 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net expenses |
|
0.74 |
% |
0.65 |
% |
0.59 |
%(F) |
|||
Gross expenses |
|
0.95 |
% |
0.95 |
% |
1.03 |
%(F) |
|||
Net investment income |
|
4.30 |
% |
5.16 |
% |
5.11 |
%(C)(F) |
|||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
102 |
% |
44 |
% |
41 |
%(E) |
(A) Effectiv e September 10, 2012, Institutional Class shar es w ere r enamed Class Y shar es.
(B) The Fund changed its fisc al y ear end fr om July 31 to Mar ch 31.
(C) Reflects the impact of a corpor ate action e vent that resulted in a one-time incr ease to net inv estment income . If the corpor ate action e vent had not oc curred, the Class Y and Institutional Class net inv estment income per share and r atio of net inv estment income to av er age net assets would hav e been low er by $0.01 and 0.13%, respectiv ely .
(D) The net inv estment income per share is based on av er age shares outstanding for the period .
(E) Not annualiz ed.
(F) A nnualiz ed.
(G) The Fund began issuing Institutional Class shar es on September 10, 2012.
Touchstone Focused FundClass A
Selected Da ta for a Shar e Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
34.87 |
|
$ |
27.55 |
|
$ |
23.63 |
|
$ |
21.92 |
|
$ |
21.49 |
|
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income(A) |
|
0.20 |
|
0.11 |
|
0.16 |
|
0.12 |
|
0.08 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
2.23 |
|
7.46 |
|
3.79 |
(B) |
1.67 |
|
1.66 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
2.43 |
|
7.57 |
|
3.95 |
|
1.79 |
|
1.74 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.11 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.26 |
) |
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.11 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
(1.31 |
) |
|||||
Capital Contribution |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.16 |
(C) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
37.19 |
|
$ |
34.87 |
|
$ |
27.55 |
|
$ |
23.63 |
|
$ |
21.92 |
|
Total return(D) |
|
6.99 |
% |
27.67 |
% |
16.75 |
%(B) |
9.08 |
%(C) |
9.34 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
297,072 |
|
$ |
233,841 |
|
$ |
8,497 |
|
$ |
7,352 |
|
$ |
12,226 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.20 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.37 |
% |
1.46 |
% |
1.90 |
% |
1.44 |
% |
1.42 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income |
|
0.57 |
% |
0.35 |
% |
0.66 |
% |
0.58 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
33 |
% |
27 |
%(E) |
189 |
% |
99 |
% |
115 |
% |
Touchstone Focused FundClass C
Selected Da ta for a Shar e Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period Ended |
|
|||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(F) |
|
|||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
34.32 |
|
$ |
27.33 |
|
$ |
22.61 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment loss(A) |
|
(0.06 |
) |
(0.13 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
2.18 |
|
7.38 |
|
4.80 |
(B) |
|||
Total from investment operations |
|
2.12 |
|
7.25 |
|
4.78 |
|
|||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income |
|
(0.10 |
) |
(0.26 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
36.34 |
|
$ |
34.32 |
|
$ |
27.33 |
|
Total return(D) |
|
6.18 |
% |
26.72 |
% |
21.19 |
%(B)(G) |
|||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
9,617 |
|
$ |
5,626 |
|
$ |
60 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net expenses |
|
1.95 |
% |
1.95 |
% |
1.95 |
%(H) |
|||
Gross expenses |
|
2.09 |
% |
2.84 |
% |
258.39 |
%(H) |
|||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.18 |
)% |
(0.40 |
)% |
(0.09 |
)%(H) |
|||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
33 |
% |
27 |
%(E) |
189 |
% |
(A) The net investment income (loss) per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B) Net realized gains (losses) on investments per share and total return reflect non-recurring litigation settlements. These resulted in an increase in net realized gains per share of $0.18 and an increase in total return of 0.76% and 0.78% for Class A and Class C, respectively.
(C) Impact of one time distribution of settlement funds from the Bank of America Fair Fund. If the distribution had not occurred the total return would have been lower.
(D) Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(E) Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Touchstone Focused Equity Fund. If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher.
(F) Represents the period from commencement of operations (April 16, 2012) through March 31, 2013.
(G) Not annualized.
(H) Annualized.
Touchstone Focused Fund - Class Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
35.34 |
|
$ |
27.86 |
|
$ |
23.85 |
|
$ |
22.17 |
|
$ |
21.75 |
|
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income(A) |
|
0.31 |
|
0.19 |
|
0.22 |
|
0.18 |
|
0.12 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
2.26 |
|
7.54 |
|
3.84 |
(B) |
1.66 |
|
1.71 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
2.57 |
|
7.73 |
|
4.06 |
|
1.84 |
|
1.83 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.15 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.32 |
) |
(0.15 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.26 |
) |
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.15 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.32 |
) |
(1.41 |
) |
|||||
Capital Contribution |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.16 |
(C) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
37.76 |
|
$ |
35.34 |
|
$ |
27.86 |
|
$ |
23.85 |
|
$ |
22.17 |
|
Total return |
|
7.29 |
% |
27.95 |
% |
17.07 |
%(B) |
9.29 |
%(C) |
9.71 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
756,579 |
|
$ |
736,023 |
|
$ |
578,006 |
|
$ |
555,142 |
|
$ |
595,397 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
0.92 |
% |
0.94 |
% |
0.95 |
% |
0.95 |
% |
0.95 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
0.97 |
% |
1.02 |
% |
1.05 |
% |
1.28 |
% |
1.32 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income |
|
0.85 |
% |
0.61 |
% |
0.91 |
% |
0.85 |
% |
0.60 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
33 |
% |
27 |
%(D) |
189 |
% |
99 |
% |
115 |
% |
Touchstone Focused FundInstitutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
35.47 |
|
$ |
27.96 |
|
$ |
23.91 |
|
$ |
22.23 |
|
$ |
21.81 |
|
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income(A) |
|
0.35 |
|
0.24 |
|
0.25 |
|
0.22 |
|
0.15 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
2.28 |
|
7.57 |
|
3.86 |
(B) |
1.66 |
|
1.71 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
2.63 |
|
7.81 |
|
4.11 |
|
1.88 |
|
1.86 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.19 |
) |
(0.30 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.36 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.26 |
) |
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.19 |
) |
(0.30 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.36 |
) |
(1.44 |
) |
|||||
Capital Contribution |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.16 |
(C) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
37.91 |
|
$ |
35.47 |
|
$ |
27.96 |
|
$ |
23.91 |
|
$ |
22.23 |
|
Total return |
|
7.40 |
% |
28.19 |
% |
17.24 |
%(B) |
9.45 |
%(C) |
9.86 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
51,765 |
|
$ |
30,446 |
|
$ |
589 |
|
$ |
29,879 |
|
$ |
28,879 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
0.88 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
1.16 |
% |
0.89 |
% |
0.95 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income |
|
0.97 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
1.06 |
% |
1.02 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
33 |
% |
27 |
%(D) |
189 |
% |
99 |
% |
115 |
% |
(A) The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(B) Net realized gains (losses) on investments per share and total return reflect non-recurring litigation settlements. These resulted in an increase in net realized gains per share of $0.18 and an increase in total return of 0.76% and 0.75% for Class Y and Institutional Class, respectively.
(C) Impact of one time distribution of settlement funds from the Bank of America Fair Fund. If the distribution had not occurred the total return would have been lower.
(D) Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Touchstone Focused Equity Fund . If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher.
Touchstone Growth Opportunities FundClass A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
32.61 |
|
$ |
27.05 |
|
$ |
25.64 |
|
$ |
25.27 |
|
$ |
20.88 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.15 |
) |
0.01 |
|
(0.01 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
0.07 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.82 |
|
6.91 |
|
3.35 |
|
0.53 |
|
4.44 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.67 |
|
6.92 |
|
3.34 |
|
0.37 |
|
4.51 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Investment Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.99 |
) |
(1.36 |
) |
(1.93 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(3.99 |
) |
(1.36 |
) |
(1.93 |
) |
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
33.29 |
|
$ |
32.61 |
|
$ |
27.05 |
|
$ |
25.64 |
|
$ |
25.27 |
|
Total return(A) |
|
14.99 |
% |
25.84 |
% |
14.08 |
% |
1.47 |
% |
21.71 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
49,162 |
|
$ |
47,552 |
|
$ |
74,588 |
|
$ |
62,274 |
|
$ |
96,930 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.24 |
% |
1.22 |
% |
1.22 |
% |
1.21 |
% |
1.16 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.40 |
% |
1.43 |
% |
1.37 |
% |
1.43 |
% |
1.50 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.47 |
)% |
0.09 |
% |
(0.06 |
)% |
(0.52 |
)% |
0.10 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
87 |
% |
79 |
% |
95 |
%(B) |
204 |
% |
130 |
% |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Class C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
29.32 |
|
$ |
24.62 |
|
$ |
23.68 |
|
$ |
23.50 |
|
$ |
19.49 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.33 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
(0.29 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.27 |
|
6.24 |
|
3.04 |
|
0.47 |
|
4.12 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
3.94 |
|
6.06 |
|
2.87 |
|
0.18 |
|
4.05 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Investment Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.99 |
) |
(1.36 |
) |
(1.93 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(3.99 |
) |
(1.36 |
) |
(1.93 |
) |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
29.27 |
|
$ |
29.32 |
|
$ |
24.62 |
|
$ |
23.68 |
|
$ |
23.50 |
|
Total return(A) |
|
14.11 |
% |
24.92 |
% |
13.24 |
% |
0.77 |
% |
20.82 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
13,813 |
|
$ |
12,498 |
|
$ |
10,375 |
|
$ |
9,132 |
|
$ |
10,592 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.99 |
% |
1.97 |
% |
1.97 |
% |
1.96 |
% |
1.93 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
2.21 |
% |
2.25 |
% |
2.37 |
% |
2.45 |
% |
2.58 |
% |
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(1.22 |
)% |
(0.66 |
)% |
(0.81 |
)% |
(1.27 |
)% |
(0.43 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
87 |
% |
79 |
% |
95 |
%(B) |
204 |
% |
130 |
% |
(A) Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(B) Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Fifth Third Mid Cap Growth Fund acquired on September 10, 2012. If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher.
Touchstone Growth Opportunities FundClass Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
32.97 |
|
$ |
27.27 |
|
$ |
25.80 |
|
$ |
25.38 |
|
$ |
20.94 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.06 |
) |
0.11 |
|
0.03 |
|
(0.05 |
) |
0.14 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.90 |
|
6.96 |
|
3.40 |
|
0.47 |
|
4.45 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.84 |
|
7.07 |
|
3.43 |
|
0.42 |
|
4.59 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.01 |
) |
(0.01 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.99 |
) |
(1.36 |
) |
(1.93 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(4.00 |
) |
(1.37 |
) |
(1.96 |
) |
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
33.81 |
|
$ |
32.97 |
|
$ |
27.27 |
|
$ |
25.80 |
|
$ |
25.38 |
|
Total return |
|
15.32 |
% |
26.23 |
% |
14.38 |
% |
1.66 |
% |
22.06 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
107,295 |
|
$ |
92,063 |
|
$ |
35,354 |
|
$ |
12,254 |
|
$ |
2,947 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
0.94 |
% |
0.92 |
% |
0.96 |
% |
0.96 |
% |
0.93 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.01 |
% |
1.03 |
% |
1.16 |
% |
1.42 |
% |
1.73 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.17 |
)% |
0.39 |
% |
0.19 |
% |
(0.27 |
)% |
0.63 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
87 |
% |
79 |
% |
95 |
%(A) |
204 |
% |
130 |
% |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund Institutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
33.18 |
|
$ |
27.42 |
|
$ |
25.92 |
|
$ |
25.46 |
|
$ |
20.98 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Investment income (loss) |
|
(0.04 |
) |
0.14 |
|
0.07 |
|
(0.03 |
) |
0.16 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.92 |
|
7.01 |
|
3.41 |
|
0.49 |
|
4.48 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.88 |
|
7.15 |
|
3.48 |
|
0.46 |
|
4.64 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.02 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.99 |
) |
(1.36 |
) |
(1.93 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(4.01 |
) |
(1.39 |
) |
(1.98 |
) |
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
34.05 |
|
$ |
33.18 |
|
$ |
27.42 |
|
$ |
25.92 |
|
$ |
25.46 |
|
Total return |
|
15.39 |
% |
26.34 |
% |
14.50 |
% |
1.81 |
% |
22.25 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
134,795 |
|
$ |
115,769 |
|
$ |
93,800 |
|
$ |
70,643 |
|
$ |
56,381 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
0.87 |
% |
0.84 |
% |
0.84 |
% |
0.81 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
0.97 |
% |
0.98 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
1.06 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.10 |
)% |
0.47 |
% |
0.31 |
% |
(0.12 |
)% |
0.78 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
87 |
% |
79 |
% |
95 |
%(A) |
204 |
% |
130 |
% |
(A) Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Fifth Third Mid Cap Growth Fund acquired on September 10, 2012. If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher.
Touchstone International Value FundClass A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
9.12 |
|
$ |
7.62 |
|
$ |
7.06 |
|
$ |
8.42 |
|
$ |
7.33 |
|
$ |
7.24 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
0.18 |
|
0.24 |
|
0.06 |
(B) |
0.14 |
(B) |
0.17 |
(B) |
0.14 |
(B) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
(0.63 |
) |
1.35 |
|
0.73 |
|
(1.30 |
) |
1.09 |
|
0.19 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
(0.45 |
) |
1.59 |
|
0.79 |
|
(1.16 |
) |
1.26 |
|
0.33 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.26 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
(0.23 |
) |
(0.20 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
8.41 |
|
$ |
9.12 |
|
$ |
7.62 |
|
$ |
7.06 |
|
$ |
8.42 |
|
$ |
7.33 |
|
Total return(C) |
|
(4.95 |
)% |
20.90 |
% |
11.15 |
%(D) |
(13.67 |
)% |
17.17 |
% |
4.34 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
5,280 |
|
$ |
6,032 |
|
$ |
6,394 |
|
$ |
7,266 |
|
$ |
10,258 |
|
$ |
10,216 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
1.39 |
% |
1.37 |
% |
1.36 |
%(E)(F) |
1.40 |
%(F) |
1.42 |
%(F) |
1.43 |
%(F) |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.97 |
% |
1.79 |
% |
2.22 |
%(E) |
1.68 |
% |
1.61 |
% |
1.59 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income |
|
1.89 |
% |
2.32 |
% |
1.21 |
%(E) |
2.00 |
% |
2.10 |
% |
1.87 |
% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
26 |
% |
31 |
% |
133 |
%(D) |
121 |
% |
131 |
% |
137 |
% |
Touchstone International Value FundClass C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
8.46 |
|
$ |
7.10 |
|
$ |
6.59 |
|
$ |
7.85 |
|
$ |
6.84 |
|
$ |
6.79 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
0.07 |
|
0.15 |
|
0.02 |
(B) |
0.08 |
(B) |
0.10 |
(B) |
0.08 |
(B) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
(0.55 |
) |
1.27 |
|
0.67 |
|
(1.21 |
) |
1.01 |
|
0.18 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
(0.48 |
) |
1.42 |
|
0.69 |
|
(1.13 |
) |
1.11 |
|
0.26 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.21 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
(0.13 |
) |
(0.10 |
) |
(0.21 |
) |
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
7.77 |
|
$ |
8.46 |
|
$ |
7.10 |
|
$ |
6.59 |
|
$ |
7.85 |
|
$ |
6.84 |
|
Total return(C) |
|
(5.72 |
)% |
20.05 |
% |
10.53 |
%(D) |
(14.37 |
)% |
16.23 |
% |
3.59 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
233 |
|
$ |
216 |
|
$ |
217 |
|
$ |
169 |
|
$ |
275 |
|
$ |
310 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
2.14 |
% |
2.12 |
% |
2.11 |
%(E)(F) |
2.15 |
%(F) |
2.17 |
%(F) |
2.18 |
%(F) |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
8.35 |
% |
6.04 |
% |
9.33 |
%(E) |
2.43 |
% |
2.36 |
% |
2.34 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income |
|
1.14 |
% |
1.57 |
% |
0.46 |
%(E) |
1.24 |
% |
1.28 |
% |
1.11 |
% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
26 |
% |
31 |
% |
133 |
%(D) |
121 |
% |
131 |
% |
137 |
% |
(A) The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31.
(B) The net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(C) Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
(D) Not annualized.
(E) Annualized.
(F) Includes interest expense relating to settlement of foreign futures. Interest expense was less than 0.005% for the eight months ended March 31, 2013 and 0.02%, 0.01% and 0.01% for the years ended July 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Touchstone International Value FundClass Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A)(B) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
9.13 |
|
$ |
7.62 |
|
$ |
7.07 |
|
$ |
8.44 |
|
$ |
7.35 |
|
$ |
7.25 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
0.23 |
|
0.19 |
|
0.07 |
(C) |
0.16 |
(C) |
0.18 |
(C) |
0.16 |
(C) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
(0.66 |
) |
1.43 |
|
0.73 |
|
(1.31 |
) |
1.10 |
|
0.19 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
(0.43 |
) |
1.62 |
|
0.80 |
|
(1.15 |
) |
1.28 |
|
0.35 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.29 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.22 |
) |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
8.41 |
|
$ |
9.13 |
|
$ |
7.62 |
|
$ |
7.07 |
|
$ |
8.44 |
|
$ |
7.35 |
|
Total return |
|
(4.72 |
)% |
21.32 |
% |
11.33 |
%(D) |
(13.47 |
)% |
17.42 |
% |
4.61 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
35,108 |
|
$ |
43,794 |
|
$ |
31,527 |
|
$ |
123,607 |
|
$ |
176,521 |
|
$ |
229,888 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
1.09 |
% |
1.04 |
% |
1.08 |
%(E)(F) |
1.15 |
%(F) |
1.17 |
%(F) |
1.18 |
%(F) |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.36 |
% |
1.33 |
% |
1.51 |
%(E) |
1.43 |
% |
1.36 |
% |
1.34 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income |
|
2.19 |
% |
2.65 |
% |
1.49 |
%(E) |
2.27 |
% |
2.22 |
% |
2.18 |
% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
26 |
% |
31 |
% |
133 |
%(D) |
121 |
% |
131 |
% |
137 |
% |
Touchstone International Value FundInstitutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period Ended |
|
|||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(B)(G) |
|
|||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
9.14 |
|
$ |
7.62 |
|
$ |
7.43 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income |
|
0.24 |
|
0.28 |
|
0.08 |
(C) |
|||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
(0.66 |
) |
1.36 |
|
0.36 |
|
|||
Total from investment operations |
|
(0.42 |
) |
1.64 |
|
0.44 |
|
|||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income |
|
(0.30 |
) |
(0.12 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
|||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
8.42 |
|
$ |
9.14 |
|
$ |
7.62 |
|
Total return |
|
(4.66 |
)% |
21.51 |
% |
5.94 |
%(D) |
|||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
72,607 |
|
$ |
83,628 |
|
$ |
88,931 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net expenses |
|
0.99 |
% |
0.97 |
% |
0.96 |
%(E) |
|||
Gross expenses |
|
1.28 |
% |
1.29 |
% |
1.36 |
%(E) |
|||
Net investment income |
|
2.29 |
% |
2.72 |
% |
1.61 |
%(E) |
|||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
26 |
% |
31 |
% |
133 |
%(D) |
(A) Effective September 10, 2012, Institutional Class shares were renamed Class Y shares.
(B) The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31.
(C) Th e net investment income per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period.
(D) Not annualized.
(E) Annualized.
(F) Includes interest expense relating to settlement of foreign futures. Interest expense was less than 0.005% for the eight months ended March 31, 2013 and 0.02%, 0.01% and 0.01% for the years ended July 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
(G) The Fund began issuing Institutional Class shares on September 10, 2012.
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth FundClass A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
26.50 |
|
$ |
23.61 |
|
$ |
22.41 |
|
$ |
24.91 |
|
$ |
20.18 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.14 |
) |
(0.10 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
4.19 |
|
5.74 |
|
2.71 |
|
(1.05 |
) |
4.76 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.05 |
|
5.64 |
|
2.66 |
|
(1.21 |
) |
4.73 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.49 |
) |
(2.75 |
) |
(1.46 |
) |
(1.29 |
) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
27.06 |
|
$ |
26.50 |
|
$ |
23.61 |
|
$ |
22.41 |
|
$ |
24.91 |
|
Total return(A) |
|
16.34 |
% |
24.82 |
% |
12.73 |
% |
(3.68 |
)% |
23.44 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
267,421 |
|
$ |
308,316 |
|
$ |
299,834 |
|
$ |
330,808 |
|
$ |
584,089 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.34 |
% |
1.38 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.47 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.34 |
% |
1.38 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.47 |
% |
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.55 |
)% |
(0.41 |
)% |
(0.21 |
)% |
(0.79 |
)% |
(0.13 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
73 |
% |
79 |
% |
70 |
% |
64 |
% |
99 |
% |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Class B
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
20.82 |
|
$ |
19.12 |
|
$ |
18.48 |
|
$ |
20.89 |
|
$ |
16.98 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.29 |
) |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.12 |
) |
(0.48 |
) |
(0.10 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
3.28 |
|
4.64 |
|
2.22 |
|
(0.64 |
) |
4.01 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
2.99 |
|
4.45 |
|
2.10 |
|
(1.12 |
) |
3.91 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.49 |
) |
(2.75 |
) |
(1.46 |
) |
(1.29 |
) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
20.32 |
|
$ |
20.82 |
|
$ |
19.12 |
|
$ |
18.48 |
|
$ |
20.89 |
|
Total return(A) |
|
15.72 |
% |
24.36 |
% |
12.41 |
% |
(3.99 |
)% |
23.03 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
2,793 |
|
$ |
4,709 |
|
$ |
5,880 |
|
$ |
10,681 |
|
$ |
23,376 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.89 |
% |
1.73 |
% |
1.72 |
% |
1.59 |
% |
1.77 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.89 |
% |
1.73 |
% |
1.72 |
% |
1.59 |
% |
1.82 |
% |
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(1.10 |
)% |
(0.76 |
)% |
(0.52 |
)% |
(0.97 |
)% |
(0.43 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
73 |
% |
79 |
% |
70 |
% |
64 |
% |
99 |
% |
(A) Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower..
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth FundClass C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
20.39 |
|
$ |
18.84 |
|
$ |
18.31 |
|
$ |
20.81 |
|
$ |
17.00 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.24 |
) |
(0.22 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
(0.36 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
3.12 |
|
4.52 |
|
2.17 |
|
(0.85 |
) |
3.98 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
2.88 |
|
4.30 |
|
1.99 |
|
(1.21 |
) |
3.81 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.49 |
) |
(2.75 |
) |
(1.46 |
) |
(1.29 |
) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
19.78 |
|
$ |
20.39 |
|
$ |
18.84 |
|
$ |
18.31 |
|
$ |
20.81 |
|
Total return(A) |
|
15.51 |
% |
23.90 |
% |
11.90 |
% |
(4.43 |
)% |
22.41 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
157,315 |
|
$ |
149,927 |
|
$ |
141,485 |
|
$ |
162,693 |
|
$ |
223,376 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
2.07 |
% |
2.11 |
% |
2.15 |
% |
2.17 |
% |
2.24 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
2.07 |
% |
2.11 |
% |
2.15 |
% |
2.17 |
% |
2.27 |
% |
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(1.29 |
)% |
(1.14 |
)% |
(0.95 |
)% |
(1.56 |
)% |
(0.90 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
73 |
% |
79 |
% |
70 |
% |
64 |
% |
99 |
% |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund Class Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
27.00 |
|
$ |
23.93 |
|
$ |
22.63 |
|
$ |
25.07 |
|
$ |
20.27 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.08 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
0.01 |
|
(0.10 |
) |
0.01 |
|
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
4.28 |
|
5.87 |
|
2.75 |
|
(1.05 |
) |
4.79 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.20 |
|
5.82 |
|
2.76 |
|
(1.15 |
) |
4.80 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.49 |
) |
(2.75 |
) |
(1.46 |
) |
(1.29 |
) |
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
27.71 |
|
$ |
27.00 |
|
$ |
23.93 |
|
$ |
22.63 |
|
$ |
25.07 |
|
Total return |
|
16.69 |
% |
25.17 |
% |
13.05 |
% |
(3.42 |
)% |
23.68 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
299,247 |
|
$ |
263,578 |
|
$ |
164,267 |
|
$ |
123,593 |
|
$ |
47,470 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.07 |
% |
1.07 |
% |
1.16 |
% |
1.11 |
% |
1.24 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.07 |
% |
1.07 |
% |
1.16 |
% |
1.11 |
% |
1.24 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.29 |
)% |
(0.11 |
)% |
0.04 |
% |
(0.49 |
)% |
0.05 |
% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
73 |
% |
79 |
% |
70 |
% |
64 |
% |
99 |
% |
(A) Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth FundInstitutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ended |
|
||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012(A) |
|
||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
27.10 |
|
$ |
23.99 |
|
$ |
22.65 |
|
$ |
25.30 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.03 |
) |
0.03 |
|
0.04 |
|
(0.03 |
) |
||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
4.27 |
|
5.83 |
|
2.76 |
|
(1.33 |
) |
||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.24 |
|
5.86 |
|
2.80 |
|
(1.36 |
) |
||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(3.49 |
) |
(2.75 |
) |
(1.46 |
) |
(1.29 |
) |
||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
27.85 |
|
$ |
27.10 |
|
$ |
23.99 |
|
$ |
22.65 |
|
Total return |
|
16.73 |
% |
25.32 |
% |
13.23 |
% |
(4.22 |
)%(B) |
||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
102,420 |
|
$ |
35,097 |
|
$ |
38,821 |
|
$ |
25,550 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net expenses |
|
0.98 |
% |
0.97 |
% |
0.98 |
% |
1.03 |
%(C) |
||||
Gross expenses |
|
0.98 |
% |
0.97 |
% |
0.98 |
% |
1.17 |
%(C) |
||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.20 |
)% |
0.00 |
%(D) |
0.21 |
% |
(0.41 |
)%(C) |
||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
73 |
% |
79 |
% |
70 |
% |
64 |
% |
(A) |
Represents the period from commencement of operations (April 1, 2011) through March 31, 2012. |
(B) |
Not annualized. |
(C) |
Annualized. |
(D) |
Less than 0.005%. |
Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth FundClass Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Period |
|
|
|
|
Ended |
|
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
|
2015(A) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
Net investment loss |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
0.40 |
|
|
Total from investment operations |
|
0.37 |
|
|
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
10.37 |
|
Total return |
|
3.70 |
%(B) |
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
39,541 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
Net expenses |
|
1.49 |
%(C) |
|
Gross expenses |
|
1.68 |
%(C) |
|
Net investment loss |
|
(0.46 |
)%(C) |
|
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
90 |
%(B) |
Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth FundInstitutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Period |
|
|
|
|
Ended |
|
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
|
2015(A) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
Net investment loss |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
0.40 |
|
|
Total from investment operations |
|
0.37 |
|
|
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
10.37 |
|
Total return |
|
3.70 |
%(B) |
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
32,743 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
Net expenses |
|
1.39 |
%(C) |
|
Gross expenses |
|
1.59 |
%(C) |
|
Net investment loss |
|
(0.36 |
)%(C) |
|
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
90 |
%(B) |
(A) |
Represents the period from commencement of operations (May 12, 2014) through March 31, 2015. |
(B) |
Not annualized. |
(C) |
Annualized. |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth FundClass A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
5.24 |
|
$ |
4.84 |
|
$ |
4.25 |
|
$ |
4.24 |
|
$ |
3.63 |
|
$ |
3.01 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.04 |
) |
(0.01 |
) |
|
(B)(C) |
( |
) (B)(C) |
(0.01 |
) (B) |
(0.01 |
) (B) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
0.63 |
|
1.02 |
|
0.85 |
|
0.01 |
|
0.62 |
|
0.63 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.59 |
|
1.01 |
|
0.85 |
|
0.01 |
|
0.61 |
|
0.62 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.26 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
5.70 |
|
$ |
5.24 |
|
$ |
4.84 |
|
$ |
4.25 |
|
$ |
4.24 |
|
$ |
3.63 |
|
Total return(D) |
|
11.52 |
% |
22.63 |
% |
20.93 |
%(E) |
0.24 |
% |
16.80 |
% |
20.60 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
34,017 |
|
$ |
35,303 |
|
$ |
14,243 |
|
$ |
15,010 |
|
$ |
18,117 |
|
$ |
11,649 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
1.44 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.60 |
%(F) |
1.60 |
% |
1.60 |
% |
1.60 |
% |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.69 |
% |
1.81 |
% |
2.13 |
% (F) |
2.01 |
% |
1.96 |
% |
2.07 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.71 |
)% |
(0.48 |
)% |
0.15 |
% (F) |
(0.07 |
)% |
(0.33 |
)% |
(0.41 |
)% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
46 |
% |
195 |
% (G) |
45 |
%(E)(H) |
48 |
% |
59 |
% |
56 |
% |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth FundClass C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
4.45 |
|
$ |
4.22 |
|
$ |
3.75 |
|
$ |
3.77 |
|
$ |
3.25 |
|
$ |
2.72 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.05 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.02 |
) (B) |
(0.03 |
) (B) |
(0.04 |
) (B) |
(0.04 |
) (B) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
0.51 |
|
0.88 |
|
0.74 |
|
0.01 |
|
0.56 |
|
0.57 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.46 |
|
0.84 |
|
0.72 |
|
(0.02 |
) |
0.52 |
|
0.53 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
4.78 |
|
$ |
4.45 |
|
$ |
4.22 |
|
$ |
3.75 |
|
$ |
3.77 |
|
$ |
3.25 |
|
Total return(D) |
|
10.64 |
% |
21.85 |
% |
20.17 |
%(E) |
(0.53 |
)% |
16.00 |
% |
19.49 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
12,651 |
|
$ |
7,429 |
|
$ |
3,509 |
|
$ |
3,830 |
|
$ |
5,563 |
|
$ |
2,876 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
2.19 |
% |
2.20 |
% |
2.35 |
%(F) |
2.35 |
% |
2.35 |
% |
2.35 |
% |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
2.55 |
% |
2.65 |
% |
3.16 |
% (F) |
2.76 |
% |
2.71 |
% |
2.82 |
% |
||||||
Net investment loss |
|
(1.46 |
)% |
(1.23 |
)% |
(0.60 |
)% (F) |
(0.82 |
)% |
(1.10 |
)% |
(1.17 |
)% |
||||||
P ortfolio turnover rate |
|
46 |
% |
195 |
% (G) |
45 |
%(E)(H) |
48 |
% |
59 |
% |
56 |
% |
(A) |
The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31. |
(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) |
Total returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales loads. If these charges were included, the returns would be lower. |
(E) |
Not annualized. |
(F) |
Annualized. |
(G) |
Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Touchstone Diversified Small Cap Growth Fund. If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher. |
(H) |
Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered from processing a redemption-in-kind. |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth FundClass Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
March 31, |
|
Year Ended July 31, |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013(A)(B) |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
||||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
5.78 |
|
$ |
5.27 |
|
$ |
4.61 |
|
$ |
4.58 |
|
$ |
3.92 |
|
$ |
3.24 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.01 |
) |
(0.01 |
) |
0.01 |
(C) |
0.01 |
(C) |
|
(C)(D) |
(0.01 |
)(C) |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
0.69 |
|
1.13 |
|
0.92 |
|
0.02 |
|
0.66 |
|
0.69 |
|
||||||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.68 |
|
1.12 |
|
0.93 |
|
0.03 |
|
0.66 |
|
0.68 |
|
||||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Total distributions |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.27 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
6.33 |
|
$ |
5.78 |
|
$ |
5.27 |
|
$ |
4.61 |
|
$ |
4.58 |
|
$ |
3.92 |
|
Total return |
|
12.01 |
% |
22.88 |
% |
20.94 |
%(E) |
0.66 |
% |
16.84 |
% |
20.99 |
% |
||||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
314,062 |
|
$ |
37,030 |
|
$ |
18,123 |
|
$ |
23,232 |
|
$ |
26,317 |
|
$ |
21,195 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net expenses |
|
1.19 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
1.35 |
%(F) |
1.35 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
||||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.36 |
% |
1.50 |
% |
1.77 |
%(F) |
1.76 |
% |
1.71 |
% |
1.82 |
% |
||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.46 |
)% |
(0.23 |
)% |
0.40 |
%(F) |
0.17 |
% |
(0.08 |
)% |
(0.16 |
)% |
||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
46 |
% |
195 |
% (G) |
45 |
% (E)(H) |
48 |
% |
59 |
% |
56 |
% |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth FundInstitutional Class
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
Period Ended
|
|
|||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 (B)(I) |
|
|||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
5.80 |
|
$ |
5.28 |
|
$ |
4.92 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.02 |
) |
( |
) (D) |
0.02 |
(C) |
|||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
0.70 |
|
1.13 |
|
0.61 |
|
|||
Total from investment operations |
|
0.68 |
|
1.13 |
|
0.63 |
|
|||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|||
Realized capital gains |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
|||
Total distributions |
|
(0.13 |
) |
(0.61 |
) |
(0.27 |
) |
|||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
6.35 |
|
$ |
5.80 |
|
$ |
5.28 |
|
Total return |
|
11.97 |
% |
23.04 |
% |
13.56 |
% (E) |
|||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
12,285 |
|
$ |
12,372 |
|
$ |
3 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Net expenses |
|
1.04 |
% |
1.04 |
% |
1.25 |
% (F) |
|||
Gross expenses |
|
1.31 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
945.43 |
% (F) |
|||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.32 |
)% |
(0.07 |
)% |
0.50 |
% (F) |
|||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
46 |
% |
195 |
% (G) |
45 |
% (E)(H) |
(A) |
Effective September 10, 2012, Institutional Class shares were renamed Class Y shares. |
(B) |
The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31. |
(C) |
The net investment income (loss) per share is based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(D) |
Less than $0.005 per share. |
(E) |
Not annualized. |
(F) |
Annualized. |
(G) |
Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Touchstone Diversified Small Cap Growth Fund . If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher. |
(H) |
Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered from processing a redemption-in-kind. |
(I) |
The Fund began issuing Institutional Class shares on September 10, 2012. |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity FundClass A
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
31.81 |
|
$ |
28.74 |
|
$ |
27.74 |
|
$ |
24.95 |
|
$ |
20.74 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
0.11 |
|
0.02 |
|
0.11 |
|
0.02 |
(A) |
(0.09 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.87 |
|
5.96 |
|
1.00 |
|
2.77 |
|
4.30 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.98 |
|
5.98 |
|
1.11 |
|
2.79 |
|
4.21 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.05 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(5.78 |
) |
(2.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(5.83 |
) |
(2.91 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
30.96 |
|
$ |
31.81 |
|
$ |
28.74 |
|
$ |
27.74 |
|
$ |
24.95 |
|
Total return(B) |
|
17.17 |
% |
21.27 |
% |
4.05 |
% |
11.18 |
% |
20.30 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
257,273 |
|
$ |
287,813 |
|
$ |
286,572 |
|
$ |
238,488 |
|
$ |
291,827 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
1.25 |
% |
1.23 |
% |
1.22 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.28 |
% |
1.29 |
% |
1.32 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
1.36 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
0.35 |
% |
0.06 |
% |
0.47 |
% |
0.08 |
% |
(0.36 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
98 |
% |
92 |
% |
109 |
%(C) |
91 |
% |
76 |
% |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class B
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
30.08 |
|
$ |
27.41 |
|
$ |
26.47 |
|
$ |
23.85 |
|
$ |
19.93 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.15 |
) |
(0.19 |
) |
0.01 |
|
(0.03 |
)(A) |
(0.20 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.59 |
|
5.72 |
|
0.93 |
|
2.65 |
|
4.12 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.44 |
|
5.53 |
|
0.94 |
|
2.62 |
|
3.92 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(5.78 |
) |
(2.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
28.74 |
|
$ |
30.08 |
|
$ |
27.41 |
|
$ |
26.47 |
|
$ |
23.85 |
|
Total return(B) |
|
16.27 |
% |
20.62 |
% |
3.55 |
% |
10.99 |
% |
19.67 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
1,722 |
|
$ |
3,671 |
|
$ |
6,671 |
|
$ |
10,949 |
|
$ |
13,467 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
2.00 |
% |
1.79 |
% |
1.68 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.74 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
2.27 |
% |
1.79 |
% |
1.68 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.83 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
(0.40 |
)% |
(0.50 |
)% |
0.00 |
%(D) |
(0.12 |
)% |
(0.85 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
98 |
% |
92 |
% |
109 |
%(C) |
91 |
% |
76 |
% |
(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.
(C) Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Fifth Third Quality Growth Fund acquired on September 10, 2012. If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher.
(D) Less th an 0.005%.
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity FundClass C
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
29.72 |
|
$ |
27.17 |
|
$ |
26.31 |
|
$ |
23.84 |
|
$ |
19.97 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.12 |
) |
(0.21 |
) |
(0.08 |
) |
(0.16 |
)(A) |
(0.27 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.50 |
|
5.62 |
|
0.94 |
|
2.63 |
|
4.14 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
4.38 |
|
5.41 |
|
0.86 |
|
2.47 |
|
3.87 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(5.78 |
) |
(2.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
28.32 |
|
$ |
29.72 |
|
$ |
27.17 |
|
$ |
26.31 |
|
$ |
23.84 |
|
Total return(B) |
|
16.30 |
% |
20.35 |
% |
3.27 |
% |
10.36 |
% |
19.38 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
103,861 |
|
$ |
111,631 |
|
$ |
107,572 |
|
$ |
116,350 |
|
$ |
127,172 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
2.00 |
% |
1.98 |
% |
1.97 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
2.03 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
2.08 |
% |
2.09 |
% |
2.13 |
% |
|||||
Net investment loss |
|
(0.40 |
)% |
(0.69 |
)% |
(0.28 |
)% |
(0.67 |
)% |
(1.11 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
98 |
% |
92 |
% |
109 |
%(C) |
91 |
% |
76 |
% |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class Y
Selected Data for a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period
|
|
Year Ended March 31, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
2012 |
|
2011 |
|
|||||
Net asset value at beginning of period |
|
$ |
32.23 |
|
$ |
29.07 |
|
$ |
28.09 |
|
$ |
25.19 |
|
$ |
20.89 |
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
0.22 |
|
0.09 |
|
0.18 |
|
0.09 |
(A) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||||
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments |
|
4.92 |
|
6.06 |
|
1.00 |
|
2.81 |
|
4.32 |
|
|||||
Total from investment operations |
|
5.14 |
|
6.15 |
|
1.18 |
|
2.90 |
|
4.30 |
|
|||||
Distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net investment income |
|
(0.10 |
) |
(0.13 |
) |
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Realized capital gains |
|
(5.78 |
) |
(2.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total distributions |
|
(5.88 |
) |
(2.99 |
) |
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net asset value at end of period |
|
$ |
31.49 |
|
$ |
32.23 |
|
$ |
29.07 |
|
$ |
28.09 |
|
$ |
25.19 |
|
Total return |
|
17.48 |
% |
21.62 |
% |
4.32 |
% |
11.47 |
% |
20.58 |
% |
|||||
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net assets at end of period (000s) |
|
$ |
416,741 |
|
$ |
577,708 |
|
$ |
523,413 |
|
$ |
385,411 |
|
$ |
331,733 |
|
Ratio to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net expenses |
|
0.99 |
% |
0.97 |
% |
0.96 |
% |
0.99 |
% |
0.99 |
% |
|||||
Gross expenses |
|
1.00 |
% |
1.05 |
% |
1.08 |
% |
1.14 |
% |
1.13 |
% |
|||||
Net investment income (loss) |
|
0.61 |
% |
0.32 |
% |
0.72 |
% |
0.34 |
% |
(0.10 |
)% |
|||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
98 |
% |
92 |
% |
109 |
%(C) |
91 |
% |
76 |
% |
(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.
(C) Portfolio turnover excludes the purchases and sales of the Fifth Third Quality Growth Fund acquired on September 10, 2012. If these transactions were included, portfolio turnover would have been higher.
TOUCHSTONE INVESTMENTS*
DISTRIBUTOR
Touchstone Securities, Inc.*
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4203
1.800.638.8194
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.
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, OH 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:
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 Funds performance during its last fiscal year.
You can get free copies of 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. 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 Commissions 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 SECs 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-54-TST-1507
TOUCHSTONE STRATEGIC TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
July 30, 2015
|
|
Class A |
|
Class B |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional Class |
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund |
|
FFSAX |
|
|
|
FRACX |
|
MXIIX |
|
TFSLX |
Touchstone Focused Fund |
|
TFOAX |
|
|
|
TFFCX |
|
TFFYX |
|
TFFIX |
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
TGVFX |
|
|
|
TGVCX |
|
TGVYX |
|
TGVVX |
Touchstone International Value Fund |
|
FSIEX |
|
|
|
FTECX |
|
FIEIX |
|
FIVIX |
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
TEGAX |
|
TBEGX |
|
TOECX |
|
TEGYX |
|
TEGIX |
Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TSEMX |
|
TSEGX |
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
MXCAX |
|
|
|
MXCSX |
|
MXAIX |
|
MXCIX |
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
TEQAX |
|
TEQBX |
|
TEQCX |
|
TIQIX |
|
TROCX |
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus and relates only to the above-referenced Funds (each a Fund and, together, 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 July 30, 2015, as may be amended. The Funds audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, 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. No financial statements are available for the Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund, Institutional Class shares, because the Institutional Class did not commence operations until May 4, 2015. A copy of the prospectus and the 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 |
3 |
PERMITTED INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS |
4 |
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS |
28 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS |
31 |
THE ADVISOR |
37 |
THE SUB-ADVISORS AND PORTFOLIO MANAGERS |
39 |
THE ADMINISTRATOR |
46 |
THE DISTRIBUTOR |
47 |
DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS |
49 |
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS |
51 |
PROXY VOTING |
52 |
CODE OF ETHICS |
53 |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER |
53 |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS |
53 |
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE |
55 |
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES |
55 |
CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES |
55 |
OTHER PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION |
58 |
DISTRIBUTIONS |
60 |
TAXES |
60 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITY HOLDERS |
69 |
CUSTODIAN |
79 |
LEGAL COUNSEL |
79 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
79 |
TRANSFER AND SUB-ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT |
79 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
80 |
APPENDIX A: DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS |
A-1 |
APPENDIX B: PROXY VOTING POLICIES |
B-1 |
THE TRUST
Touchstone Strategic Trust (the Trust) is an open-end management investment company that was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on November 18, 1982. This SAI relates to the following separate series of the Trust: Touchstone Flexible Income Fund (the Flexible Income Fund), Touchstone Focused Fund (the Focused Fund), Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund (the Growth Opportunities Fund), Touchstone International Value Fund (the International Value Fund), Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund (the Mid Cap Growth Fund), Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund (the Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund), Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund (the Small Cap Growth Fund), and Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund) (each, a Fund, and collectively, the Funds). Each Fundexcept the Focused Fund, Growth Opportunities Fund and Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fundis a diversified open-end management investment company. Each of the Focused Fund, Growth Opportunities Fund, and Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth 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 administrative and accounting services to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (BNY Mellon). Touchstone Securities, Inc. (Touchstone Securities or the Distributor) is the principal distributor of the Funds shares. Touchstone Securities is an affiliate of the Advisor.
The Trust offers five separate classes of shares: Classes A, B, C, Y, and Institutional Class. 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.
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 result has occurred. In addition, the Trusts 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
Mid Cap Growth Fund. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated May 1, 2000, the Mid Cap Growth Fund succeeded to the assets and liabilities of another mutual fund with the same name that was a series of Touchstone Series Trust. The investment goals, strategies, policies, and restrictions of the Fund and its predecessor fund were substantially identical. On February 23, 2011, TCW Investment Management Company was removed as sub-advisor of the Mid Cap Growth Fund, and replaced with Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. (Westfield).
Growth Opportunities Fund. On July 18, 2006, the Growth Opportunities Fund replaced its previous sub-advisor, Mastrapasqua & Associates, Inc., with Westfield. Four years later, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated July 15, 2010 between the Growth Opportunities Fund and the Touchstone Large Cap Core Equity Fund, the Growth Opportunities Fund acquired all of the assets and liabilities of the Touchstone Large Cap Core Equity Fund, which was terminated as a series of the Trust on October 22, 2010.
Focused Fund. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated December 9, 2011 between Old Mutual Focused Fund (the Old Mutual Predecessor Fund), a series of Old Mutual Funds II, and the Focused Fund, a series of the Trust, the Focused Fund acquired all of the assets and liabilities of the Old Mutual Predecessor Fund. As a result of the reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Old Mutual Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Focused Fund. Shareholders of the Old Mutual Predecessor Fund who owned Class Z shares received Class Y shares of the Focused Fund in the reorganization. Financial and performance information included in the Focused Funds prospectus and this SAI is that of the Old Mutual Predecessor Fund. Prior to
April 16, 2012, the Old Mutual Predecessor Fund was managed by an investment advisor and sub-advisor other than Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., respectively. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated February 22, 2013, between the Touchstone Focused Fund, and the Focused Equity Fund, a series of the Touchstone Funds Group Trust, the Touchstone Focused Fund acquired all of the assets and liabilities of the Touchstone Focused Equity Fund, and that fund was terminated as a series of the Touchstone Funds Group Trust on May 17, 2013.
Flexible Income Fund, International Value Fund, and Small Cap Growth Fund. Before each Fund identified below commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the corresponding Predecessor Fund identified below were transferred to the Fund in a tax-free reorganization as set forth in an agreement and plan of reorganization (each a Fifth Third Reorganization) between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and Fifth Third Funds, on behalf of the Fifth Third Predecessor Funds. Each Fifth Third Reorganization occurred on September 10, 2012. As a result of each Fifth Third Reorganization, the applicable Fund assumed the performance and accounting history of its corresponding Fifth Third Predecessor Fund. Financial and performance information prior to September 10, 2012 included in each Funds prospectus and this SAI is that of the Predecessor Funds.
Before the Small Cap Growth Fund changed its name, principal investment strategy, and sub-advisor, the Fund was managed as the Touchstone Micro Cap Value Fund. The change from the Touchstone Micro Cap Value Fund to the Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund occurred on April 26, 2013. Financial and performance information prior to April 26, 2013 for the Small Cap Growth Fund is that of the Touchstone Micro Cap Value Fund and its Fifth Third Predecessor Fund.
Fifth Third Predecessor Funds |
|
Funds |
Fifth Third Micro Cap Value Fund |
|
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund
|
Fifth Third International Equity Fund |
|
Touchstone International Value Fund |
Fifth Third Strategic Income Fund |
|
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund |
On May 31, 2013, the Touchstone Strategic Income Fund changed its name to the Touchstone Flexible Income Fund.
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund. Effective May 4, 2015, the Fund changed its name to the Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund. At that time, the Fund adopted certain changes to its principal investment strategy and changed its sub-advisor to Rockefeller & Co, Inc. (Rockefeller). Prior to these changes, the Fund was known as the Touchstone Large Cap Growth Fund. The Fund had been previously sub-advised by Navellier & Associates, Inc., a sister company of Navellier Management, Inc., which was appointed as sub-advisor on October 6, 2003. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated June 30, 2003, the Fund acquired the Navellier Millennium Large Cap Growth Portfolio and the Navellier Performance Large Cap Growth Portfolio. The investment goal and fundamental investment restrictions of the Large Cap Growth Fund did not change, but certain investment strategies changed as a result of the reorganization. The Navellier Performance Large Cap Growth Portfolio was the accounting survivor of the reorganization. Accordingly, performance prior to June 20, 2005 reflects the performance of the Navellier Performance Large Cap Growth Portfolio.
PERMITTED INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS
Each Funds principal investment strategies and principal risks are described in the Funds prospectus. The following supplements the information contained in the prospectus concerning each Funds 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, policies and strategies. The investment limitations below are considered to be non-fundamental policies, which may be changed at any time by a vote of the Trusts 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, GDRs, EDRs, 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.
Bear Funds. The Funds may invest in bear funds. Bear funds are designed to allow investors to speculate on anticipated decreases in the S&P 500 ® Index or another securities market index or to hedge an existing portfolio of securities or mutual fund shares. Due to the nature of bear funds, investors could experience substantial losses during sustained periods of rising equity prices. This is the opposite result expected of investing in a traditional equity mutual fund in a generally rising stock market. Bear funds employ certain investment techniques, including engaging in short sales and in certain transactions in stock index futures contracts, options on stock index futures contracts, and options on securities and stock indexes. Using these techniques, bear funds will generally incur a loss if the price of the underlying security or index increases between the date of the employment of the technique and the date on which the fund terminates the position. Bear funds will generally realize a gain if the underlying security or index declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain or loss on an investment technique may be affected by any premium or amounts in lieu of dividends or interest that the Funds pay or receive as a result of the transaction.
Borrowing. Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value (NAV) of a Funds shares and in the return on the Funds portfolio. Although the principal of any borrowing will be fixed, a Funds 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 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.
Business Development Companies (BDCs). BDCs are a type of closed-end fund regulated under the 1940 Act. BDCs are publicly-traded mezzanine/private equity funds that typically invest in and lend to small and medium-sized private companies that may not have access to public equity markets for capital raising. BDCs are unique in that at least 70% of their investments must be made to private U.S. businesses and BDCs are required to make available significant managerial assistance to their portfolio companies. BDCs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). BDCs have expenses associated with their operations. Accordingly, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management and other expenses, and of any performance based fees, charged by the BDCs in which it invests.
Investments in BDCs are subject to various risks, including managements ability to meet the BDCs investment objective, and to manage the BDCs portfolio when the underlying securities are redeemed or sold, during periods of market turmoil and as investors perceptions regarding a BDC or its underlying investments change. BDC shares are not redeemable at the option of the BDC shareholder and, as with shares of other closed-end funds; they may trade in the secondary market at a discount to their NAV.
Canadian Income Trusts. A Canadian Income Trust is a qualified income trust as designated by the Canada Revenue Agency that operates as a profit-seeking corporation. This type of income trust, which pays out all earnings to unit holders before paying taxes, is usually traded publicly on a securities exchange. Canadian income trusts enjoy special corporate tax privileges.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Regulation. The Funds and the Advisor currently intend to claim exclusion or exemption from registering with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC). The Funds currently intend to 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 the Funds 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 securitys 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 Funds 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 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.
Custody Receipts. The Funds may invest in custody receipts that represent corporate debt securities. Custody receipts, such as Morgan Stanley TRACERs, are derivative products which, in the aggregate, evidence direct ownership in a pool of securities. Typically, a sponsor will deposit a pool of securities with a custodian in exchange for custody receipts evidencing those securities. Generally the sponsor will then sell those custody receipts in negotiated transactions at varying prices that are determined at the time of sale. Each custody receipt evidences the individual securities in the pool, and the holder of a custody receipt generally will have all the rights and privileges of owners of those securities. Each holder of a custody receipt will be treated as directly purchasing its pro rata share of the securities in the pool, for an amount equal to the amount that such holder paid for its custody receipt. If a custody receipt is sold, a holder will be treated as having directly disposed of its pro rata share of the securities evidenced by the custody receipt. Additionally, the holder of a custody receipt may withdraw the securities represented by a custody receipt subject to certain conditions.
Custody receipts are generally subject to the same risks as those securities evidenced by the receipts which, in the case of the Funds, are corporate debt securities. Additionally, custody receipts may be less liquid than the underlying securities if the sponsor fails to maintain a trading market.
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 instruments 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 SecuritiesForward 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 Funds 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.
Eurobonds. A Eurobond is a bond denominated in U.S. dollars or another currency and sold to investors outside of the country whose currency is used. Eurobonds may be issued by government or corporate issuers, and are typically underwritten by banks and brokerage firms from numerous countries. While Eurobonds typically pay principal and interest in Eurodollars (U.S. dollars held in banks outside of the United States), they may pay principal and interest in other currencies.
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 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 ETFs 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 ETFs 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 Funds 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.
Foreign Market Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for 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 Funds ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer a Funds assets or income back into the United States or otherwise adversely affect a Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 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 companys 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 companys 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 a Funds 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 Funds 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.
Also, when a Funds 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 March 31, 2015, 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 Funds 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 Funds 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.
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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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.
Guaranteed Investment Contracts. The Funds may make investments in obligations issued by highly rated U.S. insurance companies, such as guaranteed investment contracts and similar funding agreements (collectively GICs). A GIC is a general obligation of the issuing insurance company and not a separate account. Under these contracts, a Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit fund of the insurance companys general account. The insurance company then credits to the Fund on a monthly basis guaranteed interest that is based on an index. The GICs provide that this guaranteed interest will not be less than a certain minimum rate. GIC investments that do not provide for payment within seven days after notice are subject to the Funds policy regarding investments in illiquid securities.
Illiquid Securities. Subject to the limitations in the 1940 Act, the Funds may invest in illiquid securities. 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 Funds 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 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.
Inflation-Protected Debt Securities. A Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds. Inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds include securities of varying maturities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, such as U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), as well as securities issued by other entities such as corporations, municipalities, foreign governments and foreign issuers. Typically, such securities are structured as fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The following two structures are common: (i) the U.S. Treasury and some other issuers issue inflation-indexed bonds that accrue inflation into the principal value of the security and (ii) other issuers may pay out the Consumer Price Index (CPI) accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon. Other types of inflation-indexed bonds exist which use an inflation index other than the CPI.
Inflation-indexed bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, such as TIPS, have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. Typically, TIPS pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole years inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).
If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds 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, although the inflation-adjusted principal received could be less than the inflation-adjusted principal that had accrued to the bond at the time of purchase. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. A Fund may invest in other 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 amount.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to 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 the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if
nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.
While inflation-indexed bonds 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 due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bonds inflation measure.
The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy.
Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or a foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bonds inflation measure. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, even though the holder does not receive its principal until maturity. See Taxes for more information.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). Due to the typically small size of the IPO allocation available to the Funds and the nature and market capitalization of the companies involved in IPOs, the sub-advisors will often purchase IPO shares that would qualify as a permissible investment for a Fund but will, instead, decide to allocate those IPO purchases to other funds they advise. Any such allocation will be done in a fair and equitable manner according to a specific and consistent process. Because IPO shares frequently are volatile in price, a Fund may hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of a Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to a Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. By selling shares of an IPO, a Fund may realize taxable capital gains that it will subsequently distribute to shareholders.
Most IPOs involve a high degree of risk not normally associated with offerings of more seasoned companies. Companies involved in IPOs generally have limited operating histories, and their prospects for future profitability are uncertain. These companies often are engaged in new and evolving businesses and are particularly vulnerable to competition and to changes in technology, markets and economic conditions. They may be dependent on certain key managers and third-parties, need more personnel and other resources to manage growth and require significant additional capital. They may also be dependent on limited product lines and uncertain property rights and need regulatory approvals. Investors in IPOs can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders. Stock prices of IPOs can also be highly unstable, due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited investor information.
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 partnerships 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 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 Funds 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.
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. These investment companies typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by a Fund. A Funds 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 Funds total assets would be invested in the aggregate in all registered investment companies.
See also Investment Limitations and 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 Funds shares and in the yield on a Funds portfolio. Although the principal amount of such borrowings will be fixed, a Funds 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 Funds 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.
Loan Participation Notes. The Funds may invest in loan participation notes. A loan participation note represents participation in a corporate loan of a commercial bank with a remaining maturity of one year or less. Such loans must be to corporations in whose obligations the Funds may invest. Any participation purchased by a Fund must be issued by a bank in the United States with total assets exceeding $1 billion. When purchasing such instruments, the Fund may assume the credit risks associated with the original bank lender as well as the credit risks associated with the borrower. Investments in loan participations present the possibility that the Fund could be held liable as a co-lender under emerging legal theories of lender liability. In addition, if the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could be part owner of any collateral, and could bear the costs and liabilities of owning and disposing of the collateral. Loan participations are generally not rated by major rating agencies and may not be protected by securities laws. Also, loan participations are generally considered to be illiquid and are therefore subject to the Funds limitation on illiquid securities.
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 Funds 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 markets 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 bonds value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of a Funds 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 Funds 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.
Market Disruption. During periods of extreme market volatility, prices of securities held by the Funds may be negatively impacted due to imbalances between market participants seeking to sell the same or similar securities and market participants willing or able to buy such securities. As a result, the market prices of securities held by the Funds could decline, at times without regard to the financial condition of or specific events impacting the issuer of the security.
Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Funds themselves are regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Funds ability to achieve their investment goals.
Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such a program may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the Funds portfolio holdings. Furthermore, volatile financial markets can expose the Funds to greater market and liquidity risk and potential difficulty in valuing portfolio instruments held by the Funds. The Funds have established procedures to assess the liquidity of portfolio holdings and to value instruments for which market prices may not be readily available. The Advisor and sub-advisors will monitor developments and seek to manage the Funds in a manner consistent with achieving the Funds investment goals, but there can be no assurance that they will be successful in doing so.
Micro-Cap Securities. The Funds may invest in companies whose total market capitalization at the time of investment is generally between $30 million and $500 million, referred to as micro-cap companies. Micro-cap companies may not be well-known to the investing public, may not have significant institutional ownership and may have cyclical, static or only moderate growth prospects. Micro-cap companies may have greater risk and volatility than large companies and may lack the management depth of larger, mature issuers. Micro-cap companies may have relatively small revenues and limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volume than those of larger, more mature companies. In addition, micro-cap companies may be developing or marketing new products or services for which markets are not yet established and may never become established. As a result, the prices of their securities may fluctuate more than those of larger issuers.
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 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 asset-backed security (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 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 Funds 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 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 Funds 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 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 Funds 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 Funds ability to buy or sell these securities at any particular time.
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 a Fund invests. Typically, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, a 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 a 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.
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 facilitys 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 states 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.
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 issuers 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 bonds 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 Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) or Standard and Poors 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 Moodys, 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, 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 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 Funds 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 Funds 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.
Overseas Private Investment Corporation Certificates. The Funds may invest in Certificates of Participation issued by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). OPIC is a U.S. government agency that sells political risk insurance and loans to help U.S. businesses invest and compete in over 150 emerging markets and developing nations worldwide. OPIC provides medium to long-term loans and guaranties to projects involving significant equity or management participation. OPIC can lend on either a project finance or a corporate finance basis in countries where conventional institutions are often unable or unwilling to lend on such a basis. OPIC issues Certificates of Participation to finance projects undertaken by U.S. companies. These certificates are guaranteed by OPIC and backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Participation Interests. A Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.
Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.
More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.
Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holders initial investment.
The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holders actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investors actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.
Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third-party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lenders security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.
Pay in-Kind (PIK) Bonds. Pay in-kind bonds are securities which, at the issuers option, pay interest in either cash or additional securities for a specified period. Pay in-kind bonds, like zero coupon bonds, are designed to give an issuer flexibility in managing cash flow. Pay in-kind bonds are expected to reflect the market value of the underlying debt plus an amount representing accrued interest since the last payment. Pay in-kind bonds are usually less volatile than zero coupon bonds, but more volatile than cash pay securities.
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally for dividend receipt as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends generally are payable only if declared by the issuers board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.
Over-The-Counter Stocks. A Fund may invest in over-the-counter stocks. In contrast to the 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 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.
Privatization. Privatizations are foreign government programs for selling all or part of the interests in government owned or controlled enterprises. The ability of a U.S. entity to participate in privatizations in certain foreign countries may be limited by local law, or the terms on which a Fund may be permitted to participate may be less advantageous than those applicable for local investors. There can be no assurance that foreign governments will continue to sell their interests in companies currently owned or controlled by them or that privatization programs will be successful.
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.
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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds money will be invested in the securities, and will not be related to the coupon rate of the purchased security. At the time 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 sellers 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 Funds 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 sellers 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 sellers 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 Funds 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 Funds 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.
Royalty Trusts. Royalty trusts are structured similarly to REITs. A royalty trust generally acquires an interest in natural resource companies or chemical companies and distributes the income it receives to the investors of the royalty trust. A sustained decline in demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products could adversely affect income and royalty trust revenues and cash flows. Factors that could lead to a decrease in market demand include a recession or other adverse economic conditions, an increase in the market price of the underlying commodity, higher taxes or other regulatory actions that increase costs, or a shift in consumer demand for such products. A rising interest rate environment could adversely impact the performance of royalty trusts. Rising interest rates could limit the capital appreciation of royalty trusts because of the increased availability of alternative investments at more competitive yields.
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 Trusts Board.
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 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 Funds 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.
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 Funds 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 Funds 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 entitys 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 entitys 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 such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms or economic performance and the timely service of such debtors 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 debtors 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 Funds 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 Investments. Structured investments are derivatives in the form of a unit or units representing an undivided interest(s) in assets held in a trust that is not an investment company as defined in the 1940 Act. A trust unit pays a return based on the total return of securities and other investments held by the trust and the trust may enter into one or more swaps to achieve its goal. For example, a trust may purchase a basket of securities and agree to exchange the return generated by those securities for the return generated by another basket or index of securities. The Funds will purchase structured investments in trusts that engage in such swaps only where the counterparties are approved by the Advisor or sub-advisor, as the case may be.
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-partys 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 agreement on other than a net basis, it will segregate assets with a value equal to the full amount of a Funds 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 Funds 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).
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 Funds 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.
Other Types of Financial Instruments. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts, or futures options are traded in the future, the Funds may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Funds investment goals.
Tender Option Bonds. A tender option bond is a municipal security (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax-exempt rates, that has been coupled with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which such institution grants the security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their securities to the institution and receive the face
value thereof. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the municipal securitys fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or near the commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax exempt rate. The Advisor or sub-advisor as the case may be, will consider on an ongoing basis the creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying municipal securities, of any custodian, and of the third-party provider of the tender option. In certain instances and for certain tender option bonds, the option may be terminable in the event of a default in payment of principal of interest on the underlying municipal securities and for other reasons.
Time Deposits. Time deposits are non-negotiable receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty are considered to be illiquid securities.
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 an 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.
Trust Preferred Securities. Trust preferred securities are issued by a special purpose trust subsidiary backed by subordinated debt of the corporate parent. Trust preferred securities currently permit the issuing entity to treat the interest payments as a tax-deductible cost. These securities, which have no voting rights, have a final stated maturity date and a fixed schedule for periodic payments. In addition, these securities have provisions which afford preference over common and preferred stock upon liquidation, although the securities are subordinated to other, more senior debt securities of the same issuer. The issuers of these securities have the right to defer interest payments for a period of up to five years, although interest continues to accrue cumulatively. The deferral of payments may not exceed the stated maturity date of the securities themselves. The non-payment of deferred interest at the end of the permissible period will be treated as an event of default. At the present time, the Internal Revenue Service treats trust preferred securities as debt.
U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities are obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities. Some U.S. government securities, such as U.S. Treasury bills, U.S. Treasury notes and U.S. Treasury bonds, which differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Others are supported by: (i) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as securities of the Federal Home Loan Banks; (ii) the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agencys obligations, such as securities of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac; or (iii) only the credit of the issuer, such as securities of the Student Loan Marketing Association. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support in the future to U.S. government agencies, authorities or instrumentalities that are not supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Securities guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities include: (i) securities for which the payment of principal and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by the U.S. government or any of its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities; and (ii) participation interests in loans made to foreign governments or other entities that are so guaranteed. The secondary market for certain of these participation interests is limited and, therefore, may be regarded as illiquid.
U.S. Treasury Obligations. U.S. Treasury Obligations are bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as separately traded registered interest and principal securities (STRIPS) and coupons under book entry safekeeping (CUBES). They also include U.S. Treasury inflation-protection securities (TIPS).
Variable- and Floating-Rate Instruments. Certain obligations may carry variable or floating rates of interest, and may involve a conditional or unconditional demand feature. Such instruments bear interest at rates which are not fixed, but which vary with changes in specified market rates or indices. The interest rates on these securities may be reset daily, weekly, quarterly or some other reset period, and may have a floor or ceiling on interest rate changes. There is a risk that the current interest rate on such obligations may not accurately reflect existing market interest rates. A demand instrument with a demand notice exceeding seven days may be considered illiquid if there is no secondary market for such security.
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 securitys 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.
When-Issued, Delayed Delivery Securities, and Forward Commitment Transactions. A Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, in which case delivery of the securities occurs beyond the normal settlement period; payment for or delivery of the securities would be made prior to the reciprocal delivery or payment by the other party to the transaction. When-issued or delayed delivery securities are subject to market fluctuations due to changes in market interest rates and it is possible that the market value at the time of settlement could be higher or lower than the purchase price if the general level of interest rates has changed. Although a Fund generally purchases securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis with the intention of actually acquiring the securities for its investment portfolio, a Fund may dispose of a when-issued security or forward commitment prior to settlement if it deems appropriate.
Yankee Obligations. Yankee obligations (Yankees) are U.S. dollar-denominated instruments of foreign issuers who either register with the SEC or issue securities under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act. These consist of debt securities (including preferred or preference stock of non-governmental issuers), certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits and bankers acceptances issued by foreign banks, and debt obligations of foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, international agencies and supranational entities. Some securities issued by foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the foreign government. Yankee obligations, as obligations of foreign issuers, are subject to the same types of risks discussed above in Securities of Foreign Issuers. The Yankee obligations selected for the Funds will adhere to the same credit quality standards as those utilized for the selection of domestic debt obligations.
Zero Coupon Securities. The Funds may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The Code requires that a Fund accrue interest income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires a Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to federal income tax and to continue to maintain its status as a regulated investment company under the Code. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, a Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to a Fund under the Code. See Taxes, for more information.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
Fundamental investment limitations
The following investment limitations are fundamental policies of each Fund which cannot be changed without the consent of the holders of a majority of that Funds outstanding shares.
The term majority of the outstanding shares means the vote of (i) 67% or more of a Funds 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 Funds outstanding shares, whichever is less. Except for the limitations on illiquid securities and bank borrowings, if a percentage restriction on investment or use of assets set forth below is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from changing market values or other circumstances will not be considered a deviation from this policy.
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.
All Funds except Focused Fund. Except as otherwise noted, the fundamental investment limitations for all Funds except the Focused Fund are:
1. Diversification. For each diversified Fund only, the Funds may not purchase securities of an issuer that would cause the Funds to fail to satisfy the diversification requirement for a diversified management company under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
For clarification, this diversification policy does not apply to the following non-diversified funds: Growth Opportunities Fund and Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund.
2. Borrowing Money. The Funds may not engage in borrowing except as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, any rule, regulation, or order under the Act or any SEC staff interpretation of the Act.
3. Underwriting. The Funds may not underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that, in connection with the sale or disposition of portfolio securities, a Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under certain federal securities laws or in connection with investments in other investment companies.
4. Loans. The Funds may not make loans to other persons except that a Fund may (1) engage in repurchase agreements, (2) lend portfolio securities, (3) purchase debt securities, (4) purchase commercial paper, and (5) enter into any other lending arrangement permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, any rule, regulation or order under the Act or any SEC staff interpretation of the Act.
5. Real Estate. The Funds may not purchase or sell real estate except that a Fund may (1) hold and sell real estate acquired as a result of the Funds ownership of securities or other instruments (2) purchase or sell securities or other instruments backed by real estate or interests in real estate and (3) purchase or sell securities of entities or investment vehicles, including real estate investment trusts that invest, deal or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests in real estate.
6. Commodities. The Funds may not purchase or sell physical commodities except that a Fund may (1) hold and sell physical commodities acquired as a result of the Funds ownership of securities or other instruments, (2) purchase or sell securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities, (3) purchase or sell options, and (4) purchase or sell futures contracts.
7. Concentration of Investments. The Funds may not purchase the securities of an issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the United States Government, its agencies or its instrumentalities) if, as a result, more than 25% of the Funds total assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry.
8. Senior Securities. The Funds may not issue senior securities except as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, any rule, regulation or order under the Act or any SEC staff interpretation of the Act.
Focused Fund. The fundamental investment limitations for the Focused Fund are :
1. Borrowing Money. The Fund may not borrow money or issue senior securities, except as permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
Please refer to number 1 of the Non-Fundamental Investment Limitations section for further information.
2. Underwriting. The Fund may not underwrite the securities of other issuers. This restriction does not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition or resale of its portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
3. Concentration of Investments. The 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 the Funds 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.
4. Real Estate. The 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 the 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.
5. Commodities. The 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 the Fund from engaging in transactions involving futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities that are secured by physical commodities.
6. Loans. The 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 the Fund from, among other things, purchasing debt obligations, entering repurchase agreements, lending portfolio securities or investing in loans, including assignments and participation interests.
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.
All Funds except Focused Fund. The following non-fundamental investment limitations apply to each Fund except the Focused Fund:
1. Diversification. Under the 1940 Act, a diversified investment management company, as to 75% of its total assets, may not purchase securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agents or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies) if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the issuers outstanding voting securities would be held by the fund.
2. Borrowing. The 1940 Act allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets).
3. Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves a fund purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly. Under the 1940 Act, a diversified fund may not make any commitment as underwriter, if immediately thereafter the amount of its outstanding underwriting commitments, plus the value of its investments in securities of issuers (other than investment companies) of which it owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities, exceeds 25% of the value of its total assets.
4. Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies. The Funds current investment policy on lending is as follows: the 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 the 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 its Statement of Additional Information.
5. 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 or other coverage of such obligation in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act Rules and SEC interpretations thereunder.
Mid Cap Growth Fund. The following additional non-fundamental investment limitation applies to the Mid Cap Growth Fund:
1. Borrowing Money . The Fund intends to borrow money only as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes. In addition, the Fund may engage in reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions involving mortgage-backed securities or other investment techniques entered into for the purpose of leverage.
Growth Opportunities Fund. The following additional non-fundamental investment limitations apply to the Growth Opportunities Fund:
1. Illiquid Investments. The Fund will not purchase securities for which there are legal or contractual restrictions on resale or for which no readily available market exists (or engage in a repurchase agreement maturing in more than seven days) if, as a result thereof, more than 15% of the value of its net assets would be invested in such securities.
2. Margin Purchases. The Fund will not purchase securities or evidences of interest thereon on margin. This limitation is not applicable to short-term credit obtained by the Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemption of securities or to the extent necessary to engage in transactions described in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information involving margin purchases.
3. Short Sales. The Fund will not make short sales of securities.
Focused Fund . The following non-fundamental investment limitations apply to the Focused Fund:
1. Borrowing and senior securities. In complying with the fundamental investment restriction regarding borrowing and issuing senior securities, the 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).
2. Loans. In complying with the fundamental investment restriction with regard to making loans, the 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 the 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 Statement of Additional Information.
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 5 years, and, for the Trustees, number of funds overseen in the Touchstone Fund Complex and other directorships held. All funds managed by the Advisor are part of the Touchstone Fund Complex. The Touchstone Fund Complex consists of the Trust, Touchstone Funds Group Trust Touchstone Investment Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, Touchstone Tax-Free 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 Trustee(1):
Name
|
|
Position
|
|
Term of Office
|
|
Principal
|
|
Number of
|
|
Other Directorships
|
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). |
|
42 |
|
Director of LaRosas, Inc. (a restaurant chain) from 1999 to 2011; 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 Trusts distributor) from 1999 to the present; Touchstone Advisors (the Trusts 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; Every Child Succeeds (a social services company) from 2007 to the present; Taft Museum of Art from 2007 to the present; and YMCA of Greater Cincinnati from 2012 to the present. |
Independent Trustees
Name
|
|
Position
|
|
Term of Office
|
|
Principal
|
|
Number of
|
|
Other Directorships
|
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. |
|
42 |
|
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 the 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). |
|
42 |
|
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. |
|
42 |
|
Trustee of Diocese of Southern Ohio from 2014 to present; and Trustee of Episcopal Retirement Homes Foundation from 1998 to 2011 (a charitable organization). |
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. |
|
42 |
|
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; Trustee of the Entrepreneurs Center, Inc. (a small business incubator) from 2006 to the present; and Director of Interventional Imaging, Inc. (a medical device company) from 2004 to 2011. |
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. |
|
42 |
|
Director of Streamline Health Solutions, Inc. (healthcare IT) from 2006 to the present; Mercy Health from 2013 to the present; Mercy Health Foundation (healthcare nonprofit) from 2008 to the present; and Al Neyer Inc. (a construction company) from 2013 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 July 30, 2015, the Touchstone Fund Complex consisted of 17 series of the Trust, 12 series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, 2 series of Touchstone Investment Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Tax-Free Trust, and 9 variable annuity series of Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
(3) Each Trustee is also a Trustee of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, Touchstone Investment Trust, Touchstone Tax-Free Trust, and Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
Principal Officers:
Name
|
|
Position
|
|
Term of Office and Length of
|
|
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5
|
Jill T. McGruder
Touchstone Advisors, Inc. 303 Broadway Suite 1100 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Year of Birth: 1955 |
|
President |
|
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.; Director of Product Design of Klein Decisions, Inc. (2003 to 2010). |
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. |
|
Controller and Treasurer |
|
Until resignation, removal or disqualification |
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer, of IFS Financial Services, Inc. (a holding |
303 Broadway Suite 1100 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Year of Birth: 1962 |
|
|
|
Controller and Treasurer since 2006 |
|
company). |
Ellen Blanchard
BNY Mellon 201 Washington St., 34 th Fl. Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Year of Birth: 1973 |
|
Secretary |
|
Until resignation, removal or disqualification
Secretary since 2015 |
|
Director and Senior Counsel of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. |
(1) Each officer also holds the same office with Touchstone Funds Group Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, Touchstone Investment Trust, Touchstone Tax-Free Trust and Touchstone Variable Series Trust.
Additional Information about the Trustees
The Board believes that each Trustees 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.
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 Boards 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 Trusts 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 Trusts 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 Chairpersons additional roles as a director of the Advisor and the Distributor and senior executive of IFS Financial Services, Inc., the Advisors parent company, and of other affiliates of the Advisor, which enhance the Boards 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 Trusts 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 Funds 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 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 Trusts independent auditors on internal control and financial reporting matters. On at least a quarterly basis, the Board meets with the Trusts 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 Trusts 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 Trusts 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 Trusts 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 Trusts accounting and financial reporting policies, practices and internal controls. Mr. Gale is chair of the Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, 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 Trusts 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 March 31, 2015.
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 candidates 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 Funds
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, 2014.
|
|
Trustees |
||||||||||
|
|
Interested Trustee |
|
Independent Trustees |
||||||||
Funds |
|
Jill T. McGruder |
|
Phillip R.
|
|
William C.
|
|
Susan J.
|
|
Kevin A.
|
|
Edward J.
|
Flexible Income Fund |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
$10,001-$50,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
Focused Fund |
|
$50,001-$100,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
|
$50,001-$100,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$10,001-$50,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
|
$10,001-$50,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
International Value Fund |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$50,001-$100,000 |
|
$1 - $10,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$1-$10,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
|
$10,001-$50,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Securities in the Touchstone Fund Complex(1) |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
$1 - $10,000 |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
None |
|
None |
(1)As of December 31, 2014, the Touchstone Fund Complex consisted of 18 series of the Trust, 13 series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, 4 series of Touchstone Investment Trust, 3 series of Touchstone Tax-Free 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 March 31, 2015.
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 |
|
$ |
46,095 |
|
$ |
131,500 |
|
William C. Gale |
|
$ |
42,592 |
|
$ |
121,500 |
|
Susan J. Hickenlooper |
|
$ |
42,592 |
|
$ |
121,500 |
|
Kevin A. Robie |
|
$ |
39,088 |
|
$ |
111,500 |
|
Edward J. VonderBrink |
|
$ |
39,088 |
|
$ |
111,500 |
|
(1)As of March 31, 2015, the Touchstone Fund Complex consisted of 18 series of the Trust, 13 series of Touchstone Funds Group Trust, 1 series of Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust, 4 series of Touchstone Investment Trust, 3 series of Touchstone Tax-Free 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 fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 was $0.
The following table shows the Trustee quarterly compensation schedule:
|
|
Quarterly
|
|
Governance
|
|
Audit
|
|
Board
|
|
||||
Retainers |
|
$ |
13,500 |
|
$ |
4,500 |
|
$ |
4,500 |
|
$ |
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Lead Independent Trustee Fees |
|
$ |
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Committee Chair Fees |
|
$ |
1,000 |
|
$ |
1,500 |
|
$ |
1,500 |
|
|
|
|
Telephonic Meeting Attendance Fee = $1,500
All fees are divided equally among the Funds comprising the Touchstone Fund Complex.
THE ADVISOR
Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the Advisor or Touchstone Advisors), is the Funds investment advisor under the terms of an advisory agreement (the Advisory Agreement) dated May 1, 2000. 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 Funds 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 in the event of its assignment, 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 not less than 30-day nor more than 60-day written notice to the Advisor, or by the Advisor on 90-day written notice to the Trust.
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 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 Funds 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 Funds advisory fee is accrued daily and paid monthly, based on the Funds average net assets during the current month.
Fund |
|
Investment Advisory Fee |
Flexible Income Fund |
|
0.70% on first $500 million of assets; and
|
Focused Fund |
|
0.70% on first $100 million of assets;
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
0.75% on first $500 million of assets;
|
International Value Fund |
|
1.00% on all assets |
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
0.75% on first $500 million of assets;
|
Fund |
|
Investment Advisory Fee |
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
1.15% on all assets |
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
1.00% on first $300 million of assets; and
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
0.75% on first $200 million of assets;
|
Each Fund shall pay the expenses of its operation, including but not limited to the following (i) charges and expenses of outside pricing services, (ii) the charges and expenses of auditors; (iii) the charges and expenses of its custodian, transfer agent and administrative agent appointed by the Trust with respect to a Fund; (iv) brokers commissions, and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to a Fund in connection with securities transactions to which a 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 Funds with the SEC, state or blue sky securities agencies and foreign countries; (vii) all expenses of meetings of Trustees and of shareholders of the Trust 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 the Independent Trustees of the Trust; (x) compliance fees and expenses; and (xi) 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.
By its terms, the Funds investment advisory agreement will remain in force for an initial period of two years and from year to year thereafter, subject to annual approval by (a) the Board or (b) a vote of the majority of a Funds outstanding voting securities; provided that in either event continuance is also approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting such approval. The Funds investment advisory agreement may be terminated at any time, on sixty days written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, by a vote of a majority of a Funds outstanding voting securities, or by the Advisor. The investment advisory agreement automatically terminates in the event of its assignment, as defined by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Each class of shares of a Fund pays its respective 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 a Funds total annual operating expenses do not exceed the contractual limits set forth in the Funds fee table. Expenses that are not waived or reimbursed by the Advisor include dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales; interest; taxes; brokerage commissions; other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; the cost of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any; other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business; amounts, if any, payable pursuant to a shareholder servicing plan; and amounts, if any, payable pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (Excluded Expenses). The 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 Funds 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 Funds Board, such amounts waived or reimbursed for a period of up to three years from the year in which Touchstone Advisors reduced its compensation or assumed expenses for the Fund. No recoupment will occur unless the Funds operating expenses are below the expense limitation amount in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
Advisory Fees and Fee Waivers or Reimbursements. For the three most recent fiscal years ended March 31, the Trust paid advisory fees and received waivers or reimbursements as shown in the following table:
|
|
Advisory Fees Paid |
|
Fee Waivers or Reimbursements |
|
||||||||||||||
Fund |
|
2013 |
|
2014 |
|
2015 |
|
2013 |
|
2014 |
|
2015 |
|
||||||
Focused Fund |
|
$ |
3,630,726 |
|
$ |
5,359,567 |
|
$ |
6,817,377 |
|
$ |
651,083 |
|
$ |
1,020,322 |
|
$ |
858,156 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$ |
1,260,818 |
|
$ |
1,816,683 |
|
$ |
2,106,398 |
|
$ |
294,272 |
|
$ |
370,965 |
|
$ |
284,024 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund* |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
$ |
698,399 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
$ |
119,351 |
|
||||
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
4,545,709 |
|
$ |
5,119,109 |
|
$ |
5,570,011 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
$ |
6,046,954 |
|
$ |
6,779,404 |
|
$ |
6,222,296 |
|
$ |
915,294 |
|
$ |
693,067 |
|
$ |
177,707 |
|
* The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014.
For the periods August 1, 2012 to September 9, 2012, September 10, 2012 to March 31, 2013, and the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 each of the Funds listed below paid the following advisory fees:
|
|
Advisory Fees Paid |
|
||||||||||
Fund |
|
For the Period
|
|
For the Period
|
|
2014 |
|
2015 |
|
||||
Flexible Income Fund |
|
$ |
304,383 |
|
$ |
1,128,692 |
|
$ |
1,856,398 |
|
$ |
1,982,961 |
|
International Value Fund |
|
$ |
141,519 |
|
$ |
613,004 |
|
$ |
1,248,984 |
|
$ |
1,205,538 |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
44,902 |
|
$ |
201,719 |
|
$ |
612,610 |
|
$ |
1,821,474 |
|
For the periods August 1, 2012 to September 9, 2012, September 10, 2012 to March 31, 2013, and the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 the Advisor waived the following advisory fees or reimbursed the following expenses:
|
|
Fee Waivers or Reimbursements |
|
||||||||||
Fund |
|
For the Period
|
|
For the Period
|
|
2014 |
|
2015 |
|
||||
Flexible Income Fund |
|
$ |
175,839 |
|
$ |
632,429 |
|
$ |
811,789 |
|
$ |
548,711 |
|
International Value Fund |
|
$ |
46,265 |
|
$ |
293,737 |
|
$ |
407,602 |
|
$ |
375,620 |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
38,662 |
|
$ |
98,977 |
|
$ |
210,942 |
|
$ |
358,875 |
|
* Each of the Funds listed above was a part of the Fifth Third Reorganization and commenced operations on September 10, 2012. In connection with the Fifth Third Reorganization, each Fund listed above changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31.
THE SUB-ADVISORS AND PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The Advisor has selected sub-advisors (the Sub-Advisors) to manage all or a portion of a Funds assets, as allocated by the Advisor. The Sub-Advisors make the investment decisions for the Fund assets allocated to them, and continuously review, supervise and administer a separate investment program, subject to the oversight of, and policies established by, the Board.
Each Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that a 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 their respective services, the Sub-Advisors receive a fee from the Advisor. As described in the prospectus, each Sub-Advisor receives sub-advisory fees with respect to each Fund that it sub-advises. Each Sub-Advisors fee with respect to each Fund is accrued daily and paid monthly, based on the Funds 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 the Sub-Advisor who is rendering services to a Fund is paid by the Sub-Advisor. For the fiscal years (or periods) ended March 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 the Advisor paid the Sub-Advisors the following fees:
Fund |
|
2013 |
|
2014 |
|
2015 |
|
|||
Flexible Income Fund |
|
$ |
563,500 |
|
$ |
928,199 |
|
$ |
991,481 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
$ |
1,869,544 |
|
$ |
2,829,784 |
|
$ |
3,558,689 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$ |
755,011 |
|
$ |
1,090,010 |
|
$ |
1,263,839 |
|
International Value Fund |
|
$ |
266,657 |
|
$ |
562,043 |
|
$ |
542,492 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
2,699,171 |
|
$ |
3,032,348 |
|
$ |
112,941 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund* |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
$ |
485,843 |
|
||
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
81,753 |
|
$ |
294,362 |
|
$ |
909,605 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund** |
|
$ |
3,391,646 |
|
$ |
3,816,847 |
|
$ |
3,498,666 |
|
* |
The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014. |
** |
Prior to May 4, 2015, the Fund was called the Touchstone Large Cap Growth Fund and was sub-advised by Navellier & Associates, Inc. |
A description of each Sub-Advisor is below. In addition, the following charts list the Funds portfolio managers, the number of their other managed accounts per investment category, the total assets in each category of managed accounts and their beneficial ownership in their managed Fund(s) at the end of the March 31, 2015 fiscal year. Listed below the charts is (i) a description of each portfolio managers compensation structure as of March 31, 2015, and (ii) a description of any material conflicts that may arise in connection with each portfolio managers management of the Funds 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 each portfolio
manager as of March 31, 2015. Also as of March 31, 2015, for some of the Sub-Advisors, certain portfolio managers managed accounts subject to both an advisory and a performance fee.
Sub-Advisor Control. This section presents the Sub-Advisors control persons.
· Apex Capital Management, Inc. (Apex) is controlled by Nitin N. Kumbhani.
· Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC (Barrow Hanley) is a subsidiary of OM Asset Management Plc, a NYSE listed company.
· ClearArc Capital, Inc. (ClearArc) (formerly Fifth Third Asset Management, Inc.) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Financial Corporation, which is, in turn, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bancorp.
· Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (Fort Washington) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western & Southern and is therefore an affiliate of Touchstone Advisors and Touchstone Securities. Ms. McGruder may be deemed to be an affiliate of Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
· Rockefeller & Co., Inc. (Rockefeller) is a subsidiary of Rockefeller Financial Services, Inc. (the Parent Company). The Parent Company is controlled by an independent trust established for the benefit of members of the Rockefeller family.
· Sands Capital Management, LLC (Sands Capital) is controlled by Frank M. Sands, Sr., Frank M. Sands, Jr., and Marjorie R. Sands.
· Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P. (Westfield) is 100% employee owned.
Flexible Income Fund
Sub-Advisor: ClearArc Capital, Inc.
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total
|
|
Total
|
|
Number of Other
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
|
Peter Kwiatkowski |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
1 |
|
$ |
341.35 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$ |
495.95 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Accounts |
|
49 |
|
$ |
1,438.40 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
David L. Withrow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
1 |
|
$ |
341.35 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
4 |
|
$ |
207.84 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Accounts |
|
121 |
|
$ |
2,208.22 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Mitchell Stapley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
1 |
|
$ |
341.35 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
4 |
|
$ |
129.20 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Accounts |
|
167 |
|
$ |
3,413.14 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
John Cassady |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
1 |
|
$ |
341.35 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
3 |
|
$ |
110.47 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Accounts |
|
105 |
|
$ |
1,666.87 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Compensation. Each ClearArc portfolio managers compensation generally consists of a base salary, a cash incentive bonus and certain Fifth Third Bancorp long-term, non-cash incentives. Portfolio managers are also eligible for the standard retirement, health and welfare benefits available to all ClearArc and Fifth Third Bancorp employees. In the case of portfolio managers responsible for managing multiple Funds or other managed accounts, the method used to determine manager compensation is the same for all such Funds and other accounts.
Portfolio manager base salaries are based upon the managers experience and level of expertise, taking into account ongoing compensation benchmark analyses performed by ClearArcs human resource specialists. A portfolio managers base salary is generally a fixed amount that may change as a result of periodic performance reviews, upon assumption of new duties, or when a market adjustment of the position is deemed by management to be warranted.
A portfolio managers bonus is determined by a number of factors. The most important factor is the composite net, pre-tax performance over rolling 3-year periods of the managed Fund and other managed accounts versus the applicable benchmarks and peer groups against which the performance of the relevant asset class or classes are measured. Another factor makes such comparison over the most recent one-year period. The firm provides an incentive grid depicting the level of bonus based on these performance factors, which includes less incentive for benchmark or slightly below benchmark results. Another portion of the incentive takes other, more
subjective, components and factors into account, including but not limited to client involvement and interaction, client retention and the portfolio managers compliance record. The applicable benchmark, which may include modified versions of the index, for the Flexible Income Fund is the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.
Conflicts of Interest. Because the portfolio managers manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, ClearArc may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. ClearArc has adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that they believe are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest. From time to time, potential conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio managers management of the investments of a Fund and the management of other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (collectively, the Managed Accounts). The Managed Accounts might have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Fund, track the same indexes the Fund tracks or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Fund. The Managed Accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than the Fund.
A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio managers day-to-day management of a Fund. The portfolio manager knows the size, timing and possible market impact of the Funds trades and could use this information to the advantage of the Managed Accounts and to the possible detriment of the Fund.
A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio managers management of a number of accounts with varying investment guidelines. Often, an investment opportunity may be suitable for both the Fund and the Managed Accounts, but may not be available in sufficient quantities for both the Fund and the Managed Accounts to participate fully. Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by the Fund and a Managed Account. ClearArc has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities on a fair and equitable basis over time.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Manager |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
Peter Kwiatkowski |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
David L. Withrow |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
Mitchell Stapley |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
John Cassady |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
Focused Fund
Sub-Advisor: Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number of Other
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
|
James Wilhelm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
26 |
|
$ |
1,406 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Compensation. All of Fort Washingtons 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 their 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 7-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 firms President and approved by the Board of Directors.
Fort Washingtons 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 4% of earnings saved.
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 Fund). Actual or potential conflicts of interest 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. Fort Washington has adopted policies and procedures to address such conflicts.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Manager |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
James Wilhelm |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
Growth Opportunities Fund and Mid Cap Growth Fund
Sub-Advisor: Westfield Capital Management Company, L.P.
Mid Cap Growth Fund
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number of Other
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
||
William A. Muggia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
12 |
|
$ |
3,386 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$ |
453 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
29 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
455 |
|
$ |
12,944 |
|
26 |
|
$ |
1,673 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number of Other
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
||
William A. Muggia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
12 |
|
$ |
3,912 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$ |
453 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
29 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
455 |
|
$ |
12,944 |
|
26 |
|
$ |
1,673 |
|
Compensation. Members of Westfields Investment Committee (the Investment Committee) may be eligible to receive various components of compensation:
· Investment Committee members receive a base salary commensurate with industry standards. This salary is reviewed annually during the employees performance assessment.
· Investment Committee members also receive a performance based bonus award. This bonus award is determined and paid in December. The amount awarded is based on the employees individual performance attribution and overall contribution to the investment performance of Westfield. While the current calendar year is a primary focus, a rolling three year attribution summary is also considered when determining the bonus award.
· Investment Committee members may be eligible to receive equity interests in the future profits of Westfield. Individual awards are typically determined by a members overall performance within the firm, including but not limited to contribution to company strategy, participation in marketing and client service initiatives, as well as longevity at the firm. The key members of Westfields management team who received equity interests in the firm enter into agreements restricting post-employment competition and solicitation of clients and employees of Westfield. This compensation is in addition to the base salary and performance based bonus. Equity interest grants typically vest over five years.
· Investment Committee members may receive a portion of the performance-based fee earned from an account that is managed solely by Mr. Muggia. He has full discretion to grant such awards to any member of the Investment Committee.
Conflicts of Interest. The simultaneous management of multiple accounts by Westfields investment professionals creates a possible conflict of interest as they must allocate their time and investment ideas across multiple accounts. This may result in the Investment Committee or portfolio manager allocating unequal attention and time to the management of each client account as each has different objectives, benchmarks, investment restrictions and fees. For most client accounts, investment decisions are made at the Investment Committee level. Once an idea has been approved, it is implemented across all eligible and participating accounts within the strategy. Client specific restrictions are monitored by the Compliance team.
Although the Investment Committee collectively acts as portfolio manager on most client accounts, there are some client accounts that are managed by a portfolio manager who also serves as a member of the Investment Committee. This can create a conflict of interest because investment decisions for these individually managed accounts do not require approval by the Investment Committee; thus, there is an opportunity for individually managed client accounts to trade in a security ahead of Investment Committee-managed client accounts. Trade orders for individually managed accounts must be communicated to the Investment Committee. Additionally, the Compliance team performs periodic reviews of such accounts to ensure procedures have been followed.
Westfield has clients with performance-based fee arrangements. A conflict of interest can arise between those portfolios that incorporate a performance fee and those that do not. When the same securities are recommended for both types of accounts, it is Westfields policy to allocate investments, on a pro-rata basis, to all participating and eligible accounts, regardless of the accounts fee structure. Westfields Operations team performs periodic reviews of each products model portfolio versus each client account. Discrepancies are researched, and any exceptions are documented.
In placing each transaction for a clients account, Westfield seeks best execution of that transaction except in cases where Westfield does not have the authority to select the broker or dealer, as stipulated by the client. Westfield attempts to bundle directed brokerage accounts with non-directed accounts, and then utilize step-out trades to satisfy the directed arrangements. Clients who do not allow step-out trades will typically go last.
Because of Westfields interest in receiving third party research services, there may be an incentive for Westfield to select a broker or dealer based on such interest rather than the clients interest in receiving most favorable execution. To mitigate the conflict that Westfield may have an incentive beyond best execution to utilize a particular broker, broker and research votes are conducted and reviewed on a quarterly basis. These votes provide the opportunity to recognize the unique research efforts of a wide variety of firms, as well as the opportunity to compare aggregate commission dollars with a particular broker to ensure appropriate correlation.
Some Westfield clients have elected to retain certain brokerage firms as consultants or to invest their assets through a broker-sponsored wrap program for which Westfield acts as a manager. Several of these firms are on Westfields approved broker list. Since Westfield may gain new clients through such relationships, and will interact closely with such firms to service the client, there may be an incentive for Westfield to select a broker or dealer based on such interest rather than the clients interest. To help ensure independence in the brokerage selection process, brokerage selection is handled by Westfields Traders, while client relationships are managed by Westfields Marketing/Client Service team. Although Westfield recognize the consultant or wrap program teams at such firms are usually separate and distinct from the brokerage teams, Westfield prohibits any member of its Marketing/Client Service team from providing input into brokerage selection.
Personal accounts may give rise to conflicts of interest. Westfield and its employees will, from time to time, for their own investment accounts, purchase, sell, hold or own securities or other assets which may be recommended for purchase, sale or ownership for one or more clients. Westfield has a Code of Ethics which regulates trading in such accounts that includes requirements on reporting and preclearance. Compliance also reviews personal trading activity regularly.
Westfield serves as manager to the General Partners of two private funds, for which Westfield also provides investment advisory services. As such, Westfield has a financial interest in such funds. Westfield and its employees have invested their own funds in the partnerships, strategy, or mutual funds that are advised by Westfield. Allowing such investments and having a financial interest in such accounts can create incentive for the firm to favor these accounts because Westfields financial interests are more directly tied to the performance of such accounts. To help ensure all clients are treated equitably and fairly, Westfield allocates investment opportunities on a pro-rata basis. Westfield Compliance also conducts regular reviews of the private funds against other client accounts to ensure procedures have been followed.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
|
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
||
Portfolio Manager |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
William A. Muggia |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
None |
International Value Fund
Sub-Advisor: Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number of Other
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
|
David A. Hodges, Jr.(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
10 |
|
$ |
3,980.6 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
3 |
|
$ |
536.4 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Accounts |
|
12 |
|
$ |
3,574.1 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Randolph S. Wrighton, Jr.(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
1 |
|
$ |
29.6 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
1 |
|
$ |
5.0 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Other Accounts |
|
5 |
|
$ |
747.7 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
Compensation. In addition to base salary, all portfolio managers and analysts at Barrow Hanley share in a bonus pool that is distributed semi-annually. Portfolio managers and analysts are rated on their value added to the team-oriented investment process. Overall compensation applies with respect to all accounts managed and compensation does not differ with respect to distinct accounts managed by a portfolio manager. Compensation is not tied to a published or private benchmark. It is important to understand that contributions to the overall investment process may include not recommending securities in an analysts sector if there are no compelling opportunities in the industries covered by that analyst.
The compensation of portfolio managers is not directly tied to fund performance or growth in assets for any fund or other account managed by a portfolio manager and portfolio managers are not compensated for bringing in new business. Of course, growth in assets from the appreciation of existing assets and/or growth in new assets will increase revenues and profit. The consistent, long-term growth in assets at any investment firm is to a great extent, dependent upon the success of the portfolio management team. The compensation of the portfolio management team at Barrow Hanley will increase over time, if and when assets continue to grow through competitive performance. Lastly, many of Barrow Hanleys key investment personnel have a long-term incentive compensation plan in the form of an equity interest in Barrow Hanley.
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 Fund). Barrow Hanley manages potential conflicts between funds or with other types of accounts through allocation policies and procedures, internal review processes and oversight by directors and independent third parties to ensure that no client, regardless of type or fee structure, is intentionally favored at the expense of another. Allocation policies are designed to address potential conflicts in situations where two or more funds or accounts participate in investment decisions involving the same securities.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Managers |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
David A. Hodges, Jr., CFA |
|
None |
Randolph S. Wrighton, Jr., CFA |
|
None |
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund
Sub-Advisor: Sands Capital Management, LLC
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total
|
|
Total Other
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
||
Brian A. Christiansen, CFA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$ |
466.9 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
239.9 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
3 |
|
$ |
489.7 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
478.4 |
|
Ashraf A. Haque |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$ |
466.9 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
239.9 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
3 |
|
$ |
489.7 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
478.4 |
|
Neil Kansari |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$ |
466.9 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
239.9 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
3 |
|
$ |
489.7 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
478.4 |
|
Compensation. Investment professionals benefit from a salary competitive in the industry, an annual qualitative bonus based on subjective review of the employees overall contribution, and a standard profit sharing plan and 401(k) plan. Additional incentives include equity participation. The investment professionals also participate in an investment results bonus. The investment results bonus is calculated from the pre-tax performance variance of the Sands Capital composite returns and their respective benchmarks over 1, 3, and 5 year periods, weighted towards the 3 and 5 year results.
Conflicts of interest. As an investment advisor to a variety of clients, Sands Capital recognizes there may be actual or potential conflicts of interest inherent in its business. For example, conflicts of interest could result from a portfolio managers management of multiple accounts for multiple clients, the execution and allocation of investment opportunities, the use of brokerage commission to obtain research, and personal trading by firm employees. Sands Capital has addressed these conflicts by developing policies and procedures it believes are reasonably designed to treat all clients in a fair and equitable manner over time. Sands Capitals policies and procedures address such issues as execution of portfolio transactions, aggregation and allocation of trades, directed brokerage, and the
use of brokerage commissions . Additionally, Sands Capital maintains a Code of Ethics that addresses rules on personal trading and insider information.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Manager |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
Brian A. Christiansen |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
Ashraf A. Haque |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
Neil Kansari |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
Small Cap Growth Fund
Sub-Advisor: Apex Capital Management, Inc.
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total Number
|
|
Total Other
|
|
Number of Other
|
|
Total Asset
|
|
Nitin N. Kumbhani |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
3497 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation. The portfolio manager receives a fixed base salary and a bonus, plus a percentage share of Apexs annual profits based on ownership of Apex. The bonus compensation is based in part on the pre-tax performance over the past 12 months as compared to the Funds benchmark (currently the Russell 2000® Growth Index). The remainder of the bonus compensation is based on the portfolio managers individual and collaborative research efforts, contribution to Apexs investment committee, the performance of the portfolio managers ideas presented, Apexs pre-tax profits and pre-tax product performance versus their benchmarks. As such, performance and asset levels of the Fund will directly affect Apexs profits; however, the portfolio managers compensation is not directly based upon the asset levels of the Fund.
Conflicts of Interest. The portfolio managers management of other accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with his management of the Funds investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. A potential conflict of interest may arise where another account has the same investment objective as the Fund, whereby the portfolio manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the portfolio managers knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, Apex has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Manager |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
Nitin N. Kumbhani |
|
None |
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund
Sub-Advisor: Rockefeller & Co., Inc.
Portfolio Manager/ Types of
|
|
Total Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number of Other Accounts
|
|
Total Other Assets
|
|
||
David P. Harris |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
2 |
|
$ |
354.7 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
14 |
|
$ |
1,535.1 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
29.7 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
233 |
|
$ |
3,234.9 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Farha-Joyce Haboucha |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
3 |
|
$ |
221.2 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
88 |
|
$ |
498.7 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Jimmy C. Chang |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
2 |
|
$ |
354.7 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
8 |
|
$ |
1,114.2 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
358 |
|
$ |
2,351.0 |
|
0 |
|
N/A |
|
|
Compensation. The portfolio managers compensation consists of a combination of competitive base salary, a discretionary annual bonus, and, in the case of Managing Directors and certain other senior professionals, participation in Rockefellers Stock Incentive Plan, which is long-term in nature and designed to attract and retain senior professionals and to promote the growth of long-term shareholder value through a close alignment of interests. Bonus compensation is determined by Rockefeller and incorporates individual, team and firm performance.
Conflicts of Interest. Potential conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the portfolio managers management of the Funds investments and the management of the investments of other accounts. The other accounts may have the same or similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund but may be subject to different management fee structures than the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the similarities in investment objectives and strategies, whereby the portfolio managers could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the portfolio managers knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the portfolio managers could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. Rockefeller has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
Ownership of Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Managers |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership |
David P. Harris |
|
None |
Farha-Joyce Haboucha |
|
None |
Jimmy C. Chang |
|
None |
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 the Fund.
For its services through December 31, 2014, the Advisors annual fee was:
0.20% on the first $6 billion of the aggregate average daily net assets;
0.16% on the next $4 billion of aggregate average daily net assets; and
0.12% on the aggregate average daily net assets over $10 billion.
The fee was computed and allocated among the Touchstone Fund Complex (excluding Touchstone Institutional Money Market Fund, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust and Touchstone Variable Series Trust) on the basis of relative daily net assets.
Beginning January 1, 2015, the Advisors 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-Administrator to the Trust. BNY Mellon provides administrative and accounting services to the Trust and is compensated directly by the Advisor, not the Trust. (See Transfer and Sub-Administrative Agent in this SAI).
The following shows administration fees incurred by the Funds listed below for the three most recent fiscal years ended March 31.
|
|
Administrative Fees Paid |
|
|||||||
Fund |
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
|||
Focused Fund |
|
$ |
1,697,362 |
|
$ |
1,383,447 |
|
$ |
946,916 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$ |
438,559 |
|
$ |
397,554 |
|
$ |
301,092 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
1,186,933 |
|
$ |
1,142,261 |
|
$ |
1,103,737 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund* |
|
$ |
94,725 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
||
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
$ |
1,371,082 |
|
$ |
1,568,142 |
|
$ |
1,523,726 |
|
* The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014.
The following shows administration fees incurred by the Funds listed below for the periods August 1, 2012 to September 9, 2012 and September 10, 2012 to March 31, 2013 and for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015.
Administrative Fees |
|
For the Year
|
|
For the Year
|
|
For the
|
|
For the
|
|
||||
Flexible Income Fund |
|
$ |
441,347 |
|
$ |
436,808 |
|
$ |
281,457 |
|
$ |
53,379 |
|
International Value Fund |
|
$ |
188,820 |
|
$ |
205,392 |
|
$ |
106,634 |
|
$ |
24,817 |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
280,490 |
|
$ |
100,321 |
|
$ |
35,235 |
|
$ |
7,874 |
|
* Each of the Funds listed above was a part of the Fifth Third Reorganization and commenced operations on September 10, 2012. In connection with the Fifth Third Reorganization, each Fund listed above changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31.
TOUCHSTONE SECURITIES (THE DISTRIBUTOR)
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 Distributors 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 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 three most recent fiscal years ended March 31.
Fund |
|
Aggregate
|
|
Amount Distributed to
|
|
Amount earned as a
|
|
Amount Retained in
|
|
||||
Flexible Income Fund* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
73,259 |
|
$ |
59,253 |
|
$ |
2,181 |
|
$ |
11,824 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
77,172 |
|
$ |
59,524 |
|
$ |
6,416 |
|
$ |
11,231 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
220,757 |
|
$ |
185,674 |
|
$ |
945 |
|
$ |
34,138 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
197,245 |
|
$ |
124,482 |
|
$ |
50,275 |
|
$ |
22,487 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
151,169 |
|
$ |
110,623 |
|
$ |
21,724 |
|
$ |
18,822 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
7,520 |
|
$ |
6,461 |
|
$ |
50 |
|
$ |
1,009 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
62,617 |
|
$ |
41,578 |
|
$ |
14,590 |
|
$ |
6,449 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
90,529 |
|
$ |
67,977 |
|
$ |
10,482 |
|
$ |
12,070 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
17,911 |
|
$ |
11,725 |
|
$ |
3,479 |
|
$ |
2,707 |
|
International Value Fund* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
5,887 |
|
$ |
1,881 |
|
$ |
3,712 |
|
$ |
294 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
5,011 |
|
$ |
3,573 |
|
$ |
904 |
|
$ |
534 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
1,937 |
|
$ |
1,529 |
|
$ |
169 |
|
$ |
239 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
256,200 |
|
$ |
129,226 |
|
$ |
106,133 |
|
$ |
20,841 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
168,793 |
|
$ |
90,509 |
|
$ |
63,380 |
|
$ |
14,904 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
108,062 |
|
$ |
59,925 |
|
$ |
33,030 |
|
$ |
15,107 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
||||
2014 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
||||
2013 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
||||
Small Cap Growth Fund* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
101,502 |
|
$ |
79,434 |
|
$ |
8,548 |
|
$ |
13,519 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
89,340 |
|
$ |
71,526 |
|
$ |
5,226 |
|
$ |
12,588 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
7,849 |
|
$ |
5,569 |
|
$ |
988 |
|
$ |
1,292 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
2015 |
|
$ |
193,669 |
|
$ |
137,838 |
|
$ |
32,528 |
|
$ |
23,303 |
|
2014 |
|
$ |
200,187 |
|
$ |
150,992 |
|
$ |
22,274 |
|
$ |
26,922 |
|
2013 |
|
$ |
173,759 |
|
$ |
132,671 |
|
$ |
14,217 |
|
$ |
26,871 |
|
* The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31 on September 10, 2012. The amounts shown are for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, the eight month period ended March 31, 2013. All payments made prior to September 10, 2012 were made by Fifth Third Predecessor Funds distributor, formerly Fifth Third Funds Distributor, Inc.
** The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014.
Touchstone Securities retains the contingent deferred sales charge on redemptions of shares of the Funds that are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. The following table shows the amounts retained from sales loads and contingent deferred sales charges (CDSC) for the three most recent fiscal years ended March 31.
|
|
Amount Retained on CDSC |
|
|||||||
Fund |
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
|||
Flexible Income Fund* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class C |
|
$ |
2,327 |
|
$ |
1,341 |
|
$ |
2,729 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class C |
|
$ |
604 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class C |
|
$ |
146 |
|
$ |
11,930 |
|
$ |
33 |
|
International Value Fund* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class C |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class B |
|
$ |
5 |
|
$ |
760 |
|
$ |
2,922 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
1,438 |
|
$ |
3,716 |
|
$ |
2,834 |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class C |
|
$ |
49 |
|
$ |
35 |
|
$ |
336 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Class B |
|
$ |
5 |
|
$ |
1,077 |
|
$ |
2,325 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
864 |
|
$ |
6,739 |
|
$ |
3,159 |
|
*The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31 on September 10, 2012. The amounts shown are for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, March 31, 2014 and the eight month period ended March 31, 2013.
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 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 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 March 31, 2015, the Distributor anticipates that the following broker-dealers or their affiliates will receive additional payments as described in the Funds prospectus and SAI:
Name of Broker-Dealers |
American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc. |
Fifth Third Securities Inc. |
First Command Financial Planning, Inc. |
First Clearing, LLC/Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC |
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC |
Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. |
LPL Financial Services |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, Inc. |
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management |
Pershing LLC |
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
RBC Capital Markets Corporation |
UBS Financial Services, Inc. |
Vanguard Brokerage 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.
Your financial intermediary may charge you additional fees or commissions other than those disclosed in this SAI. You can ask your financial intermediary about any payments it receives from Touchstone Securities or the Funds, as well as about fees or commissions it charges. You should consult disclosures made by your financial advisor at the time of purchase.
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 and account maintenance and other shareholder services in connection with maintaining such 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 B Shares. With respect to its Class B shares, the Mid Cap Growth Fund and Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund have adopted a plan of distribution and shareholder service (the Class B Plan) 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.
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 Distributors affiliates and subsidiaries as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance.
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 the 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 Trusts 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 Trusts 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 March 31, 2015:
|
|
12b-1 Plan Expenses |
|
||||||||||||||||
Fund |
|
Printing and
|
|
Distribution
|
|
Compensation to
|
|
Compensation to
|
|
Service
|
|
Total |
|
||||||
Flexible Income Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
178 |
|
$ |
13,060 |
|
$ |
26,705 |
|
$ |
27,816 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
67,759 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
308 |
|
$ |
65,788 |
|
$ |
140,092 |
|
$ |
19,039 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
225,227 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
3,423 |
|
$ |
133,014 |
|
$ |
515,008 |
|
$ |
58,315 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
709,760 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
100 |
|
$ |
52,323 |
|
$ |
16,600 |
|
$ |
10,429 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
79,452 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
585 |
|
$ |
33,924 |
|
$ |
79,325 |
|
$ |
4,226 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
118,060 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
173 |
|
$ |
25,177 |
|
$ |
95,695 |
|
$ |
5,507 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
126,552 |
|
International Value Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
67 |
|
$ |
3,312 |
|
$ |
9,449 |
|
$ |
3,133 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
15,961 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
3 |
|
$ |
472 |
|
$ |
1,665 |
|
$ |
184 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
2,324 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
2,763 |
|
$ |
159,930 |
|
$ |
406,223 |
|
$ |
76,928 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
645,844 |
|
Class B |
|
$ |
60 |
|
$ |
3,336 |
|
$ |
8,860 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
12,256 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
2,204 |
|
$ |
217,828 |
|
$ |
1,247,284 |
|
$ |
21,243 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
1,488,559 |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
224 |
|
$ |
18,382 |
|
$ |
31,418 |
|
$ |
25,298 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
75,322 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
104 |
|
$ |
29,301 |
|
$ |
41,276 |
|
$ |
14,961 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
85,642 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Class A |
|
$ |
2,904 |
|
$ |
229,182 |
|
$ |
423,090 |
|
$ |
43,189 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
698,365 |
|
Class B |
|
$ |
35 |
|
$ |
2,903 |
|
$ |
5,149 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
8,087 |
|
Class C |
|
$ |
1,594 |
|
$ |
177,372 |
|
$ |
899,732 |
|
$ |
11,488 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
1,090,186 |
|
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-advisors 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.
In certain instances, there may be securities that are suitable for a Fund as well as for one or more of the respective sub-advisors 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 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 may be offset by a Funds ability to participate in volume transactions, which could lead to better executions for the Fund.
The Funds paid the following in aggregate brokerage commissions on portfolio transactions for the past three fiscal years ended March 31.
|
|
Aggregate Brokerage Commissions |
|
|||||||
Fund |
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
|||
Flexible Income Fund* |
|
$ |
111,069 |
|
$ |
111,202 |
|
$ |
82,684 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
$ |
582,231 |
|
$ |
387,361 |
|
$ |
1,503,061 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$ |
256,276 |
|
$ |
250,852 |
|
$ |
221,324 |
|
International Value Fund* |
|
$ |
64,198 |
|
$ |
64,994 |
|
$ |
152,425 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
614,436 |
|
$ |
823,287 |
|
$ |
704,276 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund** |
|
$ |
342,263 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
||
Small Cap Growth Fund* |
|
$ |
245,641 |
|
$ |
171,910 |
|
$ |
85,342 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
$ |
629,686 |
|
$ |
560,846 |
|
$ |
642,938 |
|
*The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31 on September 10, 2012. The amounts shown are for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015 and the eight month period ended March 31, 2013. All payments made prior to September 10, 2012 were made by Fifth Third Predecessor Funds.
** The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, the amount of brokerage transactions and related commissions for the Funds directed to brokers due to research services provided were as follows:
Fund |
|
Amount of Transactions to Brokers Providing
|
|
Related Commission |
|
||
Flexible Income Fund |
|
$ |
94,422,829 |
|
$ |
83,243 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
$ |
298,597,326 |
|
$ |
280,837 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$ |
392,345,824.86 |
|
$ |
248,880.74 |
|
International Value Fund |
|
$ |
134,904,554.74 |
|
$ |
117,965.38 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
816,581,319.99 |
|
$ |
586,546.91 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund* |
|
$ |
147,443 |
|
$ |
31 |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
71,980,946.09 |
|
$ |
40,945.70 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
* The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014.
The total amount of securities of regular broker-dealers held by each Fund for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 was as follows:
Fund |
|
Broker Dealer |
|
Aggregate Value |
|
|
Flexible Income Fund |
|
Bank of America |
|
$ |
9,822,493 |
|
|
|
JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
|
$ |
12,947,955 |
|
|
|
Morgan Stanley |
|
$ |
6,597,917 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
Bank of America |
|
$ |
48,492,690 |
|
|
|
Bank of New York Mellon |
|
$ |
64,061,114 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
International Value Fund |
|
Credit Suisse Group AG |
|
$ |
2,369,054 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
PROXY VOTING
The Funds have adopted the sub-advisors 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 Funds shareholders and those of the Sub-Advisor or its affiliates. A copy or summary of each sub-advisors proxy voting policies is included in Appendix B. Information about how the Funds voted proxies relating to their portfolio securities during the most recent year ending June 30 is available by August 31 st of that year without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1.800.543.0407 and on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov. Each Funds Form N-PX will also be available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov and on the Touchstone website at TouchstoneInvestments.com.
CODE OF ETHICS
The Trust has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Advisor, each 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 March 31, the portfolio turnover rate for the Funds listed below was as follows:
|
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate |
|
||
Fund |
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
Flexible Income Fund* |
|
102 |
% |
44 |
% |
Focused Fund |
|
33 |
% |
27 |
% |
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
87 |
% |
79 |
% |
International Value Fund |
|
26 |
% |
31 |
% |
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
73 |
% |
79 |
% |
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund** |
|
90 |
% |
N/A |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund*** |
|
46 |
% |
195 |
% |
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
98 |
% |
92 |
% |
* The significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate for the Flexible Income Fund during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015 was primarily due to an increased number of maturing securities as well as prepayments. In addition, the portfolio experienced an increase in the turnover rate within the equity allocation.
** The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 12, 2014.
*** The significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate for the Small Cap Growth Fund during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015 was primarily due to a change in the Funds principal investment strategies. The Fund changed its strategy from micro-cap value to small cap growth.
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 Chief Compliance Officer. No compensation will be received by a Fund, the Advisor, any 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 Chief Compliance Officer.
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.
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 (except the Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund) 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 (except the Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund) 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.
· The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund provides its full holdings on its publicly available website and to market data agencies monthly, as of the end of a month, at least sixty days after month-end.
· The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund provides its top five holdings on its publicly available website and to market data agencies quarterly, as of the end of a calendar quarter, at least seven business days after quarter end.
· The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund provides its full holdings to its 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: TouchstoneInvestments.com.
8) The Chief Compliance Officer 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 Funds trading strategies or pending portfolio transactions.
As of March 31, 2015, one or more Touchstone Funds may currently disclose portfolio holdings information based on ongoing arrangements to the following parties:
CMS Bondedge
Bloomberg LP
Morningstar, Inc.
Employees of the Advisor and the Funds Sub-Advisors 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 Chief Compliance Officer is authorized to determine whether disclosure of a Funds portfolio securities is for a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of the 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-Administrator will initiate a process by which the Trusts 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 Funds fair value policies and procedures, such as when U.S. exchanges are open but a foreign exchange is closed.
Securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less will 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 Trusts 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 Trusts 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.
CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES
Each Fund offers the following classes of shares.
|
|
Class A |
|
Class B* |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional |
|
Flexible Income Fund |
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Focused Fund |
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
International Value Fund |
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
|
|
Class A |
|
Class B* |
|
Class C |
|
Class Y |
|
Institutional |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
* The Class B shares were closed to all purchases on February 2, 2009.
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 brokers authorized designee, accepts the order. The customer order will be priced at the Funds NAV next computed after acceptance by an authorized broker or the brokers 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 Trusts 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 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 Dealer Fee) of such purchases from Touchstone Securities according to the following schedule:
Amount of Investment |
|
Dealer 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 |
% |
Touchstone Securities does not have an annual reset for Dealer Fees. In determining a dealers eligibility for a Dealer 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 commission was paid to a participating dealer 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 Touchstone Securities for more information on the calculation of the dealers commission in the case of combined purchases.
A dealer is eligible for a Dealer Fee only if the dealer has not previously received a Dealer Fee on the assets used to meet the required investment amount. Similarly, an exchange from any other Touchstone Fund will not qualify for a Dealer 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 Dealer Fee if it reasonably believes such a fee has already been paid on those assets.
Class B Shares . Effective February 2, 2009, Class B shares are no longer offered for purchase. Class B shares are subject to a CDSC if you redeem Class B shares within 6 years of their purchase. The CDSC will be a percentage of the dollar amount of shares redeemed and will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of (1) the NAV at the time of purchase of the Class B shares being redeemed, or (2) the NAV of such Class B shares being redeemed. A CDSC will not be imposed upon redemptions of Class B shares held for at least six years. The amount of sales charge will depend on how long you have held your shares, as set forth in the following
table:
Year Since Purchase Payment Made |
|
CDSC as a % of Amount Subject to Charge |
|
First |
|
5.00 |
% |
Second |
|
4.00 |
% |
Third |
|
3.00 |
% |
Fourth |
|
2.00 |
% |
Fifth |
|
1.00 |
% |
Sixth |
|
1.00 |
% |
Seventh and Thereafter* |
|
None |
|
*Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares after they have been held for approximately 8 years.
Class B shares are subject to an annual 12b-1 fee of up to 1.00% of a Funds average daily net assets allocable to Class B shares.
Share Class Conversions. Class A and Class C shareholders who are eligible to invest in Class Y shares or Institutional Class shares are eligible to exchange their Class A shares and/or Class C 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 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 1% CDSC will be assessed on the exchange transaction, which may be processed as a liquidation and a purchase. 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. 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 clients 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 customers 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.
· 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.
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 dealers 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 50 additional shares through reinvestment of distributions. If, at such time you should redeem 450 shares (totaling proceeds of $5,400), then 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.
The following example will illustrate the operation of the CDSC for Class B shares. Assume that you open an account and purchase 1,000 shares at $10 per share and twenty-eight months later the NAV per share is $14 and, during such time, you have acquired (a) 150 additional shares through reinvestment of distributions and (b) 500 shares through purchases at $11 per share during the second year. If at such time you should redeem 1,450 shares (proceeds of $20,300), 150 shares will not be subject to the charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the remaining 1,300 shares, the charge is applied only to the (a) original cost of $10 per share for the first 1,000 shares and not to the increase in NAV of $4 per share and (b) to the original cost of $11 per share for the next 300 shares and not to the increase in NAV of $3 per share. Therefore, $18,200 of the $20,300 redemption proceeds will pay the charge. The redemption of the first 1,000 shares is in the third year of the CDSC schedule and will be charged at the rate of 3.00%, or $300. The redemption of the next 300 shares is in the second year of the CDSC schedule and will be charged at the rate of 4.00%, or $132. After this transaction is completed, the account has 200 shares remaining with an initial purchase value of $11 per share and these shares are in the second year of the CDSC schedule.
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 the Distributor.
The minimum investment waivers are not available for Institutional Class shares of the Funds.
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, as defined below), or current separate account client of or referral by a Sub-Advisor to that particular Fund;
2. Purchases by any director, officer or other employee (and their immediate family members, as defined below) of Western & Southern Financial Group or any of its affiliates; and
3. Purchases by any employees of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US), Inc. 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.
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. The term employee is deemed to include current and retired employees.
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.
Waiver of Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund Class A Sales Charge for Former Navellier Shareholders. Effective October 6, 2003, sales charges do not apply to Class A shares of the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (formerly the Large Cap Growth Fund) purchased by former shareholders of the Navellier Performance Large Cap Growth Portfolio who are purchasing additional shares for their account or opening new accounts in the Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund.
Waiver of Class A Sales Charge for former Constellation Shareholders. Shareholders who owned shares of the Trust as of November 17, 2006 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.
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.
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.
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 Funds 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 in-Kind. Under unusual circumstances, when the Board deems it in the best interests of a Funds 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 Funds 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.
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 you elect to receive your dividends and distributions of $25.00 or more in cash, and the payment is returned as undeliverable, 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. If your redemption proceeds are 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. Upon contact, 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.
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 is not cashed within six months (an outstanding payment), 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 the event the proceeds represent a full liquidation or a distribution from a retirement account, the proceeds will be deposited into a nonretirement account for you and invested in the Touchstone Ultra Short Duration Fixed Income Fund. 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 date of payment.
For redemption checks returned as undeliverable, the check will be voided and deposited into a lost shareholder account for the Fund. If the account holder contacts the Fund and provides proper documentation to update the address on the account, a check for the previously voided amount will be re-issued to the shareholder and sent to the new address of record.
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 Funds 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 60 days after the end of each year detailing the federal income tax status of your distributions. Please see Taxes below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Funds.
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 Funds 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 Funds shares, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding a Funds 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 Funds 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 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 Codes 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 shareholders 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 Funds 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 tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a graduated basis with a maximum tax rate of 35% 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 (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 losses arising from tax years beginning on or before December 22, 2010, a Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized during the eight years following the year of the loss and such Funds capital loss carryforward is treated as a short-term capital loss in the year to which it is carried. For capital losses realized with respect to tax years of a Fund beginning after December 22, 2010, such Fund may carry capital losses forward indefinitely. For capital losses realized in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010, the excess of a Funds 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 Funds next taxable year and the excess of a Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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. 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 Funds 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 Codes 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 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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. 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 shareholders 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 Funds 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, which will not be treated as favorably for federal income tax purposes as an ordinary deduction. In particular, a Fund will not be able to offset any capital losses from its dispositions of shares of other investment companies against its ordinary income.
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 (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), plus interest thereon 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 Funds investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. A Funds 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 Funds 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 QEFs 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 QEFs annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the Codes 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 shareholders 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 Funds 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 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 Funds investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REITs 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 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 Funds income from a REIT that is attributable to the REITs 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.
Distributions. Distributions paid out of a Funds 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 Funds 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 shareholders 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 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 Funds 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 Funds 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.
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 Funds 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 shareholders 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 Funds 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 Funds 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 28% 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 shareholders 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, effective for taxable years of a Fund beginning before January 1, 2015, 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.
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 gain from United States real property interests (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. (However, absent the enactment of legislation, on or after January 1, 2015, this look-through treatment for distributions by a Fund to foreign persons applies only to such distributions that are attributable to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier REIT and are required to be treated as USRPI gain in the Funds hands.) If the foreign shareholder holds (or has held at any time during the prior year) more than a 5% interest in a class of stock of a Fund, such distributions received by the shareholder with respect to such class of stock will be treated as gains effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, and subject to tax at graduated rates. Moreover, such shareholders will be required to file a U.S. income tax return for the year in which the gain was recognized and the Fund will be required to withhold 35% of the amount of such distribution. In the case of all other foreign persons (i.e., those whose interest in the Fund did not exceed 5% at any time during the prior year), the USRPI distribution will be treated as ordinary income (regardless of any designation by the Fund that such distribution is qualified short-term gain or net capital gain) and the Fund must withhold 30% (or a lower applicable treaty rate) of the amount of the distribution paid to such foreign persons. It is currently unclear whether Congress will extend the look-through provisions described above for distributions made on or after January 1, 2015, and what the terms of any such extension would be.
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. Prior to January 1, 2015, no withholding was 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. shareholders 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).
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (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 investors 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.
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 taxpayers 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.
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 July 6, 2015, the name, address and percentage ownership of each entity that owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of a Fund are as follows:
Fund Name and Share Class |
|
Name & Address |
|
Percentage of
|
|
FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND - CLASS A |
|
LPL FINANCIAL OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
23.65 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
10.41 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
8.30 |
% |
FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND - CLASS C |
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
17.92 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
16.93 |
% |
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
14.09 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
6.66 |
% |
FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND - CLASS Y |
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
10.09 |
% |
FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK FBO 5/3 BANK PEN & P.O. BOX 3385 5001 KINGSLEY DR DEPT 3385 CINCINNATI OH 45263 |
|
21.63 |
% |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE MODERATE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
13.47 |
%*, *** |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE BALANCED ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
12.81 |
%*,*** |
|
|
SAXON & CO FBO CUSTOMER PO BOX 7780-1888 PHILADELPHIA PA 19182 |
|
11.57 |
%* |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE CONSERVATIVE ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
8.22 |
%*,*** |
|
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK FBO 5/3 BANK PEN & P.O. BOX 3385 5001 KINGSLEY DR DEPT 3385 CINCINNATI OH 45263 |
|
5.83 |
% |
FOCUSED FUND - CLASS C |
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
27.30 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
21.56 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
11.57 |
% |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 92500015 ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
9.45 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
8.60 |
% |
|
|
LPL FINANCIAL 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
8.06 |
% |
FOCUSED FUND - CLASS Y |
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC REINVEST ACCOUNT ATTN MUTUAL FUND DEPARTMENT 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
16.59 |
% |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
12.18 |
% |
FOCUSED FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO |
|
27.13 |
%*,** |
|
|
CENTRAL MI UNIVERSITY OPERATING PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55480 |
|
|
|
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC REINVEST ACCOUNT ATTN MUTUAL FUND DEPARTMENT 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
16.15 |
% |
|
|
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO CENTRAL MI UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55480 |
|
14.67 |
%* |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE MODERATE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
12.89 |
%*,*** |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
12.19 |
% |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 |
|
8.39 |
%*,*** |
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND - CLASS A |
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 92500015 ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
7.17 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
6.42 |
% |
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND - CLASS C |
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
25.98 |
% |
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2RD JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
19.12 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
10.68 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
7.11 |
% |
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND - CLASS Y |
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
44.44 |
% |
|
|
LINCOLN RETIREMENT SERVICES CO FBO INTL CHURCH OF FOUR SQ GOSPEL 4 P.O. BOX 7876 |
|
15.89 |
% |
|
|
FORT WAYNE IN 46801-7876 |
|
|
|
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
11.30 |
% |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
10.72 |
% |
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
25.63 |
% |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
18.39 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
17.91 |
% |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 92500015 ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
8.85 |
% |
|
|
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO GLASTONBURY RET-INC PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55480 |
|
6.87 |
% |
|
|
MAC & CO CUSTOMER A/C MUTUAL FUND OPERATIONS PO BOX 3198 525 WILLIAM PENN PLACE PITTSBURGH PA 15230 |
|
5.02 |
%* |
INTERNATIONAL VALUE FUND - CLASS A |
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
14.69 |
% |
|
|
TRUST COMPANY OF AMERICA PO BOX 6503 ENGLEWOOD, CO 801556503 |
|
8.62 |
% |
INTERNATIONAL VALUE FUND - CLASS C |
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
34.20 |
% |
|
|
NFS LLC FEBO NFS FMTC IRA FBO RHONDA M GIEDD CEDARVILLE IL 61013-0411 |
|
10.24 |
%* |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
8.64 |
% |
|
|
NFS LLC FEBO |
|
7.61 |
%* |
|
|
NFS/FMTC IRA FBO MARGUERITE RODERICK FREEPORT IL 61032 |
|
|
|
|
|
NFS LLC FEBO SUSAN K MARTIN TOD TOD ON FILE FREEPORT IL 61032-9561 |
|
5.72 |
%* |
INTERNATIONAL VALUE FUND - CLASS Y |
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK TTEE VARIOUS FASCORE LLC RECORDKEPT PLAN C/O FASCORE LLC 8515 E ORCHARD RD 2T2 GREENWOOD VILLAGE CO 80111 |
|
15.59 |
% |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
11.60 |
% |
|
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK FBO 5/3 BANK PEN & P.O. BOX 3385 5001 KINGSLEY DR DEPT 3385 CINCINNATI OH 45263 |
|
5.79 |
% |
INTERNATIONAL VALUE FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
JPMORGAN CHASE AS TRUSTEE FBO THE FIFTH THIRD BANCORP MASTER PROF SHARING PLAN 11500 OUTLOOK ST OVERLAND PARK KS 66211-1804 |
|
41.20 |
% |
|
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK FBO 5/3 BANK PEN & P.O. BOX 3385 5001 KINGSLEY DR DEPT 3385 CINCINNATI OH 45263 |
|
29.01 |
% |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE MODERATE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
12.08 |
%*,*** |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE BALANCED ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
7.99 |
%*,*** |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
6.92 |
%*,*** |
MID CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS A |
|
RELIANCE TRUST COMPANY FBO RETIREMENT PLANS SERVICED BY METLIF 8515 E ORCHARD RD 2T2 GREENWOOD VILLAGE CO 80111 |
|
12.86 |
% |
|
|
LPL FINANCIAL 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
9.09 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
8.95 |
% |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
7.20 |
% |
MID CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS B |
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
26.64 |
% |
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS |
|
16.41 |
% |
|
|
CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
|
|
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
10.14 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
6.04 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
5.92 |
% |
MID CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS C |
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
22.81 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
16.72 |
% |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
10.98 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
8.10 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
8.01 |
% |
|
|
LPL FINANCIAL OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
7.09 |
% |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
6.72 |
% |
MID CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS Y |
|
LPL FINANCIAL OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT ATTN LINDSAY OTOOLE 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
46.85 |
% |
|
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK TTEE FBO WESTERN & SOUTHERN LIFE INS CO 401K SAVINGS PLAN 8515 E ORCHARD RD 2T2 CENTENNIAL CO 80111 |
|
10.44 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F |
|
8.83 |
% |
|
|
ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
|
|
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
7.25 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
6.97 |
% |
MID CAP GROWTH FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
STATE OF LOUISIANA TRUSTEE FBO LOUISIANA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES DCP 8515 E ORCHARD RD 2T2 GREENWOOD VILLAGE CO 80111 |
|
52.89 |
% |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
16.92 |
% |
|
|
TAYNIK & CO AS NOMINEE STATE STREET BANK & TRUST 1200 CROWN COLONY DR QUINCY MA 02169-0938 |
|
8.62 |
%* |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
7.80 |
% |
SANDS CAPITAL EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND - CLASS Y |
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
34.03 |
% |
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
5.32 |
% |
SANDS CAPITAL EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
TOUCHSTONE MODERATE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
14.07 |
%*,*** |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
12.07 |
%*,*** |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
11.81 |
% |
|
|
SAXON & CO FBO CUSTOMER PO BOX 7780-1888 PHILADELPHIA PA 19182 |
|
10.23 |
%* |
|
|
SAXON & CO FBO CUSTOMER PO BOX 7780-1888 PHILADELPHIA PA 19182 |
|
8.35 |
%* |
|
|
SAXON & CO FBO CUSTOMER PO BOX 7780-1888 PHILADELPHIA PA 19182 |
|
8.08 |
%* |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE BALANCED ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 |
|
6.86 |
%*,*** |
|
|
CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
|
|
SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS A |
|
LPL FINANCIAL OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT ATTN LINDSAY OTOOLE 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
18.65 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
13.69 |
% |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
8.80 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
6.49 |
% |
|
|
BAND & CO C/O US BANK NA 1555 N. RIVERCENTER DRIVE STE. 302 MILWAUKEE WI 53212 |
|
6.44 |
%* |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
5.28 |
% |
SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS C |
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
43.42 |
% |
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
15.85 |
% |
|
|
LPL FINANCIAL OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT ATTN LINDSAY OTOOLE 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
15.10 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
5.57 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
5.30 |
% |
SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS Y |
|
LPL FINANCIAL OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT ATTN LINDSAY OTOOLE 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121 |
|
39.36 |
% |
|
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
29.06 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
17.68 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
7.71 |
% |
SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
UMBSC & CO PO BOX 419620 KANSAS CITY MO 64106 |
|
24.79 |
%* |
|
|
NEW YORK LIFE TRUST COMPANY 169 LACKAWANNA AVE PARSIPPANY NJ 07054-1007 |
|
23.87 |
% |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE MODERATE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
10.41 |
%*,*** |
|
|
GREENLEAF TRUST REINVEST REINVEST 211 SOUTH ROSE STREET KALAMAZOO MI 49007 |
|
9.42 |
%* |
|
|
TOUCHSTONE GROWTH ALLOCATION FUND 303 BROADWAY ST STE 1100 CINCINNATI OH 45202-4220 |
|
8.30 |
%*,*** |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FL 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
5.76 |
% |
SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND - CLASS A |
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
10.65 |
% |
SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND - CLASS B |
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
35.46 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
13.65 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
9.70 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
8.15 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
7.73 |
% |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 92500015 |
|
6.69 |
% |
|
|
ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
|
|
SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND - CLASS C |
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
34.17 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
13.96 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
10.72 |
% |
|
|
RAYMOND JAMES OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS HOUSE ACCT FIRM 92500015 ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 |
|
8.69 |
% |
|
|
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. FBO UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F ATTN: DEPARTMENT MANAGER 499 WASHINGTON BLVD 9TH FL JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2055 |
|
7.73 |
% |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
6.47 |
% |
SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND - CLASS Y |
|
MLPF & S THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR EAST-2ND FLR JACKSONVILLE FL 32246 |
|
16.20 |
% |
|
|
FIRST CLEARING LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
|
15.69 |
% |
|
|
FIFTH THIRD BANK TTEE FBO WESTERN & SOUTHERN LIFE INS CO 401K SAVINGS PLAN 8515 E ORCHARD RD 2T2 CENTENNIAL CO 80111 |
|
13.05 |
% |
|
|
PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399 |
|
8.16 |
% |
|
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310-2010 |
|
7.94 |
% |
|
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC CUST SPL CUSTODY BNFT ATTN MUTUAL FUND DEPARTMENT 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4151 |
|
6.13 |
% |
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CENTER PLAZA 2 3RD FLOOR JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 |
|
5.83 |
% |
SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPACT EQUITY FUND - INSTITUTIONAL CLASS |
|
EPISCOPAL DIVINITY SCHOOL 99 BRATTLE ST CAMBRIDGE MA 02138-3494 |
|
99.88 |
%*,** |
*Indicates that shares are held beneficially.
**May be deemed to control a Fund because it owned beneficially more than 25% of the outstanding shares of a Fund as of June 30, 2015. Western & Southern Financial Group is a corporation organized under the laws of Ohio and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western-Southern Mutual Holding Company.
***The Conservative Fund, the Balanced Fund, the Moderate Growth Fund, and the Growth Fund are each structured as a fund-of-funds. Pursuant to the proxy voting policies of Touchstone Advisors, the Allocation Funds vote their shares in the same proportion as the votes of all other shareholders in that underlying Touchstone Fund.
As of July 22, 2015, 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 each Fund.
CUSTODIAN
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH), 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, is the Trusts custodian. BBH acts as the Trusts 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, 312 Walnut Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, has been selected as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016. Ernst & Young LLP will perform an annual audit of the Trusts financial statements and advise the Trust as to certain accounting matters.
TRANSFER AND SUB-ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Transfer Agent. The Trusts transfer agent is BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (BNY Mellon), 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01581. BNY Mellon maintains the records of each shareholders 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 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 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-administration fees paid by the Administrator during the stated fiscal year ended March 31:
|
|
Sub-Administration Fees Paid |
|
|||||||
Fund |
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
|
|||
Flexible Income Fund* |
|
$ |
76,799 |
|
$ |
75,371 |
|
$ |
47,064 |
|
Focused Fund |
|
$ |
264,997 |
|
$ |
217,590 |
|
$ |
146,146 |
|
Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
$ |
76,550 |
|
$ |
69,134 |
|
$ |
53,020 |
|
International Value Fund* |
|
$ |
39,296 |
|
$ |
40,165 |
|
$ |
21,251 |
|
Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
188,495 |
|
$ |
181,335 |
|
$ |
169,174 |
|
Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund** |
|
$ |
24,364 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
||
Small Cap Growth Fund* |
|
$ |
52,203 |
|
$ |
24,350 |
|
$ |
10,604 |
|
Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
$ |
216,889 |
|
$ |
245,463 |
|
$ |
230,060 |
|
* The Fund changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to March 31 on September 10, 2012. The amounts shown are for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, 2014 and the eight month period ended March 31, 2013.
** The Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund did not commence operations until May 9, 2014.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Funds audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, including the notes thereto and the report of Ernst & Young LLP, included in the Trusts Annual Report are incorporated into this SAI by reference. No other parts of the Trusts 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 well as other information about Touchstone Strategic Trust, from the EDGAR Database on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov.
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS(1)
Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) and Standard &Poors ® (S&P) are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations. A description of the ratings assigned by Moodys 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.
Moodys credit ratings are current opinions of the relative future credit risk of entities, credit commitments, or debt or debt-like securities. Moodys 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. Moodys 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&Ps view of the obligors 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.
Short-Term Credit Ratings
Moodys
Moodys 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.
Moodys 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.
(1) This Appendix A may contain information obtained from third parties, including ratings from credit ratings agencies such as Standard & Poors. 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.
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&Ps 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 obligors 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 obligors 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 obligors 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 obligors 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&Ps analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligors capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign governments 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
Moodys
Moodys 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 Moodys 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 Moodys 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.
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: Moodys 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&Ps 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 obligors 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 obligors 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 obligors 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 obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B - An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial or economic conditions will likely impair the obligors 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 instruments 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 obligations 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&Ps analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligors capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign governments 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
Moodys
Moodys 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 Moodys 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.
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 Moodys evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moodys 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 issues 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&Ps 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&Ps 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.
APPENDIX B
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
APEX CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
Proxy Voting Guidelines:
Apex Capital Management has delegated to its Treasurer the authority to execute all proxies, as designated to its proxy voting service-Egan Jones, and vote in the clients best interest. Generally we will vote for managements recommendations on recurring items. Specific situations may require unique responses that will be directed by the Chief Investment Officer. Unless the parties otherwise agree in writing, Apex shall have no obligation with respect to the voting of proxies.
General Proxy Voting Guidelines
Apex Capital Management has adopted general guidelines for voting proxies as summarized below. In keeping with its fiduciary obligations to its Advisory Clients, Apex Capital Management reviews all proposals, even those that may be considered to be routine matters. Although these guidelines are to be followed as a general policy, in all cases each proxy and proposal will be considered based on the relevant facts and circumstances. Apex Capital Management may deviate from the general policies and procedures when it determines that the particular facts and circumstances warrant such deviation to protect the interests of the Advisory Clients. These guidelines cannot provide an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise nor can Apex Capital Management anticipate all future situations. Corporate governance issues are diverse and continually evolving and Apex devotes significant time and resources to monitor these changes.
Apex Capital Management Proxy Voting Policies and Principles
Apex Capital Managements proxy voting positions have been developed based on years of experience with proxy voting and corporate governance issues. These principles have been reviewed by various members of Apexs organization, including portfolio management, and Apex officers. The following guidelines reflect what we believe to be good corporate governance and behavior:
Board of Directors: The election of directors and an independent board are key to good corporate governance. Directors are expected to be competent individuals and they should be accountable and responsive to shareholders. Apex supports an independent board of directors, and prefers that key committees such as audit, nominating, and compensation committees be comprised of independent directors. Apex will generally vote against management efforts to classify a board and will generally support proposals to declassify the board of directors. Apex will consider withholding votes from directors who have attended less than 75% of meetings without a valid reason. While generally in favor of separating Chairman and CEO positions, Apex will review this issue on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration other factors including the companys corporate governance guidelines and performance. Apex evaluates proposals to restore or provide for cumulative voting on a case-by-case basis and considers such factors as corporate governance provisions as well as relative performance. Apex Capital Management generally will support non-binding shareholder proposals to require a majority vote standard for the election of directors; however, if these proposals are binding, the Apex Capital Management will give careful review on a case-by-case basis of the potential ramifications of such implementation.
Ratification of Auditors: In light of several high profile accounting scandals, Apex Capital Management will closely scrutinize the role and performance of auditors. On a case-by-case basis, Apex Capital Management will examine proposals relating to non-audit relationships and non-audit fees. Apex will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to rotate auditors, and will vote against the ratification of auditors when there is clear and compelling evidence of accounting irregularities or negligence attributable to the auditors.
Management & Director Compensation: A companys equity-based compensation plan should be in alignment with the shareholders long-term interests. Apex believes that executive compensation should be directly linked to the performance of the company. Apex evaluates plans on a case-by-case basis by considering several factors to determine whether the plan is fair and reasonable. Apex will generally support employee stock option plans in which the purchase price is at least 85% of fair market value, and when potential dilution is 10% or less.
Severance compensation arrangements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, although Apex will generally oppose golden parachutes that are considered excessive. Apex will normally support proposals that require that a percentage of directors compensation be in the form of common stock, as it aligns their interests with those of the shareholders.
Anti-Takeover Mechanisms and Related Issues: Apex Capital Management generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they tend to reduce shareholder rights. Apex generally supports proposals that require shareholder rights plans (poison pills) to be subject to a shareholder vote. Apex will closely evaluate shareholder rights plans on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not they warrant support. We will generally vote against any proposal to issue stock that has unequal or subordinate voting rights. In addition, We generally oppose any supermajority voting requirements as well as the payment of greenmail. Apex usually supports fair price provisions and confidential voting.
Changes to Capital Structure: Apex realizes that a companys financing decisions have a significant impact on its shareholders, particularly when they involve the issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock or the assumption of additional debt. Apex will carefully review, on a case-by-case basis, proposals by companies to increase authorized shares and the purpose for the increase. Apex will generally not vote in favor of dual-class capital structures to increase the number of authorized shares where that class of stock would have superior voting rights. Apex will generally vote in favor of the issuance of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock issuance are deemed reasonable. Apex will review proposals seeking preemptive rights on a case-by-case basis.
Mergers and Corporate Restructuring: Mergers and acquisitions will be subject to careful review by the research analyst to determine whether they would be beneficial to shareholders. Apex will analyze various economic and strategic factors in making the final decision on a merger or acquisition. Corporate restructuring proposals are also subject to a thorough examination on a case-by-case basis.
Social and Corporate Policy Issues: As a fiduciary, Apex is primarily concerned about the financial interests of its Advisory Clients. Apex will generally give management discretion with regard to social, environmental and ethical issues although Apex may vote in favor of those issues that are believed to have significant economic benefits or implications.
Conflict of Interest: Each proxy ballot will be reviewed by Apex to determine if a conflict exists. If it is determined that a conflict exists, Apex will (choose one): (1) abstain from voting, (2) vote with management, or (3) vote in accordance with its proxy voting service (Egan-Jones) recommendation.
The firm provides clients with this notification by investment advisory contract.
BARROW HANLEY MEWHINNEY & STRAUSS, LLC
Proxy Voting
For clients who so elect, BHMS has the responsibility to vote proxies for portfolio securities consistent with the best economic interests of the beneficial owners. BHMS maintains written policies and procedures as to the handling, research, voting, and reporting of proxy voting and makes appropriate disclosures about the Firms proxy policies and procedures to clients. BHMS provides information to clients about how their proxies were voted and retains records related to proxy voting.
To assist in the proxy voting process, BHMS retains the services of Glass Lewis & Co. Glass Lewis provides research on corporate governance, financial statements, business, legal and accounting risk and supplies proxy voting recommendations. Glass Lewis also provides proxy execution, record keeping, and reporting services.
Proxy Oversight Committee
· BHMS Proxy Oversight Committee reviews and evaluates the data and recommendations provided by the proxy service. BHMS reviews and evaluates its own internal research on company proxies to ensure that votes are consistent with the Firms policies and are in the best interest of the beneficial owners. Proxy votes must be approved by BHMS before submitting to the proxy service provider.
· The Proxy Oversight Committee includes four portfolio managers, three research analysts, and two proxy coordinators. Research analysts participate based on industry coverage.
· Ballots and research recommendations are reviewed by the Proxy Coordinators and referred to analysts, portfolio managers or members of the proxy committee if the Glass Lewis recommendations are against management.
Types of Accounts
· U.S. and Non-U.S. Equity Accounts
The proxy coordinators review proposals and evaluate the proxy service providers recommendations. If further research is required, the proxy coordinators will direct the proxy service providers research to the analyst following the security. For Small Cap Value portfolios, the portfolio managers will review and make the voting decision. Generally, proposals are voted in accordance with the proxy service providers recommendations unless BHMS overrides a specific issue. The proxy coordinators approve voting decisions through the proxy service providers secure, proprietary, online system.
· Diversified Small Cap Value and Diversified Small/Mid Cap Value Accounts
BHMS accepts the recommendations of the proxy service provider when voting proxies for the Diversified Small Cap and Diversified Small/Mid Cap accounts for the following reasons:
· Investments are based on a quantitative model. Fundamental research is not performed for the holdings. Given the quantitative nature of the investment selection BHMS believes the proxy service providers recommendation is the best informed.
· The holding period is too short to justify the time for analysis to vote because the outcome of the votes would likely be irrelevant to the investment.
Proxies are voted uniformly in accordance with the proxy service providers recommendations. The proxy service provider verifies that votes are received, voted, and recorded.
Conflicts of Interest
· Potential conflicts may arise when BHMS invests in securities of companies who are also clients of the Firm. BHMS seeks to mitigate potential conflicts by:
· Making voting decisions for the benefit of the shareholder;
· Uniformly voting every proxy based on BHMS internal research and consideration of GL recommendations; and
· Documenting the votes of companies who are also clients of the Firm.
· If a material conflict of interest exists, the proxy coordinators will determine whether it is appropriate to disclose the conflict with the affected clients, to give the clients an opportunity to vote the proxies themselves, or to address the voting issue through other
objective means, such as voting in a manner consistent with a predetermined voting policy or receiving an independent third party voting recommendation.
Policies and Procedures
Proxy coordinators are responsible for implementing and monitoring BHMS proxy voting policy, procedures, disclosures and recordkeeping, including outlining our voting guidelines in our procedures. The Proxy Oversight Committee conducts periodic reviews to monitor and ensure that the Firms policy is observed, implemented properly, and amended or updated, as appropriate.
· BHMS sends a daily electronic transfer of stock positions to the proxy service provider.
· The proxy service provider identifies accounts eligible to vote for each security and posts the proposals and research on its secure, proprietary online system.
· New or controversial issues are presented to the Proxy Oversight Committee for evaluation.
· BHMS sends a proxy report to clients at least annually (or as requested by client), listing the number of shares voted and disclosing how proxies were voted.
· Voting records are retained on the network, which is backed up daily. The proxy service provider retains records for seven years.
· BHMS guidelines addressing specific issues are available upon request by calling: (214) 665-1900, or by e-mailing: clientservices@barrowhanley.com.
· The proxy coordinators retain the following proxy records in accordance with the SECs five-year retention requirement:
· These policies and procedures and any amendments;
· A record of each vote cast; and
· Any document BHMS created that was material to making a decision on how to vote proxies, or that memorializes that decision.
CLEARARC CAPITAL
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures
Policy
ClearArc shall vote proxies of the Funds in accordance with the policies/guidelines of an independent service provider (currently, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS)), unless (1) ClearArc determines that it is not in the best interest of the Fund to vote in accordance with ISS policies/guidelines or (2) ISS does not provide a recommendation with respect to the particular matter. In both cases, ClearArc will make the decision as to how proxies should be voted, provided, however, that the vote does not present a conflict between interests of the Fund, on the one hand, and those of ClearArc, on the other. Although ClearArc Capital generally follows the recommendations or guidelines made by the independent third party, it will not do so if it determines that the recommendation or guideline is not in the clients best interests. If the independent third party does not make a recommendation on how to vote or does not vote, the firm intends to vote in the clients best interests. In the event that a material conflict of interest exists, ClearArc Capitals investment committee will address the matter, including soliciting independent advice when deemed appropriate, and determine how to vote in the clients best interests.
Fiduciary Duty
The right to vote a proxy with respect to portfolio securities held in portfolios of the Funds is an asset of the Funds. ClearArc acknowledges that it acts as a fiduciary of the Funds and that it will vote proxies in a manner consistent with the best interest of the Funds and its shareholders.
FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, INC.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
Fort Washingtons 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 advisers. 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 companys 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 Washingtons 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 Washingtons 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.
ROCKEFELLER & CO., INC.
SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
Overview
Rockefeller & Co., Inc. (R&Co.) has adopted and implemented Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures in an effort to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients in fulfillment of R&Co.s fiduciary duties and in accordance with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
R&Co. has established a Proxy Committee that, among other things, establishes guidelines and generally oversees the proxy voting process.
R&Co. has engaged Glass, Lewis & Co. LLC (GL), an organization unaffiliated with R&Co., to assist with proxy voting. In addition to the execution of proxy votes in accordance with R&Co.s guidelines and record-keeping services, GL also provides R&Co. with corporate governance information, due diligence related to making appropriate proxy voting decisions and vote recommendations. R&Co., however, retains final authority and responsibility for proxy voting.
Proxy Voting Guidelines
R&Co. has established two sets of proxy voting guidelines: (1) a general set that governs the voting for clients not making a contrary election; and (2) a sustainability and impact set to be applied to specific mandates or upon client request. Both guidelines share the same philosophy with respect to corporate governance issues and consider the future appreciation of the investment as a primary concern. The guidelines, however, differ somewhat on social issues. For example, the general guidelines set forth specific governance preferences and a more general approach to social issues. The sustainability and impact guidelines take a more specific and proactive stance on social and environmental issues.
R&Co. does not automatically vote for or against any class of resolutions, but rather follows a list of preferences. On governance issues, the two sets of guidelines share a preference for resolutions that increase disclosure and reporting and that enhance the transparency of decision-making without placing an undue burden on the company or requiring the disclosure of proprietary or competitive information. In addition, both guidelines favor proposals that:
· Preserve and enhance the rights of minority shareholders;
· Increase the Boards skill base; and
· Increase the accountability of both the Board and management.
The sustainability and impact voting guidelines seek to encourage progress and leadership from companies in areas such as workplace and equality issues, energy and the environment, global corporate accountability, and international and public health. R&Co. believes that good citizenship is good business and that encouraging companies to improve their social responsiveness can lead to improved financial performance.
Proxy Voting Limitations
R&Co. will not vote proxies in countries that engage in share blocking the practice of prohibiting investors who have exercised voting rights from disposing of their shares for a defined period of time. R&Co. will also not vote in cases where a proxy is received after the requisite voting date or with respect to specific proposals that are incoherent or that would entail extensive and uneconomic investigation or research.
Conflicts of Interest
Due to the nature of R&Co.s business and structure, it is unlikely that a material conflict of interest will arise in voting the proxies of public companies, because R&Co. does not engage in investment banking, or otherwise advise public companies. However, R&Co. has a few affiliated persons who sit on the boards of public companies and R&Co. may from time to time act as an investment manager to certain registered mutual fund portfolios and/or manage assets for other types of public entities. In the event a material conflict of interest does arise, it will be resolved in the best interest of clients. In such a case, the Proxy Voting Committee will generally vote the proxy based upon the recommendation of GL. If the Committee determines to resolve the conflict in a different manner, that approach will be documented.
Sands Capital Management, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures
Most Recent Amendment: March 2015
Implementation Date: November 2006
Issue
Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act requires every registered investment adviser to adopt and implement written policies and procedures, reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies in the best interest of its clients. The procedures must address material conflicts that may arise in connection with proxy voting. The Rule further requires the adviser to provide a concise summary of the advisers proxy voting process and offer to provide copies of the complete proxy voting policy and procedures to clients upon request. Lastly, the Rule requires that the adviser disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how the adviser voted their proxies.
SCM votes proxies for a significant number of its clients, and therefore has adopted and implemented this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.
Policy
It is the policy of SCM to vote client proxies in the best interest of our clients. Proxies are an asset of a client account, which should be treated by SCM with the same care, diligence, and loyalty as any asset belonging to a client. Consideration will be given to both the short and long term implications of each proposal to be voted on. In voting proxies, we typically are neither an activist in corporate governance nor an automatic supporter of management. However, because SCM believes that the management teams of most companies it invests in generally seek to serve shareholder interests, SCM believes that voting proxy proposals in the clients best economic interests usually means voting with the recommendations of these management teams. Any specific voting instructions provided by an advisory client or its designated agent in writing will supersede this policy. Clients with their own general or specific proxy voting and governance policies may wish to have their proxies voted by an independent third party or other named fiduciary or agent, at the clients expense.
Proxy Committee
SCM has established a Proxy Committee. The Proxy Committee consists of two permanent members, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), and one or more rotating members from the Investment Research Team (Research Team). The Proxy Committee meets at least annually and as necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. A majority of the members of the Proxy Committee constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. The CAO acts as secretary of the Proxy Committee and maintains a record of Proxy Committee meetings and actions.
The Proxy Committee is responsible for (i) the oversight and administration of proxy voting on behalf of SCMs clients, including developing, authorizing, implementing and updating this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures; (ii) overseeing the proxy voting process; and (iii) engaging and overseeing any third-party service provider as voting agent to receive proxy statements and/or to provide information, research or other services intended to facilitate the proxy voting decisions made by SCM. The Proxy Committee reviews reports on SCMs proxy voting activity at least annually, and as necessary, to fulfill its responsibilities.
The Proxy Committee has developed a set of criteria for evaluating proxy issues. These criteria and general voting guidelines are set forth in SCMs Proxy Voting Guidelines (the Guidelines), a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment A. The Proxy Committee may amend or supplement the Guidelines from time to time. All Guidelines are to be applied generally and not absolutely, such that the evaluation of each proposal will be performed in the context of the Guidelines giving appropriate consideration to the circumstances of the company whose proxy is being voted.
Procedures for Identification and Voting of Proxies
The following procedures are designed to enable SCM to resolve material conflicts of interest before voting client proxies.
1. SCM maintains a list of all clients for which it votes proxies. The list may be maintained either in hard copy or electronically, and is updated by the Portfolio Administration Team who obtains proxy voting information from client agreements or internal account onboarding documentation.
2. As part of the account opening procedure, the Portfolio Administration Team will note whether or not SCM is responsible for voting proxies for the new client.
3. In cases where it has been designated to vote client proxies, SCM, through its Portfolio Administration and Client Service Teams, will work with the client to ensure that SCM is the designated party to receive proxy voting materials from companies or intermediaries.
4. The CAO, through a proxy voting designee working as a proxy administrator, receives all proxy voting materials and has overall responsibility for ensuring that proxies are voted and submitted in a timely manner.
5. SCMs Research Team is responsible for reviewing proxy proposals for portfolio securities. Prior to a proxy voting deadline, the appropriate Research Team member will make a determination as how to vote each proxy proposal based on his or her analysis of the proposal and the Guidelines. In evaluating a proxy proposal, a Research Team member may consider information from a number of sources, including management of the company, shareholder groups and independent proxy research services.
6. SCM Staff Members will reasonably try to assess whether there are any material conflicts between SCMs interests and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting by considering the situations identified in the Conflicts of Interest section of this document.
7. So long as no material conflicts of interest have been identified, SCM will vote proxies according to SCMs policy. SCM may also elect not to vote if it deems doing so in its clients best interest. (See #8 and Proxies of Certain Non-U.S. Issuers below.) The rationale for not voting a client proxy will be documented and the documentation will be maintained in SCMs permanent files.
8. Upon detection of a conflict of interest, the conflict will be brought to the attention of the Proxy Committee for resolution. See Conflicts of Interest section for additional information.
9. SCM is not required to vote every client proxy provided that electing not to vote is consistent with SCMs fiduciary obligations. SCM shall at no time ignore or neglect its proxy voting responsibilities. However, there may be times when refraining from voting is in the clients best interest, such as when an analysis of a particular client proxy reveals that the cost of voting the proxy may exceed the expected benefit to the client. See Proxies of Certain Non-U.S. Issuers below.
10. SCM may process certain proxies without voting them or may systematically vote with management. Examples include, without limitation, proxies issued by companies SCM has decided to sell, proxies issued for securities that SCM did not select for a client portfolio, such as, securities that were selected by a previous adviser, unsupervised or non-managed securities held in a clients custody account, money market securities, or other securities selected by clients or their representatives other than SCM.
11. In the event that SCM votes the same proxy in two directions, it shall maintain documentation to support its voting (this may occur if a client requires SCM to vote a certain way on an issue, while SCM deems it beneficial to vote in the opposite direction for its other clients) in SCMs permanent files.
12. The CAO and the Research Team member will report any attempts by SCMs personnel to influence the voting of client proxies in a manner that is inconsistent with SCMs policy, as well as any attempts by persons or entities outside SCM seeking to influence the voting of client proxies. Such report shall be made to SCMs CCO, or if the CCO is the person attempting to influence the voting, then to SCMs General Counsel.
13. All proxy votes will be recorded and the following information will be maintained:
· The name of the issuer of the portfolio security;
· The exchange ticker symbol of the portfolio security;
· The Council on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (CUSIP) number for the portfolio security;
· The shareholder meeting date;
· The number of shares SCM is voting firm-wide;
· A brief identification of the matter voted on;
· Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a security holder;
· Whether or not SCM cast its vote on the matter;
· How SCM cast its vote (e.g., for or against proposal, or abstain; for or withhold regarding election of directors);
· Whether SCM cast its vote with or against management; and
· Whether any client requested an alternative vote of its proxy.
Loaned Securities
When an SCM client participates in a securities lending program, SCM will not be able to vote the proxy of the shares out on loan. SCM will generally not seek to recall for voting the client shares on loan. However, under rare circumstances, for voting issues that may have a particularly significant impact on the investment, SCM may request a client to recall securities that are on loan if we determine that the benefit of voting outweighs the costs and lost revenue to the client and the administrative burden of retrieving the securities. The Research Team member who is responsible for voting the proxy will notify the Proxy Committee in the event they believe a recall of loaned securities is necessary.
In determining whether a recall of a security is warranted (Significant Event), SCM will take into consideration whether the benefit of the vote would be in the clients best interest despite the costs and the lost revenue to the client and the administrative burden of retrieving the securities. SCM may utilize third-party service providers to assist it in identifying and evaluating whether an event constitutes a Significant Event. The Proxy Committee will review the proxy proposals that have been determined to be Significant Events from time to time and will adjust the foregoing standard as it deems necessary.
Proxies of Certain Non-U.S. Issuers
It is SCMs policy to seek to vote all proxies for securities held in client accounts for which we have proxy voting authority where SCM can reasonably determine that voting such proxies will be in the best interest of its clients.
Voting proxies of issuers in non-US markets may give rise to a number of administrative/operational issues that may cause SCM to determine that voting such proxies are not in the best interest of its clients or that it is not reasonably possible to determine whether voting such proxies will be in the best interests of its clients. While not exhaustive, the following list of considerations highlights some potential instances in which a proxy vote might not be entered.
· SCM may receive meeting notices without enough time to fully consider the proxy or after the cut-off date for voting.
· Some markets require SCM to provide local agents with a power of attorney or consularization prior to implementing SCMs voting instructions.
· Proxy material may not be available in English.
· SCM may be unable to enter an informed vote in certain circumstances due to the lack of information provided in the proxy statement or by the issuer or other resolution sponsor, and may not vote in those instances.
· Proxy voting in certain countries requires share blocking. Shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the date of the meeting with a designated depositary. During this blocking period, shares that will be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares are returned to the clients custodian banks. Absent compelling reasons to the contrary, SCM believes that the benefit to the client of exercising the vote is outweighed by the cost of voting (i.e., not being able to sell the shares during this period). Accordingly, if share blocking is required SCM generally elects not to vote those shares. The Research Team member in conjunction with the Proxy Committee retains the final authority to determine whether to block the shares in the clients portfolio or to pass on voting the meeting.
Conflicts of Interest
Although SCM has not currently identified any material conflicts of interest that would affect its proxy voting decisions, it is aware of the following potential conflicts that could exist in the future:
· Conflict: SCM is retained by a firm, or is in the process of being retained by a firm, which is affiliated with an issuer that is held in SCMs client portfolios;
· Conflict: SCM is retained by an individual, or is in the process of being retained by an individual, who is an officer or director of an issuer that is held in SCMs client portfolios;
· Conflict: SCMs Staff Members maintain a personal and/or business relationship (not an advisory relationship) with issuers or individuals that serve as officers or directors of issuers. For example, the spouse of an SCM Staff Member may be a high-
level executive of an issuer that is held in SCMs client portfolios. The spouse could attempt to influence SCM to vote in favor of management; and
· Conflict: SCM or a Staff Member(s) personally owns a significant number of an issuers securities that are also held in SCMs client portfolios. The Staff Member(s) may seek to vote proxies in a different direction for his/her personal holdings than would otherwise be warranted by SCMs policy. The Staff Member(s) could oppose voting the proxies according to the policy and successfully influence SCM to vote proxies in contradiction to the policy.
Resolution :
SCM realizes that, due to the difficulty of predicting and identifying all material conflicts, it must rely on its Staff Members to notify the CAO and/or the CCO of any material conflict that may impair SCMs ability to vote proxies in an objective manner. Upon such notification, the CAO and/or the CCO will notify the Proxy Committee of the conflict.
In the event that the Proxy Committee determines that SCM has a conflict of interest with respect to a proxy proposal, the Proxy Committee shall also determine whether the conflict is material to that proposal. The Proxy Committee may determine on a case-by-case basis that a particular proposal does not involve a material conflict of interest. To make this determination, the Proxy Committee must conclude that the proposal is not directly related to SCMs conflict with the issuer. If the Proxy Committee determines that a conflict is not material, then SCM may vote the proxy in accordance with the recommendation of the Research Team member.
In the event that the Proxy Committee determines that SCM has a material conflict of interest with respect to a proxy proposal, SCM will vote on the proposal in accordance with the determination of the Proxy Committee. Prior to voting on the proposal, SCM may (i) contact an independent third party (such as another plan fiduciary) to recommend how to vote on the proposal and vote in accordance with the recommendation of such third party (or have the third party vote such proxy); or (ii) with respect to client accounts that are not subject to ERISA, fully disclose the nature of the conflict to the client and obtain the clients consent as to how SCM will vote on the proposal (or otherwise obtain instructions from the client as to how to vote the proxy).
Recordkeeping
SCM must maintain the documentation described in the following section for a period of not less than five (5) years in an easily accessible place, the first two (2) years at its principal place of business. The CAO will be responsible for the following procedures and for ensuring that the required documentation is retained.
Client request to review proxy votes :
· Any request, whether written (including e-mail) or oral, received by any Staff Member of SCM, must be promptly reported to the CAO. All written requests must be retained in the permanent file.
· The CAO or designee will record the identity of the client, the date of the request, and the disposition (e.g., provided a written or oral response to clients request, referred to third party, not a proxy voting client, other dispositions, etc.) in a suitable place.
· Clients are permitted to request the proxy voting record for the 5-year period prior to their request.
Proxy statements received regarding client securities:
· Upon receipt of a proxy, copy or print a sample of the proxy statement or card and maintain the copy in a central file along with a sample of the proxy solicitation instructions.
Note: SCM is permitted to rely on proxy statements filed on the SECs EDGAR system instead of keeping its own copies.
Proxy voting records:
· Documents prepared or created by SCM that were material to making a decision on how to vote, or that memorialized the basis for the decision.
· Documentation or notes or any communications received from third parties, other industry analysts, third-party service providers, companys management discussions, etc. that were material in the basis for the decision.
Disclosure
· SCM will ensure that Part 2A of Form ADV is updated as necessary to reflect: (i) all material changes to the Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures; and (ii) information about how clients may obtain information on how SCM voted their securities.
Proxy Solicitation
As a matter of practice, it is SCMs policy to not reveal or disclose to any outside third party how SCM may have voted (or intends to vote) on a particular proxy until after such proxies have been counted at a shareholders meeting.
The CAO is to be promptly informed of the receipt of any solicitation from any person to vote proxies on behalf of clients. At no time may any Staff Member accept any remuneration in the solicitation of proxies. The CAO or a designee shall handle all responses to such solicitations.
Procedures for SCMs Receipt of Class Actions
The following procedures outline SCMs receipt of Class Action documents from clients and custodians:
SCM will not file Class Actions on behalf of any client. If Class Action documents are received by SCM from a clients custodian, SCM will make a best effort to forward the documents to the client. Likewise if Class Action documents are received by SCM from a client, SCM will make a best effort to gather, at the clients request, any requisite information it has regarding the matter and forward it to the client, to enable the client to file the Class Action.
Responsibility
The CAO is responsible for overseeing and implementing this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.
Attachment A
PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
One of the primary factors SCM considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular company is the quality and depth of its management. Accordingly, SCM believes that the recommendation of management on any issue should be given substantial weight in determining how proxy issues are resolved. As a matter of practice, SCM will vote on most issues presented in a portfolio company proxy statement in accordance with the position of the companys management, unless SCM determines that voting in accordance with managements recommendation would adversely affect the investment merits of owning the stock. However, SCM will consider each issue on its own merits, and will not support the position of the companys management in any situation where, in SCMs judgment, it would not be in the best interests of the client to do so.
I. The Board of Directors
A. Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Votes on director nominees are made on a case-by-case basis, and may consider the following factors:
· Long-term corporate performance record relative to a market index;
· Composition of board and key board committees;
· Corporate governance provisions and takeover activity;
· Board decisions regarding executive pay; and
· Director compensation.
B. Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection
Proposals concerning director and officer indemnification and liability protection are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
C. Voting for Director Nominees in Contest Elections
Votes in a contested election of directors are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and may consider the following factors:
· Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry;
· Managements track record;
· Background to the proxy contest;
· Qualifications of director nominees (both slates);
· Evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as the likelihood that the proposed objectives and goals can be met; and
· Stock ownership positions.
D. Size of the Board
Proposals to limit the size of the Board should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
II. Auditors
Ratifying Auditors
We generally vote for proposals to ratify auditors, unless: an auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; or there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the companys financial position.
III. Proxy Contest Defenses
Cumulative Voting
We vote against proposals to eliminate cumulative voting.
We vote for proposals to permit cumulative voting.
IV. Anti-Takeover Issues
We generally oppose anti-takeover measures because they reduce shareholder rights. However, as with all proxy issues, we conduct an independent review of each anti-takeover proposal. On occasion, we may vote with management when it is concluded that the proposal is not onerous and would not harm clients interests as shareholders. Anti-takeover issues include the following:
A. Poison Pills
The poison pill entitles shareholders to purchase certain securities at discount prices in the event of a change in corporate control. Such a measure would make a potential takeover prohibitively expensive to the acquirer.
We review on a case-by-case basis management proposals to ratify a poison pill.
B. Fair Price Provisions
Fair price provisions attempt to ensure approximately equal treatment for all shareholders in the event of a full-scale takeover. Typically, such a provision requires would-be acquirers that have established threshold positions in target companies at given per-share prices to pay at least as much if they opt for complete control, unless certain conditions are met.
We vote for fair price proposals, as long as the shareholder vote requirement embedded in the provision is no more than a majority of disinterested shares.
We vote for shareholder proposals to lower the shareholder vote requirement in existing fair price provisions.
C. Greenmail
Proposals relating to the prohibition of greenmail are designed to disallow the repurchase of stock from a person or group owning 5% or more of the companys common stock, unless approved by the disinterested holders of two-thirds or more of the outstanding stock. They could also prevent the company from repurchasing any class of stock at a price more than 5% above the current fair market price, unless an offer is made to all shareholders.
We vote for proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter or bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict a companys ability to make greenmail payments.
We review on a case-by-case basis anti-greenmail proposals when they are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments.
D. Superstock
Another takeover defense is superstock, i.e., shares that give holders disproportionate voting rights. For example, one company proposed authorizing a class of preferred stock which could be issued in a private placement with one or more institutional investors and could be designated as having voting rights which might dilute or limit the present voting rights of the holders of common stock . The purpose of this additional class of stock would be to give insiders an edge in fending off an unsolicited or hostile takeover attempt.
We will review on case-by-case basis proposals that would authorize the creation of new classes of superstock.
E. Supermajority Rules
Supermajority provisions require approval by holders of minimum amounts of the common shares (usually 75% to 80%). While applied mainly to merger bids, supermajority rules also may be extended to cover substantive transfers of corporate assets, liquidations, reverse splits and removal of directors for reasons other than cause. A supermajority provision would make it nearly impossible in some cases for shareholders to benefit from a takeover attempt.
1. Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement to Approve Mergers
We vote against management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve mergers and other significant business combinations.
We vote for shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for mergers and other significant business combinations.
2. Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement to Amend the Charter or Bylaws
We vote against management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and bylaw amendments.
We vote for shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for charter and bylaw amendments.
F. Board Classification
High on the agenda of defense-minded corporate executives are staggered terms for directors, whereby only some (typically one-third) of the directors are elected each year. The staggered board acts as a bar to unwelcome takeover bids. An aggressive, affluent acquirer would need two years to gain a working majority of directors at a company whose board members are elected to staggered three-year terms of office.
We vote against proposals to classify the board.
We vote for proposals to repeal classified boards and elect all directors annually.
IV. Miscellaneous Governance Provision
Bundled Proposals
We review on a case-by-case basis bundled or conditioned proxy proposals. In this case where items are conditioned upon each other, we examine the benefits and costs of the packages items. In instances when the joint effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders best interests, we vote against the proposals. If the combined effect is positive, we support such proposals.
V. Capital Structure
A. Common Stock Authorization
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issue.
B. Debt Restructuring
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan.
VI. Executive and Director Compensation
In general, we vote on a case-by-case basis on executive and director compensation plans, including stock option plans, with the view that viable compensation programs reward the creation of stockholder wealth.
VII. State of Incorporation
A. Voting on State Takeover Statutes
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freeze-out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-greenmail provisions and disgorgement provisions).
B. Voting on Reincorporation Proposals
Proposals to change a companys state of incorporation are examined on a case-by-case basis.
VIII. Mergers and Corporate Restructurings
A. Mergers and Acquisitions
Votes on mergers and acquisitions are considered on a case-by-case basis.
B. Corporate Restructuring
Votes on corporate restructuring proposals, including minority squeezeouts, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations and asset sales are considered on a case-by-case basis.
C. Spin-offs
Votes on spin-offs are considered on a case-by-case basis.
D. Changing Corporate Name
We generally vote for changing the corporate name.
IX. Social and Environmental Issues
Consistent with its fiduciary duty to clients, SCM will vote on social issues with a view toward promoting good corporate citizenship. However, SCM realizes that it cannot require a portfolio company to go beyond applicable legal requirements or put itself in a non-competitive position. Social responsibility issues may include proposals regarding the following:
· Ecological issues, including toxic hazards and pollution of the air and water;
· Employment practices, such as the hiring of women and minority groups;
· Product quality and safety;
· Advertising practices;
· Animal rights, including testing, experimentation and factory farming;
· Military and nuclear issues; and
· International politics and operations, including the world debt crisis, infant formula, U.S. corporate activity in Northern Ireland, and the policy of apartheid in South Africa.
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals regarding social or environmental issues.
WESTFIELD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY, L.P.
SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES
Westfield has contracted with Institutional Shareholder Services (the vendor) to assist in the proxy voting process, as well as to provide corporate governance research. Westfield utilizes the vendors platform to manage and maintain documentation to substantiate the manner in which Westfield votes. Westfield utilizes the ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines which are available on Westfields website (www.westfieldcapital.com). Westfield will vote proxies in accordance with the written guidelines unless the analyst or portfolio manager covering the company believes that following the vendors guidelines would not be in the Funds best interests.
Compliance is responsible for identifying conflicts of interest that could arise when voting proxy ballots on behalf of our clients. Since our business is solely focused on providing investment advisory services, it is unlikely that many material conflicts will arise in connection with proxy voting. Additionally, per Westfields Code of Ethics and other internal policies, all employees should avoid situations where potential conflicts may exist. However, Westfield has put in place certain reviews to ensure proxies are voted solely on the investment merits of the proposal. In identifying potential conflicts, Compliance will review many factors, including any existing relationship with Westfield or an employee. If an actual conflict of interest is identified, it is reviewed by the Compliance team, who may consult with the firms Operating & Risk Management Committee in such review. If it is determined that the conflict is material in nature, the analyst or manager may not override the vendors recommendation.
TSF-54-TST-SAI-1507
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits:
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 002-80859), filed with the SEC on July 31, 1998. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 002-80859), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2000. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on September 6, 2002. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2003. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 30, 2004. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 1, 2006. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009. |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2009. |
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(a)(12) |
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Amendments to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1)(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on November 30, 2011. |
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(a)(13) |
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Amendment to Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012. |
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(a)(14) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 22, 2014. |
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(a)(15) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 9, 2014. |
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(b)(1) |
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By-Laws and Amendments to By-Laws dated July 17, 1984 and April 5, 1989 are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 31, 1998. |
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(b)(2) |
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Amendment to By-Laws adopted on December 2, 2014 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015. |
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(c) |
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Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(d)(1)(i) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2007. |
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(d)(1)(ii) |
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Amended Schedule 1 dated July 9, 2014 to the Advisory Agreement dated May 1, 2000 between Touchstone Strategic Trust and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(1)(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 9, 2014. |
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(d)(1)(iii) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012. |
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(d)(2) |
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Sub-Advisory Agreement 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2008. |
(d)(3) |
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Sub-Advisory Agreement 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2010. |
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(d)(4) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012. |
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(d)(5) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012. |
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(d)(6) |
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Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 16, 2012 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Ibbotson Associates, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Balanced Allocation Fund, Touchstone Conservative Allocation Fund, Touchstone Growth Allocation Fund and Touchstone Moderate Growth Allocation Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 20, 2012. |
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(d)(7) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012. |
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(d)(8) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012. |
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(d)(9)(i) |
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Sub-Advisory Agreement 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012. |
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(d)(9)(ii) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013. |
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(d)(10) |
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Sub-Advisory Agreement 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012. |
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(d)(11) |
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Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 26, 2013 between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and Apex Capital Management, Inc. with respect to the Touchstone Small Cap Growth Value Fund, is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(17) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 29, 2013. |
(d)(12) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013. |
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(d)(13) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 23, 2014. |
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(d)(14) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 9, 2014. |
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(d)(15) |
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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 filed herewith. |
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(e)(1) |
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Distribution Agreement with Touchstone Securities, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001. |
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(e)(2) |
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Form of Underwriters Dealer Agreement is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on September 10, 2004. |
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(f) |
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Touchstone Trustee Deferred Compensation Plan is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 29, 2009. |
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(g)(1) |
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Custodian Agreement with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2008. |
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(g)(2) |
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Amended Schedule of Global Services & Charges to the Custody Agreement between the Trust and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(1)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 25, 2013. |
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(h)(1) |
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Recordkeeping Agreement is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(vii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2004. |
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(h)(2) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2007. |
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(h)(3) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 24, |
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2015. |
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(h)(4) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015. |
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(h)(5) |
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Amended and Restated Transfer Agency Agreement between the Trust 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015. |
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(h)(6)(i) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(h)(6)(ii) |
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Amended and Restated Schedule A to the State Filing Services Agreement between the Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (13)(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-177597), filed with the SEC on April 27, 2012. |
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(h)(6)(iii) |
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Amended and Restated Schedule A dated September 6, 2012 to the State Filing Services Agreement dated December 5, 2011 is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (13)(o) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-182177), filed with the SEC on October 12, 2012. |
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(h)(7) |
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Allocation Agreement for Allocation of Fidelity Bond Proceeds is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(h)(8)(i) |
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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) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 22, 2014. |
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(h)(8)(ii) |
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Amended Schedule A dated July 30, 2015 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between Touchstone Strategic Trust and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. is filed herewith. |
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(h)(8)(iii) |
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Amended Schedule B dated July 9, 2014 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)(7)(iii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on July 9, 2014. |
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(h)(8)(iv) |
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Amended Schedule C, dated April 30, 2015, 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. 115 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015. |
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(h)(9) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and |
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811-03651), filed with the SEC on October 25, 2013. |
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(i) |
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Not applicable. |
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(j) |
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Consent of Ernst & Young LLP is filed herewith. |
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(k) |
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Not applicable. |
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(l) |
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Copy of Letter of Initial Stockholder, which was filed as an Exhibit to Registrants Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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(m)(1) |
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Registrants 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2000. |
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(m)(2) |
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Registrants 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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001. |
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(m)(3) |
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Registrants 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 Conservative Allocation Fund, Touchstone Balanced Allocation Fund, Touchstone Moderate Growth Allocation Fund, Touchstone Growth Allocation Fund, Touchstone U.S. Long/Short Fund, Touchstone Value Fund, Touchstone International Small Cap Fund, Touchstone Capital Growth 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 and Touchstone Flexible Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012. |
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(m)(4) |
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Registrants 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 Conservative Allocation Fund, Touchstone Balanced Allocation Fund, Touchstone Moderate Growth Allocation Fund, Touchstone Growth Allocation Fund, Touchstone U.S. Long/Short Fund, Touchstone Value Fund, Touchstone International Small Cap Fund, Touchstone Capital Growth 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 and Touchstone Flexible Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012. |
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(n)(1) |
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Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Plan is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012. |
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(o) |
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Reserved. |
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(p)(1) |
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Code of Ethics for Touchstone Advisors, Inc., Touchstone Strategic Trust and Touchstone Securities, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 115 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015. |
(p)(2) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(p)(3) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 29, 2013. |
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(p)(4) |
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Code of Ethics for Analytic Investors, LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(p)(5) |
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Code of Ethics for Ibbotson Associates, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(p)(6) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012. |
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(p)(7) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(p)(8) |
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Code of Ethics for Thompson Siegel & Walmsley, LLC is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 10, 2012. |
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(p)(9) |
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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 Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on June 8, 2012. |
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(p)(10) |
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Code of Ethics for Apex Capital Management, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 29, 2013. |
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(p)(11) |
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Code of Ethics for Sands Capital Management, LLC is filed herewith. |
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(p)(12) |
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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 Touchstone Strategic Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 033-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 25, 2014. |
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(p)(13) |
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Code of Ethics for Rockefeller & Co., Inc. is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(14) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on March 5, 2015. |
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(q) |
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Power of Attorney dated January 3, 2014 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (q) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A (002-80859 and 811-03651), filed with the SEC on April 22, 2014. |
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
None.
Item 30. Indemnification
(a) Article VI of the Registrants 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 Trusts 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 Persons 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 persons 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 officers 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) President Touchstone Fund Complex
(f) Senior Vice President Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc.*
(g) Senior Vice President W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*
(h) Director Western & Southern Financial Group*, Cincinnati Analysts, Inc., IFS Financial Services, Inc., Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*, W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*, LaRosas, 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*, IIS Broadway*
(3) James J. Vance Vice President and Treasurer Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
(a) Vice President and Treasurer The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company*, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., IFS Financial Services, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*, Touchstone Securities, 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*
(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.* and Touchstone Securities, Inc.
(c) Chief Financial Officer Cincinnati Analysts, 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) Rhonda S. Malone Secretary Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
(a) Secretary Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Brokerage Services, Inc.*, W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.*
(b) 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
(9) Timothy D. Paulin Senior Vice President, Investment Research and Product Management Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
(a) Vice President Touchstone Fund Complex
B. Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. (Fort Washington) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Focused Fund. Fort Washington serves as the sub-advisor to the Touchstone Investment Trust, Touchstone Tax-Free Trust, Touchstone Funds Group Trust and certain series of the 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 and Director
(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. Lukes Medical Center; Board Member, Consolidated Communications Illinois Holdings Inc.; Chair, Audit Committee, Consolidated Communications Illinois Holdings, Inc.; Member, 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; Member, Audit/Trust/M&A Committees, First Financial Bank; Executive Committee, Commonwealth Club; President, Womens Capital Club; Board of Governors, Cincinnati Country Club; Executive Committee Member, Cincinnati Womens Executive Forum; New Leadership Advisory Council, UC Health Womens Center; Cabinet Member, United Way 100 th Anniversary Vision Cabinet; Special Director, Cincinnati Regional Chamber; Vice Chair Capital Markets Committee, First Financial Bank; Director, First Financial Bank
(b) President, Tristate Ventures, LLC*
(c) Director, Eagle Realty Group, Inc., Eagle Realty Investments, Inc.
(d) President, W&S Investment Holdings, LLC
(e) President & CEO, Peppertree Partners, LLC
(2) Steve Kreider, Sr. Vice President & Chief Investment Officer
(a) Sr. Vice President & Chief Investment Officer, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company, Lafayette Life Insurance Company
(b) Chief Investment Officer, Tristate Ventures, LLC*, Peppertree Partners, LLC, Buckeye Venture Partners, LLC, W&S Investment Holdings, LLC
(c) Board of Directors, MedRisk;
(3) Nicholas P. Sargen, Sr. Vice President, Chief Economist and Senior Investment Advisor
(a) Senior Vice President, Chief Economist and Senior Investment Advisor, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company, Lafayette Life Insurance Company
(b) Board of Trustees, Good Samaritan Hospital College of Nursing and Health Science; Economics Advisory Board, Xavier University Williams College of Business; Executive in Residence, Xavier University Williams College of Business; Chairman, Investment Committee, Christ Church Cathedral
(4) John F. Barrett, Chairman and Director
(a) Chairman of Board & CEO, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company
(b) Trustee, Touchstone Variable Series Trust, Touchstone Investment Trust, Touchstone Tax-Free Trust, Touchstone Strategic Trust, Touchstone Funds Group Trust, Touchstone Institutional Funds Trust
(c) Director & Chairman, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company; Lafayette Life Insurance Company
(d) Director, Eagle Realty Group, Inc., Eagle Realty Investments, Inc.
(e) Director, Chairman, President & CEO, WestAd, Inc.
(f) President & Trustee, Western & Southern Financial Fund
(g) Board Member, Convergys Corp; Board Member, Cintas Corporation
(h) 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
(5) S. Zulfi Ali, Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(6) Stephen A. Baker, Managing Director
(a) Board of Trustees, Walnut Hills High School Alumni Foundation; Board of Directors, CH Mack, Inc.
(b) Manager, Peppertree Partners, LLC
(7) Margaret C. Bell, Managing Director
(a) Board of Trustees, The University Club of Cincinnati; Treasurer, Executive Committee Member, University Club of Cincinnati
(8) William H. Bunn, Vice President
(9) Lawrence M. Carone, Vice President
(a) Board of Trustees, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center
(10) Daniel J. Carter, Assistant Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(11) Paul D. Cohn, Managing Director
(a) Advisory Board, Draper Triangle Ohio, Draper Triangle III, RiverVest Venture Fund II, Reservoir Venture Partners II, Early Stage Partners II, Primus Capital Fund VI, River Cities Capital Fund IV, Fletcher Spaght Associates II, Arboretum Ventures II, Arboretum Ventures III, Athenian Venture Partners III, NCT Ventures Fund I, Arsenal Venture Partners III, Edison Venture Fund VII-A, CincyTech Fund I, Allos Ventures II, LP; Director/Trustee, Career Town Network, Inc.
(12) William G. Creviston, Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) Trustee, The Grimes Flying Lab Foundation; Board of Nominations/Advisory Council, National Aviation Hall of Fame; Board of Trustees, May Festival
(13) Jay M. Raffle-Devine, Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) MMFunds Advisory Committee , Investment Company Institute; Board Member/MBA Advisory Board, NKU College of Business; Board Member, Cincinnati Aquatic Club
(14) Rance G. Duke, Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) Board Member & Chairman, Spring Grove Cemetery
(b) Treasurer, Bethesda Foundation; Board Member/Investment Committee, Bethesda, Inc.
(c) Investment Committee, YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
(d) Member, United Way Red Cross Partnership Committee
(15) Richard A. Ellensohn, Portfolio Manager
(16) Thomas L. Finn, Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) Board Member, Cincinnati Foundation for the Aged; Board Member, Beechwood Foundation; Board Member, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick; Member, Niehoff Lecture Committee Mercantile Library; Secretary, The Gyro Club, Officer, Heart Ball Executive Leadership Team
(b) Investment Committee, YMCA
(17) Alexander S. Fischer, Vice President
(a) Board, Cincinnati Arts and Technology Center; Advisory Board, Young Professionals, Cincinnati Ballet
(18) Martin W. Flesher, Vice President
(19) Mark A. Frietch, Managing Director
(20) John J. Goetz, Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) MMFunds Advisory Committee , Investment Company Institute
(21) Michele Hawkins, Managing Director & Chief Compliance Officer
(a) Committee Member, National Society of Compliance Professionals; Advisory Board Member, Xavier University Cintas Institute for Business Ethics & Social Responsibility; Chairperson, United Way Steering Committee Herbert R. Brown Society
(b) Chief Compliance Officer, Peppertree Partners, LLC
(22) Timothy J. Jossart, Vice President & Assistant Portfolio Manager
(23) Douglas E. Kelsey, Vice President
(24) Roger M. Lanham, Managing Director
(25) Robert Maeder, Assistant Vice President & Sr. Investment Manager
(a) Advisory Board, Riverside Fund IV, Inventus Capital; Board of Directors, Lighthouse Youth Services
(26) James A. Markley, Managing Director
(a) Trustee & Board Member, Corbett Foundation
(27) Jeffrey D. Meek, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
(a) Treasurer, Peppertree Partners, LLC
(b) Board Member/Treasurer, Cincinnati Chapter FEI; Trustee, Cincinnati Academy of Finance Foundation
(28) Brent A. Miller, Sr. Portfolio Manager
(29) Jeremiah R. Moore, Vice President
(a) Treasurer and Vice President, Thomas Emerys Sons, LLC
(30) Jonathan D. Niemeyer, Sr. Vice President & General Counsel
(a) Sr. Vice President & General Counsel, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Lafayette Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Western & Southern Mutual Holding Company
(b) Secretary, Peppertree Partners, LLC
(c) Secretary, W&S Investment Holdings, LLC
(d) Director, Insurance Profillment Solutions, LLC
(e) Board Member, Association of Life Insurance Counsel
(31) John J. OConnor, Managing Director
(a) Board of Directors, Friars Club Foundation, SC Ministry Foundation
(b) Investment Committee, Province of St. John the Baptist
(c) Advisory Board, Carlyle Mexxanine Partners, LP, Carlyle/Riverstone Renewable Energy Infrastructure, LP, DFJ Growth Fund 2006, LP, JK&B Capital III, Providence Growth Investors
(32) Barry D. Pavlo, Vice President
(33) Timothy J. Policinksi, Managing Director & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(34) Matthew J. Reidy, Portfolio Manager
(a) Treasurer, Eosinophilic Family Coalition
(35) William T. Sena Jr., Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) Board, Red Wolf Sanctuary
(36) Paul A. Tomich, Portfolio Manager
(a) Executive Steering Committee, Xavier Universitys Center for Applied Finance
(b) Co-Chair, Artswave Young Professionals Committee
(37) Charles A. Ulbricht, Vice President & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) AVP Investments, Lafayette Life Foundation
(38) James J. Vance, Vice President & Treasurer See biography above
(39) Robert L. Walker, Director
(a) Director, Eagle Realty Group, Inc., Eagle Realty Investments, Inc., Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, Lafayette Life Insurance Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Insurance Profillment Solutions, LLC, Western & Southern Agency, Inc.
(b) Board Member, Computer Services, Inc.; Board Member & Chairman, Tri-Health; Board of Trustees, Bethesda, Inc.
(c) Sr. Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company, W&S Financial Group, Inc., W&S Mutual Holding Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company
(40) David A. Walters, Vice President & Portfolio Manager
(41) Eric J. Walzer, Vice President
(a) Treasurer, Loveland Youth Baseball Association
(42) Scott D. Weston, Managing Director & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) Financial Advisory Board & Foundation Board Member, Mariemont School District
(43) Brendan M. White, Managing Director & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(44) Terrie A. Wiedenheft, Sr. Vice President & Chief Financial Officer See biography above
(45) James E. Wilhelm, Managing Director & Sr. Portfolio Manager
(a) Board Member, Xavier Student Investment Fund
(46) P. Gregory Williams, Vice President
(a) Member, Asset/Liability Committee Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union
(47) Joseph A. Woods, Managing Director & Sr. Investment Manager
(a) Advisory Board, Artiman Ventures, LP, North Hill Ventures II, LP, Strength Capital Partners III Special Situations, LP, River Cities Capital Fund II, LP, Carlyle/Riverstone Global Energy Infrastructure, CREO Capital Partners III
(48) Donald J. Wuebbling, Director
(a) Secretary & Counsel, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Western & Southern Life Assurance Company, Western & Southern Financial Group, Western & Southern Mutual Holding Co., Columbus Life Insurance Company, Lafayette Life Insurance Company
(b) Director, Touchstone Advisors, Inc., Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc., IFS Financial Services, Inc., IFS Holdings, Inc., Western & Southern Brokerage Services, Inc., Eagle Realty Group, Eagle Realty Investments, Integrity Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, WestAd, Inc., Western & Southern Agency, Inc.
(c) Board Member, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati May Festival
(50) David Todd Henderson, Chief Risk Officer
(a) Advisory Board member Center for Business Excellence Miami University
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, 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 Analytics 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 Analytics 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 Hanleys 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 Hanleys directors and officers is with Barrow Hanley and its affiliated companies.
F. Copper Rock Capital Partner 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 Rocks 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 Rocks 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 6806 Paragon Place, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23230.
The directors and officers of TS&W are provided on TS&Ws 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&Ws directors and officers is with TS&W and its affiliated companies.
H. Ibbotson Associates, Inc. (Ibbotson) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Conservative Allocation Fund, Touchstone Balanced Allocation Fund, Touchstone Moderate Growth Allocation Fund and Touchstone Growth Allocation Fund. The address of Ibbotson is 22 West Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602.
The directors and officers of Ibbotson are provided on Ibbotsons most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 111057; SEC File No. 801-57505), which is incorporated herein by reference. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Ibbotsons directors and officers is with Ibbotson and its affiliated companies.
I. DePrince, Race & Zollo, Inc. (DRZ) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Small Company Value Fund. The address of DRZ is 250 Park Avenue South, Suite 250, Winter Park, FL 32789.
The directors and officers of DRZ are provided on DRZs most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 112099; SEC File No. 801-48779), which is incorporated herein by reference. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of DRZs directors and officers is with DRZ.
J. 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 ClearArcs most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 104650; SEC File No. 801-11184), which is incorporated herein by reference.
K. Apex Capital Management, Inc. (Apex) is a registered investment advisor that provides sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Small Cap Growth Value Fund. The Address of Apex is 8163 Old Yankee Road, Suite E, Dayton, OH 45458.
The directors and officers of Apex are provided on Apexs 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 Apexs directors and officers is with Apex.
L. Sands Capital Management, Inc. (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. . The directors, officers and/or partners of Sands Capital have held the following positions with other companies during the past two fiscal years:
(1) Frank M. Sands, Chief Executive Officer
(a) Investment Board Member, Sands Capital Ventures, LLC
(2) Michael Rubin, Managing Director
(a) Managing Partner, Sands Capital Ventures, LLC
(3) Jonathan Goodman, General Counsel and Officer
(b) General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Sands Capital Ventures, LLC
M. London Company of Virginia d/b/a The London Company (TLC) is a registered advisor providing sub-advisory services to the Touchstone Large Cap Fund. The address of TLC is 1801 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
N. Rockefeller & Co., Inc. (Rockefeller) is a registered 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.
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
(a) Touchstone Securities, Inc. also acts as underwriter for Touchstone Investment Trust, Touchstone Tax-Free Trust, 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
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POSITION WITH |
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POSITION WITH |
NAME |
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UNDERWRITER |
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REGISTRANT |
Steven M. Graziano |
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President |
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Vice President |
Jill T. McGruder |
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Director & CEO |
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Trustee/President |
James N. Clark* |
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Director |
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None |
Donald J. Wuebbling* |
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Director |
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None |
Patricia J. Wilson |
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Vice President |
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None |
James J. Vance* |
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Vice President and Treasurer |
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None |
Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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Controller/Treasurer |
Timothy S. Stearns |
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Chief Compliance Officer |
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Chief Compliance Officer |
Rhonda Malone* |
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Secretary |
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None |
Sharon L. Karp |
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Vice President |
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None |
Kathleen A. Cornelius |
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Assistant Treasurer |
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None |
Douglas B. Perry |
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Assistant Treasurer |
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None |
Timothy D. Speed |
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Assistant Treasurer |
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None |
Cheryl J. Stotts |
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Assistant Treasurer |
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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 Registrants 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 Registrants 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, 34 th 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 Registrants investment advisors:
All Funds:
Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
303 Broadway, Suite 1100
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Touchstone Focused 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, 50 th 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
6806 Paragon Place, Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23230
Touchstone Conservative Allocation Fund, Touchstone Balanced Allocation Fund, Touchstone Moderate Growth Allocation Fund and Touchstone Growth Allocation Fund
Ibbotson Associates, Inc.
22 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Touchstone Flexible Income Fund
ClearArc Capital Inc.
580 Walnut Street, 6 th 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
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. 121 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and has duly caused this PEA No. 121 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 July 28, 2015.
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TOUCHSTONE STRATEGIC TRUST |
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By: |
/s/ Jill T. McGruder |
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Jill T. McGruder |
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President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
* |
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Trustee |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Phillip R. Cox |
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* |
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Trustee |
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July 28, 2015 |
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William C. Gale |
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* |
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Trustee |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Susan J. Hickenlooper |
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* |
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Trustee |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Kevin A. Robie |
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* |
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Trustee |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Edward J. VonderBrink |
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/s/ Jill T. McGruder |
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Trustee and President |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Jill T. McGruder |
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/s/ Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
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Controller, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
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*By: |
/s/ Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
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July 28, 2015 |
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Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
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(Attorney-in-Fact Pursuant to Power of Attorney filed with PEA No. 103) |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
(d)(15) |
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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). |
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(h)(8)(ii) |
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Amended Schedule A dated July 30, 2015 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 29, 2013 between Touchstone Strategic Trust and Touchstone Advisors, Inc. |
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(j) |
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Consent of Ernst & Young LLP |
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(p)(11) |
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Code of Ethics for Sands Capital Management, LLC |
Exhibit 99.(d)(15)
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund
A series of
Touchstone Strategic Trust
This Sub-Advisory Agreement (the Agreement) is made as of May 2, 2015, between Touchstone Advisors, Inc. (the Advisor), and Rockefeller & Co., 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 Sustainability and Impact 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 Advisors 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 Funds 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 Trusts 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 Funds currently effective Disclosure Documents, and, to the extent they do not contradict the Funds currently effective Disclosure Documents, any written directions which the Advisor or the Trusts 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 actions, 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 Trusts 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, a portfolio manager 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 Trusts 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 Funds 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 any such claims. The Advisor acknowledges that the Funds custodian or other duly designated Fund agent, and not the Sub-Advisor, 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-Advisors reasonable judgment, such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund and its other clients. 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 Funds policies and procedures, (b) the Sub-Advisor determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of the Fund, and (c) the Funds 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 Funds 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 or agent and has no responsibility for calculating the Funds net asset value.
i. Regulatory Compliance.
(i) The Sub-Advisor will comply in all material respects with applicable 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 adviser 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 Trusts 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) 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 adopt policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Sub-Advisors Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Sub-Advisors Code of Ethics, as in effect. Upon request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide the Fund with (i) a copy of the Sub-Advisors current Code of Ethics, as in effect, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably designed to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Sub-Advisors 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-Advisors Code of Ethics. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly respond to any requests for information from the Advisor as to violations of the Sub-Advisors 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-Advisors Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by the Fund.
(vi) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Trusts Chief Compliance Officer and Advisor promptly 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 Funds or the Advisors policies, guidelines, or procedures (to the extent such policies, guidelines, or procedures have been provided to the Sub-Advisor). The Sub-Advisor agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any lawful action that the Board or the Advisor may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. 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 Funds and the Advisors investment objectives policies, guidelines, or procedures as applicable to the Sub-Advisors 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 shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with their respective certifications of the Funds financial statements and disclosure controls pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended. To the extent legally permissible, 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 Funds 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 promptly upon request to the Trust, upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be generally available for telecopying without delay upon reasonable advance notice 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 and compliance purposes.
j. To the extent legally permissible, 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-Advisors name in accordance with 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; provided that the Sub-Advisor shall have the opportunity to review in advance of first use any materials that include the Sub-Advisors past performance and investment history; (iii) access to the one or more individual(s) responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund or who are knowledgeable about the investment strategy employed by the Sub-Advisor for the Fund for participation in 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) in connection with the Fund.
k. The Sub-Advisor will, on behalf of the Fund, place orders for the execution of all portfolio transactions in accordance with the policies set forth in the Funds Disclosure Documents. When placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Sub-Advisors primary objective shall be to seek 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-Advisors 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, 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 prompt 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-Advisors 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-Advisors 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 Funds 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 X.XX% on the first $200 million of average daily net assets of the Fund, X.XX% on the next $800 million of average daily net assets of the Fund, and X.XX% on average daily net assets of the Fund over $1 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-Advisors fee, the daily value of the Fund Assets shall be computed by the same method as the Trust uses to compute the Funds 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-Advisors 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-Advisors other clients.
The Sub-Advisor will annually provide the Advisor with the Sub-Advisors financial statements, unless the Funds Board requests reports on a more frequent basis. For purposes of this paragraph 4(a), financial statements shall include the Sub-Advisors condensed balance sheet; provided, however, that if the Sub-Advisors equity decreases by 25% or more year-over-year, the Sub-Advisor agrees to provide the Advisor with such additional information as the Board may reasonably request, which may include (but is not limited to) its income statement and notes to the financial statements.
b. K ey Personnel Reporting. To the extent legally permissible, 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 Trusts and Funds behalf; (d) the Advisors 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 Funds investment or trading activities; (e) the Advisor will deliver to the Sub-Advisor a true and complete copy of the Funds Disclosure Documents and any amendments to such Disclosure Documents during the term of this Agreement, 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 Funds 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 Funds Disclosure Documents or any written guidelines or instruction provided in writing
by the Board; or (b) the Sub-Advisors willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8. L iability 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 Advisors willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
9. Limitation of Trusts Liability. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges that it has received notice of and accepts the limitations upon the Trusts liability set forth in its Declaration of Trust. The Sub-Advisor agrees that (i) the Trusts 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, terrorism, 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 or regulation, provided that prior to such disclosure and to the extent legally permissible 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 make all reasonable efforts to seek 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 that is not
otherwise subject to obligations of confidentiality; (b) the disclosing party discloses generally without any obligation of confidentiality; (c) is or subsequently becomes publicly available without the receiving partys 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 partys 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 May 2, 2017; 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 Trusts 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 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 10 Rockefeller Plaza, Third Floor, New York, NY 10020.
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 New York. 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 Agreements 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-Advisors Form ADV with all exhibits and attachments and will promptly supply to the Advisor copies of all amendments or restatements of such document. Otherwise, the Advisors 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 each person or entity that opens a trading account on behalf of the Fund to provide and verify certain information. The Sub-Advisor will ask the Advisor for the Trusts legal name, principal place of business address, and Taxpayer Identification or other identification number, and may ask for other identifying information, as appropriate to meet these requirements.
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. |
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BY: |
/s/ Steven Graziano |
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BY: |
/s/ Tim Paulin |
Name: |
Steven Graziano |
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Name: |
Timothy P. Paulin |
Title: |
President |
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Title: |
VP |
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ROCKEFELLER & CO., INC. |
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BY: |
/s/ David Westbrook |
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Name: |
David Westbrook |
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Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
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Exhibit 99.(h)(8)(ii)
Schedule A
Dated July 30, 2015
To The
Expense Limitation Agreement
Dated July 29, 2013
Between
Touchstone Strategic Trust and Touchstone Advisors, Inc.
FYE 3/31 |
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Class |
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Expense Limit |
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Termination Date |
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Touchstone Flexible Income Fund |
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A |
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1.09 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
1.84 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
0.84 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
0.74 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone Focused Fund |
|
A |
|
1.20 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
1.95 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
0.95 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
0.83 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund |
|
A |
|
1.24 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
1.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
0.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
0.89 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone International Value Fund |
|
A |
|
1.34 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
2.09 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
1.09 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
0.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
A |
|
1.39 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
B |
|
2.14 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
2.14 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
1.14 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
0.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund |
|
Y |
|
1.49 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
1.39 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
A |
|
1.44 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
2.19 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
1.19 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
1.04 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund |
|
A |
|
1.24 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
B |
|
1.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
C |
|
1.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Y |
|
0.99 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Institutional |
|
0.89 |
% |
July 30, 2016 |
|
This Schedule A to the Expense Limitation Agreement is hereby executed as of the date first set forth above.
|
TOUCHSTONE STRATEGIC TRUST |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
|
|
Terrie A. Wiedenheft, Treasurer and Controller |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOUCHSTONE ADVISORS, INC. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Terrie A. Wiedenheft |
|
|
Terrie A. Wiedenheft, Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Steven M. Graziano |
|
|
Steven M. Graziano, President |
Exhibit 99.(j)
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 May 22, 2015 on the financial statements and financial highlights of Touchstone Flexible Income Fund, Touchstone Focused Fund, Touchstone Growth Opportunities Fund, Touchstone International Value Fund, Touchstone Mid Cap Growth Fund, Touchstone Sands Capital Emerging Markets Growth Fund, Touchstone Small Cap Growth Fund, and Touchstone Sustainability and Impact Equity Fund (formerly Touchstone Large Cap Growth Fund), eight of the funds constituting the Touchstone Strategic Trust, included in the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, in Post-Effective Amendment Number 121 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
July 28, 2015
Exhibit 99.(p)(11)
Sands Capital Management, LLC
Code of Ethics
(Amended July 2014)
Sands Capital Management Code of Ethics
Table of Contents
|
|
Page |
|
|
|
|
|
I. |
DEFINITIONS |
1 |
|
II. |
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES |
3 |
|
III. |
DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY |
3 |
|
IV. |
DISQUALIFIED PERSONS |
4 |
|
V. |
PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS AND CONDUCT |
4 |
|
|
A. |
Fraudulent Purchases or Sales |
4 |
|
B. |
Initial Public Offerings and Limited Offerings |
4 |
|
C. |
Options and Short Sales |
5 |
|
D. |
Blackout Periods |
5 |
|
E. |
Pre-Clearance List |
5 |
|
F. |
Prohibition on Short-Term Trading Profits |
6 |
|
G. |
Exempt Transactions |
6 |
|
H. |
Hardship Exemptions |
6 |
|
I. |
Directorships |
7 |
VI. |
REPORTING AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS |
7 |
|
|
A. |
Duplicate Brokerage Statements |
7 |
|
B. |
Initial Holdings Report |
7 |
|
C. |
Annual Holdings Reports |
7 |
|
D. |
Quarterly Transaction Reports |
8 |
|
E. |
Exceptions To Reporting Requirements |
9 |
|
F. |
Annual Certifications |
9 |
|
G. |
Reporting of Code Violations |
9 |
VII. |
GIFTS & ENTERTAINMENT |
10 |
|
|
A. |
Reporting of Gifts & Entertainment |
10 |
|
B. |
Additional Labor Organization Reporting |
11 |
|
C. |
Exceptions |
11 |
VIII. |
REPORTS TO FUND CLIENTS |
11 |
|
IX. |
SANCTIONS |
11 |
|
X. |
RECORDS |
11 |
CODE OF ETHICS
This Code of Ethics (Code) is adopted by Sands Capital Management, LLC (Sands Capital) pursuant to Section 204A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 204A-1 thereunder, and Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rule 17j-1 thereunder, (1) to set forth standards of conduct (including compliance with the federal securities laws); (2) to require reporting of personal securities transactions, including transactions in mutual funds advised and sub-advised by Sands Capital; and (3) to require prompt reporting of violations of this Code.
This Code is applicable to every supervised person (as defined below) of Sands Capital, and extends to activities both within and outside of their duties at Sands Capital. Every supervised person is required to read this Code carefully, to sign and return the accompanying acknowledgement, and to retain a copy of this Code in a readily accessible place for reference.
Sands Capitals Compliance Team will notify access persons of their reporting obligations under this Code. A summary of the Code is provided in Part 2A Item 11 of the ADV. Any questions regarding this Code should be directed to the Chief Compliance Officer, a member of the Compliance Team and/or the General Counsel.
I. DEFINITIONS
Access person means (i) any supervised person who has access to nonpublic information regarding any clients purchase or sale of securities, or nonpublic information regarding the portfolio holdings of any Reportable Fund, or who is involved in making securities recommendations to clients, or who has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic; and (ii) any advisory person (as defined below). For this purpose, all supervised persons are presumed to be access persons.
Advisers Act means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Advisory person means (i) any employee who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of covered securities by a Reportable Fund, or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales; and (ii) any natural person in a control relationship to Sands Capital who obtains information concerning recommendations made to a Reportable Fund with regard to the purchase or sale of covered securities by the Reportable Fund.
Automatic investment plan means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.
Beneficial ownership is interpreted in a manner as it would be under Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in determining whether a person has beneficial ownership of a security for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder. (See Attachment A for more information about beneficial ownership.)
Chief Compliance Officer means the individual (or his or her designee) designated by Sands Capital as having the authority and responsibilities set forth in this Code; provided, however , that if that individual proposes to engage in any conduct or transaction requiring approval or other action by the Chief
Compliance Officer, the approval shall be granted or other action shall be taken by such other individual as Sands Capital shall designate.
Control has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act. Section 2(a)(9) provides that control means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Ownership of more than 25% of a companys outstanding voting securities is presumed to give the holder control over the company. The facts and circumstances of a given situation may counter this presumption.
Covered security means a security as defined in Section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act or Section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Company Act. Covered Security includes notes, bonds, stocks, convertible securities, preferred stock, options on securities, futures on broad-based market indices, exchange-traded Funds (ETFs), warrants and rights, and shares of closed-end Funds and Reportable Funds. Covered Security does not include direct obligations of the United States Government, bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements, and shares issued by money market and other open-end (mutual) Funds.
Federal securities laws means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Investment Company Act, the Advisers Act, Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and any rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under any of those statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act as it applies to registered investment advisers and investment companies, and any rules adopted thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the Department of the Treasury.
Fund means an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act.
General Counsel means the Chief Legal Officer of Sands Capital or his or her delegate.
Initial public offering means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Investment Company Act means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Limited offering means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) or pursuant to Rule 504, Rule 505 or Rule 506 under the Securities Act of 1933.
Public company means any company subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Purchase or sale of a security includes, among other things, the writing of an option to purchase or sell a security.
Reportable Fund means any Fund, or separate investment portfolio of such Fund, for which Sands Capital serves as an investment adviser as defined in Section 2(a)(20) of the Investment Company Act. A list of Reportable Funds can be obtained from the Compliance Team.
Supervised Person means any partner, officer, director (or other person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions), or staff member of Sands Capital, or other person who provides investment advice on behalf of Sands Capital and is subject to the supervision and control of Sands Capital.
ALL STAFF MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERED SUPERVISED PERSONS
II. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Sands Capital and its supervised persons owe a fiduciary duty to Sands Capitals clients. As fiduciaries, Sands Capital and its supervised persons stand in a special relationship of trust, confidence, and responsibility to Sands Capitals clients. Accordingly, supervised persons must avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere, or appear to interfere, with making decisions in the best interests of clients. Supervised Persons must, at all times, observe the following general fiduciary principles:
1. In the course of fulfilling your duties and responsibilities to clients, you must place the interests of clients first;
2. You must conduct all of your personal securities transactions in full compliance with this Code and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of your position of trust and responsibility; and
3. You must not take inappropriate advantage of your position.
Supervised Persons are required to comply with applicable federal securities laws and must adhere to these general principles as well as comply with the specific provisions of this Code. Supervised Persons must be aware that they may be held personally liable for any improper or illegal acts committed during their course of being supervised persons and that ignorance of the law is not a defense. It bears emphasis that technical compliance with this Code will not automatically insulate a supervised person from scrutiny where personal trading or other activities that reflect a pattern of abuse of an individuals fiduciary duty owed to clients. Conversely, a technical breach of the Code may not necessarily cause any harm to Sands Capital and/or its clients and may require additional subjective analysis by the Compliance Team in order to determine impact.
III. DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY
Supervised Persons have the highest fiduciary obligation not to reveal confidential information to any person that does not have a clear and compelling need to know such information. They must keep confidential at all times any nonpublic information they may obtain in the course of their duties at Sands Capital, including but not limited to:
1. information on clients, including personal identifying information, such as name, address, Social Security Number or Tax ID Number, and account information, such as recent or impending securities transactions by or on behalf of clients, account numbers and balances;
2. information on Sands Capitals personnel, including their pay, benefits, position level and performance ratings; and
3. information on Sands Capitals business, including proprietary investment strategies, technologies and business activities.
IV. DISQUALIFIED PERSONS
Section 9 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 Act prohibits persons who have committed various acts from serving in certain capacities with respect to mutual funds. Under Section 9(a), an ineligible person generally cannot serve in the following capacities with respect to a Fund: employee, officer, trustee, member of advisory board, investment adviser, or principal underwriter (each a Fund Position).
Section 9(a) describes four situations that make persons or entities ineligible to serve in a Fund Position:
1. Persons with convictions within the last ten years that are tied to securities transactions or employment in the securities field;
2. Persons with permanent or temporary injunctions from acting in certain capacities in the securities arena;
3. Companies which have an affiliated person that are ineligible under the first two situations above; or
4. Persons who are subject to an SEC order declaring them to be ineligible under Section 9.
The Chief Compliance Officer will monitor for compliance with Section 9. The Compliance Team must be promptly notified in the event a Staff Member becomes subject to one of the above ineligible events or if they believe that they may have hired or employed a disqualified person.
V. PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS AND CONDUCT
A. Fraudulent Purchases or Sales
Supervised Persons may not, directly or indirectly, in connection with the purchase or sale of a security held or to be acquired by any client:
1. employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the client;
2. make to the client any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;
3. engage in any act, practice or course of business which would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the client; or
4. engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the client.
B. Initial Public Offerings and Limited Offerings
Supervised Persons may not, directly or indirectly, acquire ownership of any security in an initial public offering or a limited offering without first obtaining written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or
the General Counsel. In the event approval is granted, the Chief Compliance Officer or the General Counsel will document reasons for the approval.
C. Options and Short Sales
Sands Capital expressly forbids the purchase or sale of options. Supervised Persons of Sands Capital may never sell securities short. However, an exception is granted for any exchange traded funds and mutual funds that may transact in options and/or short sales.
D. Blackout Periods
Supervised Persons of Sands Capital are restricted in trading any security involved in an investment action for the Sands Capital Select Growth, Global Growth, Emerging Markets Growth and Technology Innovators strategies for a specified blackout period. An investment action is a decision to add (or eliminate) a security to (or from), or increase (or reduce) the weighting of a security in the Sands Capital strategies listed above. Supervised Persons may not, directly or indirectly, purchase or sell any security involved in an investment action during the following blackout period:
1. 10 calendar days before the beginning of the investment action;
2. during the investment action; and
3. 7 calendar days after the completion of the investment action (for this purpose, an investment action is completed on the date notification of such action is sent to advisory clients).
A document with all current blackout and pre-clearance information is available at: O:/Blackout periods and Pre-Clearance List.pdf or on Sands Capitals intranet.
E. Pre-Clearance List
Supervised Persons may not, directly or indirectly, purchase or sell any security on the Pre-Clearance List without first obtaining written approval of the Compliance Team. Supervised Persons must review the Pre-Clearance List before trading.
With regard to the window of trading 10 days prior to the start of an investment action, the Compliance Team will analyze any breaches to determine if the supervised person had prior knowledge. In addition, the Compliance Team will ascertain if the investment action had been decided upon and communicated to supervised persons by the PM Decision Teams. If prior knowledge is not established, the breach would not be deemed a violation of the above policy. Subsequently, the supervised person is granted pre-clearance and the investment action occurs within the 10 day window.
Requests for pre-clearance can be emailed to complianceteam@sandscap.com . Email requests must contain the following information: buy or sell, number of shares, security name and security ticker . Requests that do not contain the appropriate information can be automatically rejected.
By sending this email and requesting pre-clearance you represent that, to the best of your knowledge, you (or the registered account holder):
1. have no knowledge of a pending investment action involving the above security;
2. am not in possession of any material nonpublic information concerning the security to which this request relates;
3. am not engaging in any manipulative or deceptive trading activity; and
4. this transaction does not violate the Short-Term Trading prohibition in the Code of Ethics.
The Compliance Team, in its sole discretion, has the right not to approve a personal trade request. As such, you acknowledge to abide by the decisions of the Compliance Team. Additionally, you acknowledge that authorization is only valid for a period of 24 hours after approval is granted.
F. Prohibition on Short-Term Trading Profits
Supervised Persons may not profit from the purchase and sale of the same (or equivalent) covered securities within 30 calendar days. This prohibition does not apply to transactions resulting in a loss.
G. Exempt Transactions
The prohibitions and restrictions of this Section V do not apply to:
1. purchases or sales effected in any account over which the supervised person has no direct or indirect influence or control;
2. purchases, sales or other acquisitions of securities which are non-volitional on the part of the supervised person, such as sales from a margin account pursuant to bona fide margin calls, stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, consolidations, spin-offs, or other similar corporate reorganizations or distributions;
3. purchases that are part of an automatic investment plan;
4. purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer; and
5. acquisitions of securities through gifts or bequests.
H. Hardship Exemptions
A Supervised Person may submit to the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel a request for an exemption from the blackout period of the personal trading policy for an unforeseen hardship situation (e.g., the purchase of a home, a large unforeseen expense, such as a medical expense). All requests must be in writing and must state the reasons for the hardship. The Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel will make a determination in light of all relevant facts and circumstances, including any actual or apparent conflict of interests generated by the possible exception when reviewing exceptions. These exceptions are granted rarely and only in extreme circumstances.
I. Directorships
Supervised Persons may not serve on the board of directors of any public company without first obtaining written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel. Supervised Persons may not serve as a board of director of any organization where Sands Capital directly serves as the investment manager of funds owned and/or directed by that organization without written approval from the Chief Compliance Officer.
VI. REPORTING AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
All reports pursuant to this Section VI shall be made to and reviewed by the Compliance Team.
A. Duplicate Brokerage Statements
All supervised persons are required to instruct their broker-dealers, banks or other financial services firms to provide duplicate statements (no less than quarterly) for any account in which they have any direct or indirect beneficial ownership . (See Attachment B for a form Letter of Instruction for this purpose.) These statements may be received electronically via the PTCC system or in traditional paper format.
B. Initial Holdings Report
No later than 10 days after becoming a supervised person, every supervised person shall report the following information:
1. the title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of security, number of shares and principal amount (if applicable) of each covered security in which he or she has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership; or
2. in the event that the supervised person has no beneficial ownership in any covered securities, either a statement to that effect or the word None (or similar designation); and
3. the name of any broker, dealer or bank with which the supervised person maintains an account in which any securities are held for his or her direct or indirect benefit; and
4. the date the supervised person submits the report.
The information in an Initial Holdings Report must be current as of a date not more than 45 days prior to the date the person became a supervised person. (See Attachment C for a copy of the form of Initial Holdings Report.)
C. Annual Holdings Reports
On or before February 14 th of each year, every supervised person shall report the following information:
1. the title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of security, number of shares and principal amount (if applicable) of each covered security in which the supervised person has any direct or indirect
beneficial ownership (generally, duplicate brokerage statements will be used to satisfy this requirement); or
2. in the event that he or she has no beneficial ownership in any covered securities, either a statement to that effect or the word None (or some similar designation); and
3. the name of any broker, dealer or bank with which the supervised person maintains an account in which any securities are held for his or her direct or indirect benefit; and
4. the date the supervised person submits the report.
The information in an Annual Holdings Report shall be current as of December 31 st of the preceding year. (See Attachment D for a copy of the form of Annual Holdings Report.)
D. Quarterly Transaction Reports
No later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, every supervised person shall report the following information:
1. With respect to any transaction during the quarter in a covered security in which the supervised person has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership (generally, duplicate brokerage statements will be used to satisfy this requirement):
a. the trade date of the transaction, the title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount (if applicable) of each covered security involved;
b. the nature of the transaction ( i.e. , purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
c. the price of the covered security at which the transaction was effected; and
d. the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected; or
e. in the event there were no such transactions during the quarter, either a statement to that effect or the word None (or some similar designation); and
f. the date the supervised person submits the report.
2. With respect to any account established by the supervised person in which any covered securities were held during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the supervised person:
a. the name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the account is established; and
b. the date the account was established; or
c. in the event there were no such accounts established during the quarter, either a statement to that effect or the word None (or some similar designation); and
d. the date the supervised person submits the report.
(See Attachment E for a copy of the form of Quarterly Transaction Report.)
E. Exceptions To Reporting Requirements
A supervised person need not submit:
1. any report with respect to securities held in accounts over which he or she has no direct or indirect influence or control;
2. a transaction report with respect to transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan;
3. a transaction report if the report would duplicate information contained in broker trade confirmations or account statements that are received by the Compliance Team with respect to such person, so long as the Compliance Team receives the confirmations or statements no later than 30 days after the end of the applicable calendar quarter; and
4. qualified tuition programs established pursuant to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, otherwise known as 529 plans that are not managed by Sands Capital.
Any report required by this Section IV may contain a statement that the report shall not be construed as an admission by the person making the report that he or she has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security to which the report relates.
F. Annual Certifications
All supervised persons shall certify in writing at least annually that (i) they have read and understand this Code; (ii) recognize that they are subject to this Code; and (iii) they will comply with the requirements of this Code, including reporting all information required to be reported by this Code. (See Attachment F for the form of Annual Certification.)
G. Reporting of Code Violations
Each supervised person is required to notify the Chief Compliance Officer promptly if he or she knows of any violation of this Code. Failure to do so is a violation of this Code. In the event that a matter implicates the Chief Compliance Officer, notice of a violation may be provided to the General Counsel or another executive officer of Sands Capital.
Consistent with Sands Capitals policies, no person or group within Sands Capital shall retaliate, nor shall Sands Capital or any supervised person tolerate any retaliation by any other person or group within the firm, directly or indirectly, against anyone who, in good faith, reports any violation of this Code or provides assistance to management or any other person or group, including any governmental, regulatory or law enforcement body, investigating any violation of this Code.
Sands Capital shall not reveal the identity of any person who reports a violation of this Code and who asks that his or her identity as the person who made such report remain confidential. Sands Capital shall not make any effort, or tolerate any effort made by any other person or group, to ascertain the identity of any person who reports a violation anonymously, unless (i) such information is required to be disclosed by law or applicable legal process or by applicable securities or commodities exchange, self-regulatory organization, or other rules or regulations; or (ii) disclosure of such information, or ascertaining such identity, is supported by a clear and compelling interest of clients that is sufficient in the particular case to overcome an expectation of anonymity.
VII. GIFTS & ENTERTAINMENT
By refusing inappropriate inducements of any kind, Supervised Persons will be preserving assets of far greater value: their good name, the reputation of Sands Capital, and our clients financial welfare.
In the ordinary course of business, Supervised Persons may give and receive modest business gifts and this policy is not intended to restrict normal business activities. Supervised Persons may not give or accept any gift of more than de minimis value (currently $250 per year) from any person, entity, client or prospective client that does business with or is seeking to do business with Sands Capital. Cash gifts of any amount are prohibited. A gift does not apply to ordinary and usual business entertainment such as an occasional meal, sporting event, theater production or comparable entertainment event so long as it is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of propriety.
At times it could be difficult to discern between a gift and entertainment. If you are attending an event with the giver of the tickets to the event it is typically considered entertainment while gifts are given and used/consumed only by the Supervised Person. Please contact the Compliance Team if you are unable to determine if something is a gift or entertainment.
Supervised Persons are prohibited from giving or providing any gift, including a personal gift, to any official of a Public Fund without the express prior approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel.
A. Reporting of Gifts & Entertainment
All gifts of which you are the recipient must be reported in writing via email to the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel if the value is reasonably judged to exceed $250 per recipient. Reporting must include the name(s) of the giver, the date, the organization of the giver, a description of the gift or event, and the value or estimated value of the gift or event.
B. Additional Labor Organization Reporting
In addition, any gifts, payments of money or anything of value made directly or indirectly by you to a labor organization or officer, agent, shop steward, or other representative or employee of any labor organization (including union officials serving in some capacity to a Taft-Hartley Plan) must be reported to the Chief Compliance Officer. All items regardless of the amount or value must be reported. Following are examples of potentially reportable items:
· |
Meals |
· |
Advertising at union or Taft-Hartley fund related functions |
· |
Gifts (e.g., holiday gifts) |
|
|
· |
Travel and lodging costs |
· |
Sponsorship of union conferences, picnics, other events |
· |
Bar bills |
|
|
· |
Sporting event tickets |
· |
Donations to union related charities or scholarship funds |
· |
Theatre tickets |
|
|
· |
Clothing or equipment |
· |
Conferences attended by union officials, Supervised Persons, etc. |
· |
Raffle donations |
|
|
· |
Retirement dinners |
· |
Receptions attended by union officials, Supervised Persons, etc. |
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Golf (including charity golf tournaments) |
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|
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Hole sponsorships for golf tournament |
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Donations for apprenticeship graduation dinners |
C. Exceptions
Exceptions to the gift limit may be made by the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel. Supervised Persons should request exceptions for personal circumstances in which the employee has a personal relationship with a third party (such as receiving or providing personal gifts as wedding gifts or gifts for the birth of a child).
VIII. REPORTS TO FUND CLIENTS
Sands Capital shall furnish to the board of directors/trustees of each Reportable Fund, at the direction and timing specified by such boards, but no less frequently than annually, a written report that (i) describes any issues affecting the Reportable Fund arising under this Code or related procedures since the last report, including, but not limited to, information about material violations of this Code or such procedures and the sanctions imposed; and (ii) certifies that Sands Capital has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent its supervised persons from violating this Code.
IX. SANCTIONS
Supervised Persons who violate this Code will be subject to such sanctions as deemed necessary and appropriate under the circumstances and in the best interest of clients. The range of sanctions include but are not limited to a written warning or reprimand, cancellation of trades, disgorgement of profits or sale of positions at a loss, restriction on trading privileges, fines, suspension of employment without pay, termination of employment, and/or referral to regulatory or law enforcement authorities.
X. RECORDS
Sands Capital shall maintain such records relating to this Code of Ethics, in the manner and as required by Rule 204-2(a)(12) under the Advisers Act and Rules 17f-1(f) and 31a-1(f) under the Investment Company Act.